Assalamualaykum wa rahamtuallaahi wa barakatuhuh,
The English translation of a Friday Sermon delivered by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah Al Habdaan, Imam of Al Izz bin Abdus Salam Mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday 16 August 2002 (07/06/1423AH). The title of the sermon was ‘Who Will Stand up for the Muslim Prisoners?’ It was an outstanding sermon and it is hoped that all those who were not present can benefit from it, especially on an issue that has been overlooked by many, even the Islamic propagators.
The English translation of a Friday Sermon delivered by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah Al Habdaan, Imam of Al Izz bin Abdus Salam Mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday 16 August 2002 (07/06/1423AH). The title of the sermon was ‘Who Will Stand up for the Muslim Prisoners?’ It was an outstanding sermon and it is hoped that all those who were not present can benefit from it, especially on an issue that has been overlooked by many, even the Islamic propagators.
First Half of the Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
O Ummah of Islam: The struggle against Truth and Falsehood continues, between Light and Darkness, between Guidance and Misguidance, between Islam and Disbelief… and it will continue until the Day of Judgement. A struggle in which the People of Iman will often be victorious, but on occasions they may succumb to defeat…and that is only because of certain surrounding factors that will do no more than delay the victory.
As a result of this struggle, Allah the Supreme chooses who He wishes from amongst His servants. From amongst us are those that succeed with the honour of martyrdom in the Cause of Allah. Amongst us are those that are injured in the Cause of Allah, and thus some of our limbs precede us into Paradise. And amongst us are those that are captured and fall in to the hands of our enemy and this is nothing more than the natural outcome of all battles. Whoever turns the pages of history, will be informed that such a likelihood is the norm and that there is nothing strange about it at all. How many heroes have been killed? How many men have been injured and how many knights have been taken prisoner? But, were their souls overcome with weakness? Were their hearts plagued with cowardice? We wonder, did frailty and misery creep into their hearts on account of their capture?
We have the example of Khubaib bin Adiy (may Allah be pleased with him) who fell into the hands of the Polytheists who escorted him from the Sacred Masjid-ul-Haram to kill him. He said to them, “Let me pray two rakahs.” When he finished he said to them, “If it were not that you were to think that I am afraid of death, I would have lengthened my prayer.” He became the first to establish the tradition of praying two rakahs before execution. He then said, “O Allah! Count them one by one! Kill them one by one! And let there not remain a single one from them alive!”
He then said, “As long as I am killed as a Muslim for the Sake of Allah, I do not care on what side I fall. All this is for the sake of Allah: if He wishes, He will bless me with the reunion of the torn pieces of my body.” He was then finally killed by Uqbah bin Al-Harith.
Indeed, Allah may show kindness to such a prisoner and gift him with things that soothe his heart. Khubaib, for example, when he was taken prisoner, was given such kindness by Allah as related by one of the women who witnessed the event: “I have never in my life seen a prisoner in a better state than Khubaib. Indeed I saw him eat of the grapes and the fruits that were available that day in Makkah - all this while he was fettered in iron chains – it could only have been a provision provided for him by Allah.”
On the other hand, a prisoner may be tortured, humiliated and tested; only, however, for Allah to raise his station and rank in Paradise.
Allah says:
“Do men think that they will be left alone by saying, ‘We believe,’ and that they will not be tested? Indeed, we surely tested those before them so that Allah may know those who were truthful to their covenant and those that lied.” [Quran 29:2-3]
O Ummah of Islam:
Such are the prisoners that have fallen into the hands of our enemies: prisoners in Palestine and prisoners in Cuba and in other areas of the globe. These men: they are the ones who went forth to aid their brethren, to defend the sanctity of the Muslims and their honour at a time when many had become despondent. Such people have a right over the Ummah to come to their aid and to stand by them in their trial. Such was the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) who ordered his Ummah, “Secure the release of the captive!” [Al-Bukhari]
Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy upon him) said; “It is obligatory upon the people to ransom the prisoners with all what they possess, and there is no difference in this (amongst the jurists), because the Prophet (SAWS) said “Secure the release of the captive!” [Al-Bukhari]
Indeed the scholars of Islam have said, “If the State was to spend its entire treasury to ransom the Muslim captives from the hands of the enemies, it would not be deemed as too much.” That is correct: it would not be deemed too much, yet what calamity can be worse than a Muslim to be humiliated at the hands of a loutish American seething with hatred?
