NOW OUT: A Calm Dialogue with Obama

Translation and footnotes by At-Tibyân Publications.

Download:
http://www.archive.org/download/addressAbuQatada/AnAddressToTheMuslimsFromAbQatdah.pdf

All praise is due to Allâh, the Lord of all the Worlds. And may the blessings and peace be upon the unlettered Prophet. And to proceed…

As-Salâmu ‘Alaykum Wa Rahmat Allâhi Wa Barakâtuh,

I begin my words by praising Allâh, the Most High, for His great favours and His grand, sweeping bounties, because, by Allâh, He has been generous to me with many gifts and bounties, which I’m unable to enumerate, nor am I able to extend (suitable) praise for it nor to fulfill my gratitude towards them. The greatest of them was that which I was afflicted with in His path from imprisonment, confinement and harm, then I was given in these six years bounties and gifts the likes of which, had I spent all of my life outside of the prison, I would not have attained them, so the gift of prison then the many gifts within it, took place through His praise, His virtue and His choosing.

In the first three years, I completed the memorization of the Book of Allâh, the Most High, along with lengthy contemplations about it, which helped me in writing a number of books, the most beautiful of them, in my opinion, was the book: “Fann al-Qirâ’ah” (”The Art of Reading”), which is a book in which I hoped to narrate my experience with the great endeavour of reading, so that the person may reach through it, to what which I labelled: “Al-Qirâ’ah al-Jadaliyyah” (”Forensic Reading”), in which I mentioned many of the dreams, advice and conclusions, so that the reader may reach to the exaltation of Allâh, the Great, and His glorification. And I wanted to make the reading of religious material a scientific (style) of reading, just as I wanted to make reading – any reading – to be a religious-based reading through its correct meaning. In other words, that the ‘Ubûdiyyah (servitude of worship) would be completed for Allâh, the Most High. I hope from Allâh, the Most High, that He will make its distribution easy, because I believe that nothing has been written like it before on this topic.

And while inside, I also wrote the book: “Limâthâ Intasarnâ? ” (”Why Were We Victorious?”) I clarified in this book the meaning of victory from the Book of Allâh, the Most High, and I discussed the status of the Jihâdî movements; specifically and its effects on the world in general. And in it, I came to the certain conclusion that we are living in a victory, because the grid line for the Ummah (nation) of Islâm is on the rise and the line of Kufr (disbelief) is descending and falling. And within this book there are many hypothetical debates with the defeatist side within the Islâmic ranks.

From the first day of my first imprisonment – three years – I recorded my thoughts and my dreams and likewise that which I saw with my eyes and that which I remembered from the stances (of men) in a manner such as “Sayd al-Khâtir” (”Capturing Ideas”), [1] which I named “Shatharât Min al-Fikr Wal-Hayyât” (”Fragments From The Ideology and Life”), with which I filled three notebooks.

From that which kept me busy for a long while was the understanding of “Al-’Aql” (i.e. the Intellect). And it is from the matters, which have specific ties to the Qur’ân, as it was not mentioned in the Qur’ân as an independent entity, rather it was mentioned as a possessive action: ﴾…Ya’qilûn (those with intellect)﴿. [2]

So I wrote a paper, which I called “Al-Farqu Bayn al-’Aql ash-Shi’rî Wa’l-’Aql al-Jihâdî ” (”The Difference Between the Poetic Intellect and the Jihâdî Intellect”). And that was through following what He, the Most High, said in Sûrat Ash-Shu’arâ’:

﴿ وَالشُّعَرَاء يَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوُونَ ﴾

﴾ As for the poets, the erring follow them. ﴿ [3]

And in those days I recorded some memories, which I did not complete, and I named it: “Wa Fî Balmârsh Kanat Lanâ Ayyâm” (”And In Belmarsh We Experienced Days”). And the last of what I wrote there was “Al-’Arba’ûn al-Jiyâd li-Ahl al-Tawhîd Wa’l-Jihâd ” (”The Forty Steeds For the People of Tawhîd and Jihâd “) and it is the only one, which Allâh, the Most High, decreed to be released to the brothers.

The condition, which I lived during my first imprisonment, was what helped me in these releases, as I wrote tens of poems, along with these books. From those which were released, was my poem in regards to the elegy of Shaykh Ahmad Yâsîn, a poem regarding the longing for Palestine, others regarding personal development, many of which were introspective and another which I kept hidden, due to who it was about; and that was my wife, may Allâh preserve her and protect her, as a fulfillment towards her, for her patience and her steadfastness, as well as her teaching me much of what I was in need of during my trials. During that stage, we were with our brothers in solitary cells wherein we remained for more than twenty-three hours of each night and day, as the person could not see anyone; rather he would be secluded by himself. This imprisonment – three years – was without any charges or trial. And also, reviewing the evidences, which were claimed as the basis of your imprisonment by the government, was not permitted, as their parliament approved a law, which permitted the state to imprison any strange foreigner who did not process British citizenship, for an indefinite period using secret evidence. This law, in reality, can be considered – as I have labelled it – a re-emergence of those who used to eat their false gods. Because we know that some of the Mushrikîn (polytheists) long ago, as part of their polytheistic worship, used to make idols out of dates and then they would worship them. But if they became hungry they would eat them. And this is what the English government did, as it is the one that claims that it respects the human (rights) regardless of his religion, his colour, his language or his citizenship. But here it is, eating its god. And it comes up with this law, which differentiates between one person and another.

Approximately ten brothers were imprisoned with me under this law and each one of the brothers took advantage of his imprisonment in a unique way. And myself; in addition to these books and (research) papers, I was able to – by the virtue of Allâh – shed excess weight, as I was able to lose more than twenty-five kilograms, by means of exercise and diet. And those who had never seen me exercising had assumed that it was due to my illness, but it was not due to this, praise be to Allâh. Rather, I was completely cured from my diabetes up to this day. And likewise (I was cured from) the severe back pains, which I used to experience while walking, as I have begun to run for a full hour and for a distance of eleven kilometres. And all praise is due to Allâh, the Lord of all the worlds.

We have defeated the British government, by the virtue of Allâh, the Most High, and in our imprisonment, there was an uncovering of their filthiness and their criminality and their false claims of humanism. And we were able to demonstrate to the Muslims in Britain specifically, that the British government is one which opposes Islâm and the Muslims. And a fracture, which can never be set after that, took place by the virtue of Allâh.

The era of lies has finished and it has spread amongst the people, that there is a Guantanamo in Britain, just as there is a Guantanamo in America, and it is (called) Belmarsh. And a new generation of the Muslim youth has been raised, and especially amongst our brothers who originate from the Indian subcontinent, who were no longer mesmerized by the English authority, nor regarding the English values – rather they hate it and they know its enmity towards them, so they have become enemies towards it as well.

No one ever imagined that someone would be in prison for this length of time without any charge or trial in Britain, but this is the reality. And it is the true face of the arrogant person who sees that the other person is only a number who has no value.

After three years, the House of Lords issued a decree, which voided this law and they made harsh statements about it, so it was not renewed. But the approval of another law in its place was ratified and it was the law, which gives the British government the right to confine any person with restrictions (even) when he is out of prison. And that is through preventing him, for a length of time, from leaving his home, as well as preventing him from using a telephone or computer or meeting with certain people, or going to certain places, or to restrict the places where he may go.

We came out of the racist Belmarsh prison – the Guantanamo of Britain – under this law; myself and my brothers. And I spent approximately five months outside, while the British government played a new game. And it (i.e. the game) was forming personal deals – yes, personal deals – with Jordan and Libya, which had no lawful or legislated aspect, according to their religion or their laws, through which the rendition of Muslims to their (original) countries takes place.

After Salât al-Fajr, the police raided our homes and they lead us to prison again, without any charge or civil trial. Rather with a private trial and secret evidences. In other words, they were special for the foreigners, excluding the children of their own skin (i.e. non-British citizens). And we – more than seventeen brothers – were placed in a separate area, living together. Amongst us were Palestinians, Jordanians, Libyans and Algerians. Then after a time, the Libyans were released when the Libyan government – through a French liaison – released the Bulgarian doctors who had been accused of spreading AIDS, while it did not do the same for the English (doctors). So the British government took revenge by releasing the Libyans. [4]

The British government was unsuccessful in forming a deal with Algeria, so it entered into an endless spiral with the Algerians, while their game continued being played with those who held Jordanian citizenship.

We were three, and two of us were together. Myself and the brother, ‘Abd Allâh As-Samâmarah “Abû Shaymâ’ ” and the third was Abû ‘Îsâ Ar-Rifâ’î. And Abû ‘Îsâ used to move back-and-forth between Belmarsh and the hospital, due to his health condition, and he was not with us.

We remained with the brothers in this prison for three years and regretfully, I did not complete very much in it, because the prison was communal with the brothers (i.e. everyone were together) and discussions with them were deep. Along with this, we were joined by the brother, ‘Âdil ‘Abd al-Majîd al-Misrî and the brother, Khâlid al-Fawwâz an-Najdî, who were both charged in America, which was seeking (extradition) to have them tried. And added in with us was the brother(s), Bâbar Ahmad, Hârûn Aswât and Talhah Ihsân. And they all shared one case, which was their being extradited to America.

