Guidance and Misguidance
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions, and grant them Peace.
Indeed the support and help come through the Quran and sword.
Allah, the Most High says:
“Certainly We sent Our apostles with clear arguments, and sent down with them the Book and the balance that men may conduct themselves with equity; and We have made the iron, wherein is great violence and advantages to men, and that Allah may know who helps Him and His apostles in the secret; surely Allah is Strong, Mighty”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 57. “The Iron”, verse 25)
This is the path that was chosen by the companions who followed the Book of Allah and were obedient on Armed Jihad; this is the reason why Allah has purified their faith and granted them victories on the battlefields.
Allah, the Most High says:
“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)
Later, when the practice of the Book and Armed Jihad was brought to a stall, the power of Muslims had dramatically declined.
Wherever the banner of Jihad was set, you already see Mujahideen are in a hurry to go there, searching for martyrdom, wherever it could be found. You could see very few among them who had spent some time studying in the past. But you will not see among them scholars who would advise the Mujahideen to strengthen their faith.
The Prophet, may Allah bless him, and grant him Peace, said:
“A group of people from my Ummah will continue to fight in defense of truth and remain triumphant until the Day of Judgment”.
One of the indications of the weakness of the Ummah and its deviation from the description of the Victorious Group today is the fact that there are very few well learned who are fighting in the fields of Jihad.
The revival of Armed Jihad, which the Ummah experiences today, is a right time for the seekers of the true knowledge to make a step towards Hijrah and Jihad on the path of Allah, because He, the Most High says:
“And whoever flies in Allah’s way, he will find in the earth many a place of refuge and abundant resources, and whoever goes forth from his house flying to Allah and His Apostle, and then death overtakes him, his reward is indeed with Allah and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. “The Women”, verse 100)
A muhajir would find a place of safety, letting his enemies cope with their rage on their own. The muhajir would find abundant resources for spiritual and physical strength in the full sense of these words. This is a virtue of the guidance, response to the call to make Hijrah and then go for Jihad to fight the enemies of Allah physically.
Well-being has a key option: laying down the basis of freedom from sorrow and depression triggered by living side by side with the enemies of Allah; it is leaving a country where tyrants and their proxies transgress framing and exercising their imaginary laws on its subjects, and, finally, it is moving in exchange for Paradise towards the nobleness, power, Jihad and the victory and life in accordance with the Sharia that is the monotheism and laws of Allah, the Most High.
Scholars are the successors of the prophets. They are obliged to bear their mission; i.e. to carry the truth of Allah, the Most High forth, and conduct Jihad to guard it. It is them, the scholars, who must lead Muslims to Jihad against the enemies of Allah.
There are distinctions in quality between sincere and wicked scholars. The very first of them is the integrity of faith, words and deeds.
The Prophet, may Allah bless him, and grant him Peace, said:
“On the Day of Resurrection the feet of the son of Adam will not move away till he is questioned about four matters: how he spent his lifetime, how he spent his youth; from where he acquired his wealth and how he spent it, and what he did with his knowledge”.
There is a reference to the guidance in the opening Surah of the Quran; the guidance to the straight path to al-Jannah, that Allah has granted the prophets, martyrs, righteous and truthful, who are neither under the wrath, like those from among the Jews and wicked scholars of the Muslim Ummah, because of their ignorance of the truth, nor were lead astray, who committed acts without the knowledge, like the Christians and the corrupt of our Ummah.
Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, said:
“Our wicked scholars have something from the Jews, while the corrupt Muslims have something from the Christians.”
Allah, the Most High has mentioned the both peculiarities in His Book:
“O you who believe! most surely many of the doctors of law and the monks eat away the property of men falsely, and turn (them) from Allah’s way; and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s way, announce to them a painful chastisement”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 9. “The Repentance”, verse 34)
The guidance could only be achieved by the righteous and truthful deeds which are supported by the knowledge and promptness to answer the call:
“And if We had prescribed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your homes, they would not have done it except a few of them; and if they had done what they were admonished, it would have certainly been better for them and best in strengthening (them); And then We would certainly have given them from Ourselves a great reward. And We would certainly have guided them in the right path. And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they!”