Indeed you have seen, we have seen and the World has seen footage of the tragedy that has befallen our brothers in Cuba. They were transported from Pakistan on a cargo plane - their beards and heads shaven, stripped of all their clothing, bound from head to toe, blindfolded and deprived of all sensory perception. Where is the respect for the human soul?! Where is the respect in placing human beings in steel cages, the very sight of which reminds people of animal cages?
They are not allowed to leave these cages to relieve themselves except once a day. They are taken out for questioning – hands and feet chained, with their heads lowered, their self esteem broken and running through their thoughts are, “Where are the glorious days of the Muslims? Where are the days of the conquerors? And where are you O Muslims??”
Our prisoners live under the smouldering heat of Cuba. That is in the winter, so what will be their condition in the summer? Even the night, which Allah has made as a time of rest and sleep, the captors have turned it into a spectre of light with their blazing lamps. In the day, the sun burns them and in the night those blazing lamps prevent them from sleeping.
So how will they taste the pleasure of sleep and how will they get to take pleasure in food and drink while they are undergoing this pain?
In fact their pain is of two types. The first is the pain of living as captives under Americans seething with malice, and the second is the pain at the Muslims who have deserted them, that there is none standing up against their bleak treatment and that they have been forgotten about as if nothing has happened.
How can the Muslims live in comfort? How can they find their food appealing while their brothers are held prisoners at the hands of their enemies? How can a person take pleasure in sleep while their brothers over there are living under the humiliation of loathing Americaans?
How can the tears of a human stop flowing while he sees his brothers over there living in conditions of wretchedness and suffering?
How can it please the Muslims to allow their sons to be handed over to the disbelieving enemy, that they can be deported to the farthest reaches of the Earth and yet nothing is stirred in their breasts and nor do we hear from them a word or an outcry?
What of the position of the countries? What of the position of the tribes? Rather, even their families and relatives? Is it not obligatory for them to do something and make a stance?
They should let the American enemy know that these prisoners are not cut off from the rest of the world, that there is someone that is monitoring their case. They must make America understand that the issue of the prisoners is not over yet, rather it has just begun.
No one is excused in keeping silent about this, especially as we have seen the vile treatment that has been meted out to those who raised the head of this Ummah up high:
Buried for Islam and its people
Are our prisoners living well like you are, O Muslims?
Indeed the thunder has raged in the hearts
Are the prisoners in dignity as you have been, O Muslims?
Disgrace is not in shackles and bricks
The worst humiliation, O Prisoner, you have left far behind you
You have aided the Religion of the Knower of the Unseen
And indeed honour, truly you have gained
For the honour of honours lies in the depths of hearts
Our prisoners have we forgotten, nay rather we have forsaken
An enraged lion will not even alarm us
For our World today remains long in its silence
As if people; the worshippers of the Crucifix
Have for sure been following the path of truth
What pain to see such estrangement from a Muslim relative?
O Ummah of Islam, Indeed the previous Muslims have left a legacy for us: exceptional examples of how prisoners were rescued from the hands of the enemy.
When Mansur bin Abi Amir returned from one of the battles from the North of Andalusia, he met a Muslim woman at the gates of Cordova. She said to him, “Indeed my son has been taken prisoner at the hands of the Christians - so you have to pay the ransom or bring him back.” Mansur did not even enter Cordova. Rather, he returned with his army until he managed to secure the release of this single Muslim prisoner.
And when the ruler of Andalusia, Al Hakam bin Hisham, heard that a Muslim woman had been taken prisoner and had called out, “O Al Hakam! Rescue me!” the enormity of the matter overcame him. Therefore, he gathered his forces, prepared himself and moved his army towards the land of the enemy in the Year 196AH (812CE). He drove through their land and conquered several fortresses. He destroyed the country and plundered all its wealth. He killed the men and took the women as captives and for what purpose but to free that one Muslim woman. Having secured her release he returned back to Cordova victorious.
News also reached Mu’tasim that a noble Muslim woman was being held captive by a Christian brute in Umuriyyah, that one day he slapped her in the face upon which she cried out, “O Mu’tasim” Upon hearing this he responded to her cry, “I am coming to respond to your plea! I am coming to respond to your plea!” He then departed at the head of a contingent of seventy thousand soldiers until he reached Umuriyyah and conquered it. He then asked for the Christian, severed his head and freed the noble woman.