A long while after the Libyans had been freed; all of us were able to be released on bail, while awaiting a decision from the House of Lords regarding our case. And after less than five months (passed), they raided my home at Fajr and led me to Belmarsh under the claim that I broke the conditions of my bail, which was that I considered fleeing Britain.

Think about this accusation: “considered fleeing”. In reality, it was not like that. Rather, it was – as it has been stated in the documents: “…that it is possible for him to consider fleeing…”

This is the fair, British judiciary, as the Zandâdiqah (hypocrites) of our countries say.

So I returned to prison and the restrictions and harm had increased in the prison, as I was placed upon the high security level. I was strip-searched twice monthly and I returned to my former brothers, ‘Âdil, Khâlid, Bâbar and Talhah, and another brother had been added in with them who was from Jamaica, who had recently entered Islâm and taken the name, Bilâl. And he was also being sought in America under other criminal charges, which had no tie to the Jihâd, unlike the rest.

From the first day, I made the decision to not waste any time except in writing. So by the virtue of Allâh, the Most High, I began to write about a topic, which I had wished to write about since the Americans entered Afghanistan, and the events of Tora Bora and other events had taken place. Because I had seen Jâhiliyyah (pre-Islâmic Ignorance) reactions from the people of turbans and the Shaykhs of the Sahwah [5], against the Jihâd and the Mujâhidîn. These statements were precisely what the hypocrites said after (the battle of) Uhud.

The point was firstly, to explain the verses regarding the battle of Uhud, then I saw that the battles of the Messenger of Allâh, mentioned in the Qur’ân deserved to have their own book. So the book (I wrote) became: “Ghazawât Rasûl-Allâh, Sall Allâhu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam, Fil-Qur’ân al-Karîm” (”The Battles of the Messenger of Allâh, may the Blessing and Peace of Allâh be upon him, in the Noble Qur’ân”) and that was under the larger title, which was: “Sibghat Allâh” (”The Nature of Allâh”) and it will be (released) if possible and with ability. And that is a discussion of the questions regarding the existence and Jihâd from within the Book of Allâh, the Most High.

Now after the decision has been made by the House of Lords, agreeing with the government in rendering me to the Jordanian government, what can be said?

The judges of this country, at all of their levels, have said that there is justice in Jordan and that the military courts therein fulfill the necessities of justice, and that torture in the prisons and the intelligence circles are issues which are possible to work around.

This is the summary of their judgements without any polishing or beautification. This means, to the people of strong understanding and intellect, that Jordan is the daughter of Britain in its system, its security and its very essence. And whoever does not understand this, then having a discussion with him is a waste of time.

Allâh, the Most High, has blessed me in this case of mine, in that He exposed the British justice system, because some of the people, due to their heedlessness, declare that the British judicial system is free from the criminal element within it, in other words, the legislative and executive (branches). And I say: My case is one of the true cases in which the racism of the British judicial system becomes clear, along with its hatred towards Islâm and the Muslims.

I am unable, within these papers – and it is only a brief letter – to give details or explain, but it suffices me to say a word, which was said by one of the judges while arguing the issue of deporting ‘Abd Allâh As-Samâmarah “Abû Shaymâ’ ” to Jordan, when the closing statement of the Shaykh was presented to him, as the judge said: “This statement reminds me of the statements of the Muslims during the wars of the Crusades.”

Here in the solitary wing, where we have been secluded away from the world and the rest of the prisoners, Allâh has decreed that I was able to meet, for a short time, with the doctor Muhammad ‘Ashâ. And he was the one who was charged along with the Iraqi doctor, Bilâl ‘Abd Allâh. And he was a brother whom I met in the Masjid, while I was secluded alone in Belmarsh, on the day of Jumu’ah, and then I met him (again) within the prisoner transport van, which was taking him to the trial. And this doctor, Bilâl ‘Abd Allâh is truthfully a man from the men of Islâm, in knowledge, action, steadfastness and manhood, as he has memorized the Book of Allâh. He is a scholar in Fiqh and Hadîth and he took faithful stances, during his trial, in which he said words that can be raised up with the words of the Salaf – may the pleasure of Allâh be upon them. I felt insignificant, while he was saying (to me): “I have been influenced by your audio tapes a lot. And all praise is due to Allâh, the Lord of all the worlds.” I say: “The doctor, Muhammad ‘Ashâ – who is a specialist in neurosurgery – said to me that the Attorney General used to say, during the trial, when he was confirming the charges against him: “It is correct that ‘Ashâ does not have any evidence against him, but remember that he is intelligent, and this is sufficient. It is correct that ‘Ashâ does not have any evidence against him, but remember that he is of Palestinian origin, and this is sufficient (to conclude his guilt).”

These are the protocols of the courts of the British judiciary system when the accused one stands before them as a Muslim.

Should I mention another one for you? [6] One is sufficient for you here.

The former Interior Minister, David Blunkett, is the one who signed off on a strange law between the British government and America, in order to render to America those whom they were seeking from Britain. And the reason that it is strange is that this law forces Britain, but does not force America. In other words, Britain is forced to render those whom America seeks, but America is not forced to render those whom Britain seeks. And as they say, “What do we care?” because what is intended is something other than this (anyway).

What took place was the following:

America sought a British person, who was not Muslim, who was accused – according to them – of committing certain actions on the internet, which violated American law. And the courts approved of rendering him, but the members of parliament objected to this verdict. And from the strongest of opponents was David Blunkett himself. And the government responded to the pressure from the parliament while presently it is studying the possibility of trying him here and (later) rendering him to America.

So the agreement is against the Muslims [7] and it was put in place specifically for Abû Hamzah al-Misrî and the other brothers.

And the time allows for another incident (to be mentioned).

Abû Hamzah al-Misrî was sentenced to a number of years under the charge of inciting hatred and with vague ambiguous phrases, they turned it to mean what they wanted (to understand) from that. And days later, the leader of a British party, who is known for bigotry named Nicholas Griffin was tried for the same charges and with even stronger phrases than Hitler, the Nazi, but the Briton emerged innocent.

There is no problem for another (incident to be mentioned).

When Bâbar Ahmad was arrested, the police beat him severely – him and his wife, who was his bride that day, and his face looked like an inflated water-skin, [8] due to the beating. And the severe bruises were witnessed over all of his body, and when the matter was brought for trial, the response of the judge was: “Thank you to the British police for its preservation of security.”

As for me, Abû Qatâdah, despite the fact that I am Palestinian and I was born in Palestine and with my knowledge regarding the history of the British government and its crimes in general, along with its crimes in Palestine specifically, I acknowledge and admit that I was ignorant regarding this contempt and hatred, which the British governments holds against Islâm, the Muslims and the Arabs. And due to that, there were many instances where I wished that all of the Muslims could be imprisoned here in Britain, for an amount of time, not less than a year, so that they could see with their own eyes, the reality of what I’m saying. Because hundreds of volumes could not convey that which the person who experiences it, while living it, being inside it, seeing it and feeling it.

Here, I returned to prison so that a new stage could begin, the end of which I do not know. But I am upon certainty that my Lord is Merciful and Generous, and Allâh is where His slave’s good assumption is regarding Him. [9] I know that Allâh is more merciful with me than I am towards myself and more merciful than my father was to me. So due to my weakness, I hope for safety and wellbeing, but Allâh, the Powerful, the Mighty, is more wise and knowledgeable and all of my supplications are for Allâh to keep me steadfast upon the truth until I meet Him. Because, by Allâh, I do not fear anything except turning back on my heals and that is the most evil (fate) of what a person can meet. But I say that the truth is with the Mujâhidîn in every matter. Support them whether they are oppressors or the oppressed, based upon that which the Messenger of Allâh, صلى الله عليه وسلم, indicated. [10]

And I will write this continuously, as long as I am alive and able to do so. Because truthfully they are the people of the Qur’ân, and they are its inheritors and the inheritors of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allâh, صلى الله عليه وسلم. And when the people hear other than that from me, then I will either have become misguided, a liar or insane. Or else I am compelled under lashes and torture. I ask Allâh to be excused and for wellbeing.

Those arrogant criminals and Tawâghît (false rulers) wanted to imprison the words that I am saying, but when they do that they are decreeing that they are in support against the Da’wah of Tawhîd and against the Mujâhidîn. And due to that, that which angers them and enrages them the most after the spear and weapons, is the pen and words. So I call everyone who loves the religion of Allâh, the Most High, to be enthusiastic in spreading this religion and spreading the words of the imprisoned ones and to always remember them in order to nullify the sorcery of those criminals against Islâm and its people. Likewise, I advise some of the Muslims who do not love any of the prisoners, due to a personal or ideological reason, to fear Allâh with regards to their oppressed brothers. Because that which some of them do from trying to find the shortcomings and understanding words according to their worst (possible) meanings, or by understanding them in ways which were not (even) intended by the ones who said them; this is a support for the disbelievers against their brothers and this is an evil against the religion, even before the ones who they are disputing with. So they must fear Allâh with regards to their religion and the honour of their brothers.

I do not say this because their words harm me or harm my brothers in any way, rather I say this as an advice to them and it is obligatory upon me towards them. And I say this so that they may know the harmful effects of these words of theirs and how it pleases the disbelievers. Yes, there is a small group of people who are not harmed nor are they concerned with anything aside from quenching the thirst of their hatred and jealousy. And regarding those ones, we seek the help of Allâh against them and we say: Allâh is sufficient for us and the best upon Whom to rely.