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. “The Women”, verses 66-69)
Those who claim to have a degree and ascribe themselves to the righteous salaf of this Ummah, but hide the truth, keep out of Jihad, turn away from the path of Allah for the sake of earthly goods, these are the liars in their claims. They are the closest of all people to the description of the Jews, who are under the wrath of Allah, the Most High, Who says:
“And do not mix up the truth with the falsehood, nor hide the truth while you know (it). And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and bow down with those who bow down. What! do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read the Book; have you then no sense?”
(The Holy Quran, Surah 2. “The Cow”, verses 42-44)
In the Sahihain (al-Bukhari and Muslim), there was mentioned a hadeeth that the prophet, may Allah bless him, and grant him Peace, said:
“On the Day of Judgment a man will be brought and thrown into Hell, his intestines will come out of his belly, and he will go circling holding his intestines like a donkey running a mill. His companions in Hell will come to him: O! So and So! What is this? Did you not ask people to do good and avoid vice?’ He will say: ‘That is so. I told others to do good, but did not do it myself; and I forbade them to do evil, but did so myself.”
Allah, the Most High has compared those who have the knowledge, but do not act upon it, and witness the signs of Allah, but turn away from them; as such, were compared with an ass laden with books, or a dog lolling its tongue. They are indifferent whether follow the word of Allah with little or no effort put into it, or replace the truth if the going gets rough. Such people are ‘stuck’ to the ground stiffly and became followers of the Shaitan, and their reasoning ability has become a slave of their passions.
Allah, the Most High says:
“The likeness of those who were charged with the Taurat, then they did not observe it, is as the likeness of the ass bearing books, evil is the likeness of the people who reject the communications of Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 62. “The Congregation, Friday”, verse 5)
and He also said:
“And recite to them the narrative of him to whom We give Our communications, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Shaitan overtakes him, so he is of those who go astray. And if We had pleased, We would certainly have exalted him thereby; but he clung to the earth and followed his low desire, so his parable is as the parable of the dog; if you attack him he lolls out his tongue; and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue; this is the parable of the people who reject Our communications; therefore relate the narrative that they may reflect”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 7. “The Heights”, 175-176)
Al-Qurtubi commenting on these verses said:
“This is an example of anyone who knew the Quran, but has not acted in accordance with it.”
The second quality of true scholars is in making what they have learned clear to people and make the word of the truth high and supreme.
Allah says:
“Surely those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance that We revealed after We made it clear in the Book for men, these it is whom Allah shall curse, and those who curse shall curse them (too)”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 2. “The Cow”, verse159)
All those who identify themselves as scholars of the truth, but conceal some of its parts are being cursed by Allah and the cursers. The true scholars are those who have been blessed with great rewards by the mercy of Allah.
Some scholars terrified of the anger of the tyrants and blame of the media rush to conceal the truth to ‘stay away’ from ‘evil’. Some scholars craving for earthly wealth and advantageous appointments rush to change the truth to please the tyrants.
But Allah, the Most High says:
“And when Allah made a covenant with those who were given the Book: You shall certainly make it known to men and you shall not hide it; but they cast it behind their backs and took a small price for it; so evil is that which they buy”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. “The Family of Imran”, verse 187)
Allah also said:
“Then there came after them an evil posterity who inherited the Book, taking only the frail good of this low life and saying: It will be forgiven us. And if the like good came to them, they would take it (too). Was not a promise taken from them in the Book that they would not speak anything about Allah but the truth, and they have read what is in it; and the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil). Do you not then understand?”
(The Holy Quran, Surah 7. “The Heights”, verse 169)
Yes, they have obtained some of the knowledge from the scholars or in madrasas, as Allah, the Most High says:
“they have read what is in it (the Book)”.
However, the knowledge has been obtained with no firm conviction and sincere faith in it. They have not mastered the knowledge, like the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who carried the mission on, despite being subjected to the hardships and animosity.
Imam ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, said:
“Any, from among the scholars, who preferred earthly wealth and has passion for it, certainly will be slandering Allah in his fatawa and assertions, in words and deeds. Very often the laws of Allah are contrary to the assumed interests of people, especially of those holding the power following their whims. Their desires could be satisfied only by violation of laws of the truth.
And very often that happens in doubtful matters when the desires mingle with the doubtful then the light of the truth fades away. But if even the truth were clear, they still intend to violate it with an expectation that someday they will repent.