This is how the Muslim leaders of the past used to be: as soon as they heard a plea for help they would rush to respond and aid the oppressed. Indeed, once Umar bin Abdul Aziz wrote to some of his ministers to ransom the Muslim prisoners, even if it exhausted all the wealth that was in the Islamic Treasury.
Abu Ghalib Hammam bin Al Muhadhib Al Ma’ry mentions in his history that Saif Al Daulah spent all the money that he possessed in his ransom of the Muslim prisoners from the Romans, and that Abul Abbas Al Khuza’i, the Governor of Shaam (the Levant), spent one million Dirhams in securing the release of the Muslim prisoners from the Turks.
If money cannot secure the release of prisoners, then other means of threats and provocations have to be used. When Qutaibah (may Allah be pleased with him) ratified an agreement with the ruler of Shuman, he wrote a letter warning and threatening Naizak Turkhan to release the Muslim prisoners. Naizak was frightened and promptly obliged.
The scholars have always had a large role in encouraging people to rescue the Muslim prisoners of war, whether it was by writing to the Muslim rulers or visiting the enemy and demanding the release of the Muslim prisoners or at least in praying that Allah sets them free. Indeed Ibn Taymiyyah went to meet Bulai, one of the Mongol generals and demanded from him that he releases the Muslim prisoners, and thus he was able to rescue many of them before returning home.
Ibn Taymiyyah wrote the following letter to the King of Cyprus:
“O King, how is it that you can allow for blood to be spilt, the women folk to be taken into slavery and people’s possessions to be taken from them without any justification from God and His Messengers? Is the King not aware that in our lands reside untold numbers of Christians living in peace and security? Our dealings with them are known to all. How can it be then that our prisoners are treated in such ways that no morally upright man or person of religion can ever be pleased with?!!!
Rather, many of them were taken through treachery and treachery is forbidden in all religions, legislations and politics. How can you allow holding captive, those that were taken through treachery? Do you think you will be granted safety when you will face the Muslims after all what you have done and the treachery that you have displayed?
Allah will aid them and give them victory, especially in these times when the Ummah has bolstered its ranks and prepared for the fight ahead. The righteous and the allies of the Most Merciful have become observant in obeying His Commands. The coastal borders are now being manned by stern and strong commanders whose results we have already seen and their ranks are always increasing.
In addition, amongst the ranks of the Muslims are men committed. Their accounts, both new and old, have reached the ears of the kings.
Amongst them are righteous people whose prayers Allah does not refuse nor does He make their demands come to naught. They are such people that if they are angered, Allah gets angry and if they are pleased, Allah is pleased.
O King, knowing that the Muslims border you from many fronts, what good can arise from treating these Muslim prisoners in a way that no sound minded man, whether a Muslim or one that has agreed to a peace treaty with the Muslims could ever reconcile?”
Abu Saeed Al Tha’labi mentions that when Ibrahim and Muhammad rebelled against the famous Abbasi Khalifah, Abu Jafar Al Mansur, he wanted the frontier guards to help him against the rebels. However, they refused and many thousands of them fell into the hands of a Roman ruler who was always keen on surrendering the Muslim prisoners for a ransom. However, the Khalifah refused to pay their ransom.
Thus, Imam Al Auzai (may Allah have Mercy on him) wrote to the Khalifah:
“Indeed Allah Most High has elected you to look after the affairs of this Ummah - that you always observe your duty with justice and follow the dictates of His Prophet (SAWS) in lowering your wing of humility and being gentle with the people. I ask Allah Most High that He placates the Leader of the Believers regarding the masses of this Ummah and that He grants him His Mercy.
Indeed the Polytheist invasion was successful in the first year and managed to overrun the Muslim defences – their destination being the Muslim women and the expulsion of the old men and children from their fortresses. All this was due to the sins of the Muslims yet the sins that Allah had pardoned were even greater. Thus it was the sins of the Muslims that expelled the old men and children from their fortresses – they could not find anyone to help them nor did anyone come to their defence. The women were taken with their heads and legs exposed for all to see and hear of, just as Allah looks at his Creation and sees how they have turned away from Him.
