Muslim world in crisis: When will the aid of Allah come?

Muslim world in crisis: When will the aid of Allah come?

By Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid Alam.

Verily, all praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides will not be led astray and whomsoever He misguides, no one can guide. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, alone without partner or associate, and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is His slave and His Messenger. To proceed:

We are living in extremely testing times and Muslims need to understand that Allah will only aid the believers when they turn to Him in obedience, seeking His aid and His forgiveness. If they continue to resist, Allah will continue to humiliate them. 

Pay attention to this hadīth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

إِذَا تَبَايَعْتُمْ بِالْعِينَةِ وَأَخَذْتُمْ أَذْنَابَ الْبَقَرِ وَرَضِيتُمْ بِالزَّرْعِ وَتَرَكْتُمُ الْجِهَادَ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ ذُلاًّ لاَ يَنْزِعُهُ حَتَّى تَرْجِعُوا إِلَى دِينِكُمْ

“When you partake in usury, hold on to the tails of cattle, become satisfied with cultivation and abandon Jihād, Allah will send upon you humiliation and He will not remove it until you return back to your religion.”^[1]

In this hadīth, we can see what brings about Allah’s humiliation upon the Muslims. We also see the cure, which is to return back to the Religion as it was practised in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As for Jihād, and its types, then Imām Abdur-Rahmān As-Sa’di (Allah’s mercy be upon him) stated in some amazing speech:

“Jihad is of two types: Firstly, Jihad by which is intended the rectification of the Muslims, rectification of their ‘Aqīdah (beliefs), their manners and conduct, and all of their religious and worldly affairs. And likewise their cultivation in terms of knowledge and action. This type of Jihād is the foundation of Jihad and its backbone.

And upon this is built the second type of Jihad, and the intent of this Jihad is to repel those who transgress against Islam and the Muslims, from among the unbelievers, the hypocrites, the heretics, and the rest of the enemies of Islam and their oppositions.”^[2]

Al-Imām Ibnul-Qayyim (Allah’s mercy be upon him) stated: “Jihād with evidences and speech takes precedence over Jihād with the sword, arrows and spearheads.”^[3] Striving against corruption that has appeared in the beliefs of the people takes precedence over fighting the non-believers. That is because Allah will aid the believers based upon their worship of Him alone, their eemān in Him and their obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And bounties and blessings are bestowed by Allah to those who deserve them and they are removed due to corrupt beliefs, disobedience and sins—and Allah will not lift the humiliation the Muslims are suffering and return His blessings unless people return to Islam and the Sunnah. Allah (the Most High) stated:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍۢ سُوٓءًۭا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَالٍ ١١

“Verily Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any protector.”^[4]

Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us every affair of religion and how to deal with the trials and tribulations. Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) said:

تركنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وما طائر يقلب جناحيه في الهواء إلا وهو يذكرنا منه علما

“Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) left us, and there was not a bird that flapped its wings in the air except that he gave us some knowledge concerning it.” Then he narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

ما بقي شيء يقرب من الجنة ويباعد من النار إلا بين لكم

“There does not remain anything that brings one closer to Jannah or distances one from the Fire except that it has been explained to you.”^[5] It inconceivable for a Muslim to imagine that the Messenger would teach his Ummah the minutest details of tahārah and ‘ibādah yet he left us without guidance concerning the oppression at the hands of the unbelievers before the Hour! This religion has been completed and perfected and Allah has shown us the Straight Path. He did not leave us to decide the means of rectification for ourselves. That is why we will only rectify matters by returning to the way of the Salaf just as Imām Mālik bin Anas (Allah’s mercy be upon him, d. 179 AH) stated:

لن يَصلُحَ آخرُ هذه الأمة إلا بما صَلَح به أولها فما لم يكن يومئذٍ دينًا لا يكون اليوم دينًا

“The latter part of this Ummah will never be rectified except by that which rectified its first part. So, whatever was not religion that day cannot be religion today.”^[6] Allah and His Messenger did not guide us to demonstrations, street marches, the waving of placards, hunger strikes and sit-ins as a means of rectification! These are innovated means (borrowed from the unbelievers), and whoever participates in them receives no reward; they are rejected by Allah, and earn His displeasure. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates into this affair of ours that which is not from it shall have it rejected.” And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does a deed that is not from this affair of our shall have it rejected.”^[7] These demonstrations and street marches are not from Islam—they are innovations in religion, astray and misguided.

