Question:

Our virtuous Shaykh, what is the best way to answer the one who warns from the consequences of rushing towards Jihad in Iraq and advices [Muslims] to wait with that? Then we see the one who follows this way of thought and opinion being happy when Baghdad falls [in the hands of the occupiers] saying: “I’m impressed by so an so Shaykh, because they warned from rushing and they advised the youth to be careful and to wait, and if they had obeyed them, they would not have been killed and such and such would not happen?” May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:

My beloved brother. Contemplating on the verses of the Noble Qur’an while comparing it to a lot of the actions of the Muslims, or those who claim to be Muslims, during the Crusader wars since it started in Afghanistan till today, he will be amazed by many of the matching descriptions mentioned by Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) about them.

Firstly: When a lot of Mujahideen brothers were killed in Afghanistan and there occurred a massacre and those who were taken as prisoners were taken to Guantanamo, may Allah hasten their release, one of the Du'aat [propagators to Islam] came out on of the TV-channels, saying: "If those people had obeyed us, this killing and imprisonment would not have happened to them!"

Subhan-Allah! Read as an answer to him, the saying of the Most High:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَقَالُوا لِإِخْوَانِهِمْ إِذَا ضَرَبُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوْ كَانُوا غُزًّى لَّوْ كَانُوا عِندَنَا مَا مَاتُوا وَمَا قُتِلُوا لِيَجْعَلَ اللَّـهُ ذَٰلِكَ حَسْرَةً فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

O you who believe! Be not like those who disbelieve (hypocrites) and who say to their brethren when they travel through the earth or go out to fight: 'If they had stayed with us, they would not have died or been killed,' so that Allah may make it a cause of regret in their hearts. It is Allah that gives life and causes death. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do. [Al-i-Imran 3:156]

And read the saying of the Most High:

الَّذِينَ قَالُوا لِإِخْوَانِهِمْ وَقَعَدُوا لَوْ أَطَاعُونَا مَا قُتِلُوا ۗ قُلْ فَادْرَءُوا عَنْ أَنفُسِكُمُ الْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

(They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): 'If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed.' Say: 'Avert death from your ownselves, if you speak the truth.' [Al-i-Imran 3:168]

Merely reading this verses will be sufficient as an answer.

Secondly: After the start of the Crusader campaign a lot of Du'aat came out saying:

Jihad is an obligation and we don't deny it, but the Ummah is not ready [prepared] now for Jihad.

So it is said to them:

Lets assume that the Ummah is not ready, so what is the obligation now?

At least there has to be preparation of the Ummah towards Jihad, like Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:

It is a must to prepare for Jihad, by preparing the forces, and strings of the horses, at a time many are prevented from it due to inability because whatever is essential to doing an obligatory act is also obligatory. Majmu al-Fatawa 28/259

But when you think about their situation and da'wah, you will not find amongst them any interest for Jihad nor for preparation.

Look at their actions, and compare it with the Words of the Most High:

وَلَوْ أَرَادُوا الْخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّةً وَلَـٰكِن كَرِهَ اللَّـهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ فَثَبَّطَهُمْ وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُوا مَعَ الْقَاعِدِينَ

And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it, but Allah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them), 'Sit you among those who sit (at home).' [at-Tawbah 9:46]

Thirdly: After the start of the Crusader campaign, some of them tried to show approval [to it] and showed some affection, when asked about this, he said:

We fear the achievements we made in the Da'wah.

So compare this words with the Words of the Most High:

فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَارِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَىٰ أَن تُصِيبَنَا دَائِرَةٌ...

And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy), they hurry to their friendship, saying: 'We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us.' [al-Ma'idah 5:52]

However these say:

We fear lest some disaster will befall the Da'wah! 

Thus, there are many examples...

And the answer to those is merely reading these verses to them.

We ask Allah (سبحانه) to reform the affairs of the Muslims and to guide those who have gone astray.

17/4/2003

Written Shaykh Nasir bin Hamad al-Fahd may Allah hasten his release!

Translated: Abu Yahya