So the Leader of the Believers should fear Allah and should follow the Way to Allah by paying the ransom. He should not forfeit the Love of Allah in this regards, as Allah says:
“And what is the matter with you that you do not strive in the Way of Allah and (for the sake of) the oppressed men, women and children who call out, ‘Our Lord! Deliver us from this town whose people are oppressors and help us with an ally from You and support us with a helper from You!’” [Quran 4:75]
I swear by Allah, O Leader of the Believers, that the captives do not have any frozen assets (through spoils of war) nor any taxable property – but only their personal belongings. Indeed I have been informed that the Prophet (SAWS) said:
‘Indeed I sometimes hear the crying of a baby behind me in my prayer and thus I shorten my prayer fearing the anguish I will cause his mother.’
So how can you leave them at the hands of the enemy, O Leader of the Believers? They are being tested and their bodies are being exposed in ways that we would never allow except only through marriage, yet you are supposed to be the Allah’s ambassador on Earth. Allah Almighty is above you and He will take his right from you and deal with you on a Day when the Scales of Justice will be brought forward for the Judgement Day - a Day when no soul shall be wronged, even if we came with a deed the weight of a mustard seed. His Judgement is sufficient for us.”
When the letter reached Abu Jafar, he ordered the ransom to be paid in order to release the Muslim captives.
The scholars used to feel the anguish of a stricken mother and a hurt father and thus from their hearts would radiate sincere prayers for the Muslim prisoners.
Ibn Katheer mentioned that a woman came to Imam Baqi Bin Mukhallad (may Allah
have mercy upon him) and said to him:
“Indeed my son has been captured by the Franks and I cannot sleep the night because of my longing for him. I have a small house that I can sell as a ransom for my son, so can you guide me to anyone that would buy it so that I may work at setting my son free with the price that I obtain from the sale? For indeed I live my day and night unsettled, I cannot find any sleep or patience or rest.” (And this is the situation of the mothers of today – for how can her eyelids close when she knows her children are captives at the hands of her enemies – and to Allah she raises her complaint.)
Thus Imam Baqi said, “Depart now so that I may look into this matter by the Permission of Allah.”
The scholar bowed his head and moved his lips, praying to Allah the Almighty to release her son from the clutches of the Franks. It was not long before the woman returned to the scholar with her son beside her. She said, “Listen to his story, may Allah have mercy upon you.”
Imam Baqi said, “Tell us your story.”
The boy said, “I was amongst those who used to serve the King - all the time bound in fetters, and one day, while I was walking, the chain broke loose from my feet. Therefore, my guard then came to me and swore at me and said, ‘Why have you removed the chain from your feet?’ I said, ‘No, I swear by Allah I did not even touch it. It just came loose and I didn’t even feel it fall.’ So they brought the blacksmith, who put the chain back on my feet, fixed the link and tightened the screws firmly. As soon as I stood up, the chain again broke loose so they put it back again – this time even more securely, and again it fell. They then asked their monks about the cause of this. Their monks asked, ‘Does he have a mother?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ They replied, ‘Indeed she has prayed for you and her prayers have been answered. Set him free!’ So they set me free and guarded me until I arrived at the Islamic lands.”
Baqi bin Mukhallad asked the boy about the exact hour in which the chain broke loose from his leg and lo and behold it was the exact hour in which he prayed to Allah to set the boy free!
Do the Muslim scholars follow in the path of such unique examples and play their part in trying to rescue our prisoners from the hands of the wicked enemy? Are the scholars moving to advise those responsible, to make this into a real cause and issue? O Allah!
Have I conveyed the message? O Allah may You be my witness! May Allah bless me and you through this great Quran.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
O Ummah of Islam: The struggle against Truth and Falsehood continues, between Light and Darkness, between Guidance and Misguidance, between Islam and Disbelief… and it will continue until the Day of Judgement. A struggle in which the People of Iman will often be victorious, but on occasions they may succumb to defeat…and that is only because of certain surrounding factors that will do no more than delay the victory.
As a result of this struggle, Allah the Supreme chooses who He wishes from amongst His servants. From amongst us are those that succeed with the honour of martyrdom in the Cause of Allah. Amongst us are those that are injured in the Cause of Allah, and thus some of our limbs precede us into Paradise. And amongst us are those that are captured and fall in to the hands of our enemy and this is nothing more than the natural outcome of all battles. Whoever turns the pages of history, will be informed that such a likelihood is the norm and that there is nothing strange about it at all. How many heroes have been killed? How many men have been injured and how many knights have been taken prisoner? But, were their souls overcome with weakness? Were their hearts plagued with cowardice? We wonder, did frailty and misery creep into their hearts on account of their capture?