During these tests, it becomes clear those who oppose you as a noble and scholarly person and those who oppose you as a hateful, envious, ignorant person. As for the scholar, then he stands with (the person upon) the truth despite some of his mistakes against the disbelief, which has no truth within it (whatsoever). As for the hateful, ignorant one, then he will envy you even despite this test of yours.

By the virtue of Allâh, we see the great signs of Allâh within these prisons, as I have seen this religion and how young men enter into Islâm and then they turn into students of knowledge and they learn Arabic and the Sharî’ah in a short number of months along with an understanding of the reality of Tawhîd, which one who lived as a Muslim in the Muslim countries is ignorant of.

My children have been raised far away from me for a period of six years in which I have not seen them except for an hour each month, or every two months. But despite that, they grew up better than when I was present with them in every part of life, as the older ones have memorized the Book of Allâh, and some of the others (have memorized) most of it. And they are from those who have excelled in their studies along with excellent manners and etiquette, which their peers bear witness to, so all praise is due to Allâh, the Lord of the worlds.

Verily, the greatest favour, which your brothers here are living in, is their conviction in Allâh and their conviction regarding this religion and in the methodology of Jihâd, which has fulfilled goodness for the Ummah of Islâm, the likes of which had the Du’ât (callers) spent hundreds of years in, they would not have attained it:

The meanings of allegiance and disavowal have become clear with their clearest meanings between the Muslims and the Mushrikîn.

Allâh has uncovered the disbelief of the disbelievers and their hatred and lies, which no one would deny except of a Zindîq (hypocrite) or a blind person.

The connection of your brothers with Allâh has increased in the issues of obedience, supplication and tranquility.

They are confining our bodies only, but our souls are stronger than their prisons and the words of truth, which we are declaring, defy their confinement.

The bodies were never – even for a single day – a means of measuring victory or defeat. Rather, the scale of the truth and its loftiness is the scale, which is judged with.

They place us here in solitary cells secluded, wherein we cannot see anyone or address anyone, due to (their) fear that we will influence the people. But they are ignorant of the fact that this is the religion of Allâh, the Most High, and it (i.e. life) is souls travelling in existence and history; the Shaytân and his soldiers are unable to imprison them.

We never hoped that we would reach to this strength in that the presence alone of Abû Qatâdah amongst his family, wherein he does not come out except of a period of two hours each day, while out on bail, would be a reason for the Interior Ministry to say that this raises the level of danger against Britain and that these words would be said in a trial and in front of everyone.

Does our imprisonment deserve this? The answer is that it is something small in comparison to these favours and we hope from Allâh, the Most High, that our end would be in Al-Firdaus, the Highest Level, in Paradise, by the virtue of Allâh and His mercy.

May Allâh give the Mujâhidîn and their leaders and best reward, and may Allâh give the callers to the truth the best reward, because had it not been for them, the disbelievers would have entered our women’s quarters and we would have become nothing but dogs that lick up their crumbs.

I wished that I had been able to explain in detail the conditions of your brothers in these prisons one-by-one, but the situation and the time does not suffice. But know that the matter is bigger than can be described and that the meanings are greater than can be encompassed with words. And I hope from Allâh, the Most High, that the day will come in which I will write some about that which I have seen and witnessed and felt, so that it may be a fuel for the Islâmic Ummah and the Mujâhidîn. So harm and grief should not reach them, rather they should remain upon the path, as it is the path of the Prophets and the Allies (of Allâh), truthfully and in actuality. Because had the Mujâhidîn and those whom they love seen some of what we have seen here, they would have known what type of victory is being achieved everyday by their hands. And that is through the act of their Jihâd and their steadfastness. So may they never be deceived by the falsified, deceitful news that you are the cause of the imprisonment and torture of the people. Rather, by Allâh, they are the mercy and guiders for the people of the prisons, just as they are for others from the people from the Earth.

I wished to be able to detail the names of the young men and how they entered into Islâm and sold themselves to Allâh, due to the news of martyrdom and Jihâd.

I wished to be able to give detailed accounts of the young men who lived in Jâhiliyyah for a long time and then when the Jihâd in the path of Allâh came, they turned into worshippers and people who prayed the night and memorizers of the Book of Allâh and they learned Arabic. I wished to be able to explain to you about the anxiety, angst and confusion of those British criminal authorities regarding these events, which were strange to them, as they did not know what to do with this extraordinary faithful outpouring:

They gather the Muslims, at times, into one place assuming that they would reduce the influence of the Muslims, then the sorcery backfires against the sorcerer, and the results would be against what they wanted, so they would disunite.

They would leave them (i.e. the Muslims) so the coals of faith would begin to have an influence in its new area, so they would be harmed and begin to scream.

They would scream out falsely that the Muslim prisoners were forcing the other prisoners into Islâm without finding one (single) example, which they could use for their lies, their false claims and their fabrications.

They scream and lie and all of their misguidances turn back upon them.

And speaking of the favours of Allâh, the Most High, upon me; the newspapers claim that I was influencing the prisoners despite the fact that – by Allâh – I am the least of the people in this regard, as there are brothers who are astonishing in this area. And in a meeting with the supervisor of my first imprisonment here in Long Lartin, one of the brothers replied to him that Abû Qatâdah does not even speak English well, so how can he influence them? So the supervisor replied: “Through his appearance and the way he carries himself he has an influence over the others.”

The reins have slipped away from them and their anger became severe against the Muslims. And due to that, the prison supervisors been allowed to place your brothers in special wings within every prison and in disciplinary zones, which have been filled with the Muslims. So in the disciplinary zones within the maximum security prisons, you see nothing except that the majority of its people are Muslims. And they have no one to defend them except Allâh, the Most High.

Alongside these divine gifts are severe trials, as the searches are extreme and the removal of clothing is complete and the restrictions are the most harsh, because we six prisoners have been placed in a specific cellblock and prevented from any activities, which the rest of the prisoners take part in. And I specifically have been placed upon a high security level, as I am unable to contact my family unless this contact has been prearranged a week beforehand. And I am moved to a different place each month and I am searched twice each month with a special search within a special cellblock of the prison.

The obligation upon the Muslims has become intense for them to fulfill the order of the Messenger of Allâh, صلى الله عليه وسلم, regarding the freeing of the prisoner [11] with everything that they are able to put forward from ability, capacity and various methods through which this great faithful obligation can be fulfilled.

So this is a trust and an obligation, which I place upon the necks of the Muslims generally, and the people of this matter specifically, as much as they are able to do in whatever they are able to do.

O Allâh, Lord of the seven heavens and the Earth, Lord of the great throne, grant victory to the Mujâhidîn in Your path in every place and free the oppressed prisoners from the Muslims and curse the disbelieving polytheists (Mushrikîn) who block Your path and fight Your allies and oppose Your religion and Your Messengers. Âmîn.

Point of notice: An interview took place between myself and the brother, ‘Âdil ‘Abd al-Majîd, along with an address regarding Gaza. Some of the comments about it have reached me and some of them were upon my head and my eyes [12] and others, which we throw behind our back as a mercy toward the hatred and ignorance of those who said it. And may Allâh give those who gave advice, the greatest reward.

Your brother,

Abû Qatâdah,

‘Umar ibn Mahmûd Abû ‘Umar

Long Lartin Prison,

Britain
[1] Referring to the book “Sayd al-Khâtir ” by Ibn al-Jawzee, may Allâh be merciful to him

[2] Look to Sûrat Rûm, 24 & Sûrat al-Hujurât, 4

[3] Ash-Shu’arâ’, 224

[4] An attempt by the British government to annoy the Libyan government by releasing their sworn Islâmist enemies of ex-patriot Libyans in British custody.

[5]

[6] Meaning: Do you need to hear more than this?

[7] Meaning that when a legal precedent is implemented, it is unanimously against the Muslims whereas there may be disputes regarding the implementation of this precedent upon the non-Muslim.

[8] Meaning that it looked like a swollen leather vessel.

[9] Referring to the Hadîth of Abû Hurayrah, may Allâh be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allâh, صلى الله عليه وسلم, narrated from his Lord, “I am where My slave assumes I will be (for him).” Narrated by Al-Bukhârî in his “Sahîh”, (#7,505) and elsewhere, as well as Muslim.

[10] Referring to the Hadîth of Anas ibn Mâlik, may Allâh be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allâh, صلى الله عليه وسلم, said, “Support your brother, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.” So a man asked, “O Messenger of Allâh, I support him if he is oppressed, but if he is an oppressor, how can I support him?” He said, “You prevent him, or stop him from oppression, as that is supporting him.” Narrated by Al-Bukhârî in his “Sahîh“, (#6,952)

[11] Referring to the Hadîth of Abû Mûsâ al-Ash’arî, may Allâh be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allâh, صلى الله عليه وسلم, said, “Free the subjugated one, feed the hungry one and visit the sick one.” Jarîr or Qutaybah explained that the subjugated one is the prisoner. Narrated by Al-Bukhârî in his “Sahîh”, (#3,046)

[12] “Upon my head and my eyes,” is an Arabic expression meaning acknowledged and accepted.

Reply to Questions From A Visitor

Posted by tibyan at 01:59

Someone asked us some questions about our differences with the Tibyân forum, our stance on Ibn Bâz, our stance on Tahâkum, and our stance on retaliation against non-combatants. They didn’t want their name published and they asked for the reply to be in e-mail. We are answering it publicly due to the number of people who have asked about these issues in the past.

