A few years later it became the second centre of Islam.

A few years later it became the second centre of Islam. Thus, the above-quoted verse first speaks of a norm of history and then emphatically declares: You will never find our method to be changing. The following verses are other examples: There have been many examples before you. So travel across the land and see what has been the fate of the rejecters.

(2) This verse lays stress on the norms of history and urges people to follow the truth and look into historical events to learn a lesson from them and find out the trends of history. Messengers indeed have been denied before you, but they were patient under the denial and prosecution till Our help reached them. There is none to alter the words of Allah (the conditions of His promises). Already there have reached you some reports about the Messengers.

(3) This verse encouraging the Holy Prophet, tells him of what the past people experienced and explains that in this respect there exists a law and a norm which is equally valid in his case as it has been in the case of the former Prophets. In accordance with this law which has already proved correct in the case of the former Prophets, he will soon receive divine help and will gain victory provided he fulfils all the pre-requisite conditions. These conditions are patience, perseverance etc.

Success can be achieved only through these traits. That is why the Quran says: They were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our help reached them. There is none to alter the words of Allah – the conditions of His promises. (4) According to this verse, the words of Allah cannot be altered. In other words, the pre-requisite conditions and the circumstances on the materialization of which the fulfilment of His promises depends, cannot change over history.

Here `word’ signifies the relation between success and the fulfilment of its conditions and other circumstance, as explained in different verses dispersed in the Qur’an. Only a hint has been made here. This relation is a norm of history. Are the Norms of History Changeable? On the basis of these norms, the Qur’an says: When a Warner came to them, it aroused in them nothing but repugnance, arrogance in the land, and plotting evil; and the evil plot encloses only the men who make it.

Then do they expect the application of law different from that which applied to the people of the old? You will not find any change in Allah’s law, nor will you find any case of its failure.