The Muslims are tried with their families, their lives, their children, with expulsion, extreme fear, and a constricted of life. Allah (the Most High) stated:

إِذْ جَآءُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ وَبَلَغَتِ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ٱلْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلظُّنُونَا۠ ١٠
هُنَالِكَ ٱبْتُلِىَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ زِلْزَالًۭا شَدِيدًۭا ١١

“When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about Allah. There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking.” (Al-Ahzāb: 10-11)

Allah, the Most High, informed us that so long as we are patient and follow guidance, show obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah’s aid will surely come:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ ٢١٤

“Or do you think you will enter Paradise without such trials as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments, and were shaken so severely that even the Messenger and those who believed alongside with him said, ‘When is the help of Allah coming?’ Yes, certainly, the help of Allah is close!” (Al-Baqarah 2:214)

Al-Baghawi said in his Tafseer: “When Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions arrived in Madinah, the harms they encountered were severe at the hands of the mushrikeen—and the believers were forced to leave Makkah without their wealth, they had to abandon their homes and possessions giving preference to the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Then the Jews of Madinah made manifest their enmity for Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) while the hypocrites kept their enmity hidden, so Allah revealed this verse as comfort to their hearts.”

Ibn Katheer said: “Allah stated: ‘And they were shaken severely…’ Meaning: Out of fear of their enemies, they were severely shaken, and they were tested with a mighty test as occurs in the hadeeth of Khabbāb Ibn Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:

شَكَوْنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ مُتَوَسِّدٌ بُرْدَةً لَهُ فِي ظِلِّ الْكَعْبَةِ قُلْنَا لَهُ أَلاَ تَسْتَنْصِرُ لَنَا أَلاَ تَدْعُو اللَّهَ لَنَا قَالَ  كَانَ الرَّجُلُ فِيمَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ يُحْفَرُ لَهُ فِي الأَرْضِ فَيُجْعَلُ فِيهِ فَيُجَاءُ بِالْمِنْشَارِ فَيُوضَعُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَيُشَقُّ بِاثْنَتَيْنِ وَمَا يَصُدُّهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَيُمْشَطُ بِأَمْشَاطِ الْحَدِيدِ مَا دُونَ لَحْمِهِ مِنْ عَظْمٍ أَوْ عَصَبٍ وَمَا يَصُدُّهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَاللَّهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إِلَى حَضْرَمَوْتَ لاَ يَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ أَوِ الذِّئْبَ عَلَى غَنَمِهِ وَلَكِنَّكُمْ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ

We complained to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) of the persecution while he was sitting in the shade of the Ka’bah, reclining on his cloak. We said to him, ‘Will you not seek Allah’s aid for us? Will you not invoke Allah for us?’ He replied, ‘Among the nations before you, a man would be brought and put in a ditch that was dug for him. A saw would be put over his head and he would be cut into two pieces, yet that would not cause him give up his religion. A man’s body would be scraped with iron combs that would remove the flesh and veins from his bones yet that would still not cause him to abandon his religion. By Allah, this religion will prevail until a man will travel from San’ā to Hadramaut and he will not fear except Allah, or that a wolf should snatch away his sheep. But you are a hasty people.’^[8]” This was a period wherein Allah tested the believers with severe hardship, and so they sought guidance from Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

So, “we cannot put the cart before the horse”! We want the help of Allah, we want Him to save us, and to vanquish the enemies who attack us day and night while we oppose the Book and Sunnah, violate the ‘aqeedah of Ahlus-Sunnah, contradict the Messenger and oppose the path of the Companions. This is not the path to salvation as the poet said: “You seek salvation but you do not tread its path – indeed a ship does not sail on dry land!” Opposing the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and wallowing in bid’ah and sins does not bring victory, instead it brings about punishment and humiliation from Allah:

وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا ١١٥

“And whoever opposes the Messenger after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination!”^[9]

The story of the battle of Uhud contains a great lesson for the Muslims who seek the aid of Allah and wonder why they are in a state of weakness and humiliation today. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prepared and arranged his Companions for the battle ahead. There were fifty horsemen and fifty archers. He commanded the archers that they should not move from their positions on the small outcrop of mountain, and that they should guard the backs of the Muslims against any attack from their direction.