Allah, the Most High has mentioned about those:
- “But there came after them an evil generation, who neglected prayers and followed and sensual desires, so they win meet perdition”,
(The Holy Quran, Surah 19. “Mary”, verse 59)
Allah, the Most High also says:
- “Then there came after them an evil posterity who inherited the Book, taking only the frail good of this low life and saying: It will be forgiven us. And if the like good came to them, they would take it (too). Was not a promise taken from them in the Book that they would not speak anything about Allah but the truth, and they have read what is in it; and the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil). Do you not then understand?”
(The Holy Quran, Surah 7. “The Heights”, verse 169)
Allah, the Most High says that they seized upon the secular lifestyle, despite the fact that they knew about its unlawfulness. But they said it would be forgiven to them. And if there were tempted by another opportunity to get some earthly goods sinfully; they would have acted as same as before; that was their habit”.
It is not just about text memorizing and scientific reading. Knowledge must be useful and helpful: increasing piety, purifying the soul and heart. If the heart is purified, then the knowledge would be useful and helpful. And, by the will of Allah, that would be useful and helpful for other Muslims.
But, if the heart, receiving the truth, were a heart of a hypocrite, the heart contaminated with the disease of disobedience; then its holder will tend to hide the truth and slander Allah. This hypocrite would like to have diverted others from the path of Allah and his fatawa and assertions would become a Sharia disguise of collaborationist rulers, to justify their crimes against Muslims.
The third quality of true scholars is the fear of Allah.
He, the Most High said:
“What! he who is obedient during hours of the night, prostrating himself and standing, takes care of the hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord! Say: Are those who know and those who do not know alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 39. “The Troops”, verse 9)
Allah, the Most High also said:
“And of men and beasts and cattle are various species of it likewise; those of His servants only who are possessed of knowledge fear Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Forgiving”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 35. “The Angels”, verse 28)
One of the signs of fear of Allah is in going to Jihad in the path of Allah. Allah, the Most High has said:
“What! will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle, and they attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers. 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 13-15)
And if a scholar hides the truth, keeps his wealth, soul and word away from Jihad, while the crusading crowds trample the Muslim countries, then there is no doubt that the man has nothing to do with those scholars, whom Allah, the Most High has blessed in His Book describing them as those who has fear of Him.
There are obstacles that prevent a seeker of the knowledge going to Jihad on the path of Allah:
- The first of them is being fond of earthly existence and longing to it. Allah, the Most High has said:
“Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 9. “The Repentance”, verse 24)
These eight components of welfare, admired by man are obstacles in going for Jihad: the fathers, children, brothers, wives, family, earned property, trade (or a position) stagnation (or losing) of which is feared, and dwellings with which people are satisfied and reluctant to move away from.
But that incorrect obsession could have been overcome. Iman, Hijrah and Jihad on the path of Allah, are only for man, who truly loves Allah and practices the monotheism by words and deeds and truly understands that Hijrah and Jihad are deeds of.
Love of earthly goods and aversion to fight Jihad has encouraged the enemies of Islam to lead successful military campaigns and seize the power and wealth of the Ummah. On the subject of this the Prophet, may Allah bless him, and grant him Peace, said:
“‘There will come a time when other nations will fall upon you like greedy eaters upon a bowl of food’. The narrator asked: ‘Apostle of Allah, will that be because we are small in number?’ He said: ‘No. You will then be too many but rather like the foam floating over water. Allah will take off from the hearts of your enemies any heed for you, and cast Wahn into your hearts’. So the narrator asked: ‘What is Wahn?’ He said: ‘The love of this world, and the fear of death’. (Abu Dawud) In another narration: ‘Your love for life and your distaste for battle’
- The second obstacle is an inconsistent understanding caused by blind-trust-following the chopped-up curriculum.
That happens when learners, whether required to or not, put a lot of effort in memorizing (not realizing or ignoring the fact that the huge segments of the knowledge are hidden away by some scholars open for suggestion from Shaitan) all the leftovers of the knowledge; and that, in turn, begins to distract him from worship, and leads him to assume incorrect logical conceptions of the matters of the faith, and that in turn causes incomplete Iman, its weakness and heart disease.
Imam ibn al-Qayyim commenting on the words of Allah ‘the (passionate) accumulation (of abundance; e.g., earthly gains) diverts you’ said that ‘accumulation’ is an act of increasing (in number, mass, size, etc.), and that Allah, the Most High mentions it without specifics (accumulation of what), because the word ‘accumulation’ here is used in its general sense, and includes everything that could be increased by a person, besides the obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and every thing that may benefit after death, and so everything of earthly wealth, is regarded as fit for accumulation, whether wealth, prestige, power, women, words, especially unneeded knowledge, books, multi-volumes with numerous subjects and their branches, theories, etc.
