by Imâm al-Haramain Sa'ûd ash-Shuraim

 

All praise is due to Allaah. May peace and benedictions be upon the Messenger of Allaah, his household and companions.

 

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah, put your trust in Him, seek for His aid and humble yourselves before Him in order to be elevated and have a good ending in this world and the hereafter. Allaah says,

 

“No doubt verily, the friends of Allaah, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve. Those who believed in the oneness of Allaah and used to fear Him much.” (Yoonus 10:62-63)

 

Brethren in Faith! When one takes a cursory look at the series of the current world happenings one will conclude that he who claims that any concepts, movements or ideologies that do not emanate from Islaam and its pristine teachings can solve the world problems and correct the wrongs should be either abnormal, sick or a conspirator who should not be trusted at all.

 

Islaam is a pure religion that frees man from worshipping fellow creatures to the worshipping of the Creator. It affirms that real glory can only be achieved through Islaam while humiliation is a result of keeping away from it. No matter what happens, it is impossible for Islaam to enter a heart with all its sweetness and yet that heart surrenders to any other authority besides that of Allaah.

 

Allaah says, “Truly, the religion with Allaah is Islaam.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:19)

 

He also says, “Whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:85)

 

Brethren in Islaam! When we see a lot of atrocities that are being committed all over the Muslim world and we hear the agonies of those whose lands and properties are wrongly occupied and seized without anyone standing up to answer the clarion call for help being made by the victims of these atrocities, we start to ponder over the causes of this weakness that has befallen the Muslim nation, the silence of those who have the truth and the woes, division and calamities that the might of the falsehood people has brought to the humanity. If we make a good diagnosis of our condition, it will not be difficult to identify the disease. Yes, things may not be permanently good for the Muslims; they may have problems here and there, for attaining perfection in worldly comfort is illusory. It is therefore good to train oneself on how to confront attacks on Islaam and the Muslims and get oneself ready to endure and stand firm without wasting time on passing commentaries that bring no benefit nor remove harm. Moreover, all these afflictions that befall the Muslim nation between now and then are mere trials with which Allaah distinguishes between the good and the bad. Allaah enjoins us to react whenever He tries us with good things of this world with the saying of Prophet Sulaymaan,

 

“This is by the Grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful.” (An-Naml 27:40)

He also forbids us from reacting during afflictions like those whom He describes in this verse,

 

“And among mankind is he who worships Allaah as it were, upon the edge (i.e. in doubt): if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trials befalls him he turns back on his face (i.e. he reverts to disbelief after embracing Islaam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the evident loss.” (Al-Hajj 22:11)

 

Brethren in Islaam! Non-Muslims shall never be pleased with Muslims until they abandon their religion and their Divine Law or at least make a lot of compromise that will leave nothing left of Islaam but its name only. ‘Umar came to the Messenger of Allaah with a book he got from some people of the Scripture and started reading it. The Messenger of Allaah got annoyed and said,

 

“I have brought unto you a pure and clean religion. Do not ask people of the Book anything lest they tell you the truth which you may deny and tell you a lie which you may believe. By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if (Prophet) Moosa were to be alive now, he would have no option but to follow me.”

 

Therefore, bargaining with the religion of Islaam or any of its values or established concepts is the greatest act of treachery and madness, for man’s and the society’s glory lie in their adherence to Islaam, its practices and in remaining firm on that till death. So, he whom the circumstances of this worldly life has changed or that his very essence has been altered by these worldly slogans and therefore abandoned his religion, such is a disgraced person and a loser whose lot ignominy. Allaah says,

 

“Verily, those who have turned back as disbelievers after the guidance have been manifested to them, Satan has beautified for them (their false hopes) and Allaah prolonged their term. This is because they said to those who hate what Allaah has sent down: ‘We will obey you in part of the matter.’ But Allaah knows their secrets. Then how will it be when the angels take their souls at death, smiting their faces and their backs? That is because they follow that which angers Allaah and hated that which pleases Him. So He made their deeds fruitless.” (Muhammad 47:25-28)

Islaam enjoins the Muslims to stand firm in their religion. Allaah says in the Qur’aan,

“And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (death).” (Al-Hijr 15:99)

 

The Messenger of Allaah, while encouraging his companions to be steadfast and remain firm in the face of any trials used to tell them of the stories of the brave people among those who were before them. He would say,

 

“A ditch would be dug for one of those who were before you and he would then be put into that ditch. A saw would be brought, put on his head and cut his head into two; yet, that would not divert him from his religion. Also, a metal comb will be driven into his flesh alive and yet that would not change him from his religion.” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

 

It is therefore surprising to see those who know the gravity of following other religions beside Islaam or loving and adoring the enemies of Islaam whatever the circumstances may be, to succumb to their pressures, putting one’s writings and thoughts under their control, yielding to their desires and answering their calls to smite Islaam, compromising on some of its concepts and values or casting doubt on the Muslims’ educational system and the fruits of Islaamic reawakening. Doing any of the above is a great sin and speaking good of it is a great falsehood.

 

Dear Muslims! You may be disappointed by those ideologies that carry the name of Islaam and whose propagators are deluded by their wealth, popularity and lust into writing and saying strangest things about Islaam with no fairness nor justice. The best we can say of these people is that they are products of western imitation that knows no difference between established values and changing situations or attributing things to other than its causes. If a person were to steal in a mosque, these people would have called for the demolition of the mosque or at least closing up of it in order to avoid reoccurrence as they would claim. And if a veiled woman were to commit a fraud, they would call to the abolition of Hijaab and claim that it aids fraud. They would however not support the amputation of the thief or a deterrent punishment for the veiled lady but would instead call for the demolition of the mosque and abolition of Hijaab.