Al-Barā’ bin ‘Āzib (Allah be pleased with him) said: On the day of the battle of Uhud, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appointed Abdullāh bin Jubair (Allah be pleased with him) as the commander of the archers who were fifty in number. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Even if you see that the birds are snatching at us, do not move from this place of yours until I send for you and if you see that we have defeated the enemy and trodden them down, still do not move until I send for you.”

Al-Barā’ continued: So, Allah defeated them, and I swear by Allāh, I saw women fleeing into the mountain. The archers with Abdullāh bin Jubair said, “The spoils of war await us and your companions are victorious so for what are you waiting?”

Abdullāh bin Jubair said, “Have you forgotten what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told you?” They said,“By Allah, we shall join the people and take the spoils of war. So they came down to join the people. Their faces turned away from their positions and they were defeated.”^[10]

Here, we have some of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who made a decision to leave their posts thinking that the pagans were routed and would not return. However, in leaving their posts, they disobeyed the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Then the horseman of the pagans with Khālid bin Walīd at their head made a charge and found the gap unprotected by archers―they passed through and were able to attack the believers. So whatever Allāh willed to happen occurred, and seventy of the believers were martyred.

After the battle, the believers sought an explanation for their defeat. At the battle of Badr, they were victorious with fewer numbers and weapons. So Allah (the Most High) informed them of the reason for the defeat at Uhud:

أَوَلَمَّا أَصَابَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّىٰ هَٰذَا ۖ قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“When a single disaster struck you [on the day of Uhud], though you had struck the enemy [at the battle of Badr] with a victory twice as great, you said, ‘From where did this disaster come?’ Say, ‘It is from your own selves.’ Indeed, Allah is over all things powerful.”^[11]

Ibn Sa’d (Allah’s mercy be upon him)^[12] stated that Abdullāh bin Jubair admonished the archers―however they disobeyed and went off and only ten remained with him. So Khālid bin Walīd (who was a polytheist at that time) saw that the hill defence had been abandoned so he came to the place of the archers and attacked those who remained. The remaining archers defended with arrows until they were killed. Abdullāh bin Jubair (Allah be pleased with him) fired his arrows until they were finished. Then he fought with his spear until it broke, then he broke the scabbard of his sword and fought them until he was martyred (may Allah be pleased with him).

Ibn Al-Qayyim (Allah’s mercy be upon him) mentioned that one of the points of wisdom gained from the battle of Uhud is: “Recognition of the evil consequences of sins, weakness of resolve and disputation―and that which befell them was a result of that… So when they tasted the punishment (and defeat) due to their disobedience of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), disputation and loss of courage―after that they became the most cautious, wakeful and attentive to the causes that lead to being forsaken [by Allah].”^[13] So Allah pardoned them and they learned a mighty lesson. Allah revealed sixty verses in Surah Āli ‘Imrān regarding the battle that serve as a lesson, admonition, and reminder to the true believers.

Seventy among the Companions were martyred at the battle of Uhud. At the battle of Badr, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his Companions (Allah be pleased with them) had inflicted a strike that was twice as great: one hundred and forty casualties. Seventy pagans were taken prisoners and seventy were killed. That is why Allah stated in the verse above, “Although you had struck the enemy [at the battle of Badr] with a victory twice as great.” For this reason, Abu Sufyan (a leader of the pagans at the time) said at the end of the battle of Uhud, “This is a day [of revenge] for the defeat on the day of Badr―and the issue of war is still undecided.”^[14]

So this proves that victory is snatched away from the Muslims due to disobedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

So, what does the Muslim Ummah expect in our times?―Many Muslims oppress others without a care, they deceive one another and engage in major sins such as fornication and lewd sexual conduct, lying, theft, drinking alcohol, gambling, and backbiting―then there are Muslims who deal in interest (ribā), view pornography, women who discard the hijāb, listen to music, are addicted to movies, and TV shows― they break the ties of kinship, cheat on their spouses and the list goes on!