Wa ‘Alayk As-Salâm,

Firstly, the people who ran the forums before it was abandoned are the same people at the blog, minus the Brother who was in charge of the technical matters.

As for the issue of the Takfîr of Ibn Bâz, then our stance is that we don’t agree with making Takfîr of him. The reason for this is that none of the contemporary Scholars that we take from ever did this, in fact, many of them praised him, and some explained their reasons for not making Takfîr for him, and forbid people from doing so as well. The one Brother who is no longer with us was the only one who ever took this opinion, yet it was never in any of our works, nor did any of the other contributors agree with it. In fact, many of us debated this with him as well as with some of the members of the forum, in private as well as publicly. This ended up being one of the three main reasons that the Brother left us, due to him feeling we were too lenient.

As for the issue of Tahâkum, then we assume that you are referring to the issue of seeking judgments from a non-Islâmic court, when a person’s rights have been taken, and the person only wants his rights, nothing more. This is an issue in which our Scholars have differed. Some viewed it to be permissible and did not believe that it was included in the issue of Tahâkum ilat-Tâghût, others viewed it as kufr, while others refrained from judging upon it. From those who considered it kufr as an action, were some of the Scholars of Najd, such as Hamad ibn ‘Atîq an-Najdî in “Ad-Durar as-Saniyyah”, Vol. 8/273, and from the current day Scholars, Shaykh ‘Abdullâh ibn Muhammad al-Ghunaymân. As for those who refrained from judgment, then that was Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qâdir ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azîz. As for those who permitted it and did not consider it coming under the issue of Tahâkum ilat-Tâghût, or that it was allowed due to necessity, then from amongst them were Siddîq Hasan Khân in “Al-’Ibrah Fîmâ Warada Fil-Ghazwi wash-Shahâdati wal-Hijrah”, pg. 252, and from the current day Scholars, Abû Qatâdah al-Filastînî, Hâmid ibn ‘Abdillâh al-‘Alî, Abû Basîr at-Tartûsî, and ‘Abdul-‘Azîz ibn Sâlih al-Jarbû’, and al-Hâfith Sulaymân ibn Nâsir al-‘Ulwân explained the issue of retaining lawyers in order to defend oneself and seek damages when your rights are violated. The opinion that we feel is the strongest is that this does not come under the Tahâkum ilat-Tâghût which was declared kufr, due to the absence of an Islâmic court to implement the people’s rights. However, if a person is seeking something that isn’t his right, or if he has the ability to take the judgment to a Muslim who will be able to implement the rulings as a Hakam, yet chooses to go to a kâfir court, then this still falls under the Tahâkum ilat-Tâghût. For more information on these topics, look to “Refutation of the Doubts Concerning Bay’ah and Imârah”, by Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qâdir ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azîz, and “The Slicing Sword Against the One Who Forms Allegiances with the Disbelievers”, by ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Abd al-Bârî al-Ahdal, both translated by At-Tibyân Publications. As for the lies that have been made against us, that we make Takfîr for people appealing parking tickets, etc. then these are lies from people who have a vested interest in people thinking we are extreme, so that our material isn’t read and they can keep spreading their ideas about current affairs. Also, this opinion of the permissibility of seeking rights was another reason that the aforementioned Brother left us.

On the issue of non-combatants and Qisâs, first we need to define the word non-combatant. If what is meant by it is “civilian”; someone who isn’t in the military, then this is a terminology which is not from Islâm. In Islâm, there is no term “civilian”. In Islâm there are the following categories and sub-categories. There are “Muslims” and “disbelievers”. The Muslims are protected unrestrictedly, except in a small number of instances in which their blood is permitted, such as Zinâ from someone who has previously had intercourse, killing another Muslim, and some other instances when a judgment is placed on him. The disbelievers’ blood is permitted as the default ruling, but there are instances in which they are protected. These are times when they are given an ‘Ahd or covenant of security by the Islamic state, or by a Muslim individual. There are also certain categories of disbelievers who are protected as a category. Some of these categories are agreed upon by the Scholars and others are disagreed upon. As for the categories agreed upon, then they are the children; those under the age of puberty, and women; females above the age of puberty. As for the categories disagreed upon, then they are the blind person, the one missing a limb which makes him unable to fight, the old person who is not able to fight and does not have any political or other influential power amongst the disbelievers, the monks and the likes who have secluded themselves away from the people and do not get involved in political matters, and a few others. With regards to the Qisâs or retaliation against these groups, then for all of the categories other than women and children, it is clear that retaliation is allowed, because even the evidences used to forbid their blood to begin with are either weak or are not of a type which would legislate laws. As for the women and children, then the stronger opinion seems to be that it is allowed, as long as those being retaliated against are from the same people whom the original attacks came from against the Muslims. For more detailed reading on these topic, refer to articles by Shaykh ‘Abdullâh ibn Nâsir ar-Rashîd (‘Abdul-‘Azîz ibn Rashîd at-Tuwayla’î), may Allâh free him, in “Sawt al-Jihâd Magazine”, Issue #26, pages 13-15, Issue #27 pages 13-15, Issue #28, pages 18-24 and Issue #29, pages 28-33. Also look to “Masâ’il Min Fiqh al-Jihâd”, by Shaykh Abû ‘Abdillâh al-Muhâjir, may Allâh free him, pages 29-162.

The Basic Ruling of the Armies That Support the Disbelieving Governments

Posted by tibyan at 01:57

The Basic Ruling of the Armies That Support the Disbelieving Governments

At-Tibyân Publications

Download:

http://www.archive.org/download/generalGroup_ruling/GeneralGroupRuling.pdf

Introduction

Verily, all praise is due to Allâh and may the Blessings and Peace of Allâh be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his companions until the Last Day.

To proceed:

Recently, some statements have been reported in the news media, which are attributed to Al-Mullâ, Muhammad ‘Umar, may Allâh preserve him and give him victory, ordering the Tâlibân of Pakistan must cease their attacks against the Pakistani military.

Many Islâmic blogs, posting boards and forums have come out praising these words, saying that it shouldn’t be for Muslims to attack another Muslims, and that this conflict between the Tâlibân and the Pakistani military has brought about bad views and harm to the Mujâhidîn.

Regardless of whether or not these orders are authentic, [1] the issue of fighting this army and the likes of it should be made clear, because this type of scenario is not one without a historical precedent, and the Sharî’ah rulings in these matters are clear. And due to some of the reactions by our brothers to these alleged orders, and their welcoming this cease-fire on the basis that the Pakistani military are to be afforded the rights of Islâm and treated as Muslims, we hope to put forward some clarification on this issue.

Preliminary Points of Benefit

To begin, we need to put forth some points in order for the topic to be understood:

1. The Government Itself

The Pakistani government is a non-Islâmic government which has abandoned the Sharî’ah and put in its place, a democracy in some ways, and a military dictatorship in others. It has formed allegiances with the disbelievers against the Muslims in Afghanistan, as well as in Pakistan. [2] Both of these are clear nullifications of Islam as is well known. Allâh, تعالى, has stated:

﴿ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ ﴾

﴾ And whosoever does not judge by what Allâh has revealed, such are Al-Kâfirûn (the disbelievers). ﴿[3]

And He, تعالى, said:

﴿ أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا ﴾

﴾ Have you seen those (hypocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the Tâghût [4] (i.e. false judges, rulers etc.) while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaitân (Satan) wishes to lead them far astray. ﴿ [5]

And regarding the issue of forming allegiances with the enemies of Islâm against the Muslims, Allâh, عز وجل, said:

﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴾

﴾ O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as allies; they are but allies to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as allies then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allâh guides not those people who are the wrongdoers. ﴿ [6]

And He, تعالى, said:

﴿ وَالَّذينَ كَفَرُواْ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء ﴾

﴾ And those who disbelieve are allies to one another. ﴿ [7]

And the evidences for these two actions being acts of major disbelief are more than can be mentioned, and here is not the place. [8]

Wā Islāmāh!

Posted by tibyan at 01:56

The Media Department of

At-Tibyān Publications presents

“Wā Islāmāh!” [1]

Translation of an Audio Khutbah

By Shaykh Abdul-Majīd Al-Munī’ (may Allāh have mercy on him)

[originally released by Sawt Al-Jihād]

About the Shaykh

Shaykh ‘Abdul-Majîd ibn Muhammed Al-Munî’ (may Allâh have mercy on him) was born and raised in the land known for its Islamic knowledge and its many Shuyûkh; the blessed land of Najd in the Arabian Peninsula. He graduated from Imâm Muhammad ibn Sa’ûd Islâmic University in Riyadh in the year 1423 H. His fellow students mentioned about him that he used to not mix with them very much. After graduating, he was nominated for judgeship, but declined. Not long after graduating, it is mentioned that news of him was cut off. He was then listed by the government ruling over the Arabian Peninsula to be one of their 25 Wanted “Terrorists”.On the 23rd of Sha’bân 1425 H. corresponding to the 5th of October 2004 H. the security forces surrounded a house in the Nahdah District in the city of Riyâdh. The house belonged to ‘Isâm Al-’Utaybi one of the known Mujâhidîn. With him in the house were a group of brothers whom he had invited, among them was Shaykh Abdul-Majîd Al-Munî’. When the brothers knew they were surrounded, brother ‘Isâm hurried to evacuate the women and children in the house and get them to safety. Then commenced a fiery battle which later became known as the Nahdah District Battle. By the Will of Allâh the Mujâhidîn were able to break through the siege and get to a place of safety. However Shaykh Abdul-Majîd, brother ‘Isâm and another Mujâhid were martyred in the process. May Allâh have mercy on them and accept them as martyrs.

