All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon
the Messenger, his household and companions.
Fellow Muslims! Tribulations that are facing the Ummah today are serious. These
tribulations defy all deions. Our present situation is full of massacres that
need no more explanation.
The more this cycle of tribulation widens the more the Muslims, worldwide, feel
the pain. The killings, expulsions and violation of sacred places that the
Muslims suffer are really saddening. This is in addition to the weakness that
has become the bane of the Ummah.
Dear brethren! There is no benefit in relaying our sufferings and deepening our
sorrows, for doing so only leads to despair, self-annihilation and lack of
action.
In times of calamity, the Ummah is in need of speeches that rekindle hope, spur
ambitions and reduce the bitterness of the calamity. In times of trials, verses
of consolation were revealed to Allaah's Messenger in order to alleviate the
pains of the tribulations. Allaah says for instance,
"So let not their speech, then, grieve you (O
Muhammad)."
(Yaaseen 36:76)
Allaah also says,
"Perhaps, you, would kill yourself (O Muhammad (peace
be upon him)) in grief, over their footsteps (for their turning away from you),
because they believe not in this narration (the Qur'aan)."
(Al-Kahf 18:6)
He also says,
"O Messenger (Muhammad)! Let not those who hurry to
fall into disbelief grieve you."
(Al-Maaidah 5:41)
Khabaab ibn Al-Aratt came to Allaah's Messenger complaining about the severity
of persecution saying: "Won't you supplicate for us? Won't you invoke Allaah to
give us victory?" The Messenger of Allaah would then take him from a world of
hardship and persecution to that of great victory saying, "By Allaah, this
religion shall prevail so much so that a riding traveler will march from San'aa'
to Hadramawt[1] fearing nothing but Allaah or a
wolf over his flock of sheep. It is only that you are in hurry." (Al-Bukhaaree)
Dear brethren! Weeping and wailing does not help the matter nor does it correct
the situation. Tears should be transformed to practical reflection over the
situation of the Ummah. Attempts should be made to reform the souls, nurture
ourselves upon Eemaan and perform constructive actions to help the cause of
Islaam. It is then that that the tears that we shed could be meaningful.
Brethren in faith! No one bothers about a sick nation. It actually deserves no
respect. But the living nation with its illustrious men commands the respect of
others. It is because of this that the enemy tries to uproot it and deal with it
with injustice and cruelty.
The living nation turns defeat to victory and sorrow to hope so that its
children will not be drowned in moaning and pains. This is evident in the
command of Allaah's Messenger to his companions in the battle of Uhud when the
archers forgot his command. The Prophet did not allow them to become captives of
their momentary pain and defeat. He rather encouraged them to pursue the enemy
until their sense of loss and helplessness was turned to that of victory.
The greatest defeat is psychological breakdown and weakness of resolution. As
for the defeat in the field of physical war, that is the law of human nature. It
comes in turns. The ultimate decision on this belongs to Allaah alone, though
the good ending is usually for the pious. Allaah says,
"Verily, Allaah will help those who help His (Cause)."
(Al-Hajj 22:40)
Allaah also says,
"Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers
and those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah - Islaamic Monotheism) in this
world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth, (i.e. Day of
Resurrection)."
(Ghaafir 40:51)
Ash-Shaafi'ee was asked as to which is better: to give a man power or to put him
to trial. He answered, "It is not possible for man to have power if he has not
been put to trial."
Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "I heard Shaykul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah say: "It is through
patience and certainty of faith that leadership in religion is attained." He
then recited to him Allaah's saying,
"And We made from among them (Children of Israel),
leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to
believe with certainty in Our Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.)."
(As-Sajdah 32:24)
Waraqah ibn Nawfal told Allaah's Messenger, "I wish I were young and could live
up to the time when your people would turn you out." Allah's Apostle asked,
"Will they drive me out?" Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone
(man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with
hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out
then I would support you strongly." (Al-Bukhaaree)
Brethren in faith! The companions of Allaah's Messenger have made great
sacrifices and have made excellent and noble examples of steadfastness upon the
truth. Their unique actions stunned human intelligence, and evil planning of the
enemy had never swayed them from conveying the message of their Lord. They
believed in the message, loved it and made covenant with Allaah upon it.