Do they really believe that Allah will give them victory and lift their state of humiliation while they are in this state? Even worse than these sins is the fact that many millions of Muslims in our times do not even know the correct ʿAqeedah (Belief) which is the very foundation of the Religion, they do not study it, and most of those who “practice religion” are entrenched in their sectarian beliefs in opposition to the Quran, Sunnah and the Methodology of the Companions!

There are millions in this Ummah who call upon the dead in their graves and are engaged in all types of innovated practices― from celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to building shrines over graves, calling upon the dead and visiting soothsayers and astrologers! In this state, do they truly expect the aid of Allah?

Their beliefs and actions bring about humiliation from Allah and victory to the unbelievers over the Muslims.

So long as the Muslims oppose the Quran, Sunnah and the methodology, creed and manners of the Salaf, then their lives, honour, land and wealth will be violated and exploited by the nations who harbour enmity towards Islam and the Muslims.

Thawbān (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

يُوشِكُ الأُمَمُ أَنْ تَدَاعَى عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَا تَدَاعَى الأَكَلَةُ إِلَى قَصْعَتِهَا فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ وَمِنْ قِلَّةٍ نَحْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ كَثِيرٌ وَلَكِنَّكُمْ غُثَاءٌ كَغُثَاءِ السَّيْلِ وَلَيَنْزِعَنَّ اللَّهُ مِنْ صُدُورِ عَدُوِّكُمُ الْمَهَابَةَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَيَقْذِفَنَّ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمُ الْوَهَنَ فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا الْوَهَنُ قَالَ حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَكَرَاهِيَةُ الْمَوْتِ

“The nations are soon to invite one another and come upon you just as one is invited to feast from a platter.” Someone asked: “Is that because we will be few in number in that time?” He replied: “No, rather you will be many, but you will be the scourge like the scourge carried upon the flood water―and Allah will remove the fear the enemies once held in their hearts of you, and He will throw weakness into your hearts.” Someone asked: “What is that weakness?” He replied:“Love for this world and hatred of death.”^[15]

So, on an individual level, a Muslim who truly wants good for himself must stay away from evil companionship and sinful gatherings where Allah is disobeyed, His verses and signs are belittled, and where desires are followed. Muslims should enjoin the good and forbid the evil according to their knowledge and ability. Rectification begins with oneself, then his family, his relatives, his neighborhood and so on—this is how da’wah is established. Allah (the Most High) stated:

وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“Let there arise from amongst you a group who invite to all that is good, that you enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And those will be the successful.”^[16]

A few verses later, Allah informed the Companions (and those who truly follow them) of the good news:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ

“You are the best nation brought forth for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and you believe in Allah.”^[17]

These are the people of Sunnah, the people of Hadīth, the Rectifiers in every age. And they are the Jamā’ah and likewise those who follow them precisely in belief and worship in every generation. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي مَا أَتَى عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ حَذْوَ النَّعْلِ بِالنَّعْلِ حَتَّى إِنْ كَانَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَتَى أُمَّهُ عَلاَنِيَةً لَكَانَ فِي أُمَّتِي مَنْ يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ وَإِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ تَفَرَّقَتْ عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً كُلُّهُمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلاَّ مِلَّةً وَاحِدَةً قَالُوا وَمَنْ هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي

“What befell the Children of Israel will befall my Ummah, footstep by footstep, such that if one of them had intercourse with his mother in the open, then there would be someone from my Ummah who would do the same!