We have the example of Khubaib bin Adiy (may Allah be pleased with him) who fell into the hands of the Polytheists who escorted him from the Sacred Masjid-ul-Haram to kill him. He said to them, “Let me pray two rakahs.” When he finished he said to them, “If it were not that you were to think that I am afraid of death, I would have lengthened my prayer.” He became the first to establish the tradition of praying two rakahs before execution. He then said, “O Allah! Count them one by one! Kill them one by one! And let there not remain a single one from them alive!”
He then said, “As long as I am killed as a Muslim for the Sake of Allah, I do not care on what side I fall. All this is for the sake of Allah: if He wishes, He will bless me with the reunion of the torn pieces of my body.” He was then finally killed by Uqbah bin Al-Harith.
Indeed, Allah may show kindness to such a prisoner and gift him with things that soothe his heart. Khubaib, for example, when he was taken prisoner, was given such kindness by Allah as related by one of the women who witnessed the event: “I have never in my life seen a prisoner in a better state than Khubaib. Indeed I saw him eat of the grapes and the fruits that were available that day in Makkah - all this while he was fettered in iron chains – it could only have been a provision provided for him by Allah.”
On the other hand, a prisoner may be tortured, humiliated and tested; only, however, for Allah to raise his station and rank in Paradise.
Allah says:
“Do men think that they will be left alone by saying, ‘We believe,’ and that they will not be tested? Indeed, we surely tested those before them so that Allah may know those who were truthful to their covenant and those that lied.” [Quran 29:2-3]
O Ummah of Islam:
Such are the prisoners that have fallen into the hands of our enemies: prisoners in Palestine and prisoners in Cuba and in other areas of the globe. These men: they are the ones who went forth to aid their brethren, to defend the sanctity of the Muslims and their honour at a time when many had become despondent. Such people have a right over the Ummah to come to their aid and to stand by them in their trial. Such was the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) who ordered his Ummah, “Secure the release of the captive!” [Al-Bukhari]
Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy upon him) said; “It is obligatory upon the people to ransom the prisoners with all what they possess, and there is no difference in this (amongst the jurists), because the Prophet (SAWS) said “Secure the release of the captive!” [Al-Bukhari]
Indeed the scholars of Islam have said, “If the State was to spend its entire treasury to ransom the Muslim captives from the hands of the enemies, it would not be deemed as too much.” That is correct: it would not be deemed too much, yet what calamity can be worse than a Muslim to be humiliated at the hands of a loutish American seething with hatred?
Indeed you have seen, we have seen and the World has seen footage of the tragedy that has befallen our brothers in Cuba. They were transported from Pakistan on a cargo plane - their beards and heads shaven, stripped of all their clothing, bound from head to toe, blindfolded and deprived of all sensory perception. Where is the respect for the human soul?! Where is the respect in placing human beings in steel cages, the very sight of which reminds people of animal cages?
They are not allowed to leave these cages to relieve themselves except once a day. They are taken out for questioning – hands and feet chained, with their heads lowered, their self esteem broken and running through their thoughts are, “Where are the glorious days of the Muslims? Where are the days of the conquerors? And where are you O Muslims??”
Our prisoners live under the smouldering heat of Cuba. That is in the winter, so what will be their condition in the summer? Even the night, which Allah has made as a time of rest and sleep, the captors have turned it into a spectre of light with their blazing lamps. In the day, the sun burns them and in the night those blazing lamps prevent them from sleeping.
So how will they taste the pleasure of sleep and how will they get to take pleasure in food and drink while they are undergoing this pain?
In fact their pain is of two types. The first is the pain of living as captives under Americans seething with malice, and the second is the pain at the Muslims who have deserted them, that there is none standing up against their bleak treatment and that they have been forgotten about as if nothing has happened.
How can the Muslims live in comfort? How can they find their food appealing while their brothers are held prisoners at the hands of their enemies? How can a person take pleasure in sleep while their brothers over there are living under the humiliation of loathing Americaans?
How can the tears of a human stop flowing while he sees his brothers over there living in conditions of wretchedness and suffering?
How can it please the Muslims to allow their sons to be handed over to the disbelieving enemy, that they can be deported to the farthest reaches of the Earth and yet nothing is stirred in their breasts and nor do we hear from them a word or an outcry?
