In the Name of Allah, The Merciful, The Compassionate!
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds! Peace and blessings be upon the messenger of Allah Muhammad, upon his family and all his righteous companions! Whomever Allah guides, cannot be led astray and whomever Allah misguides, none can guide him. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, Who has no associates, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
And then:
- The first rule of achieving victory lies in the fact that
"victory is only from Allah"
(The Holy Quran, Surah 8. "The Spoils of War", verse 10. Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 126)
This verse is a denial of a very possibility of the existence of any other source of victory, but from Almighty Allah, Who said:
"If Allah assists you, then there is none that can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there then that can assist you after Him? And on Allah should the believers rely".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 160)
Neither armed power, nor a large number of troops, as such, is unable to give a desired result, except as from the Pleasure of Allah. An instructive historical episode, narrated in the Quran, is a bright demonstrative argument to this:
"Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields and on the day of Hunain, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating. Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and sent down hosts which you did not see, and chastised those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the unbelievers".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 9. "The Repentance", verses 25-26)
The Almighty Allah first gave Muslims a victory, despite that visible factors predicted a collapse, and then He gave a defeat, just when the probability of success was great, so that the believers set hope only upon Him, Glorious and Exalted, knowing that "victory is only from Allah".
Verily,
"how often has a small party vanquished a numerous host by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 2. "The Cow", verse 249)
As the Prophet (pbuh) said about that: "...if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you..."
"That is because Allah is the Protector of those who believe, and because the unbelievers shall have no protector for them".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 47. "Muhammad", verse 11)
and, indeed,
"He is the best of the helpers".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 150)
- The second rule is based on a promise of victory and help, which the Almighty Allah gave to His faithful servants:
"And certainly Our word has already gone forth in respect of Our servants. Most surely they shall be the assisted ones. And most surely Our host alone shall be the victorious ones".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 37. "Those Who Set The Ranks", verses 171-173)
Allah Almighty also said:
"... surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 22. "The Pilgrimage", verse 40)
The Almighty Allah has taken on Him an obligation to protect the believers:
"And certainly We sent before you apostles to their people, so they came to them with clear arguments, then We gave the punishment to those who were guilty; and helping the believers is ever incumbent on Us".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 30. "The Romans", verse 47)
Allah, the Holy and Great, said:
"Apostles before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the apostles".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 6. "The Cattle", verse 34)
Indeed, "there is none to change the words of Allah". There is none to change His decisions. As stated in the Quran:
"When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, Be, so there it is".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 2. "The Cow", verse 117)
The promise of victory over the enemies, foreordained to the believers, will find an embodiment not only in the future, but in this life.
Allah the Almighty said:
"Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me; and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who are the. transgressors".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 24. "The Light", verse 55)
And also:
"And those who disbelieved said to their apostles: We will most certainly drive you forth from our land, or else you shall come back into our religion. So their Lord revealed to them: Most certainly We will destroy the unjust. And most certainly We will settle you in the land after them; this is for him who fears standing in My presence and who fears My threat".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 14. "Abraham", verses 13-14)
After all, verily, Allah helped His Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), when he was in a cave, without army and weapons. And He did not leave His Messenger (pbuh) and his companions without a support of in the battle of Badr. And He gave victory to the Messenger (pbuh) and the Muslims in the Battle of the Trench. By His angels, by His army, by wind, and numerous other methods worthy of His majesty Allah always helped true believers in Him, who do not spare neither their lives, nor property in the way of Allah and for the sake of His religion.
As Allah the Almighty said:
"O you who believe! if you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you and make firm your feet.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 47. "Muhammad", verse 7)
The victory of Muslims - is a promise of Allah, therefore there is no doubt in its implementation. But sometimes all of us have not enough patience.
Imam al-Bukhari cites in his authentic collection (3639) from Khabbab ibn al-Aratt what he said:
"I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was using his cloak as a pillow in the shade of the Kaaba, and we had encountered persecution from the idolaters. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, why do you not make supplication for us?'
He sat up and his face had become red and said, 'Among those before you there was a man who was raked with metal teeth leaving no flesh or sinews on his bones, but that did not turn him from his deen (religion). A saw was planed on the top of his head and he was sawed in half, but that did not turn him from his deen. Allah will complete this business so that a rider will be able to travel from San'a' to Hadramawt fearing none but Allah,' and he added for clarification, 'and wolves against his sheep'".
One should remember the words of Allah:
"Surely the help of Allah is nigh!"
(The Holy Quran, Surah 2. "The Cow", verse 214)
"(This is) Allah's promise! Allah will not fail His promise, but most people do not know".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 30. "The Romans", verse 6)
Obviously, this victory will not be realized by dreams and desires alone, but can become a reality only with the help of Allah through diligence in His Way. Allah the Almighty helps His servant, who is making efforts in the name of Him and His religion. The man, whom Allah helps, none can overcome him!
