I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
Praise is to Allah, the Lord of Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth; and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, messenger, and last prophet.
O Allah, confer Your Salat [prayers] and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad just as You conferred Your Salat [prayers] and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad good companions and all Your righteous servants and Mujahedin.
Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you, as well as the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
O Allah, guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the All-Hearing and the All-knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Most Relenting and the Most Merciful.
In the context of the Great Ghazwa of Badr, the Day of Furqan [Distinction], we talked yesterday about how Quraish took the lead in the war against the Messenger (PBUH&F), against Islam, and against Muslims. That was an extension to its hostile activity it kept to during the period that the Prophet (PBUH&F) spent in Makkah since the Mission till the Hijrah [Migration].
After that, Quraish sought to wage war against the Messenger, Islam, and Muslims at the military level, taking advantage of its alliances and influence among the various Arab tribes as a result of its location in Makkah and its role in managing the affairs of the Hajj as well as its control over the Kaaba and the symbolic importance it gained in return. They used to present themselves in a position of religious symbolism, showing interest in taking care of the pilgrims, the Kaaba, and the management of the affairs of the Hajj. That was a source of pride to them: Allah tells about them in the Holy Quran, {'Never was it befitting for the polytheists to maintain Allah’s mosques while professing their denial. Those—their deeds were nullified, and in the Fire they abide'}[At-Tawbah 9:17]. Allah said about them when they were taking advantage of their control over Makkah and the Holy Kaaba and presenting themselves as the guardians of Makkah, the Kaaba, and the Hajj affairs, {'Yet why should Allah not punish them when they bar others from the Inviolable Mosque, though they are not its guardians? Rather its guardians are none except the mindful [of Allah], but most of them do not know'}[Al-Anfal 8:34]. They were taking advantage of their control and presenting it as guardianship to exert their influence and exploitation. Therefore, all their policies and methods that were related to managing the affairs of the Hajj, the Kaaba, and Makkah were based on exploitation, the political exploitation, and the exploitation of influence among the Arabs at the time. They used all of that to wage war against the Prophet (PBUH&F), the Muslims, and Islam.
The effort the Prophet (PBUH&F), as well as those responsive Muslims mobilized by the Prophet, paid was effective and active in a way that took into consideration the great importance of that matter in religion and in the reality as well. Allah repeatedly instructed the Prophet in the Holy Quran to encourage him to pay serious and greatly active effort: Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the Holy Quran, {'For it was your Lord who made you venture from your home '}[Al-Anfal 8:5]. It was Allah (Glory be to Him) Who commanded and instructed the Prophet (PBUH&F) to move out, so it was not the personal position, opinion, or assessments according to a personal view! It was about faith, since Allah (Glory be to Him) gave His commands and instructions. As a result, the Prophet, with his great faith, spared no effort despite what he faced of the various challenges.
On the one hand, the enemies were standing ready with all their military and material capabilities and with their manpower and weaponry, as well as their general influence in the region. On the other hand, Munafiqun and those with sickness in their hearts worked hard on discouraging people within Muslim society, discouraging them from responding to the Messenger and moving with him. Indeed, they used to spread despair among people and discourage them, as well as spreading fear and doubt among them about the right position: {' When Munafiqun and those in whose hearts is sickness saying, “These people’s religion has deceived them.” But whoever places his trust in Allah—then indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise'}[Al-Anfal 8:49]
Furthermore, in addition to the capabilities of the enemies, the state of discouragement existed among some of the believers even of those who responded but were still experiencing some fear, hesitation, stress, and arguing: {' Indeed, a group of the believers disliked it '}[Al-Anfal 8:5]—those who moved but were still reluctant and not convinced to move. But that was not because that was not right: {'And [they] argued with you about the truth after it had been made clear '}. The reason was that they were preoccupied with fear to the degree that affected their decisions and perspective, badly reflecting on them to a great extent.
The Messenger of Allah moved [out], leading to the break out of the Ghazwa of Badr, which marked the beginning of a comprehensive conflict. Prior to the Ghazwa of Badr, some saraya [military expeditions in which the Prophet did not participate] took place, starting in the seventh month after the Hijrah when the Prophet (PBUH&F) began sending military groups. This first sariyya moved in the seventh month of the first year after the Hijrah: the sariyya [expedition] of Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib. Then, saraya and ghazwat [military expeditions joined by the Prophet] continued. The enemies and dangers were met with serious efforts, and the Prophet (PBUH&F) continued to pay very active efforts. No one year passed since the Hijrah without the Muslims carrying out saraya, military activities, and actions aimed at confronting all dangers surrounding them within Arab society and outside that society like the Romans and others.
