'By the time! Indeed, mankind is in grave loss, except those who believe, do good, and enjoin each other to the truth, and enjoin each other to patience.' (103:1-3) This verse contains the formula for the real and ultimate victory. So the people who think that victory will come to them by amassing weapons and military forces against the believers and assaulting them with airstrikes - clearly, they have the wrong formula. Furthermore, we have smarter weapons than they have, because through the Quran, Allah has trained us how to use what we may collectively call 'spiritual weapons' - things such as taqwa, tawakkul, patience, and dua - because these things have the power to avert all kinds of evil. When Prophet Saul (pbuh) and his army went forth to face Goliath and his soldiers (who were stronger and larger in number), they didn't ask for more strength, more weapons, or more people to defeat their enemy. They simply asked for patience, and they asked Allah to plant firmly their feet and give them victory over the disbelieving people: 'Our Lord, pour upon us patience, and plant firmly our feet, and give us victory over the disbelieving people.' (2:250) And those who were firm and had certainty in Allah, after seeing the large and powerful force on the other side of the river, said, 'How often a small group overcame a mighty host by Allah's permission? And Allah is with the patient ones' (2:249). And Allah says that the two most powerful things that will keep us safe even against the plotting of the hypocrites are patience and taqwa (God-consciousness): 'And if you are patient and have taqwa, their scheming will not harm you in any way.' (3:120) Thus, taqwa and patience are like invisible shields that protect us from all kinds of harm or anything that should be repelled, both in this life and the hereafter. Taqwa and patience are like invisible bullet-proof vests that we can wear on our souls. And, in fact, the word 'taqwa' itself has its origins in the word 'wiqayya,' which means a shield, a protection, or a barrier. And speaking the truth or an upright word can also be a spiritual weapon, because the truth will always defeat the falsehood, as Allah says: 'Nay! We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it breaks its head, and behold, it vanishes! And woe be to you for what you claim.' (21:18) So, if we look at conventional warfare from a spiritual angle, then it seems that the whole game really does turn into our own advantage. And the others will enjoy their illusory victory.