 

Abu Sufyaan came to the city of Madeenah before he embraced Islaam and entered the house of his daughter Umm Habeebah (a wife of the Prophet). When he wanted to sit on the Prophet’s bed, she folded it. Abu Sufyaan asked in astonishment,

 

“Are you keeping me away from the bed or keeping the bed away from me?!” She answered, “This is the Messenger of Allaah’s bed and you are an idolater and filthy.”

This is a word of Umm Habeebah that contradicts the popular Arab saying, “Every girl is proud of her father.”

 

Umm Habeebah, by this deed of hers set a good precedent of how serious a Muslim should be in matters of his faith however minute it is even if it involves close relatives as one’s father. She did this to her father simply because he has not yet embraced Islaam.

 

Brethren in faith! The Message of Islaam is like the Prophet’s bed that should be held in high esteem and with honour and respect. Whoever allows anyone who is not a Muslim to sit on it out of shyness or because of a favour, such a person did not give Allaah and His Messenger their due estimation neither did he respect his religion and his community. Hence, it is very natural to conclude that there will be no human maturity where the ties with Allaah has been severed and where there is hatred for His law. What is therefore being rumoured lately that there are some ideologies that will keep a Muslim away from his religion and leave him with practising only a part thereof while he will no more have any regard for Islaamic legal punishments is very dangerous and will not augur well for the humanity as a whole. But the ideologies themselves pose some questions. When has the belief in Allaah become an easy issue in which denial and faith are equal? When has Islaamic Monotheism and associating partners with Allaah in worship become the same thing? Has the matter of faith become so insignificant that there is no more line of demarcation between permanent values and continuous happenings, between justice and injustice and between truth and doubt? If a man tells us that the earth is square or that Atlantic and sea water is sweet, we will certainly write him off as mad and stupid. How then do we react in such a way to a mistake done as regards mundane facts and not do the same if the mistake is committed as regards matters concerning Allaah the Lord of all the worlds?

 

“Verily, those who turn away from our Signs are not hidden from us. Is he who is cast into Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do what you will. Verily, He is All-Seer of what you do.” (Fussilat 41:40)

 

It is now up to the men of wisdom and truth to guide people to that which can preserve Islaam for them, protect them and let them have confidence in the principles of their religion as well as their educational system and law. They should warn the generality of the Muslims against the evils of their enemies and establish for them a balance of justice in word and deed so that, they will be able to distinguish between good and evil.

 

Fellow Muslims! Muslim countries and established Islaamic values and concepts have become targets of attack from internal and external enemies. One particular example is the land of the two Sacred Mosques. The enemies has launched a malicious attack against this country, but by the Grace of Allaah, it will never surrender to those who cast doubt on its religion, values and systems, for their educational systems, ideologies and their policy of are based on the and their policy of allegiance and renunciation are all based on Islaamic Faith of Monotheism. Its people will never become mouthpiece for falsehood and error which the enemy wants them to be. Allaah says,

 

“Those who wait and watch about you; if you gain a victory from Allaah, they say: ‘Were we not with you?’ But if the believers gain a success, they say (to them): ‘Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers?’ Allaah will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection. And never will Allaah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.” (An-Nisaa 4:141)

 

Brethren in Faith! Every nation has its policy, philosophy and ideology. And it has a special way of dealing with its problems whether it is good or not. It is therefore illogical and unfair to accuse Islaam of problems it has nothing to do with and which are rather alien to it or as a result, to request the Muslims to think according to the accusers perspectives in total disregard for Islaam. In order have deeper understanding of Islaamic principle of allegiance and renunciation, to avoid what kept many people away from their glory and shinning history; in order to avoid making unwarranted ideological and educational compromises and avoid western subordination, we must the following points in mind:

 

One: That our faith is based on Islaamic Monotheism, submission to Allaah through obedience and abstention from associating any partner to Him. This is the correct faith besides whose no other creeds will accepted. Allaah says,

 

“Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allaah is the Messiah son of Mary.’ But the Messiah said: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the polytheists and wrongdoers, there are no helpers.” (Al-Maaidah 5:72)

 

Two: That, it is absolutely impossible to achieve Islaamic solidarity among individuals and societies while some of them hate others or detest Islaam or reject some of its teachings.

 

Three: In order that the desired unity may be achieved, there should be concordance in the means and goals and that should be in accordance with the truth and Sharee‘ah. Any unity that takes place outside the established Islaamic rules and values is a mere illusion.

 

Four: That the weakness of the Muslims as a nation has its source in their individual weaknesses before pressures from their enemies added to that. We are not the first nation to be tested and urged to remain firm in its religion.

 

Five: That our desired civilization should be based on unity, bridging the gaps between us, being proud of our religion and upon supporting our religious values and refuting the allegations against Islaam and its systems. Our call should be unto the revival of Islamic unity and we should show the true picture of Islaam upon which the constructive Islaamic resurgence and rightful thought can be based. Allaah says,

 

“Shall We treat those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah) and do righteous good deeds as Mufsidoon (those associate partners with Allaah and commit crimes) on earth? Or shall We treat the pious as the criminals?” (Saad 38:28)