Such active efforts were a translation of Allah's instructions and a practical response to them: Allah (Glory be to Him) says to His Prophet (PBUH&F), {'So fight in the cause of Allah [O Prophet]. You are accountable for none but yourself. And motivate the believers [to fight], so perhaps Allah will curb the disbelievers' might. And Allah is far superior in might and in punishment'}[ An-Nisa 4:84]. He used to receive such instructions: {'O Prophet, urge the believers on to combat '}[Al-Anfal 8:65]. So, he continued to actively move and make preparations, as well as sending saraya and then carrying out major ghazwat. That was a prominent activity that fell within the priorities of the Prophet and his main practical activities. So, it was top on the list of his actions and priorities and was given much attention, effort, and time by him day and night—he was active in following up such activities.
So, during a short period (from the first year of Hijrah [the migration of the Prophet to Madinah] to the eighth year), major changes and quantum leaps took place as well as several positions against various enemies: the direct wars with Arabs; the wars that were against the alliance between the Arab polytheists and the Jews; the clashes, battles, and wars carried out against the Jews and their malice and hatred; the great war against the Romans in the battle of Mutah; and the big move to confront them in the Battle of Tabuk.
Thus, this is how Prophet's Jihad-based activities and actions were as he kept striving in the cause of Allah, making preparations, and encouraging the believers. So, that took much room in his priorities and works and an essential and clear part of his life. He (PBUH&F) was the master of Mujahedin; no one was equal to him in his care, efforts, activeness, seriousness, contribution, and effectiveness. He is the best in his care, encouraging efforts, supervision, endeavorus, and preparation.
{‘So fight in the cause of Allah’}: this is what Allah ordered the prophet; lots of verses of the Holy Quran talked about Jihad as the most outstanding obligation that received such attention. Indeed, no other obligation received much attention like Jihad in the Holy Quran. In his activities and priorities, the Prophet paid attention to this obligation equal to the attention it received in the Holy Quran. So, the attention this obligation enjoyed in the practical reality of the Prophet was equal to the attention it enjoyed in the Holy Quran. That is because he was acting according to the Holy Quran; he was guided by it and guided others with it. He followed what was in it; and his movement was in accordance with Allah’s orders.
Through Prophet Muhammad’s movement and his great efforts that had marvelous results and caused enormous changes that led to Makkah conquest and the great developments that followed, and through the Holy Quran and the many instructions and much attention it devoted to Jihad and the enemies of the Ummah (how to stand up to them, the fields of conflict with them, their great hostility towards the Ummah, and their negative efforts targeting the Ummah), we can clearly see and realize through all that much attention and how the prophet was the importance of the obligation of Jihad in the cause of Allah. [This kind of realization can be gained] first through following the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&F), for he is the best role model: Allah told us that thing in the verses of Jihad in Surah Al-Ahzab, {‘Indeed in the messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah often’}[Al-Ahzab 33: 21]. So, for a person who commits himself/herself to a religious state with which s/he gives no attention at all to Jihad as a matter of priority concern to him/her (no attention, preparation for, motivation of believers, talk about it as a religious obligation or about its importance), how big will the gap be between him/her and the Prophet, our exemplary model? How wide will the gap be between him/her and the Holy Quran when s/he adopts this deviated and responsibility-neglecting way?!
In its extensive focus on Jihad, the Holy Quran covered many aspects related to Jihad in a comprehensive way. On the top of what the Holy Quran highlights about Jihad is that it is a basic need for people and believers and that it is a must in their reality: Allah (Glory be to Him)says, {'If Allah had not repelled some people by others, the earth would have been corrupted '}[Al-Baqarah 2 :251].
As human beings, we should not think that our reality would be stable, calm, and free from injustice, corruption, and wrongdoing if it were not for the destructive impact of Jihad. Indeed, whoever thinks this way, s/he is stupid by all means. In other words, whoever imagines that the typical reality of this life is basically stable, calm, and free from injustice, oppression, and humiliation and that it is only Jihad that disturbs that [imaginary] reality and pushes people into problems and unnecessary troubles s/he is mistaken. This is not how it works.