This Khutbah was released by Sawt Al-Jihâd, the media department of Al-Qâ’idah in the Arabian Peninsula. They also published a book by the Shaykh under the name “The ‘Aqîdah of the Victorious Party”.

_________

[1] Note: "Wā Islāmāh" literally means "O Islām", but "Wā" is different than "Yā", in that it is used metaphorically, while only some said it can be used literally. It can also be for finding something unbelievable or strange.

DOWNLOAD

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The Slicing Sword Against The One Who Forms Allegiances With The Disbelievers

Posted by tibyan at 01:55

At-Tibyān Publications

presents

The Slicing Sword Against The One Who Forms Allegiances With The Disbelievers And Takes Them As Supporters Instead Of Allāh, His Messenger And The Believers

By Imām 'Abd Allāh ibn 'Abd al-Bārī al-Ahdal

May Allāh be merciful to him

Foreworded by Shaykh Anwar al-Awlaki

May Allāh preserve him

Table of Contents

Shaykh Anwar al-Awlaki’s Foreword.

Translator’s Foreword.

Author’s Introduction.

THE FIRST QUESTION:

Muslims Emigrating to the Lands, Which Were Seized by the Enemy, in Order to Build up its Economy While it Remains in their Control.

THE SECOND QUESTION:

The Muslim Who Claims to be From the Community of the Christians and Identifies Himself with Their Flags etc.

THE THIRD QUESTION:

The Ruling Upon the Muslim Who Attributes Justice to the Christians and Approves of Their Authority and Scoffs at the Muslim Authority and their Leadership.

THE FOURTH QUESTION:

The Ruling Upon the Muslim Who Ships Goods and Supplies to the Christian Lands and the Ruling Upon Another Muslim Who Kills Him for Doing That.

THE FIFTH QUESTION:

The Ruling Upon the Muslims Who Remain Inside the Country, Which was Seized and Occupied by Foreign Invaders, and Subsequently Fall Under Their Rule.

THE SIXTH QUESTION:

The Rulings Upon Those Who Emigrate to The Muslim Lands vs. Those Who Emigrate to the Lands of the Disbelievers and the Effect Upon the Wealth of Both Types of Emigration.

THE SEVENTH QUESTION:

The Funeral Prayer of the One Who Claims to be from the Community of the Christians vs. the Funeral Prayer for the One Who Claims to Belong to the Community of the Muslim Kingdom.

THE EIGHTH QUESTION:

The Ruling Upon the One Who Turns Away From the Ruling of Islâm in Favour of the Ruling of the Christian Laws

Bibliography

------------------

NOW OUT:

http://www.archive.org/download/sayfAlBattar/sayfAlBattr.pdf

A Proclamation to the People Over the Events in Palestine

Posted by tibyan at 01:55

A Proclamation to the People Over the Events in Palestine

By: A group of scholars and callers in Egypt

1/4/2009

At-Tibyān Publications

All praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the Worlds. There is no deity worthy of worship but Him, the All-Powerful, the Able, the All-Mighty, the Triumphant, the One, the Subduer. Nothing escapes him on the Earth or in the heavens. And may the Blessings and Peace [of Allāh] be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the slave of Allāh and His Messenger, the Imām of the Mujāhidīn and the commander of the conquerers.

Indeed the events occurring now on one of the lands of Islām and the Muslims, in the land of Ghazzah (Gaza) in Palestine the Resistant, from unconcealed transgression and massacres, are spurned by all values and morals, and are rejected by all humanity. [These events] forced those of us who have signed this proclamation – a group of the scholars and callers of our beloved Egypt – to clarify our opinion so as to have an excuse in front of Allāh 'Azza Wa Jall, and in clarification to the people.

Firstly: Indeed the blessed land of Palestine, which Allāh has blessed in His Book, is an Islāmic land in every sense of the word. Within it was the first of the two Qiblahs, and in it is the second of the two Masjids and the third of the holy sanctuaries, and it was the place of our Messenger's, صلى الله عليه و سلم, ascension. Therefore, it is not permissible for anyone, whoever he may be, to give up this land, or even a part of it, to the non-Muslims.

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ
Glorified (and Exalted) is He (Allāh) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him] Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Harām (at Makkah) to Al-Masjid-al-Aqsā (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) of Our Ayāt Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer
Al-Isrā'; 1

Secondly: The global zionist movement manifested in the state of Israel, they are the people strongest in enmity towards the believers throughout their history. Their enmity to Allāh and His Prophets and Messengers is overflowing, and they are behind every evil, and behind every corruption. They nullified the covenants and they made the prohibited permissible, and betrayed and made an example of everyone who dealt with them and came close to them. And they usurped the land of Palestine at the expense of its humble people and Muslim inhabitants, with continuous oppressive, transgressive support from the west.

لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ
Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikūn
Al-Mā'idah; 82

And these Israeli zionists are an occupying gang who usurped the land of Palestine, but the rights must be returned to its people no matter the length of the time that has passed, and we will not be pleased with and we will not accept this tyrannical occupation of this Holy Land by this gang of zionists.

Third: Al-Jihād in the Path of Allāh and armed resistance is the strategic option for the return of the usurped land and the plundered rights. The zionists do not know the language of dialogue and do not understand the meaning of peace. Their Manhaj (methodology) is that of killing and causing corruption upon the earth. Therefore, we believe and we are certain that the only language they understand is the language of Jihād, by all of its ways. And Jihād should not be stopped except after the expulsion of the last Zionist from the land of Palestine.

وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدْوَّ اللّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ
And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war (tanks, planes, missiles, artillery) to threaten the enemy of Allāh and your enemy
Al-Anfāl; 60

Fourthly: Those who took the path of Jihād and resistance as their path, and carried their souls upon their palms and put forth their martyrs and their wealth and sacrificed what is expensive and dear to them as a price in order to free this land, despite the military apparatus that is possessed by the enemy and despite their criminal offensive power that makes its blind hatred towards everything that is Muslim known, these people are from the Victorious Party by the Permission of Allāh, and they are worthy of support and assistance and aid.

Fifthly: And here we remind and we assert that the role of the masses is in aiding this cause, and their Shar'ī obligation that our Religion has mandated for us is Jihād in the Path of Allāh in every sense of the word, and offering financial aid and boycotting Israel in every possible way, economically, politically, culturally on an equal level, as well as boycotting those who prop up Israel in the East or the West, and rejecting normalization [of relations] in every way. And we assert the prohibition of interacting with the zionist entities and those who prop them up in any of the ways of interaction and normalization.

And it is obligatory for us to stand under His Ta'ālā's Statement,

وَلاَ تَهِنُوا وَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ * إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ وَتِلْكَ الأيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَاء وَاللّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ
So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers. If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allāh may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allāh likes not the Thālimūn (wrong-doers)
Āl-'Imrān; 139-140

And it is upon the entire Ummah to unify and gather like the heart of one man, everyone undertaking what is obligatory upon him, and leaving all forms of hated difference which hinders Jihād in the Path of Allāh.

وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعاً وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَاناً
And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allāh (i.e. this Qur'ān), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allāh's Favor on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren
Āl-'Imrān; 103

This is a proclamation to the people, and it is upon everyone to shoulder the responsibility. And as for the honored Mujāhidīn in Palestine's Ghazzah, and in any area of the usurped Muslim lands, then we say to them, indeed you have paid your blood as a tax of faith and honor and nobility, so be steadfast and persevere and have patience, and Allāh is with you and will not make your actions in vain.

الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُواْ لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَاناً وَقَالُواْ حَسْبُنَا اللّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them." But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: "Allāh (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)
Āl-'Imrān; 173

The signatories:

1 – Dr. Nasr Farīd Wāsil
2 - Dr. Zaghlūl An-Najjār
3 - Dr. 'Abdus-Sattār Fat'h-Allāh Sa'īd
4 - Dr. Muhammad 'Umārah
5 - Dr. Muhammad 'Abdul-Mun'im Al-Barrī
6 - Dr. Abdul-Fattāh Ash-Shaykh
7 – Dr. Safwat Hijāzī
8 – Shaykh Jamāl Qutb
9 – Shaykh Ahmad Al-Mihlāwī
10 – Dr. Abdul-Halīm 'Uways
11 – Dr. Muhammad Ra'fat 'Uthmān
12 – Dr. 'Abdullāh Barakāt
13 – Dr. 'Abdullāh Samak
14 – Shaykh Abū Ishāq Al-Huwaynī
15 – Shaykh Hāzim Salāh Abū Ismā'īl
16 – Shaykh Muhammad Jibrīl
17 – Dr. Salāh Sultān
18 – Shaykh Ahmad Halīl
19 – Dr. Muhammad As-Saghīr
20 – Shaykh Sālim Abūl-Futūh
21 – Dr. Ahmad Al-'Assāl
22 – Dr. Hāzim As-Sarsāwī
23 – Dr. 'Abdur-Rahmān Fawdah
24 – Shaykh Muhammad Mustafā
25 – Dr. Husayn Shajā'ah
26 – Dr. Sālih Hārūn
27 – Shaykh Salāmah 'Abdul-Qawī
28 – Dr. Jamāl 'Abdul-Hādī
29 – Dr. Hasan 'Abdū
30 – Shaykh Muhammad 'Abdul-Fattāh
31 – Dr. Ahmad Abū Khadījah
32 – Dr. 'Alā' As-Sayyid 'Abdur-Rahīm
33 – Dr. 'Umar Ibn 'Abdil-'Azīz
34 – Shaykh Rajab Zakī
35 – Dr. Māzin As-Sarsāwī
36 – Shaykh Ahmad Sabrī
37 – Shaykh Ahmad Al-Juhaynī
38 – Shaykh Mathhar Amīn
39 – Shaykh 'Alī Abul-Hasan
40 – Shaykh Mustafā Al-Azharī