Students tend to get fallen into a common error by having a determination to acquire the knowledge to be elevated to a degree of the truthful; i.e., the carriers of the true knowledge (which is not a negative intention); but doing so without considering the fact that the sought degree would not be achieved while ignoring the responsibility of the compulsory Jihad (the defense of the truth that was wiped out of the curriculum). Loafing away from Jihad is a sign of weakness of sincerity. It is Jihad that makes distinction between a truthful and liar. Allah, the Most High says:
“The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Apostle then they doubt not and struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; they are the truthful ones”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 49. “The Dwellings”, verse 15)
- The third obstacle is the errors of the advisors and teachers.
That is when they stop their duty of encouraging the students and Muslims in general, to stand up and go forth to Jihad. They should encourage Jihad, as He the Almighty says:
“Fight then in Allah’s way; this is not imposed on you except in relation to yourself, and rouse the believers to ardor maybe Allah will restrain the fighting of those who disbelieve and Allah is strongest in prowess and strongest to give an exemplary punishment”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. “The Women”, verse 84)
While motivating their learners to follow the ‘aqidah of the salaf of this Ummah, by memorizing the chopped-up curriculum, the teachers are doomed to commit another mistake, they do not and cannot make any attempts to come even close in catching up with the salaf’s methodology, ways and forms in their conduct of Jihad. You can see a person calling to follow the manhaj of the salaf, but he, himself, prefers the secular side of being and hides the truth. This person is very close to the Jewish rabbis who (condemned themselves to) bear the wrath of Allah.
In addition to the above, the preachers and teachers have taken the wrong way of supporting Islam; the way which is broken to go beyond the tolerated limits that were set by the apostate rulers. That is the way that has no place for Jihad, the compulsory means for the Ummah’s survival against the crusaders, and Hellfire.
The chosen by these preachers road is not for Jihad. And that road shall not bring any changes to the state of the Ummah, it shall not divert the aggression aside, by it shall not be delivered any skin to its security and it shall not take the fear away. It is just a road to attract the Ummah into erroneous hypothesis; the road which those preachers shall never surrender under any circumstances. They already have withdrawn themselves and their followers away from the reasoning and Jihad. They do not mind to look on the battle from afar. They shall be among those about whom Allah, the Most High says:
“They think the allies are not gone, and if the allies should come (again) they would fain be in the deserts with the desert Arabs asking for news about you, and if they were among you they would not fight save a little”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 33. “The Clans”, verse 20)
Among other distracting from Jihad mistakes the preachers and teachers have committed was by using the propaganda terminology of the Christians and apostates; such as, freedom, democracy, human rights, etc. They hastily adopted those sugar-coated words and were deceived by their false values even though behind all that there are the impious infidels who do not have faith in Hereafter. They commit even more sins while listening to those words that have enticed them; words that were developed and embellished in various ways of eloquence, and broad casted through the media and satellite channels.
Allah, the Most High has explained about those who are trying to make expressions to deceive people to loosen them from the path of Allah; they are the Shayatin from among men and jinn: the enemies of the messengers of Allah. Allah said about them:
“And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the Shaitans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive (them), and had your Lord pleased they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge. And that the hearts of those who do not believe in the hereafter may incline to it and that they may be well pleased with it and that they may earn what they are going to earn (of evil)”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 6. “The Spider”, verses 112-113)
How could a seeker of the knowledge be satisfied with their intrigues and sugar-coated words, gravitated toward their propaganda campaigns, which are not to provide the truth, but to replace it with lies through their terminology and words?
One of those words; such as, ‘freedom’ which is, in the understanding of Christians, and their supporters of the secular way of life, means getting free of religion, morality, and manners. That is, the meaning of the word contradicts the principle of obedience to Allah and His Prophet, may Allah bless him, and grant him Peace; in other words, rebellion against the worship of Allah. That is freedom of the Shayatin from among men, namely the Americans and those who follow their ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’.
In fact, they are not free, but rather are captives of the Shayatin from among the jinn, who sent them to fight against Allah and His Prophet, may Allah bless him, and grant him Peace. As Allah mentions this:
“Do you not see that We have sent the Shaitans against the unbelievers, inciting them by incitement?”