Conflict is an integral part of the reality and circumstances of human life. Indeed, conflict does exist in people's life to a great extent, for there are people who are wicked ones, tyrants, criminals, and oppressors. If there is no deterrence for their tyranny, evil, corruption, wrongdoing , and falsehood, that will cause all their evil, criminality, tyranny, corruption, injustice, and wrongdoing to reflect upon the reality of this life, human beings, and society. If not effectively deterred, they will be able to exercise more injustice and evil and commit more crimes against people, completely ruining the life of people and badly affecting life on the earth. As a result, people will live a worthless life: Their dignity will be destroyed and have no value; their sanctities will not be respected; corruption will spare nothing in this life; and nothing will remain in its right position , no justice, no goodness, no truth, no righteousness. Jihad is a must; it is the only way to stop their crimes, tyranny, and corruption. The responsibility here must be carried out by some people, those who keep to the right path and move in response to their living conscience, strong faith in Allah (Glory be to Him), values, and their just causes to stand up to injustice, evil, and corruption.
The first thing that we must understand very well is that conflict does exist in reality, as well as the wicked ones, tyrants, and criminals, and that it is not Jihad that adds to the problems and conflicts in the reality of human society. On the contrary, it is part of Allah's religion which has come to arrange life affairs, not to add more problems or burdens to the reality of this life. Rather, it manages the affairs of this life. In the reality of our life, there are challenges, dangers, evil, corruption, and falsehood. The Holy Quran provides us with what guides us how to deal with this reality and how to move in a correct and positive way to overcome the dangers that exist in the reality of our lives. This is a very important matter, for the bad policies of unjust rulers, oppressive sultans, and dishonest scholars have kept Muslims, in many historical periods, from Jihad in the cause of Allah and led this obligation to be neglected and absent from people's minds and priority concerns, creating a negative view.
This gives a very important lesson to our Ummah today: The historical periods during which Jihad in the cause of Allah was neglected, forgotten, abandoned, turned away from and looked at with a negative view by the Ummah were the most dangerous periods that brought the greatest calamities and disasters upon the Ummah. When the Ummah turned from the obligation of Jihad, it weakened and lost its power, dignity, and active presence in the international arena. That encouraged its enemies to attack it and become greedy to dominate it because they noticed the state of weakness this Ummah was in and how it no longer had the spirit of Jihad, as well as Jihad-related concerns and what they require, such as preparation of forces and the readiness to face challenges, confront enemies, and face dangers. They were all absent.
Anyone who reads the history of this Ummah and pays attention to the periods in which it had suffered major calamities, was attacked by its enemies (by the Mongols, the Crusaders, the Europeans at later stages, etc.) whether in the form of imperialism or crusade campaigns, and to the heavy losses the Ummah had suffered—how many people from the sons of this Ummah were killed? Millions of them were killed senselessly while in a state of complete surrender and without taking any firm or strong positions that could have yielded victory and might for the Ummah.
In those periods, when the obligation of Jihad in the cause of Allah had become completely absent from the reality of the Ummah and its interests, awareness, and culture, major calamities took place, leading to the death of millions of Muslims, the occupation of lands, and the violation of Muslims' honour. The Crusaders captured thousands of Muslim women and took them to Europe as abductees; they used to kill Muslims horribly—others did the same thing to Muslims as well. Muslims' honor was violated; lands were occupied; and possessions, wealth, and potentials were looted. Moreover, the life of Muslims had been filled with injustice and oppression, and they suffered a lot. Eventually, they were convinced that it was necessary to move, fight, and revolt, but when? They moved after too heavy losses, after the enemy had gained control, after they had been humiliated, oppressed, and aggrieved; and after they had experienced serious losses while in a state of surrender.
The major disasters that the Islamic Ummah has gone through throughout history are a result of neglecting the obligation of Jihad and losing its position in the primary concerns of the Ummah and its consciousness as a whole [throughout Islamic history] till the current period of time, in which the Ummah is encountering significant, clear challenges. So, the Ummah [now] has many commitments in all aspects: humanitarian, moral, faith-based, national, and religious commitments towards that [the obligation of Jihad], as in the case with Palestine.
Anyway, the Ummah has had the experience of neglecting this obligation [Jihad] and now knows what the consequences of that are; however, it also once had the experience of taking care of this obligation and knew what its benefits and results were. Indeed, this is a matter of fact.