During sanction days in the mountain of Aboo Taalib, the companions would meet
people in hajj season and convey the message of Islaam to them. Their pains and
persecutions would not prevent them from conveying the message. They rather
increased in faith, resoluteness and certainty. Allaah says,
"So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be
sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers."
(Aal 'Imraan 3:139)
No doubt, these difficulties that the Muslims are facing today will produce
nothing but a viable and strong generation that will be able to sacrifice
whatever they have in possession for the cause of Islaam. As for the generation
of humiliation and ignominy, theirs is defeat and disgrace. When the children of
Israel refused to enter the holy land, they told Moses,
"So go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are
sitting right here."
(Al-Maaidah 5:24)
It is because of this that Allaah condemned them to wilderness in the desert for
forty years.
Difficulties and afflictions should bring out the nation's hidden energies. It
should incite its resoluteness and awaken it from slumber.
The nation of Islaam has produced men who are as gigantic as mountains in
sciences and heroic achievements. Allaah has guided many generations through
these men.
Brethren in Islaam! It is never known whether the earlier or later generations
of this Ummah, is the best. Just as the rain produces plants, thus does our
Ummah produce lions in each generation. Our Ummah is the nation that produced
lofty figures like Khaalid Ibn Al-Waleed, Al-Muthannaa, Ibn Abee Waqqaas and
later, Salaahuddeen. The nation of Islaam is a fertile and procreating nation.
Whenever a hero is lost, he is replaced by heroes who raise the banners of the
truth till eternity.
The Conqueror of Al-Quds, 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab was assassinated; 'Uthmaan Ibn 'Affaan
who conquered many lands for Islaam was also murdered unjustly and cruelly; and
'Alee Ibn Abee Taalib was killed. Many heroes have died after them. But their
blood was not shed in vain; each drop of their blood rather leads the Ummah to
victory after victory. Allaah says,
"As for those who are killed in the Way of Allaah, He
will never let their deeds be lost. He will guide them and set right their
stat;and admit them to Paradise which He has made known to them (i.e. they will
know their places in Paradise better than they used to know their homes in the
world)."
(Muhammad 47:4-6)
The Messenger of Allaah tells the story of a young boy who was crucified on a
tree by the tyrant of his time, so that his call to the truth would die with his
death and people would be prevented from been influenced by him. But the tyrant
was utterly dissapointed. When this youngster was crucified people proclaimed in
one voice: "We believe in the Lord of this youngster." The boy sacrificed his
life so that the call to the way of Allaah would live in people's minds. His
soul was insignificant to him because of his religion and principle. He, as a
result, attained a profit in which there is no loss and a life that is immortal.
The boy preferred death to life so that the religion of Allaah could be
prevalent. It is, therefore, not necessary that victory should always be in the
military context.
Dear brethren! In the light of events that we witness and those that we hear, it
is clear to us that truth eventually defeats falsehood; and that huge military
might is, in the long run, brought to naught in the face of weaker opponents. It
is faith that eventually defeats material power in spite of its multitude.
Allaah says,
"How often a small group overcame a mighty host by
Allaah's Leave?" And Allaah is with the patient."
(Al-Baqarah 2:249)
This verse is a directive from Allaah, the Almighty affirming the victory of a
small group over a large one, for those who believe in Allaah, rely on Him and
make us of the causes of victory.
The small group attained victory in the Battle of Badr and this victory became
the beginning of series of victories for Islaam during the time of Allaah's
Messenger and the times of his rightful guided successors and those who followed
them.
In our contemporary time, the Palestinian people who are armless are seriously
suffering under the might of an army that possesses all kinds of modern weapons
including nuclear and biological ones. What a heroism that you demonstrated, O
you stone throwing children! What a great sacrifice that you are making, O
mothers of stone throwing children! Is it not strange enough that weapons,
rockets and bombs are massively and shamelessly employed to attack a boy, who
possesses nothing as weapon beyond stones, or to kill an old woman who has no
arms except raising her hands to Allaah in invocation, or to treacherously
murder a quadriplegic old man? It is really a heinous crime meant to hurt the
feelings of millions of Muslims.
The blown-apart body of this man, as seen in his crumbled chair while he was on
his way from worship, is a clear indication of treachery of the highest type.
