Understanding the State of Affairs

The Noble
CONCERN

By Abû ’Âliyah

 

The Believers Described

Allâh - the Blessed, the Most High - says, whilst describing the qualities of the Believers:

The Believers, men and women, are protectors of one another. [1]

Indeed the Believers are but brothers. [2]

The Prophet sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam describing them said: The Believer is a mirror to a Believer. The Believer is a brother to a Believer. Guarding him against loss and protecting him in his absence. [3]

He sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam also said: The Believer to the Believer is like a solid building, one part supporting the other. [4]

“Therefore - O brother - you are a mirror for your brother and a brick from amongst the bricks in the wall - being built upon the brotherhood of îmân (faith). [5] There is no doubt that this bond of îmân - established upon the foundations of correct aqîdah (belief) and correct manhaj (approach) - necessitates that: “We all work together as required by Islâm as sincere brothers - not due to partisanship, nor sectarianism - in order to realise that which is of benefit to the Islâmic Ummah and to establish the Islâmic society that every Muslim aspires for, such that the Sharîah of Allâh is applied upon His earth. [6]

Concern for the Ummah

So “Allâh - the Most Perfect, Most High - has made the Believers a mercy and helpers towards each other - which is why the Messenger of Allâh sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam said: “The example of the Believers in their mutual love and mercy is like the example of a body. If one part feels pain, then all of it is affected by sickness and fever. [7] ” [8]

“Indeed, if a person does not have concern for the affairs of the Muslims then this, in reality, is a deficiency in ones Islâm.” [9] Since how is it possible for the one in whose heart îmân has taken root, and whose allegiance is to and for the Muslims, not to feel anguish and pain for them and their present state of affairs - their trials, tribulations and tortures. However, this does not mean preoccupation with western politics and drowning oneself in the abyss of its lies, deceptions and disbelief: Rather, what is obligatory, is to pursue the politics of the Sharîah - which is to protect and take care of the affairs of the Ummah. [10]

Requirements for Victory

Returning to this Ummah - may Allâh increase it in nobility - its honour and strength cannot begin without the Muslims first “Preparing themselves for this, by returning to their Lord, holding fast to His Book, following the Sunnah of His Prophet, keeping away from His prohibitions, whilst uniting upon that which is pleasing to Him - the Most Perfect, the Most High.” [11] All of which is to be based upon mutual co-operation for and upon the truth; as Allâh - the Most High says-:

“And recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience.” [12]

“Help you one another in righteousness and piety; but do not help one another in sin and transgression.” [13]

“So co-operating in goodness and taqwâ and mutual advising necessitates da’wah to what is good and helping in that; and necessitates warning against evil and not co-operating with the wicked.” [14] This in turn “necessitates a number of types of good: Studying, teaching, learning, da’wah, giving reminder, giving guidance, ordering good, forbidding evil, solidarity, brotherhood; and other things too many to be counted - which Islâm orders and encourages - which will be the seed for the hopes for change which the Callers to Islâm aspire to and gather for:

“Allâh will never change the condition of a people until they change their condition themselves. [15] ” [16]

Cultivating Obedience to Allâh

“So stick - may Allâh have mercy upon you - to the StraightWay and what the Revelation came down with, and the Sunnah of the Messenger sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam and what is recorded from the Salafus-Sâlih. Cling to the Sunnah and the Jamâ’ah and you will be rightly guided - if Allâh wills. And there is nothing better for you - O one of understanding - than sticking to what is between the two covers (the Qur‘ân), frequently examining what is in it, and gaining understanding of its meaning?” [17]

“And be - O servant of Allâh - a true Muslim, and a Scholar who cultivates and is attentive. You learn for Allâh, work for Allâh, view the Muslims equally - none of them gaining precedence in your eyes, or being lesser in your eyes except due to taqwâ and îmân - not due to partisanship, nor to divisions caused by Shaitân!”18 And know that: “The uniting of the Muslims is upon Islâm; in their clinging to Allâh’s Rope, in their applying and judging by His Sharî’ah, in their disassociating themselves from their enemies and making their enmity and hatred of them clear to them. So this is the cause of Allâh’s help for them, and for His protection from the plots of their enemies.” [19]

 

The Responsibility

With this approach and by these means will freedom from the enslavement of the unbelievers be accomplished. However: “A large part of this goal cannot be attained except by educating and cultivating the Muslim youth correctly in ’aqîdah, knowledge and manhaj - built upon the tazkiyah (purification) of Islâm from all the accretions that have been added to it; and the tarbiyah (cultivation) upon this pure Islâm.” [20] This way alone ensures victory and “the wiping away of sin and a great reward. Since Allâh has not given them authority over us except due to the corruption of our actions - and the reward is of the same type as the action. So we should strive hard in seeking Allâh’s forgiveness, and repentance, and correction of action. So if the Muslims desire an end to the oppression of the oppressors, let then cease oppressing themselves. Allâh - the Most High - says:

“And whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your own hands have earned.” [21]

“When a single disaster strikes you, although you struck them with one twice as great, you say: From where did this come to us? Say: It is from your own selves. [22] ” [23]

So these Âyât “must give us - the callers - an important lesson by which we benefit in our lives as du’ât. And it is that when the Muslims suffer defeat in jihâd or in dawah, then they should blame themselves and straighten their course; and they should weigh their actions with the true scales. Since Allâh - the Mighty and Majestic - has informed the Muslims that the reason for their defeat in the battle of Uhud was themselves, and this was the same reason on the day of Hunayn. And it is from the Sunan (ways) of Allâh that He does not remove a blessing from a people which has been given to them, unless they change what He has given them of îmân (faith), guidance and good. Allah says:

“That is because Allâh will never change the favour which He bestows upon a people, until they change themselves. [24]

And this âyah (verse) shows us the history of our Islâmic Ummah in the best way. So our Salafus-Sâlih (Pious Predecessors) clung to the blessings of Allâh upon them, and the most important of these blessings is the correct aqîdah (beliefs) and noble manners; and they kept away from disunity and splitting. They took hold of those prescribed reasons which made them the best of nations ever raised for mankind, therefore, they deserved through this, the victory of Allâh, establishment upon the earth and the various tribes and nations were made subservient to them. After them came a people who changed that which the Messenger of Allâh sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam and his Companions were upon - in aqîdah and manhaj - with their own customs, ways and manners. They split into groups and parties and raised up the banner of jâhiliyyah (pre-Islâmic ignorance), so Allâh made them despicable, causing the lowly nations to dominate over them ... So if the Muslims desire good, unity and establishment upon the earth, then they should make their manners and behaviour, like that of the Salaf of this Ummah and begin by changing themselves. However, he who is unable to change himself, will not be able to change his family, not to mention changing the Ummah.” [25]


References

1. Sûrah at-Tawbah 9:71
2. Sûratul-Hujurât 49:10
3. Hasan: Related by Abû Dâwûd (no.4918) and al-Bukhârî in al-Adadul-Mufrad (no.239), from Abû Hurayrah radiallâhu ’anhu. And its isnâd is Hasan - as al-Hâfidh al-’Irâqî said in Takhrîjul-Ihyâ (2/160).
4. Related by al-Bukhârî (no.481) and Muslim (no.2585) from Abû Mûsâ al-Ash’arî radiallâhu ’anhu.
5. Ad-Da‘wah ilallâh wa Akhkâq ad-Du’ât (p.32) of the Shaykh - the noble Scholar - ’Abdul-’Azîz ibn Bâz.
6. Fiqhil-Wâqi’ (p.24) of Shaykh Nâsirud-Dîn al-Albânî.
7. Related by al-Bukhârî (no.6011) and Muslim (no.2586) from an-Nu’mân ibn Bashîr radiallâhu ’anhu.
8. Âdâb ul-’Ishrah (pp.9-10) of Abûl-Barakât al-Ghazzî (d.984H)
9. As Sahwatul-Islâmiyyah Dawâbit wa Tawjîhât (p.77), of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sâlih al-’Uthaymîn.
10. Fiqhul-Wâqi’ (p.38) of Shaykh al-Albânî.
11. Tahdhîrus-Sâjid (p.119 - footnote) of Shaykh al-Albânî.
12. Sûratul-’Asr 103:3
13. Sûratul-Mâ’idah 5:3
14. Taken from an article by Shaykh ’Abdul-’Azîz ibn Bâz in al-Furqân Magazine (no.14/p.15).
15. Sûratur-Ra’d 13:11
16. Ad-Da’wah Ilallâh (p.129) of Shaykh ’Alî Hasan al-Halabî.
17. Adapted from at-Tanbîh war-Radd ’alal-Ahlul-Ahwâ wal-Bida’ (p.46) of al-Malatî (d.377H).
18. Ad-Da’wah Ilallâh (p.138) of Shaykh ’Alî Hasan al-Halabî.
19. Nuqdul-Qawmiyyatil-’Arabiyyah (p.47) of Shaykh Ibn Bâz.
20. Fiqhul-Wâqi’ (p.37) of al-Albânî.
21. Sûrah Shûra 42:30
22. Sûrah Âl-’Imrân 3:165
23. Sharh ’Aqîdatit-Tahâwiyyah (p.381) of Ibn Abil-Izz (d.792H).
24. Sûrah Anfâl 8:53
25. From at-Tasfiyah wat-Tarbiyah (pp.127-128) of Shaykh ’Alî Hasan.

 
Al-Ibaanah Issue No.1

Dhul-Qa’dah 1415H / April 1995

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