We can notice how the West, for instance, gives this matter a very considerable attention, just as the rest of the world: to be strong nations, to have military interests, to have the factors of strength, and to be able to protect themselves. They have not stopped there, but they have moved to further ambitions: how to gain the power necessary for controlling others and limiting possible threats however small these threats might be. Therefore, they have substantially progressed [in the military field] but away from the concept of Jihad. They did not even need the title of Jihad or the obligation of Jihad to be part of their religious, faith-based commitments. Indeed, they have spontaneous concerns based on their human instinct. Beyond that, they started to develop ambitions, desires, and whims of colonizing, so they have interestedly and extensively moved ahead to possess the military power, economic power, media power, and political influence, as well as a wide-ranging impact. All of that is channeled into what can serve their interests, ambitions, and goals at the expense of our Ummah, and to wipe out our Ummah, which has become the target of their ambitions. Indeed, our Ummah has become the target of the ambitions of its enemies.
An example of this is the latest events in Ukraine. When the war serves America, or America is a party to it, mobilization to that war gets to the highest level: the vicious psychological warfare, enormous publicity campaigns, incitement, general mobilization, and using all the abilities, powers, capabilities, and all the things that they advise Muslims to keep away from in addressing the Palestinian question. They call upon Muslims to relinquish their own countries, sanctities, rights, and independence (all of that under the title of peace, gentility, and such titles). They advise Muslims to be civilized people who bear no weapon and have no strength. And all these policies aimed at adapting our Ummah for their use totally disappear when the war is on behalf of America and for securing its interests.
In Europe and in Ukraine, none imposed these arguments that express the aim of making people easier to control. There is no call for adhering to peace, paying no effort, exercising self-restraint, or laying arms down—the same kind of titles they use when advising Muslims. All of these titles went missing. Instead, the military war is at its utmost, and the military mobilization and incitement have spared no one, even elderly women: They are inciting old women in Ukraine to fight against Russia for the benefit of USA. That is because the war serves the USA. They ignored all things they have kept using in advising Muslims. All things have become ok [permitted]: recruiting children, recruiting women, or committing any other things. Indeed, everything has become a must in the conflict [in Ukraine]!
The boycott has spared nothing, even sports; their boycott of Russia has included even sports and all other aspects: economic and political boycotts, as well as in sports matters and economic movement (in every detail).
They have launched a media, propaganda campaign of incitement in an extensive way, day and night. They have called people and encouraged them from all Europe and from other countries to volunteer to fight. They have no problem in that. Their efforts channeled into this battel and devastating war cannot be greater, with all methods and ways put into use!
They ignored all those things they used in addressing Muslims and calling upon them to surrender, hand over their homelands and sanctities, and give up their legitimate rights and so on—but why? In fact, this is normal! However, we, Muslims, have to take the lesson.
Even in our reality as Muslims, notice those who have joined the side of the USA, of those who allied themselves with the USA and Israel, as the case with the Emirati regime, the Al Khalifa regime in Bahrain, and the Saudi regime. They have normalized ties with Israel in the name of peace! Their used-to-be-hidden ties and cooperation with the Zionist and Israeli enemy have become public in the name of seeking peace and avoiding war and problems, in the name of seeking peace and stability and peace in the region. However in reality, how do they deal with others when there are no American or Israeli interests to be sought? Do they follow the same approach of seeking peace and calling for peace even at the expense of everything? Are they willing to sacrifice everything for peace: sacrifice dignity, religion, moral obligations, sanctities, homelands, and everything for peace? They would do that only when in the best interest of the USA and Israel.
However, towards others, they are savage and have no interest in peace. They become aggressive to the worst extent, as well as criminals, and oppressive. They do not seek peace or stability, and they even do not care about that: They support wars, create them, participate in them, and spearhead them. They pay for everything that can stir up strife, fund strife among the Ummah, try to spread evil to the fullest extent possible, and use money, media, and political influence to support that. They move in all the directions for the sake of that.
That is how they are acting in Yemen. They are aggressive towards everyone who shows hostility towards Israel and stands up to the Israeli threat among the people of Islam in the Arabian region or among the people of our Ummah. They respond in a bad way , and their outlets adopt a bad and hostile approach even towards those Mujahedin in Palestine, whom they described as terrorists, boycotted, imposed blockade against, and waged war against at the economic and media levels, as well as other levels.