The Scholars of the Najdî Da’wah on the Differentiation Between Establishing the Hujjah (Proof) and Understanding the Hujjah (Proof)

Posted by tibyan at 01:53

The Scholars of the Najdî Da’wah on the Differentiation Between Establishing the Hujjah (Proof) and Understanding the Hujjah (Proof)

At-Tibyân Publications

The Scholars of the Da’wah of Najd, may Allâh be merciful to them, spoke about this often. Their Fatâwâ and letters on this issue are also mentioned often, yet they are mentioned unrestrictedly without a clear explanation of what is meant. Below is one of the more famous letters of Imâm Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Al-Wahhâb, may Allâh be merciful to him, on this issue. Included afterwards are excerpts which help clarify what is meant by this issue.

Imâm Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhâb, may Allâh be merciful to him, stated:

“In the Name of Allâh, the Beneficent, the Most-Merciful

To the Brothers... [1]

Salâmun ‘Alaykum Wa Rahmatullâhi Wa Barakâtuh,

And to proceed...

What you mentioned of the Shaykh’s statement, “Everyone who rejects such and such, while the Hujjah has been established upon him” and you are doubtful regarding those Tawâghît and their followers, has the Hujjah been established upon them?

This is indeed strange! How can you have doubt about this when I have clarified it for you repeatedly?!

For indeed, the one upon whom the Hujjah has not been established:

He is the one who is new to Islâm, and the one who was raised in a distant wilderness; or this is the case when the matter is hidden, like Sarf [2] and ‘Atf. [3]

So he does not disbelieve until it is made known to him.

And as for the foundations of the religion (Usûl Ad-Dîn) that Allâh has clarified and solidified in His Book, then indeed the Hujjah of Allâh is the Qur’ân. So if the Qur’ân has reached a person, then the Hujjah has reached him.

But the source of dispute is that you have not differentiated between establishing the Hujjah and understanding the Hujjah.

For indeed, most of the disbelievers and the hypocrites from amongst the Muslims did not understand the Hujjah of Allâh though it has been established upon them, as Allâh, Ta’âlâ, said,

أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
“Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are even farther astray from the Path” (al-Furqân, 44)

And the establishment of the Hujjah is something, and it reaching (the people) is something (else), while it has been established upon them. And their understanding it is something else. And their (falling into) disbelief is by it reaching them, even if they do not understand it.

If this has confused you, then look at his, صلى الله عليه وسلم,’s statement about the Khawârij, “Wherever you find them, kill them,” [4] and his statement “They are the worst killed under the heaven.” [5] And this is despite that they were present in the era of the Sahâbah, and a person would look down upon the Sahâbah’s acts of worship compared to theirs, and with the consensus of the people that what expelled them from the Religion is inflexibility, extremism and interpretive judgment (Ijtihâd), yet they believe that they are obeying Allâh, and the Hujjah had reached them but they did not understand it.

And likewise ‘Alî, رضي الله عنه,’s killing of the ones who believed in him (as their god), and (him) burning them with the fire, this despite the fact that they were the students of the Sahâbah, and despite their worship, their prayers and their fasting, and they believed they were upon truth.

And likewise the consensus of the Salaf on the Takfîr of the extreme Qadariyyah and others, despite their knowledge and their intense worship, and the fact that they believed that they were doing good, but none of the Salaf stopped from pronouncing Takfîr on them due to the fact that they did not understand.

For indeed all of them did not understand.

If you know this, then this which you are upon is disbelief. The people are worshipping the Tawâghît, and opposing the religion of Islâm, and they claim it is not apostasy because perhaps they did not understand the Hujjah. All of this is obvious.

And the most apparent of what has preceded is [the situation] of those that ‘Alî burned, for it resembles this.

As for sending the words of the Shâfi’îs and others, then it is not imaginable that you will be reached by more than what has already reached you. So if you have some doubts, then seek that Allâh, Ta’âlâ, removes them from you.

Was-Salâm.” [6]

And Shaykh Sulaymân ibn Sahmân an-Najdî, may Allâh be merciful to him, said, “Our Shaykh, the Shaykh ‘Abd al-Latîf, may Allâh be merciful to him, said, ‘And the difference between the establishment of the Hujjah and the understanding of the Hujjah must be known. As whoever has been reached by the Da’wah of the Messengers, then the Hujjah has been established upon him, if he was in a state in which knowledge was possible. And it is not a condition in the establishment of the Hujjah that he understands what is understood about Allâh and His Messenger by the people of faith, acceptance and following of what the Messenger came with. So understand this, as it will remove off of you many misunderstandings regarding the issue of establishing the Hujjah. Allâh, Ta’âlâ, said,

And He, Ta’âlâ, said,

خَتَمَ اللّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ
“Allâh has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, and on their eyes there is a covering...” (al-Baqarah, 7)’ End Quote.

I say: And the meaning of his statement, may Allâh, Ta’âlâ, be merciful to him, ‘...if he was in a state in which knowledge was possible.’ Then what is meant by it is that he is not lacking a sound mind and the ability to differentiate, like the child and the insane one. Or that he is from those who do not understand what is being addressed to him, and there is no translator present to translate for him, and the likes of those. So whoever is reached by the Message of Muhammad, صلى الله عليه وسلم, and reached by the Qur’ân, then the Hujjah has been established upon him. Allâh, Ta’âlâ, said,

لأُنذِرَكُم بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ
“...that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach...” (al-An’âm, 19)

And He, Ta’âlâ, said,

لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ
“...in order that mankind should have no plea against Allâh after the Messengers...” (an-Nis’a', 165)

So no one is excused for not believing in Allâh, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day. So he has no excuse of ignorance after that. And Allâh, Subhânahu, has informed (us) of the ignorance of many of the disbelievers, while (at the same time) clearly stating their disbelief.” [7]

And Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allâh be merciful to him, despite not being from the Imâms of Najd, nor from their time, explained this issue, so his words are included for clarity. He said, “And His, Ta’âlâ’s, statement,

فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلاَمَ اللّهِ
“...then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allâh (the Qur'ân)...” (at-Tawbah, 6)

It is known that what is meant is that he hears it with a hearing by which he would be able to understand its meaning. As the goal would not be fulfilled by hearing phrases alone and not being able to understand the meaning. So if he was a non-Arab, it would be obligatory to have translated for him the likes of with which the Hujjah would be established upon him. And if he was an Arab, but there were uncommon phrases in the Qur’ân which were not from his dialect, it is obligatory upon us to clarify their meaning to him. And if he heard the phrase the way many of the people hear it and he does not understand the meaning, and he requests from us to explain it to him and clarify its meaning to him, then that is (obligatory) upon us. And if he asks us about a question that tarnishes the Qur’ân, we answer it for him, just as, if the Prophet, صلى الله عليه وسلم, was presented with a question from the polytheists, the People of the Book or the Muslims, which they asked about the Qur’ân, he would answer it for them.” [8]

This is best understood if we understand that there are two types of hearing, two types of intellect and two types of guidance. One of each has been negated off of the disbelievers, while the other has been affirmed for them.

About the hearing, Allâh, Ta’âlâ, stated,

وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا قَالُواْ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَاء لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَـذَا إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ أَسَاطِيرُ الأوَّلِينَ
“And when Our Verses are recited to them, they say: ‘We have heard this; if we wish we can say the like of this. This is nothing but the tales of the ancients.’” (al-Anfâl, 31)

While He also said,

وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِالسَّعِيرِ
“And they will say: ‘Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!’” (al-Mulk, 10)

And about the intellect, He, Ta’âlâ, said,

أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلاَمَ اللّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Do you covet that they will believe in your religion in spite of the fact that a party of them used to hear the Word of Allâh, then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?” (al-Baqarah, 75)

While He also said,

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى فَلَن يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا
“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, but turns away from them forgetting what (deeds) his hands have sent forth. Truly, We have set veils over their hearts lest they should understand this (the Qur'ân), and in their ears, deafness. And if you call them to guidance, even then they will never be guided.” (al-Kahf, 57)

And about the guidance, He, Ta’âlâ, said,

وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى
“And as for Thamûd, We showed them the way of guidance, but they preferred blindness to guidance...” (Fussilat, 17)

While He also said,

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
“Verily! You (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allâh guides whom He wills.” (Al-Qasas, 57)

So it is proven that the disbelievers did have some level of understanding and hearing. So it shouldn’t be understood that no understanding or intelligence is needed whatsoever. At the same time, not everyone can say that because someone doesn’t understand the Hujjah, they are protected from leaving Islâm.

