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The
beating of war drums generates worry, tension, and confusion in the
hearts. It keeps one from enjoying sleep, food, family, because of being
continuously tense and frightened.
But
we say to the Muslim youth: Your role did not start just now, but rather
started from the beginning of your maturity and awareness. And it will
not end by the end of a given event, but rather by your death. So take
the initiative and start to perform your role now.
It
is neither of sound judgment nor of proper zeal for Allah’s religion
to sleep like the People of the Cave and wake up at every crisis that
requires a solution, whereupon we ask about our role, and then sleep
again until the next one.
These
feelings of worry and tension only overwhelm the people of weak faith.
In order to overcome such feelings, one has to do the following:
First:
Refining and Renewing One’s Faith in the Oneness of Allah:
Almighty
Allah is the Lord and Sustainer of the universe; everything occurs by
His Command, and to Him belongs all creation and decisions. [Every day
He exerciseth (universal) power] (Ar-Rahman: 29)
Therefore,
every Muslim must renew his faith, confidence, and reliance on his Lord,
for He is more careful to preserve His religion and His believing
servants than anyone else is. [Lo! Allah defendeth those who believe]
(Al-Hajj: 38)
The
Muslim should also affirm his absolute faith in fate, divine decree, and
in the fact that nothing occurs except by the Will and Predestination of
Allah, whether it be important or insignificant. [No calamity befalleth
save by Allah's leave] (At-Taghabun 64:11) [Lo! We have created
everything by measure] (Al-Qamar 54:49) [Say: Naught befalleth us
save that which Allah hath decreed for us. He is our protecting helper.
In Allah let believers put their trust!] (At-Tawbah: 51)
Second:
Repentance. Asking Allah’s Forgiveness and Glorifying Him:
[And
had he not been one of those who glorify (Allah); He would have tarried
in its belly till the day when they are raised;] (As-Saffat: 143-144)
Al-`Abbas
and `Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) said, “No calamity occurs
except because of a wrongdoing, and no relief after a calamity comes
except through repentance.”
Third:
Worship and Doing Good:
Muslim
reported in his collection, Sahih Muslim, Book of Al-Fitan
(Afflications) that Ma`qil Ibn Yasar narrated that the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) said, “Worship during the period of
widespread turmoil is like an immigration to me (i.e. in reward).”
This hadith highlights two important aspects:
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The
true Muslim should occupy himself with fruitful matters such as the
performance of prayer, remembering Allah often, invoking Allah
fervently, fasting, giving in charity, being keen to call on Allah,
and so on. Such matters are far better for the Muslim than being
engaged in meaningless talk and fruitless discussions, which are not
likely to lead to anything useful, but rather occupy the mind and
worry the soul.
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It
is essential to regain the peace of one’s soul through those
tranquilizing doses of obeying and remembering Allah, so that one
may think and behave correctly.
Fourth:
Patience:
There
is no faith without patience. Therefore, we, as Muslims, should never
tire of advising one another to be patient, as patience is the cure of
many chronic problems. (Hastiness is from Satan and deliberateness is
from Allah.)
Patience
and deliberateness make him consider his decisions carefully and see to
his affairs with understanding and correct vision, which prevent him
from acting haphazardly or aimlessly. Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported
that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The strong
person is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the
strong person is the one who controls himself while in anger.” In
another narration of the same hadith, it is reported that he (peace and
blessings be upon him) said, “The strong person is the one who
defeats his anger.” This represents the highest form of courage and is
a feature of human perfection.
Fifth:
Abandonment of Dispute and Dissension:
The
Almighty says, […and dispute not one with another lest ye falter and
your strength departs from you; but be steadfast! Lo! Allah is with the
steadfast] (Al-Anfal 8:46) Dispute causes failure, weakness, and
dispersal of efforts, and may cause some people to become preoccupied
with themselves rather than with their enemies. Almighty Allah has
criticized the People of the Book before us, as well as whoever follows
in their footsteps from this nation, because of the disagreements and
disputes rampant among them. Allah says, [Ye think of them as a whole
whereas their hearts are divers. That is because they are a folk who
have no sense] (Al-Hashr 59:14)
The
true Muslim does his best to reconcile the different sects that make up
the Muslim community.
Sixth:
Optimism:
The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to like a good omen. Anas
(may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Prophet was the best and
the bravest amongst the people. Once the people of Medina were terrified
at night, so they went in the direction of the sound (that terrified
them). The Prophet met them (on his way back) after he had found out the
truth. He was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to Abu Talhah and a
sword was slung around his neck, and he was saying, ‘Don't be afraid!
Don't be afraid!’”
Thus,
the feelings of weakness and inability engulfing the hearts of a
significant number of Muslims need urgent attention. Although we all
agree on the gravity of the events and their serious consequences, we
should bear in mind the established facts which prove that this nation
shall continue to exist until the end of time. For example, the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invoked Allah not to make his
nation entirely perish by famine. This invocation was accepted by Allah.
Thus, this nation withstood the test of time and survived all disasters
and calamities; it may fall ill but will never die.
For
these reasons, we wonder at the panic overwhelming some people. Where is
the steadfastness of the true believers? Where is the firmness of
determined Muslims?
This
nation suffered from greater calamities but it never surrendered or gave
in. Rather it held on and set great examples of patience and endurance.
One should not forget what happened to the Muslims during the days of
the Tatar invasion which conquered all the Islamic countries and
demolished the capital of the Muslim nation. Anyone who tries to
perceive those events and imagine living during that epoch will surely
feel that the Last Day has come, that Islam has perished, and that its
nation has vanished from existence. However, that did not happen at all.