They showed great hostility! Their hostile efforts are channeled into waging war, financing strife, murdering, and committing the most heinous crimes, as they did in our country. But when it comes to Israel and the USA, they show nothing but peace and only peace and peace! However, when it comes to the people of their Ummah, what is obvious in their behaviour, media, conspiracies, attitudes, and the money they pay is evil, crime, aggression, and tyranny. They are not in any way close to peace, and they do not value or give importance to peace. They have just made of it a title for subordination in order to stand on the side of the enemies of the Ummah and to conspire against this Ummah and the people of this Ummah.
Under these contemporary challenges, which we see that they target us as peoples and as Ummah and target our sanctities—every day there is an incursion into the Aqsa Mosque and an act of aggression against worshipers. Does this not indicate the aggression of the Israeli enemy and its hostility even towards the religion of Islam, the sanctities of the Islamic religion, and its rituals? Attacks on Salat-performing people in one of the Muslim’s sanctities, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, occur on a daily basis. What does that mean?
[This means] that we are an Ummah that lives in a state of conflict and confrontation and that there are enemies who are targeting us in everything: in our religion, in our sanctities, in our independence, in our dignity, and in all our affairs. They wage their war against us in the form of various conspiracies in every field. This means that we must act with a spirit of faith and that we must be aware that Allah has commanded Jihad in His cause as a means to protect people and to take care of them. It is part of their religion, which encompasses them with care, arranges their life affairs, and represents a means to protect them from evil. This is what it is.
This awareness-based culture is the culture of the martyr Al-Sammad (May Allah have mercy on him)—today is the anniversary of his martyrdom. He carried this awareness, this spirit of faith, and Jihad. He knew for sure that religion is for the benefit of people, for the care of people, and for their protection from evil. He took for granted that providing service for his people, defending his people, protecting them from evil, standing up to those who attack his people, and paying attention to his people’s affairs are part of his religious and faith-based commitments that help him draw near to Allah (Glory be to Him), so he had the spirit of sacrifice and a deep sense of responsibility. He moved from his position of responsibility to sacrifice, not to collect financial assets, personal gains, or spoils (for which he could have used his position in responsibility). From his position of responsibility, he devoted all his effort to sacrificing and giving. He paid every sincere effort to serve this people, to defend its dignity, and to stand up to its enemies, who attacked it with no due cause. He remained steadfast, firm, and faithful to these principles and values until he returned to Allah as a happy, pure, honest martyr who was not affected by any impurities in his position of responsibility: no grievances, no greedy ambitions, no financial corruption, or spoils and gains at the expense of this people or of the right of this people. Indeed, he was a notable example in all of that.
When a person sticks to such an awareness-based culture and faith-based spirit, s/he will move seriously, and s/he will consider serving his/her people and defending his/her Ummah, sanctities, and the dignity of his/her people against the evil, tyrants, and the enemies of Ummah—s/he will see in that what helps him/her near to Allah (Glory be to Him). S/he will also see that as part of his/her religious and faith-based commitments. Furthermore, s/he will move realizing the importance of this matter in the reality of life, and that it is the right and correct way, which leads us to a good result.
In Palestine, for how long have Arabs been negotiating, discussing, and making concessions? Yet they have achieved no result. In Gaza, what has made them achieve results was Jihad. In Lebanon, what led to a great, remarkable result was Jihad in the cause of Allah (Glory be to Him) with insight. Indeed, the enemies realize this fact. That is why they spare no effort to hinder from Jihad either by defaming it, by removing it from the priorities of many people of the Ummah, or by using it for their advantage so that they mobilize Takfiri groups. Indeed, They (Takfiri groups) are always moving in the name of Jihad to serve the USA and Israel, in the direction that the USA wants, and in the battle that it wants! They wave this banner [Jihad] to serve America and Israel. So, they raise strife-promoting banners among the Ummah to lay the foundation for Takfiri approach and then come up with [what they call] Jihad. However, in the end, it is all for the sake of the USA and Israel and in the ranks of Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, the cover and the financier! As for those behind them, they are the USA, the UK, and Israel. These are manifest facts.
That is enough for today.
We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success and lead us to what satisfies Him. O Allah (Glory be to You), have mercy on our martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are All-Hearing!
Peace be upon you, as well as the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
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