Almighty said:
"If Allah assists you, then there is none that can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there then that can assist you after Him? And on Allah should the believers rely".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 160)
- The third rule is that victory is destined only for true believers.
Sunna of Allah is in the history of mankind, and His promise point out that the Almighty Allah has raised up a small group from this Ummah - scholars, making call (du'aat), thinkers, intellectuals, and the Mujahideen, who will fight for the Truth, raising high the banner of Tawheed, confronting hordes of misguided ignorant, spiteful servants of Taghut and intriguing infidels who are trying to extinguish the light of this religion. And it will always be like that. As it said by the Prophet (pbuh):
"And not a single group from my Ummah, standing for protection of the religion of Allah, will disappear, and those who disagree with them will not interfere till the Doomsday".
(Imam Muslim)
They will heal this Ummah from disease and decay, testifying the Truth, and become a shield against the concepts, doctrines, ideologies and innovations, which endanger the beauty of Islam and distort its foundations. They are
"those who remain righteous, when people become vicious"
(Narrated by Imam Ahmad, Ibn Hibban and others),
and they are
"a small group of righteous believers among the majority, steeped in iniquity".
(Narrated by Imam Ahmad, Ibn Hibban and others)
They are
"those who strictly follows the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (pbuh), as well as on what the first generation of Mohajir and Ansar came together, and those who truly followed them".
(Ibn Taymiyyah. Majmu al Fatawa, 2 / 375)
They are those
"who adhere to aqidah, speech and actions of the Messenger (pbuh) of Allah and his companions".
(Ibn Baaz. "Words of Advice Regarding Da'wah", p. 50)
They are - "the victorious group" (al-Taifa al-Mansoura), about which the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"There will never cease to remain a group from my Ummah fighting upon the command of Allah, subjugating their enemies. They are not harmed by those who oppose them, until the Hour arrives".
(Narrated by Imam Muslim)
And in the version of Muslim and Bukhari:
"... those who leave them".
And also:
"There will never cease to exist a group from my Ummah fighting upon the Truth, manifest against those who oppose them, until the last of them fight Al-Masih ad-Dajjal".
(Narrated by Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Jihad 3/11, and in Mustadrak Al-Hakim, Kitaab Al-Jihad 2/71; Kitaab Al-Fitan 4/450. This narration was declared "Sahih", by Ibn Jarir At-Tabari in "Musnad Umar", 2/825, Al-Albani in "Sahih Abi Dawud", #2484)
It should be noted that all the hadiths about al-Taifa al-Mansoura referred to the fact that the jihad in the way of Allah - is continuous process, and it will be ongoing until the last Hour, without stopping for a moment.
And from that follows that regardless of the condition of the Muslims - whether they are strong or weak, sublimed or humiliated, a group, fighting in the way of Allah, does not cease to exist until the Day of Judgment comes. And, indeed, it will be victorious!
Despite the apparent might of infidelity and seeming weakness of this Ummah today, really, One Allah knows the true state of affairs. And as He, Glorious and Exalted, said:
"It is only the Shaitan that causes you to fear from his friends, but do not fear them, and fear Me if you are believers".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 175)
And also:
"For the present Allah has made light your burden, and He knows that there is weakness in you; so if there are a hundred patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand they shall overcome two thousand by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 8. "The Spoils of War", verse 66)
And also:
"Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. So they returned with favor from Allah and (His) grace, no evil touched them and they followed the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verses 173-174)
Obviously the power of Allah is extended also over the infidels. They are reachable for Him. However, the essence of this life - is a test. As it said by Almighty Allah:
"What! do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who have struggled hard and have not taken any one as an adherent besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers; and Allah is aware of what you do".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 9. "The Repentance", verse 16)
And also:
"If a wound has afflicted you (at Ohud), a wound like it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witnesses from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust. And that He may purge those who believe and deprive the unbelievers of blessings. Do you think that you will enter the garden while Allah has not yet known those who strive hard from among you, and (He has not) known the patient".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verses 140-142)
It is through jihad that Allah tests the truthfulness of His servants. Indeed,
"if Allah had pleased He would certainly have exacted what is due from them, but that He may try some of you by means of others; and (as for) those who are slain in the way of Allah, He will by no means allow their deeds to perish".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 47. "Muhammad", verse 4)
At the same time, the jihad is not only a test but also the greatest mercy of Allah for His servants and a guarantor of the best prospects. As it said about by the Sheikh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah in his book Kitab al-Jihad (2 / 63):
"Either victory and triumph or martyrdom and paradise. So those who will live out of the Mujahideen, honor and reward of Dunya to them, as well as a great reward in Ahyra. And those of them who will die, go to Jannat".