What of the position of the countries? What of the position of the tribes? Rather, even their families and relatives? Is it not obligatory for them to do something and make a stance?
They should let the American enemy know that these prisoners are not cut off from the rest of the world, that there is someone that is monitoring their case. They must make America understand that the issue of the prisoners is not over yet, rather it has just begun.
No one is excused in keeping silent about this, especially as we have seen the vile treatment that has been meted out to those who raised the head of this Ummah up high:
Buried for Islam and its people
Are our prisoners living well like you are, O Muslims?
Indeed the thunder has raged in the hearts
Are the prisoners in dignity as you have been, O Muslims?
Disgrace is not in shackles and bricks
The worst humiliation, O Prisoner, you have left far behind you
You have aided the Religion of the Knower of the Unseen
And indeed honour, truly you have gained
For the honour of honours lies in the depths of hearts
Our prisoners have we forgotten, nay rather we have forsaken
An enraged lion will not even alarm us
For our World today remains long in its silence
As if people; the worshippers of the Crucifix
Have for sure been following the path of truth
What pain to see such estrangement from a Muslim relative?
O Ummah of Islam, Indeed the previous Muslims have left a legacy for us: exceptional examples of how prisoners were rescued from the hands of the enemy.
When Mansur bin Abi Amir returned from one of the battles from the North of Andalusia, he met a Muslim woman at the gates of Cordova. She said to him, “Indeed my son has been taken prisoner at the hands of the Christians - so you have to pay the ransom or bring him back.” Mansur did not even enter Cordova. Rather, he returned with his army until he managed to secure the release of this single Muslim prisoner.
And when the ruler of Andalusia, Al Hakam bin Hisham, heard that a Muslim woman had been taken prisoner and had called out, “O Al Hakam! Rescue me!” the enormity of the matter overcame him. Therefore, he gathered his forces, prepared himself and moved his army towards the land of the enemy in the Year 196AH (812CE). He drove through their land and conquered several fortresses. He destroyed the country and plundered all its wealth. He killed the men and took the women as captives and for what purpose but to free that one Muslim woman. Having secured her release he returned back to Cordova victorious.
News also reached Mu’tasim that a noble Muslim woman was being held captive by a Christian brute in Umuriyyah, that one day he slapped her in the face upon which she cried out, “O Mu’tasim” Upon hearing this he responded to her cry, “I am coming to respond to your plea! I am coming to respond to your plea!” He then departed at the head of a contingent of seventy thousand soldiers until he reached Umuriyyah and conquered it. He then asked for the Christian, severed his head and freed the noble woman.
This is how the Muslim leaders of the past used to be: as soon as they heard a plea for help they would rush to respond and aid the oppressed. Indeed, once Umar bin Abdul Aziz wrote to some of his ministers to ransom the Muslim prisoners, even if it exhausted all the wealth that was in the Islamic Treasury.
Abu Ghalib Hammam bin Al Muhadhib Al Ma’ry mentions in his history that Saif Al Daulah spent all the money that he possessed in his ransom of the Muslim prisoners from the Romans, and that Abul Abbas Al Khuza’i, the Governor of Shaam (the Levant), spent one million Dirhams in securing the release of the Muslim prisoners from the Turks.
If money cannot secure the release of prisoners, then other means of threats and provocations have to be used. When Qutaibah (may Allah be pleased with him) ratified an agreement with the ruler of Shuman, he wrote a letter warning and threatening Naizak Turkhan to release the Muslim prisoners. Naizak was frightened and promptly obliged.
The scholars have always had a large role in encouraging people to rescue the Muslim prisoners of war, whether it was by writing to the Muslim rulers or visiting the enemy and demanding the release of the Muslim prisoners or at least in praying that Allah sets them free. Indeed Ibn Taymiyyah went to meet Bulai, one of the Mongol generals and demanded from him that he releases the Muslim prisoners, and thus he was able to rescue many of them before returning home.
Ibn Taymiyyah wrote the following letter to the King of Cyprus:
“O King, how is it that you can allow for blood to be spilt, the women folk to be taken into slavery and people’s possessions to be taken from them without any justification from God and His Messengers? Is the King not aware that in our lands reside untold numbers of Christians living in peace and security? Our dealings with them are known to all. How can it be then that our prisoners are treated in such ways that no morally upright man or person of religion can ever be pleased with?!!!