(The Holy Quran, Surah 19. “Mary”, verse 83) He also says:
“And whoever turns himself away from the remembrance of the Beneficent God, We appoint for him a Shaitan, so he becomes his associate”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 43. “Ornaments Of Gold”, verse 36)
Those rebels have revolted against the Justice of Allah, been enslaved by their own passions and been worshipping the Shayatin, celebrities, and tyrants who set their own laws and enforce them globally for others to worship them.
A person can be freed from slavery of taghuts and tyrants only through monotheism and obedience to the Rule of Allah, the Most High. Islam came with worship, not with the western freedom, because worship is the main objective of man, for which Allah created him. Allah, the Most High says:
“And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should serve Me”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 51. “Az-Zariyat”, verse 56)
Allah, the Most High has created us just for worshipping Him alone, without attributing partners to Him.
And if the scholar would construct his discussions and debates with the apostates and hypocrites with accordance with this verse to please Allah, the Most High, then he would never go astray neither in his words nor manhaj.
But if he forgets the purpose of the creation and attempts to satisfy his readers and spectators from among the Christians and apostates, then with no doubt, he shall fall into an error and shall attribute to the religion of Allah what does not belong to it; such as, ‘democracy’, ‘freedom’, ‘human rights’, etc.
Scholars should sympathize with, care for their brethren Mujahideen and assist them instead of fighting them pleasing the enemies of Allah – infidels and hypocrites, getting closer to them by backbiting and slandering the Mujahideen.
After all, if a scholar, hating the enemies of Allah, but distancing himself from the Mujahideen and righteous, he would confuse and divide people around him and lose the path of greatness, power and Jihad. Doing so, he will waste his mission, strength and become humiliated by the infidels and apostates. And he will get nothing, he would not be either in the ranks of Mujahideen to help the Ummah or the apostates, who would more likely be disgusted by anything what he would call them for.
The infidels, hypocrites and their media would spare this scholar from their harassment; if once he reaches such a degree of humiliation and feebleness and agree to lend them a hand on fatawa to plot against the Ummah for some scraps of ‘well-being’ and a share of the wrath in return.
“And surely they had purposed to turn you away from that which We have revealed to you, that you should forge against Us other than that, and then they would certainly have taken you for a friend. And had it not been that We had already established you, you would certainly have been near to incline to them a little; In that case We would certainly have made you to taste a double (punishment) in this life and a double (punishment) after death, then you would not have found any helper against Us”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 17. “The Night Journey”, verses 73-75) Allah says:
“And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires, and be cautious of them, lest they seduce you from part of what Allah has revealed to you; but if they turn back, then know that Allah desires to afflict them on account of some of their faults; and most surely many of the people are transgressors. Is it then the judgment of (the times of) ignorance that they desire? And who is better than Allah to judge for a people who are sure?”
(The Holy Quran, Surah 5. “The Table Spread”, verses 49-50)
In fact, a scholar calling for the truth and Jihad is a sign of a mercy of Allah on this Ummah, and even if he were imprisoned, his call behind the walls and iron would not be neglected by the Lord.
But if the scholar is gutless with the truth or/and deaf-dumb on Jihad and groveling before infidels, then his ‘mission’ is over. It would not be helpful for him to have flocks of media outlets crying his fabricated fatawa out, which would change Islam in no way, and the Responding Ummah would return back to the folds of Islam anyway, because Allah, the Most High has promised that, and the signs of the approaching victory are already being shown.
Upon the scholars, their students, youth and capable men is a sacred duty to have walked Jihad in dar al-harb to add force to the brethren Mujahideen, and teach them to improve their knowledge of the Truth and strengthen their Iman. Allah, the Most High favored Muslims with Jihad on His path, a duty to be done by wealth (to establish/finance/maintain the logistics of the Mujahideen, arm and feed them, take care of and support their families, etc.), soul (to stand up and fight the enemies of Allah physically), and tongue (to wage intellectual warfare to voice the truth). They have an obligation (to push themselves to the limits, strive physically) to withstand and break through the (ideological/psychological/physical) pressure of the enemies of Allah: the Christians, Jews, and apostates.
By Abu Umar as-Sayf (shaheed, insha’Allah)
Source: BadrCenter
Translated by Kavkaz Center
Kavkaz Center