The Children of Israel split into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects. All of them are in the Fire except for one.” They asked: “And which one is it, O Messenger of Allah?” He responded: “That which I am upon and my Companions.”^[18]

They are the Aided Group (At-Tā’ifah Al-Mansūrah), apparent and manifest in every generation just as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated:

 لاَ تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي قَائِمَةً بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ أَوْ خَالَفَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَهُمْ ظَاهِرُونَ عَلَى النَّاسِ

“There shall not cease to be a group from my Ummah obedient to the orders of Allah. They are not harmed by those who betray them or those who oppose them. They will remain as such until the Decree of Allah comes [close to the Hour], and they will be manifest over the people.”^[19]

And that is the path that Fudayl Ibn ʿIyād (d. 187 AH, Allah’s mercy be upon him) referred to in his saying:

عليك بطريق الهدى وإن قل السالكون واجتنب طريق الردى وإن كثر الهالكون

“Stick to the path of guidance even if only a few traverse it. And avoid the path of ruin even if there are many who perish upon it.”^[20]

Al-ʿAllāmah Dr. Rabeeʿ bin Hadi al-Madkhali said regarding the tribulations in Palestine:

من تاريخ بني إسرائيل ثلاثة أنبياء في  عصر واحد فلم يعلنوا الجهاد

قال الشيخ ربيع بن هادي المدخلي:

‘وأنا أقول غير مرة: إن الرومان احتلوا فلسطين في عهد بني إسرائيل، وكان يعيش في وقت ما من أوقاتٍ من تاريخ بني إسرائيل ثلاثة أنبياء في عصر واحد فلم يعلنوا الجهاد، هؤلاء الثلاثة هم زكريا وعيسى ويحيى -عليهم الصلاة والسلام- ولو شاء ربك لأمر أحد الأنبياء يدعو على هؤلاء الأعداء فيغرقهم الله كما أغرق قوم نوح وعاد وثمود، ولكن الله يبتلي الناس بعضهم ببعض، …..’

ويقول الشيخ:

‘فإذا كان الأنبياء في عهد قد شرع فيه الجهاد ولكن الله لم يكلفهم-يعني- بالجهاد وإن كان الجهاد مشروعا في دينهم، لماذا لم يشرع الله ولم يكلف الله هؤلاء الأنبياء بالجهاد، ثلاثة أنبياء في عصر واحد وفي بلدة واحدة وهي القدس ولم يكلفهم الله بإخراج الرومان من القدس، لماذا؟ لأن الله من سننه الكونية والشرعية أن لا يكلف الناس إلا بما يطيقونه، فهل الآن في طاقة هؤلاء الذين هدموا هذا البناء هل في طاقتهم مواجهة أمريكا وأوربا ودول الشرق والغرب، هل في طاقتهم هذا؟ ^[21]

“I have said this more than once, that the Romans occupied Palestine in the era of the Children of Israel. They lived at a time in history when the Children of Israel had three Prophets living among them at one time—yet they did not proclaim Jihād. The three Prophets were Zakariyyā, ʿĪsa and Yahyā (peace be upon them). If your Lord had wanted, He would have indeed commanded any one of these Prophets to call against these enemies, and Allah would have drowned them as He drowned the people of Nooh (peace be upon him), and as He destroyed ʿĀd and Thamood. However, Allah tries some people with others…”

Shaykh Rabeeʿ continued: “Therefore, if the Prophets were living in a time where Jihād was a part of legislation but Allah still did not make it a duty upon them to perform Jihād despite Jihad being legislated in their religion, then why did Allah not legislate it nor make it a duty upon these Prophets to perform Jihād [in this situation]? Three Prophets in one time period, in one country, i.e., al-Quds (Jerusalem), and yet Allah did not task them to evict the Romans from al-Quds—why not? Because from the universal and legislated way of Allah is that He (the Most High) does not burden the people except with what they can bear. So, now these people who destroyed this building do they have the strength? Do they have the strength to face America, or Europe and the countries of the east and west? Do they have the strength for this?”^[22]

This affair of rectification is for the Strangers (al-Ghurabā) who rectify corruption. The great scholar, Imām ʿAbdul-ʿAzīz Ibn Bāz (Allah’s mercy be upon him) stated:

“Islam began in Makkah as something small. Not many believed in it and most of the people displayed enmity towards it and they stubbornly rejected the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and caused him harm. They harmed his Companions (Allah be pleased with them), those who had embraced Islam. Then he migrated to Madinah and so did his Companions along with him. Even there they were strangers until their numbers swelled in Madinah and in the rest of the lands. Then the people entered Islam in huge numbers after Allah had opened Makkah to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and gave him victory. So in the beginning, Islam was something strange among the people and most of them disbelieved in Allah, committed shirk (polytheism), and they worshipped the idols, the prophets, righteous men, trees, rocks and so on.

