Advice for the Times of Trial - By Sheikh Salaah al-Budayr

MUHAMM7D

Muslim
Allah's favours on Muslims are countless. Among these favours is that He made us the best community ever raised up for the mankind.

Islam is the complete religion and law. Its words are decisive and its judgments are just. Whoever holds fast to it prospers in this world and the next and whoever deviates from it will have misery and hardship as his lost in this life and the next. It is an upright religion whose teachings are noble and characters are lofty. It is full of wisdom, incontestable proofs and the only guidance for mankind.

"Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." (Aal 'Imraan: 85).

It is the only true religion on the surface of the earth; the abrogator of earlier laws and systems. Whoever rejects it is an infidel and the enemy of Allah, His Messenger sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam and the believers and his final abode will be Hellfire. The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, 'By Him in whose hand is my soul, if any of this people be he a Jew or a Christian hears of me and yet does not believe in what I was sent with, he will be among the dwellers of Hellfire.'

However the enemies of Islam toil to cripple Islam and Muslims, they will never succeed. Allah says: "They intend to put out the light of Allah (the religion of Islam) with their mouths. But Allah will complete His light even though the disbelievers hate (it)" (As-Saff: 8).

To corroborate this verse, the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "A group among my nation shall continue standing firm on the religion of Allah. None of those who forsake or disgrace them shall be able to harm them until they become victorious over all people." (Muslim).

We Muslims have never been in such need of self-examination as we are in these days of crises and hardships. We are in dire need of unity so as to be able to face the challenges. We must go back to the pristine sources of our great religion and follow their injunctions.

The Messenger of Allah warned the Muslims of the causes of degeneration and weakness when he sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "When you become preoccupied with transaction in credit and are so engaged in cattle rearing and in crops that you abandon jihad; Allah will enforce an ignominy upon you and will not remove it until you go back to your religion." (Aboo Daawood).

We must understand the causes of our problems and calamities in the light of the Qur'an, the Sunnah and the guidance of our righteous predecessors. And while dealing with those problems, we must be truthful, sincere and free from whimsical desires and shirk. We must have confidence in Allah and put our trust in Him.

Allah says: "When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear they make it known (among the people), if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly). Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allah upon you, you would have followed Satan, save a few of you." (An-Nisaa': 83).

What is incumbent upon us Muslims when calamities and trials befall us is to unite in order to protect our faith and to co-operate with each other in piety and righteousness in order to defeat the enemy. Allah addresses us: "And do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient." (Al-Anfaal: 46).

The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Allah is pleased with you when you do three things: He is pleased that you worship Him without ascribing any partner to Him, that you hold fast unto the rope of Allah and that you are not divided. He is displeased that you engage in gossip, much (unnecessary) questions and wasting of money."

The relationship brought about by our religion is the straightest relationship. It has its meanings and obligations enshrined in the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is a relationship that destroys disbelief and aggression. Allah says: "The believing men and women are supporters of one another, they enjoin all that is good (on the people) and forbid all that is evil. They perform Salaah, give the Zakaah and they obey Allah and His Messenger. These are ones upon whom Allah will have mercy. Surely, Allah is Almighty All-Wise." (At-Tawbah: 71).

The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam also said: "All Muslims are equal ... and they are united against their enemies." (Aboo Daawood).

He also emphasised the importance of Islamic brotherhood when he sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever prays our prayer, faces our Qiblah and eats our slaughtered animal is a Muslim who is under the protection of Allah and His Messenger." He also said, "The believers are like a structure whose different parts strengthen one another." (Bukhari).

Each individual Muslim possesses a great sacredness and high position in Islam. We must give him this privilege and not deny him of it whenever he falls in trouble. Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam stood on the pulpit one day, raised his voice and said, "O you who are Muslims by tongue and faith has not penetrated your hearts! Do not harm Muslims nor pursue their imperfections for whoever pursues the imperfections of his Muslim brother, Allah will pursue his imperfection and whosoever Allah pursues his imperfection, He will disgrace him."

He also stressed the sacredness of Muslim life when he said, "Indeed, the termination of this world is of lesser importance to Allah than the killing of a Muslim man." (At-Tirmithi).
Muslims today are facing different kinds of persecution from all parts of the world; they are being killed, tortured and expelled from their lands. In fact they are in pitiful and deplorable situations. Foremost among those who commit these crimes against them are world Zionists who are a treacherous nation and these crimes are committed in front of the whole world and nothing concrete is done to stop them.

Where then is the claimed justice and fairness with all these slogans of civilization, freedom and peace? We only see justice and fairness from those countries who claim to be champions of justice when the wronged happen to be the Jews.

One fact remains indisputable in view of our present condition: we will never conquer our enemies unless we first of all conquer our souls and whimsical desires. We can never defeat our enemies unless we first of all implement the law of Allah in every aspect of our lives.

The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam stressed this point when he said, "Nations will be on the verge of calling one another to attack you as people call on one another to a plate of food." The companions said, "O Messenger of Allah! Is it because we will be few then?" He replied, "No. You will rather be many and will be in multitude like the scum floating on floodwaters. Your fear will be removed from the hearts of your enemies and theirs will be put in your hearts." The companions said, "What is the cause of this?" He answered, "Love for this worldly life and the hatred of death." (Ahmad and others.)
 
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