For more on this topic, look to “Majmû’ Fatâwâ Ibn Taymiyyah”, Vol. 1/208-209, Vol. 7/24, Vol. 9/286-287, and Vol. 16/8-15

“Madârij as-Sâlikîn” by Ibn al-Qayyim, Vol. 1/51-58, and 518-520, publication of “Dâr al-Fikr”.

“Miftâh Dâr as-Sa’âdah” by Ibn al-Qayyim, Vol. 1/101-102, publication of “Dâr al-Fikr”.

-----

[1] Is’hâq ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmân ibn Hasan Âl ash-Shaykh, may Allâh be merciful to them, mentioned that the ones being answered are ‘Îsâ ibn Qâsim and Ahmad ibn Suwaylim. There question was about some statements of Shaykh al-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah. Look to “Takfîr al-Mu’ayyin wal-Farq Bayna Qiyâm al-Hujjah wa Fihm al-Hujjah” pg. 32-33, with the verification of Shaykh Ahmad ibn Hamûd al-Khâlidî, may Allâh free him.

[2] Sarf: A type of magic through which a person is turned away from something that they like. For example, a man being made to hate his wife whom he loved beforehand.

[3] ‘Atf: A type of magic through which a person is made to like something that they disliked beforehand. For example, a man being made to fall in love with a woman that he hated beforehand.

[4] Narrated by al-Bukhârî in his “Sahîh”, (#5,057) and (#6,930), from ‘Alî ibn Abî Tâlib, رضي الله عنه.

[5] Narrated by at-Tirmithî in his “Jâmi’”, (#3,000), and he declared it “Hasan”. It was declared likewise by al-Albânî in “Mishkât al-Masâbîh”, (#3,485) and al-Wâdi’î in “As-Sahîh al-Musnad Mimmâ Laysa fis-Sahîhayn”, (#486). All from Abû Umâmah al-Bâhilî, رضي الله عنه.

[6] “Ad-Durar as-Saniyyah fil-Ajwibah an-Najdiyyah”, Vol. 10/93-95, 5th Edition, 1416 H.

[7] “Kashf ash-Shubhatayn” by Sulaymân ibn Sahmân, pg. 91-92.

[8] “Al-Jawâb as-Sahîh Liman Baddala Dîn al-Masîh”, Vol. 1/221-222, publication of “Dâr al-‘Âsimah”; Riyadh, 2nd Edition, 1419 H.

How Similar Is Today To Yesterday! (Full Transcript)

Posted by tibyan at 01:52

At-Tibyān Publications

presents

How Similar Is Today To Yesterday!

Full Translation of the Audio Khutbah "Baghdād Between Two Falls"

By Dr. Rāghib As-Sirjānī

May Allāh preserve him

Divisions of the Lecture:

1. How Similar Is Today To Yesterday!

2. The Causes of the Ummah's Defeat

3. How Can Victory Be Achieved?

4. A Major Difference Between the First Fall of Baghdād and the Second Fall of Baghdād

5. Important Lessons From the Story of the Mujāhid Reviver, Sayf Ad-Dīn Qutuz

"We see in the course of history, that there are some individual men who truly, truly changed the course of history. But, despite the clarity of this, and the obviousness of this matter in front of our eyes in all the pages of history, what is strange is that people always look for this person outside of their homes, outside of their streets and their cities. They always think that this man will come from far, far, away; that he is far away in place and in time. They think he might come from outside of the earth! Subhān Allāh.

Why doesn't each one of us prepare himself and his family and his sons and his brothers to be the reviver? Why shouldn't you be Qutuz? Why shouldn't your son be Qutuz? Why shouldn't he be your brother? Why do we study history? We spent 12 lessons speaking on history [1]. Do we not study it so we can follow the path of the righteous and avoid the path of the criminals? Why do we not follow Qutuz's clear, established steps so we can reach 'Ayn Jālūt in a time where the Tattār or those like them have become plenty?

Wallāhi my brothers, we no longer have an excuse. The Hujjah has been established upon us."

.

NOW OUT:

http://www.archive.org/download/HowSimilar/HowSimilar.pdf

----

[1] Translator's Note: The Shaykh's 12-part series entitled "At-Tattār, From the Beginning Until 'Ayn Jālūt" can be accessed here

The Causes of the Ummah's Defeat - PART 2

Posted by tibyan at 01:51

The Causes of the Ummah’s Defeat - PART 2

Dr. Rāghib As-Sirjānī

At-Tibyān Publications

The fourth disease from the disease of the Islāmic Ummah - and it is a very, very dangerous disease - is the abandonment of Jihād, my brothers…

As a natural result of the immersion in the Dunyā and the luxury that exceeds the limit, the Muslims have abandoned Jihād, and they satisfied themselves with marching at the tails of other nations. And the Muslims have accepted what their enemies have called As-Salām (peace), when it is clearly Istislām (submission). The Muslims during the time of the Tattār did not understand, just as many of the Muslims in our time now do not understand, that the fundamental way to return the plundered rights of the Ummah is Jihād, and though peace may be the correct solution in certain circumstances, it cannot be the suggested choice if the rights of the Muslims have been looted, and if their blood is spilled, and if they are expelled from their lands, and if their Religion, their opinion, and their standing are mocked. The Muslims do not understand that peace comes only with the return of all their rights, and it is not made except when we are high and honored, and it cannot be unless we possess the sufficient deterrent power so that we may respond to the enemy if he violates the peace agreement. In any other case, the peace is not really peace, rather it is submission, and this is what is not accepted in our Sharī’ah.

The Muslims have to understand very well that the word “Jihād” is not a shameful matter for us to be shy of or to hide from. It is not a vile word that must be erased from the school curriculums, or from the media, and from the pages of the newspapers and books, and from the Friday sermons, and from the lessons, and other than this. Not at all, my brothers! Al-Jihād is a very great word. Al-Jihād is the camel hump (the peak) of Islām. Al-Jihād is the highest thing in Islām, whether the enemies of the Ummah - any enemies of the Ummah, whether from outside of it or from its sons - like it or not. The word “Al-Jihād” in its various forms came in the Qur’ān over 30 times. The word “Al-Qitāl,” meaning the Ummah’s fighting against its enemies, this word appears over 90 times in the Book of Allāh ‘Azza Wa Jall. The word “An-Nasr” (victory) appears over 140 times. To where will we run from these words? To where will we run from these Āyāt?

To where will we run from the Statement of Allāh, Azza Wa Jall,

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ
O Prophet! Incite the believers to fight [1]

To where will we run from His Statement,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ قَاتِلُواْ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم مِّنَ الْكُفَّارِ وَلْيَجِدُواْ فِيكُمْ غِلْظَةً وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ
O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you [2]

When will the harshness appear if all the Muslim countries are occupied, and we are still searching for peace?

To where will we run from from the Statement of Allāh, Ta’ālā

قَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً
Fight against the polytheists collectively, as they fight against you collectively [3]

My brothers and sisters, how can an Ummah who desires to protect itself and to defend its honor and its sanctities leave Jihād and fighting? In what customs, or in what laws, or in what religion, is a nation who is occupied in the East and the West encouraged to not talk about Jihād and fighting and war and preparation? In what law is this present?? My brothers, I believe that this disease, the disease of abandoning Jihād, and abandoning talking about it, and abandoning preparation for it, is from the greatest diseases of the Ummah. And there has never ever been in our history any upliftment except with it, with Jihād in the Path of Allāh. And there is a lesson for us in history.

The fifth disease : also a dangerous disease, the neglect of monetary preparation for wars.

We saw how the Tattār worked hard in preparing everything they could for victory, whether it be soldiers or weapons or the preparation of roads or the placement of lines of action or giving attention to alliances and the psychological war, or the preparation of alternative plans... It was truly a unique preparation, and review the lesson, “The Preparation for the Invasion of Iraq.” And on the other side, the Muslims were living in another valley. The Islāmic armies were neglected, and their level declined. No ruler cared to modernize his weapons or train his armies. The proper planning was not put in place. There was no meticulous intelligence-gathering. The Muslims were very, very lax in their preparation. Their priorities were set in a humiliating way. While millions were being spent on palaces and marble and gardens and parties, nothing was spent on the countries’ military and educational and economic preparations. While the examples of those who excelled in the educational, military, and management fields lessened in number, there increased the appearance of the male and female singers, and the male and female dancers, and the male and female athletes, and the heedless males and the heedless females. Subhān Allāh. Is this an Ummah that is preparing itself for the emancipation of its lands? Subhān Allāh. An Ummah with such a preparation must be defeated. My brothers, without preparation, the Muslim Ummah will not rise up. Placing our trust in Allāh ‘Azza Wa Jall does not mean that we become lax in taking the necessary steps. And our seeking to prepare does not mean that we become lax in our reliance on our Lord, Subhānahu Wa Ta’ālā. The two must go together. We should expend our utmost effort in the financial preparation of our Ummah, and we should truthfully turn to Allāh ‘Azza Wa Jall and ask Him to grant us victory over our enemies and that He makes it easy for these means to produce their results. So that is a very dangerous disease and it continues to be present, and review the statistics on the educational and economic and military and political state of the Ummah so that you can see the extent of the calamity in which the Ummah is living.