Then Allah guided whom He guided at the hands of His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and at the hands of his Companions (Allah be pleased with them). So people entered Islam, and they worshipped only Allah. They abandoned the worship of idols, prophets and righteous men.

They made their worship purely and sincerely for Allah, worshipping none but Him alone. They would not pray except to Him and they would not prostrate except to Him. They would not direct their supplications except to Allah, nor seek deliverance except with Allah, nor seek to be healed except by Allah (the Mighty and Majestic). They would not ask the inhabitants of the graves for help or rescue, nor the idols, the trees, the rocks, the stars, the jinn or the angels. Rather, they worshipped none but Allah alone (the Most High). So, these are the Strangers. This is likewise the case at the end of time. They are the ones who remain steadfast upon the Religion of Allah when the people fall behind in their Religion and disbelieve, or when their sins and evil deeds increase. Through all this, the Strangers remain upright upon obedience to Allah and His Religion. For them is Paradise and happiness, a praiseworthy recompense in this world and the next.”^[23]

The Ghurabā (the Strangers) who call to the rectification of the Ummah regardless of those who oppose them. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) stated:

بدأ الإسلام غريباً وسيعود غريباً كما بدأ فطوبى للغرباء

“Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange just as it began so glad tiding [of Paradise] is for the Strangers.”

The scholars of hadīth have collected various wordings of this hadīth. In one narration, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked:

يا رسول الله من الغرباء قال الذين يصلحون إذا فسد الناس

“O Allah’s Messenger! Who are the Strangers?” He responded: “Those who bring rectification when the people cause corruption.”^[24] In another narration he said:

يصلحون ما أفسد الناس من سنتي

“They rectify what the people have corrupted of my Sunnah.”

This is the path of rectification and salvation that requires from the outset obedience to Allah, following the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the methodology of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

The rectification of the Ummah, its beginning and foundation is the belief in Tawhīd, which is to single out Allah alone with worship and to understand this well and in detail through the study of the books of ‘Aqeedah and Tawhīd. Tawhīd was the purpose behind the sending of the Prophets (peace be upon them all) and the foundation of their call. Allah (the Most High) stated:

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ ۖ

“And We sent to every nation a Messenger, calling them to the worship of Allah alone and to abandon the false deities.”^[25]

Allah (the Most High) mentioned regarding the Messenger Nūh (peace be upon him):

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

“And we sent Nūh to his people. So he said to them: ‘O my people worship Allah! You have nothing worthy of worship other than Him. Indeed I fear for you the punishment of a severe day.’”^[26]

Regarding the other Prophets, such as Hūd (peace be upon him):

وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا ۗ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

“And to the people of ‘Ād, We sent their brother Hūd. He said to them: ‘O my people worship Allah, you have nothing worthy of worship other than Him.’”^[27]

And this was the same mission with which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent his Companions. Abdullāh Ibn ‘Abbās (Allah be pleased with him) stated:

لَمَّا بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُعَاذًا نَحْوَ الْيَمَنِ قَالَ لَهُ إِنَّكَ تَقْدَمُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَلْيَكُنْ أَوَّلَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يُوَحِّدُوا اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فَإِذَا عَرَفُوا ذَلِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي يَوْمِهِمْ وَلَيْلَتِهِمْ فَإِذَا صَلُّوا فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ زَكَاةً فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ غَنِيِّهِمْ فَتُرَدُّ عَلَى فَقِيرِهِمْ فَإِذَا أَقَرُّوا بِذَلِكَ فَخُذْ مِنْهُمْ وَتَوَقَّ كَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ

“When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent Mu’ādh Ibn Jabal to Yemen, he said to him: ‘I am sending you to a people from Ahlul-Kitāb (Jews and Christians), so invite them first and foremost to the sole worship of Allah (the Most High). If they acknowledge that, then inform them that Allah has obligated upon them the five prayers throughout the day and night. If they establish the pray, inform them that Allah has obligated upon them Zakāh on their wealth, to be taken from their wealthy people and given to their poor. If they accept that, then take it from them but avoid taking the best property of the people.’”^[28]

Through Tawheed, Sunnah and obedience to Allah, alongside avoiding shirk, bid’ah and sins, Allah will give victory to the Muslims. Allah (the Mighty and Majestic) has enjoined upon us this Methodology in His Book:

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

“Allah has promised those among you who believe and perform righteous deeds that He will certainly grant them succession (and authority) in the earth just as He granted it to those before them―and He will establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them. And He will surely give them safety and security after they had lived in fear.

This is so long as they worship Me, and they do not associate anything alongside Me in worship. But whoever disbelieves after this, they are the sinners, the wrongdoers.”^[29]

This is the precise and true Methodology established by Allah that will lead to the rectification of the affairs of the Muslims. 

Advice from Abū Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid today after being asked about the current situation in Palestine

Questioner: Sulaymaan Abu Hamzah. ‘An advice during the class, and he accepted the advice to be shared so I wrote it down.’ (10th October 2023)

“As for what is taking place in Palestine today, then it’s a trial upon the Ummah. When you know that your neighbour is a bully, and you know that your neighbour is armed to the teeth, and you know that your neighbour — if you rile him up — he will come and break your windows and kill your children, then that’s not the neighbour that you throw stones at because you do not have the ability to overtake him, you don’t have the ability to deal with his oppression.

And this is the similitude in Palestine. They do not have the ability, not in the terms of their religious knowledge, nor in terms of their military prowess. So it is naive to assume that you are going to attack a nation that is armed to the teeth, a nation of Zionists that already are itching to fight and to kill. And you know that you do not have the ability to repel them. And you know that when they come for you, they are not coming for you—they are coming for your children, and your women, and your schools, and your homes. And if you kill 10 of them, they are going to kill a hundred of you. For every one of them that you kill, then they will kill dozens of yours. 

Then in that situation, there is no wisdom in attacking them, and it makes no sense to go and fight people like that. 

Furthermore, it is not permissible to kill civilians. So if civilians are attacked, then that is not permissible in Islam and the Sharee’ah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explicitly forbade the killing of women, children and non-combatants.

So a person needs to be wise, these types of affairs are left to the powerful Muslim countries who are working in the background, and have been working in the background. And it is the duty of the scholars to teach these people what will aid them in their worldly affairs, and more so in their religion—and what will bring about the aid of Allah: and that it is achieved by returning our affairs back to Tawheed, the correct belief, the Sunnah of the Prophet, and to the ʿibādah (worship) of Allah, the Perfect and Most High. That is the cure, and that is the solution.

As for randomly attacking this neighbouring country, and killing their civilians, or indiscriminately killing whoever comes in your way, then that is not going to solve anything, and in fact, it is harām anyway to kill civilians. We don’t believe in these types of vigilante attacks—and when they hit back they will attack with injustice, oppression and huge amounts of harm. So it is not from wisdom what they have done. 

And this is why — and Allaah knows best — that I believe that there is something more sinister behind this because it doesn’t make any sense that a Muslim would do that knowing what the response would be! Why would I go and attack my neighbour if I know he will come and kill my wife and children? Why would I do it? So then I will go into hiding whilst they attack my wife and children? It doesn’t make any sense!

There is something more sinister that is taking place in the background and Allah knows best what it is, but there are some elements here that we have not fully comprehended.

So the solution is that you read the articles that we have authored, that our scholars have written and we’ve translated, about the state of the Ummah and its causes of weakness and means for revival. Inshā’-Allāh I will tweet it out today, and that’s the way forward—to read, learn and aid the Ummah.