After two centuries only the Muslims conquered Constantinople and
reached Vienna. Thus, O people of Islam! Receive glad tidings and have
whatever hopes you wish to have. Your nation will never die by a
deathblow.
Nevertheless,
the legal optimism in Islam is that positive, active, and productive
kind which buoys up and motivates one’s spirits. Unfortunately, a
group of people resorted to expecting miracles, waiting for the
supernatural, and such false dependence which neglects the causes and
waits for marvels. We know for sure that miracles ended with the end of
the messengers and that we are living in the realm of reality where we
should make use of all available means, depending and putting our
confidence in Allah. During hardship, the right attitude is to be
steadfast, patient, and to deal with events from the viewpoint of the
firm content believer, without any feeling of inability or false
dependence. Muslims should approach ongoing events with a realistic
perception, accounting profit and loss, and preserving interests, and
minimizing evils. Also, it should be far from weakness and recklessness.
The laws enforced by Allah in the universe are applicable even to
prophets; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims
triumphed in the Battle of Badr, but were defeated in Uhud. They
concluded a peace treaty in Hudaybiyah, conquered Mecca and turned away
in Hunain. Also we should not be hasty or impatient. Allah Says: […but
there is an appointed term from which they will find no escape]
(Al-Kahf: 58)
Seventh:
The establishment of Muslim brotherhood in its noblest form:
This
should be reflected on one's feelings, words, and actions. The following
are the features of brotherhood:
Being
loyal to the believers and not helping the disbelievers against them.
The judgment concerning helping disbelievers against the Muslims is as
clear as day. It is explained in various verses in the Qur'an, like for
example, Allah's saying, [O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and
Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you
who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not
wrongdoing folk] (Al-Ma'idah: 51) The Almighty also says, [O ye who
believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for friends] (Al-Mumtahanah:
1)
The
Sheikh of Islam Muhammad ibn `Abdul-Wahhab (may Allah be merciful to
him) said in his book Nawaqid Al-Islam (Nullifications of Islam):
“The
eighth nullification: Supporting disbelievers and helping them against
Muslims. The evidence is the Almighty's saying, [He among you who taketh
them for friends is (one) of them] (Al-Ma’idah: 51)
Therefore,
Muslims are required to establish brotherhood among them and help one
another. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says, “A Muslim
is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor lets him down
nor looks down upon him. It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he
should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are
inviolable for his brother in faith: his blood, his wealth and his
honor.” Furthermore, in the Farewell Sermon, he (peace and blessings
be upon him) said, “Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred
to one another (i.e. Muslims) like the sanctity of this day of yours, in
this month of yours and in this city of yours.” Thus, our support and
affiliation to our Muslim brethren should not be temporary or momentary.
Unfortunately, our sense of responsibility to our brethren never awakens
except in times of crises, when we hurry to help them and then go back
to our sleep after the crisis has subsided.
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Among
the aspects of this brotherhood is hurrying to relieve the victims
of catastrophes, such as children, old people, women, and the
homeless. Muslims are supposed to be the first to help their
brothers in faith, not the Red Cross Organization, the International
Food Program, or any eastern or western country. We know that
millions of Afghani people originally live in camps in Pakistan.
With the new circumstances, the number of refugees has increased.
Their conditions are catastrophic as regards health, food, and
livelihood.
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Every
Muslim should be very cautious not to fall into the snares
represented in the stupor of shock or excessive enthusiasm. What we
need most in many affairs of our lives is balance and having a base
of established facts; we should not let actions and reactions make
us lose our required balance. Furthermore, we do not need to exert
much effort to realize that many of our mistakes have resulted from
a deviation in perception away from the required balance and
moderation.
Feelings
can be provoked and stirred, but actions should be done in accordance
with the guidance of the Qur’an and the Sunnah as well as the
objectives of Islam, taking into consideration the potential advantages
and disadvantages which cannot be realized except through consulting
prominent pious scholars who do not flatter the public or pursue their
personal interests. Allah says, [… whereas if they had referred it to
the messenger and such of them as are in authority, those among them who
are able to think out the matter would have known it] (An-Nisa’:
83)
Thus,
the best advice to be given concerning ongoing events is to restrain
feelings lest they result in some erroneous judgments, which may cause
harm for the Muslims and their interests. Because of their strong
passion and their strong liability to be swayed, the youth are
especially advised to have insight when handling matters and dealing
with grave events that entail serious consequences. Neither should
agitation lead us to rashness nor should zeal lead us to recklessness.
Youthful enthusiasm can be an active productive energy if directed to
the right way. So every youth should not make his enthusiasm a tank of
fuel that can be inflamed by any mischievous person. The important thing
is not to give vent to one's feelings, but rather to realize interests
and prevent evils. In fact, Muslim nations cannot endure more hardship
and unrest; therefore, it is our duty to act in a responsible
disciplined way in such hard circumstances until the hardship is eased
and the nation is relieved.
Indeed,
the call to Allah flourishes in the atmosphere of tranquility and
stability. That was why Az-Zuhri said after the Al-Hudaybiyah peace
treaty, “People trusted each other, so anyone who was convinced with
Islam embraced it. Thus, the people who embraced Islam after the peace
treaty and before the Conquest of Mecca were many times more than those
who embraced Islam before that. The Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) came to conclude the peace treaty accompanied by
about one hundred and fourteen men, then he came to conquer Mecca
accompanied by more than ten thousand, though the span of time between
the two events was short.”
We
ask Allah Almighty to ordain for this nation an age of guidance
where the people who obey Allah are honored while the people who disobey
Him are debased. We ask Him to strengthen Islam, grant Muslims victory,
unite them on the truth, and protect them from disasters and calamities.
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Abridged and modified from the Arabic original version.
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