The sixth disease: The Muslims’ need for an example to follow

The upbringing of an exemplary person, as me mentioned many times before, is thousands of times higher than the upbringing of books and sermons. Soldiers feel a huge sense of estrangement and they completely lose enthusiasm if they lose an example to look up to. A thousand sermons inciting to Jihād if the soldiers find that their leader is the first one to hide during calamities. A thousand sermons on bearing difficult circumstances and being satisfied with little and having Zuhd in the Dunyā, and enduring the economic hardships will avail nothing if the people find their leader living luxuriously in palaces, spending millions on his relaxation and his happiness and his luxury and his noisy parties. A thousand sermons on praiseworthy manners will not produce anything within the Ummah if the one who is supposed to be followed doesn’t pray to begin with, and doesn’t fast, and doesn’t adhere to the cleanliness of hand and tongue and heart and conscience. How can a people be attached to its religion and to the Legislation of its Lord, when they rarely here the name “Allāh” spoken by their leader or their professor or their upbringer.

How can the people fix their state while the examples that appear for them are immoral examples, completely far from the path of righteousness?

The commander who is not a living example to his people in Jihād and morals and patience and Zuhd and justice should not expect that his people protect him during hard times or that they would stand with him in the times of calamity.

The seventh disease, a very, very dangerous disease: alliance with the enemies of the Ummah...

TO BE CONTINUED

Minutes 19:15-26.16 from the lecture “Baghdād, Between Two Falls” by Dr. Rāghib As-Sirjānī; which is part 12 of 12 from the series “The Story of the Tattār, From the Beginning Until ‘Ayn Jālūt”

------------
[1] Al-Anfāl; 65

[2] At-Tawbah; 123

[3] At-Tawbah; 36

The Causes of the Ummah's Defeat - PART 1

Posted by tibyan at 01:50

The Causes of the Ummah's Defeat - PART 1

Dr. Rāghib As-Sirjānī

At-Tibyān Publications

We have heard in the last lesson, and in the previous lessons generally, we heard the causes for victory in the days of [Sayf Ad-Dīn] Qutuz, may Allāh have Mercy upon him. And they are the same causes for victory in all the battles of the Muslims. beginning from the days of the Messenger, صلى الله عليه و سلم، and continuing with all of the Muslims’ victories, and until our time today. Indeed, until the Day of Resurrection. And this is because the causes for victory are from the Divine Sunan, and the Divine Sunan do not change and are not exchanged. He, Ta’ālā, Said,

وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلاً
And you will not find any change in the Sunnah of Allāh [1]

And the one who examines the causes of victory will see clearly that the Islāmic Ummah in the time of its defeat and weakness had greatly abandoned these causes. And it was tried with many dangerous illnesses, which are, simply, the opposite of the causes for victory that we mentioned in the previous lesson. Let’s flip the causes for victory and present the diseases the Ummah is suffering from now, and then [see] how we can free ourselves from these diseases.

The first disease : The absence of clarity about the Islāmic identity.

And the fundamental, sublime Islāmic rule that became clear to us after ‘Ayn Jālūt is that if you give victory to Allāh, Allāh will give victory to you. And the Victory of Allāh comes by implementing His Sharī’ah and rallying around one single Islāmic banner. And the banner must be Islāmic, with complete clarity. Islāmic. Not racial or tribal or nationalistic.

As for distance from the Manhaj of Allāh ‘Azza Wa Jall, and accepting the Eastern and Western substitution, and turning away from the Book of Allāh ‘Azza Wa Jall and the Sunnah of His noble Messenger, صلى الله عليه و سلم, then this is the root of the calamities and the location of the disease. And the Muslims did not change the situation of the Tattār until there appeared the one who called out with the beautiful, deep call, “Wā Islāmāh,” as we clarified before [when talking about] the causes of victory at ‘Ayn Jālūt. No matter how much any commander tries to incite his people with something other than Islām, he will never be successful, and his nation will never be successful.

Allāh, ‘Azza Wa Jall, refused to give us victory except if we bind ourselves to Him on the outside and the inside. Our outside is Muslim and our inside is Muslim. Our politics is Muslim. Or economics is Muslim. Our media is Muslim. Our judiciary is Muslim. Our army is Muslim. Like this, with clarity. Without concealment or dread or fear or apprehension.

My brothers and sisters, there is nothing for us to be ashamed of. Rather, the one who frees himself from the religion is the one who should be ashamed. Subhān Allāh, look at our present reality. Those who speak about the religion must be very careful, and every word is counted against them, and they must say the words with precision so the words do not have other [unintended] meanings. And as for those who speak about corruption and pornography, then as they wish. No restriction or condition. The music videos, and the shameless programs, and the dirty advertisements, without a watcher or a reckoner. How can a nation that lost its identity to this degree be victorious? How can a nation be victorious where the scholar feels ashamed to say the word of Truth, and the evil one does not feel ashamed to openly proclaim his evil and shamelessness? There must be a pause, O muslims. The loss of the Islāmic identity is the first and primary disease that enabled the enemies of the Ummah to overtake our lands.

OK, what is the second disease?

The second disease is: Division between the Muslims, the opposite of unity amongst the Muslims.

As the disputes, my brother, were present between all different Muslim provinces in the days of the Tattār, and as Jalāl Ad-Dīn [ibn Khawarizm-Shah] was causing mischief in the lands of the Muslims, while the armies of the Tattār were a few steps away from them, likewise we see differences and disputes creeping between all almost all the Muslim countries. Think, and you will not find two Islāmic lands neighboring one another except that you will find they are disputing over borders, or are differing about [another] issue. The Muslims have become completely busy with themselves. They left the occupying armies to carouse in the territories of the Islāmic world, and they made their preoccupation throwing words and sermons, and sometimes rocks and weapons, back and forth with their Muslim brothers. Subhān Allāh.

And there is no doubt that disputes between the Muslims is a companion of failure. As our Lord clearly Said in His book:

وَلاَ تَنَازَعُواْ فَتَفْشَلُواْ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَاصْبِرُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
And do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allāh is with the patient ones [2]

So this is a one of the dangerous diseases that we definitely see with our eyes, and explains for us the ability of the Americans and others to [overpower] the Muslim lands.

The third disease: Luxury and attachment to the Dunyā:

The Dunyā became very large in the eyes of the Muslims in the days of the Tattār, and likewise in our time. There are whole generations of the Muslims who do not live except for their Dunyā, though this Dunyā is despised and lowly. Every individual lives for himself. Every individual lives to gather wealth, and to beautify and make his living nicer and to enjoy the different types of luxuries and food, drink, transportation, and housing, and to enjoy the different types of singing and the different new forms of music. And so on. The Muslims drowned in their Dunyā. Many of the youth, my brothers, memorize from the shameless songs more than what he memorizes of the Qur’ān. Many of the youth know in detail the lives of the male and female “artists,” the living and the dead of them, and know, with certainty, the life story of every athlete in our country or other countries, and do not know anything about the life stories of the heroes and scholars and commanders of the Muslims. Rather, they do not know anything on the life stories of the companions of the Messenger of Allāh. Rather they might not know anything about the life story of the Messenger of Allāh himself! Subhān Allāh. Is this not a disease that requires treatment?

Luxury, my brothers, is from the clear causes of destruction. Allāh, ‘Azza Wa Jall, says in His Book:

وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيراً
And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order (to obey Allāh and be righteous) to those among them who are given the good things of this life. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction. [3]

The extravagance in the Muslim countries today has reached to the level of the regular Muslims, it even reached to the poor. Can you imagine? To the poor. A man might not find his day’s sustenance, but will not be able to give up cigarettes. Subhān Allāh. It may be that he cannot find what will support himself and his children, but he will sit for hours at the cafes and cafeterias and coffee shops, and so on. He might not be able to educate his children, but he is avid and keen on obtaining a video [player] or a satellite dish.

And the ideological extravagance. Subhān Allāh. And what will make you know what is ideological extravagance? Very, very dangerous. It preoccupies the minds of many of those who consider themselves to be cultured with things that do not nourish or avail from hunger at all. Philosophical ideas, secular schools, materialistic notions, statements and insights from people who amount to nothing on the scale of Truth.

Should this be the case for an Ummah that is suffering from a crisis? Should this be the case for an Ummah that is occupied in more than one of its lands? Should this be the case for an Ummah that is backwards in most of the fields of life? The military, political, economic and educational fields, as well as the moral field? This can never be right. But this is the reality that we see with our eyes. Yes, it is a painful reality, but we do not wish to be like ostriches, burying our heads in the sand, and hide these realities from our eyes so that we can live in happiness. This cannot be, this is stupidity and foolishness. We cannot do this. Rather, we should confront these diseases and take a serious pause with our diseases so that we can cure them. And the state of the Muslims will not get better, and their lands will never be freed except through implementing the Sharī’ah of our Lord, and except with our conformity to our Lord’s Sunan of Victory. And this is witnessed in history, and is witnessed in the present.

The fourth disease from the disease of the Islāmic Ummah - and it is a very, very dangerous disease - is the abandonment of Jihād, my brothers...

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TO BE CONTINUED...

Minutes 10:34-19:15 from the lecture “Baghdād, Between Two Falls” by Dr. Rāghib As-Sirjānī; which is part 12 of 12 from the series “The Story of the Tattār, From the Beginning Until ‘Ayn Jālūt”

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[1] Al-Fat’h; 23
[2]Al-Anfāl; 46
[3] Al-Isrā’;16

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