As for helping our Muslims brothers and sisters in need, and their families then yes, through donations, medical care, food donations, providing them shelter, helping them in that regard in humanitarian aid—that’s the way—and make du’ā for them. There’s nothing else to be done by you, bārakallāhu feekum.

If you want betterment for the Ummah, then that’s the way. You should be wise, you should know how your enemy is going to react. Muslims should not be aiming at civilians, non-combatants. War is declared by those in authority (the rulers)—and this random killing is not how things are done. 

Learn the Sunnah and act upon the Sunnah. And wisdom needs to be employed, bārakallāhu feekum, wisdom needs to be employed—by returning the affairs to the scholars of the Ummah. So we ask Allāh to aid our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, those who are not responsible for any of this turmoil but they have become victims in all of this.

Every time the enemies strike, and these oppressors attack it’s the innocent Muslims who are harmed—and their mosques and homes are blown up, their hospitals and schools destroyed, and their children killed generation after generation. What then has been achieved? What do you attain? Allāhul-Mustaʿān. 

We ask Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic, to aid them, to have mercy upon them, to guide them, to forgive us and to forgive them. May Allāh (the Most Perfect and Most High) to aid the Muslims everywhere in the world.  Āmeen.”

And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet, his family, his Companions and all those who truly and correctly follow their path until the establishment of the Hour.

---

^[1] Abu Dāwūd (no. 3462). Declared sahīh by Al-Albāni, see As-Sahīhah (no. 11).

^[2] Wujoob at-Ta’āwun baynal-Muslimeen, pp. 7-8.

^[3] Sharh An-Nooniyyah of Al-Harrās (1/12), and see Al-Jawāb As-Sahīh of Ibn Taymiyyah (1/237).

^[4] Surah Ar-Ra’d: 11.

^[5] At-Tabarāni in Mu’jam Al-Kabīr (2/155), Al-Haythami in Majma’ Az-Zawā’id (8/266). Declared sahīh by Al-Albāni in As-Silsilah As-Sahīhah (no. 1803).

^[6] This narration is established from Imām Malik. Qādi Iyād cited it in Ash-Shifā (2/87-88). Ibn Taymiyyah stated in Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā (1/353, 27/118) that it is established from Mālik. Shātibi cited it also in Al-I’tisām (1/111) with a slightly different wording.

^[7] Al-Bukhāri and Muslim.

^[8] Al-Bukhari (no. 3612).

^[9] An-Nisā: 115.

^[10] Abu Dawud (no. 2662).

^[11] Surah Āli ‘Imrān: 165.

^[12] At-Tabaqāt (3/476).

^[13] Zād Al-Ma’ād (p. 401), Mu’assasah Ar-Risālah edition, Beirut, 2009 CE/1430 AH.

^[14] See Al-Bukhari (no. 3986).

^[15] Abu Dawūd (no. 4297).

^[16] Surah Āli ‘Imrān: 104.

^[17] Surah Āli ‘Imrān: 110.

^[18] At-Tirmidhi (no. 2642), declared hasan by Al-Albāni.

^[19] Muslim (no. 1037).

^[20] Cited by Ash-Shātibi in Al-I’tisām (1/183), An-Nawawi in Al-Majmū (8/275) and others.

^[21] https://bitly.ws/X8WY شريط بعنوان: إزالة الإلباس عما اشتبه في أذهان الناس

^[22] From the lecture: Izalat al-Ilbaas amma Ishtiba fee Ad-haan an-Naas. Edited by the author (Abu Khadeejah) from Abbas Abu Yahya’s original translation. See https://followingthesunnah.com/in-the-history-of-the-bani-israeel/

^[23] See https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/ no. 7301.

^[24] Muslim (no. 145-6), At-Tirmidhi (no. 2629).

^[25] Surah An-Nahl: 36.

^[26] Surah Al-A’rāf: 59.

^[27] Surah Al-A’rāf: 65.

^[28] Bukhārī (no 7372).

^[29] Surah An-Nūr: 55.