Almighty Allah said:
"And whoever strives hard, he strives only for his own soul; most surely Allah is Self-sufficient, above (need of) the worlds".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 6. "The Spider", verse 6)
So, the best preparation for the believers is to fix the soul and bringing acts into conformity with the norms of Islam, the fundamental basis necessary for victory is the God-fearing. That, in other matters, does not hinder in any way the strategic planning and formation of resources.
As the Almighty said about it:
"And let not those who disbelieve think that they shall come in first; surely they will not escape. And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way, it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 8. "The Spoils of War", verses 59-60)
Material, military training is a precondition for success. This is the same base on which the Muslims will gain opportunity to fight on the Path of Allah, thus bringing the realization of Allah's promises. But above all, Allah made the victory depending on conviction and iman, as He, Exalted, said:
"And whoever takes Allah and His apostle and those who believe for a guardian, then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 5. "The Spoils of War", verse 56)
- The fourth rule. Weakness as a characteristic of the current condition of the Ummah - the fruit of a lack of conditions for the implementation of the promises of Allah. In other words, the absence of a victory is the result of failure to properly measure two aspects of its achievement - the spiritual and material.
It is a religious degradation, and as a consequence, a lack of understanding of this religion. The spread of sin and disobedience led to weakness and passivity inherent today in Muslims. Many abandon jihad on the Path of Allah, therefore, steeped in misconceptions and fear before created, prefer submission to infidelity instead of the illusion of its own security.
Almighty Allah said:
"Whatever benefit comes to you (O man!), it is from Allah, and whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from yourself".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verse 79)
And also:
"And whatever affliction befalls you, it is on account of what your hands have wrought, and (yet) He pardons most (of your faults)".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 42. "The Consultation", verse 30)
"Surely Allah does not do any injustice to men, but men are unjust to themselves".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 10. "Jonah", verse 44)
But this rule was not an exception even for the best generation of this Ummah. Disobedience of individual Muslims will certainly hurt the entire community. So, in the Day of Uhud the defeat, wounds and death were the result of disobedience to the commandment of the Prophet (pbuh) in the some fighting. As the Almighty Allah said about that:
"What! when a misfortune befell you, and you had certainly afflicted (the unbelievers) with twice as much, you began to say: Whence is this? Say: It is from yourselves; surely Allah has power over all things".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 165)
Obviously the power of infidels over the Muslims and the military superiority of the enemy - is a punishment of Allah for disobedience. By their disobedience to Allah people give Satan an opportunity to humiliate them in front of the enemy. As Almighty Allah said:
"(As for) those of you who turned back on the day when the two armies met, only the Shaitan sought to cause them to make a slip on account of some deeds they had done, and certainly Allah has pardoned them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 155)
Obviously the reasons of the current situation of Muslims are of a purely internal matter. As it was said by the Messenger (pbuh) of Allah, who told about the promise of Almighty Allah, precluding a possibility of the fall of the Ummah from the enemy.
Against this background error of those becomes obvious, who explain the lack of success of the Muslims of their weakness by intrigues of infidels. Muslims are obliged to know that for all the failures that have befallen them, they are responsible in the first place themselves. As Allah Almighty said about that:
"Whatever benefit comes to you (O man!), it is from Allah, and whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from yourself".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verse 79)
As for the plans of infidels, Almighty Allah said:
"They shall by no means harm you but with a slight evil; and if they fight with you they shall turn (their) backs to you, then shall they not be helped".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 111)
And also:
"Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of the Shaitan. Fight therefore against the friends of the Shaitan; surely the strategy of the Shaitan is weak".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verse 76)
And that is - a clear text that fully characterizes the real capacity of the enemies of Allah. And
"that is because Allah is the Protector of those who believe, and because the unbelievers shall have no protector for them".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 47. "Muhammad", verse 11)
Thus, the current situation of the Ummah is primarily a consequence of religious decadence within the Muslim community, and only then a result of enemy's action. And Muslims thus gave the enemy a chance to succeed at the moment. After all, the Sunna of Allah was predetermined so that in the battles there can be successes and failures, but the main victory is destined for the believers.
This fourth rule should be a measure of responsibility of Muslims for their situation. Since there are no other misfortune for the Muslims, except from themselves.