This quadriplegic man was and shall remain a shinning star in the life of the
Muslims. His cold-blooded murder in the hands of the enemy will inspire nothing
in the minds of his brethren in faith but sense of sacrifice and honour.
The Shaykh was just a crippled body in his chair, but in the throat of the enemy
he was a thorn. His unique will, in spite of his old age and disability, is like
a soaring mountain that shakes the earth under the feet of oppressors. He
humiliated the arrogant enemy. His silence was a statement and his tongue was
like a sword.
He was physically feeble but strong in resoluteness. He aimed high and never
inclined to this world. He has never succumbed to disgrace and ignominy and he
never asked for fame. He was great in his steadfastness. He has written a
history as radiant as his face, and as beautiful as his smile.
Brethren in faith! Assassination of great men affords them the martyrdom that
always has been their goal. No doubt, the blood of the Muslims that is shed on
the holy land shall irrigate that land to enable it produce warriors for Islaam.
It shall increase the people of the truth in strength and sense of sacrifice and
it shall cast horror in the hearts of the oppressors and cause to die hundred
times in a single day out of extreme fear.
Certainly, the murder of this quadriplegic Shaykh will rekindle the love for
honourable death in the hearts of principled people who are never weakened by
the death of a leader until they achieved victory by Allaah's permission. "Let
those who used to worship Muhammad know that Muhammad is now death and let those
who worship Allaah know that Allaah is Ever-Living and He never dies." (Al-Bukhaaree)
When the time of death of great men comes, they die like other people and their
memory is buried with them. It might be that, great men die honourably so that
their death can stir up feelings of the Muslims, impress in their hearts
meanings of high-mindedness and remind them of the most important issues. Every
drop of martyr's blood breeds a lofty mind that neither surrenders nor accepts
humiliation. Every drop of a martyr's blood makes their life an everlasting
lesson in sacrifice.
However, the enemy does not read history and if they read it they do not
understand it. Reading the history of this Ummah will reveal to the reader that
this Ummah is like the pleasant and blessed tree whose root is firmly fixed in
the earth and its branches are high in the sky. Winds cannot shake it and
whenever a branch thereof is cut, it becomes stronger and firmer.
The Palestinian people are an example for the contemporary generation of this
Ummah that the Muslim's honour can never be crushed and that weapons can destroy
anything but the Muslim's lofty mind. The stone has effectively achieved what
riffles failed to achieve. The stone has removed the screen of fear that has
shadowed the hearts of most people. The stone has broken the jinx of the
undefeatable soldier. Allaah says,
"They fight not against you even together, except in
fortified townships, or from behind walls."
(Al-Hashr 59:14)
Yes, the stone was able to achieve this feat because; it is carried by a boy
whose heart is active in the light of belief in the Hereafter. The stone has
broken the screen of humiliation and salvaged the souls from fear of death.
Allaah says about the base souls that fear death and prefer the life of this
world,
"And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the
greediest of mankind for life."
(Al-Baqarah 2:96)
Certainly, the stone has broken the screen of humiliation and salvaged the souls
from fear of death and made them high and lofty. Allaah says,
"And (remember) when Allaah promised you (Muslims) one
of the two parties (of the enemy i.e. either the army or the caravan) that it
should be yours; you wished that the one not armed (the caravan) should be
yours."
(Al-Anfaal 8:7)
Dear Muslims! It is in the land of Palestine that the transgressors committed
all excesses. They oppressed and caused much mischief. They killed people and
destroy crops. The killed innocent people and butchered children and women. They
forcefully seized the land from its rightful owners and erected a partition
wall. Why then has the modern world that claim to be civilized failed to rein in
the transgressors and prevent them from committing further carnage? Where are
the agreements and pacts? Where are the callers to peace and its advocates?
Indeed, whenever transgression becomes widespread and injustice becomes the
order of the day, the perpetrators are driven to no where but perdition, while
they know not. Allaah says,
"So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had
been reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in
the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We
took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep
regrets and sorrows."
(Al-An'aam 6:44)
Cruelty, arrogance and audacious oppression that the nation of Islaam suffers
should elevate the Ummah to the proper understanding of the events. The Ummah
should cast away the causes of defeat and weakness. The issue of Palestine
should, therefore, be the concern of every male and female Muslim.
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[1] Both cities are in Yemen
