YOU WOULD THINK that tyrants, armed with the wealth, power, and armies at their command, have nothing to fear. But in reality, they live in constant fear.
And what do they fear more than anything else?
The truth.
Because truth unravels the lies they weave. It exposes them for who they truly are.
Take, for example, the ayah where Allah narrates the story of Musa (AS):
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَسُلْطَـٰنٍۢ مُّبِينٍ
“And We certainly sent Musa with Our signs and a clear authority.” (Ghafir 23)
What made Musa (AS) strong enough to confront Pharaoh, the most powerful tyrant of his time? Yes, he was supported by miracles, but more than that, he was sent with something that grants real authority:
The truth.
So why does truth hold such power?
Because truth gives us clarity. It enables sound judgment and the ability to make wise decisions. With truth, we can identify problems and find real solutions.
Think of a doctor or a judge. If they are given false or incomplete information, how can they diagnose correctly or deliver justice? Their decisions would only lead to harm.
Every decision we make is only as good as the information we base it on. From plotting your route to work each morning to choosing your children’s school or your utility provider, the best decision is arrived at by knowing the truth.
That’s why tyrants go to great lengths to suppress the truth. They bury it, hide it, confuse it, distort it. They even try to convince people that truth doesn’t exist, that it’s subjective, whatever you want it to be. Like a conman selling faulty goods, if he can get you to believe his lies, he controls you. He benefits at your expense.
But when you know the truth, you are no longer his pawn. You can make your own decisions. You see through the deception.
That’s why tyrants, past and present, spend so much effort constructing a carefully controlled narrative. They use media, wealth, and spy networks (like Qarun was to Pharaoh) to craft illusions. They portray themselves as heroes, and victims even, while painting the real victims as threats. They manipulate public sentiment, using patriotism or fear to justify their oppression.
Palestine is a powerful example. For decades, the dominant narrative was tightly controlled. That Palestine was a land without people and the Zionists were a people without a land. They brought greenery and progress to the desert. That they are a force of good amongst the savage hordes. But something changed. Through the resilience of the Palestinian people in the last 18 months and the rise of social media, a shift began. The truth started breaking through the cracks of propaganda. People around the world began to see clearly.
And the response from those in power? Desperation.
The grip is loosening. Their lies grow bolder, their punishments harsher, and yet the truth keeps surfacing. Their hypocrisy is being laid bare. They’re failing and they know it.
This is the strength of truth. It gives courage to the seemingly powerless and brings fear to those who appear strong. It transforms not just what we believe, but how we live.
Take the magicians at Pharaoh’s court. They came to defeat Musa (as), hoping for reward and favour. But when they witnessed the truth, everything changed.
فَوَقَعَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
So the truth prevailed, and what they had devised failed. (Al-A’raf 118)
Pharaoh threatened them with the most brutal torture and death. Yet they replied:
قَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنَا ۖ فَٱقْضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ ۖ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَآ
By the One who created us! We will never prefer you over the clear signs that have come to us. So do what you will. You only rule over the life of this world. (Taha 72)
This is what truth does. It elevates the weak and exposes the mighty. It grants a type of authority that no army or wealth can compete with.
And the ultimate truth?
That you were created by Allah. That this life is temporary, a test, and your real life begins in the Hereafter, where you’ll see the results of all that you did.
That truth transforms everything. It shapes how you think, how you act, what you live for and what you die for.
Those who reject that truth live as if there are no consequences. But the truth, no matter how much it is buried, will always rise. It always prevails. And then the deniers will be made to face the Truth.
هَـٰذَا يَوْمُ ٱلْفَصْلِ ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ
(They will be told): “This is the Day of (Final) Decision which you used to deny.” (as-Saffaat 21)
Living For Islam 