Nevertheless, everything that is happening to Muslims are literally imbued with the grace of Allah's plan. Even if it is a destruction and deprivation. As Almighty Allah say about that:
"Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may return".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 30. "The Romans", verse 41)
And also:
"And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement that haply they may turn".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 32. "The Prostration", verse 21)
This rule was confirmed in all the Sharias of all the Prophets (peace be upon them), because when they were suffering defeat on the Path of Allah, they knew that this was because of their mistakes and shortcomings, and they were seeking forgiveness from Allah and were returning to Him. As Almighty Allah said about that:
"And how many a prophet has fought with whom were many worshippers of the Lord; so they did not become weak-hearted on account of what befell them in Allah's way, nor did they weaken, nor did they abase themselves; and Allah loves the patient. And their saying was no other than that they said: Our Lord! forgive us our faults and our extravagance in our affair and make firm our feet and help us against the unbelieving people".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verses 146-147)
- The fifth rule is formulated in the Quran, where Allah says:
"Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 13. "The Thunder", verse 11)
So, if the fourth rule explains that the reason lies in the weakness of Muslims themselves - in defiance of the requirements of the Almighty and the loss of understanding of this religion, the in sins and delusions - then the fifth rule specifies that the obligation to change the situation, in which the Ummah living today, also lies upon the Muslims.
Almighty Allah will grant victory to Muslims only when they change themselves, which will inevitably affect the level of religious identity and, consequently, will change the attitude towards jihad and preparation for it. And these are the spiritual and material factors that are prerequisites for the promise of Almighty Allah.
In conclusion it must be emphasized that Allah gives victory not to those who fight, staying in delusions, even if they are assured of their rightness. Verily, Allah made the victory guaranteed only for true believers with the right Islamic beliefs, motivation, adequate perception of the goals, objectives and perspectives. For those who follow the path of the Prophet (pbuh), and for the best of the Muslims, who combine knowledge, belief and action.
Almighty Allah said:
"And be not infirm, and be not grieving, and you shall have the upper hand if you are believers".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 139)
The status of Muslims and a degree of their superiority depends on their iman. As Almighty Allah said:
"And to Allah belongs the might and to His Apostle and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 63. "The Hypocrites", verse 8)
Allah Also protects His servant in accordance with his/her iman.
"Surely Allah will defend those who believe".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 22. "The Pilgrimage", verse 38)
"And Allah is the guardian of the believers".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 68)
"Allah is the guardian of those who believe".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 2. "The Cow", verse 257)
"And (know) that Allah is with the believers".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 8. "The Spoils of War", verse 19)
Allah also calms hearts of believers, who perceive reality through the prism of iman.
"O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and (for) such of the believers as follow you".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 8. "The Spoils of War", verse 64)
Support and help of Allah are also meant for true believers. As He, the Exalted, said:
"Most surely We help Our apostles, and those who believe, in this world's life and on the day when the witnesses shall stand".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 40. "The Forgiver", verse 51)
And also:
"We aided those who believed against their enemy, and they became uppermost".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 61. "The Ranks", verse 14)
Thus, a decrease in iman is directly proportional to a decrease in the degree of support and assistance promised to Muslims by Almighty Allah. If Muslims are weak, they are persecuted by disasters and hardships, they suffer defeat from the infidels, their lands are seized, and they themselves are oppressed, it is a consequence of religious degradation within the Ummah.
And by the Almighty Allah, it was promised that He, the Exalted,
"will by no means give the unbelievers a way against the believers",
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Ranks", verse 141)
that concerns only the people with the full iman. Once the level of religiosity of the masses of Muslims is reduced, they become weak and vulnerable to enemies.
Rather, true believers, even if they are few in numbers, have tremendous power - help, protection and support of Almighty Allah - Lord of the worlds! Even if all human beings and the jinns gathered against them, victory would be predetermined by Allah only for His sincere servants! Almighty Allah said:
"And be not infirm, and be not grieving, and you shall have the upper hand if you are believers".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family of Imran", verse 139)
And also:
"And be not slack so as to cry for peace and you have the upper hand, and Allah is with you, and He will not bring your deeds to naught".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 47. "Muhammad", verse 35)
Disbelievers are already humiliated only because of their disbelief. As it was said by Almighty Allah:
"Do you not see that Allah is He, Whom obeys whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the earth, and the sun and the moon and the stars, and the mountains and the trees, and the animals and many of the people; and many there are against whom chastisement has become necessary; and whomsoever Allah abases, there is none who can make him honorable; surely Allah does what He pleases".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 22. "The Pilgrimage", verse 18)
Thus, an absence of victory and of superiority of believers over infidels are signs of serious defects in the actions and beliefs of the Muslims. And one of them is the refusal of doing jihad on the path of Allah.
As it is said by Almighty Allah
"Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people. And remove the rage of their hearts; and Allah turns (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Knowing, Wise".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 9. "The Repentance", verses 14-15)
And in conclusion praise be to Allah - the Lord of the worlds!
Author: Imam Abdul-Qadir ibn Abdul-Aziz
Translation: Kavkaz Center
Department of Letters,
Kavkaz Center
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