Rather, many of them were taken through treachery and treachery is forbidden in all religions, legislations and politics. How can you allow holding captive, those that were taken through treachery? Do you think you will be granted safety when you will face the Muslims after all what you have done and the treachery that you have displayed?
Allah will aid them and give them victory, especially in these times when the Ummah has bolstered its ranks and prepared for the fight ahead. The righteous and the allies of the Most Merciful have become observant in obeying His Commands. The coastal borders are now being manned by stern and strong commanders whose results we have already seen and their ranks are always increasing.
In addition, amongst the ranks of the Muslims are men committed. Their accounts, both new and old, have reached the ears of the kings.
Amongst them are righteous people whose prayers Allah does not refuse nor does He make their demands come to naught. They are such people that if they are angered, Allah gets angry and if they are pleased, Allah is pleased.
O King, knowing that the Muslims border you from many fronts, what good can arise from treating these Muslim prisoners in a way that no sound minded man, whether a Muslim or one that has agreed to a peace treaty with the Muslims could ever reconcile?”
Abu Saeed Al Tha’labi mentions that when Ibrahim and Muhammad rebelled against the famous Abbasi Khalifah, Abu Jafar Al Mansur, he wanted the frontier guards to help him against the rebels. However, they refused and many thousands of them fell into the hands of a Roman ruler who was always keen on surrendering the Muslim prisoners for a ransom. However, the Khalifah refused to pay their ransom.
Thus, Imam Al Auzai (may Allah have Mercy on him) wrote to the Khalifah:
“Indeed Allah Most High has elected you to look after the affairs of this Ummah - that you always observe your duty with justice and follow the dictates of His Prophet (SAWS) in lowering your wing of humility and being gentle with the people. I ask Allah Most High that He placates the Leader of the Believers regarding the masses of this Ummah and that He grants him His Mercy.
Indeed the Polytheist invasion was successful in the first year and managed to overrun the Muslim defences – their destination being the Muslim women and the expulsion of the old men and children from their fortresses. All this was due to the sins of the Muslims yet the sins that Allah had pardoned were even greater. Thus it was the sins of the Muslims that expelled the old men and children from their fortresses – they could not find anyone to help them nor did anyone come to their defence. The women were taken with their heads and legs exposed for all to see and hear of, just as Allah looks at his Creation and sees how they have turned away from Him.
So the Leader of the Believers should fear Allah and should follow the Way to Allah by paying the ransom. He should not forfeit the Love of Allah in this regards, as Allah says:
“And what is the matter with you that you do not strive in the Way of Allah and (for the sake of) the oppressed men, women and children who call out, ‘Our Lord! Deliver us from this town whose people are oppressors and help us with an ally from You and support us with a helper from You!’” [Quran 4:75]
I swear by Allah, O Leader of the Believers, that the captives do not have any frozen assets (through spoils of war) nor any taxable property – but only their personal belongings. Indeed I have been informed that the Prophet (SAWS) said:
‘Indeed I sometimes hear the crying of a baby behind me in my prayer and thus I shorten my prayer fearing the anguish I will cause his mother.’
So how can you leave them at the hands of the enemy, O Leader of the Believers? They are being tested and their bodies are being exposed in ways that we would never allow except only through marriage, yet you are supposed to be the Allah’s ambassador on Earth. Allah Almighty is above you and He will take his right from you and deal with you on a Day when the Scales of Justice will be brought forward for the Judgement Day - a Day when no soul shall be wronged, even if we came with a deed the weight of a mustard seed. His Judgement is sufficient for us.”
When the letter reached Abu Jafar, he ordered the ransom to be paid in order to release the Muslim captives.
The scholars used to feel the anguish of a stricken mother and a hurt father and thus from their hearts would radiate sincere prayers for the Muslim prisoners.
Ibn Katheer mentioned that a woman came to Imam Baqi Bin Mukhallad (may Allah
have mercy upon him) and said to him:
“Indeed my son has been captured by the Franks and I cannot sleep the night because of my longing for him. I have a small house that I can sell as a ransom for my son, so can you guide me to anyone that would buy it so that I may work at setting my son free with the price that I obtain from the sale? For indeed I live my day and night unsettled, I cannot find any sleep or patience or rest.” (And this is the situation of the mothers of today – for how can her eyelids close when she knows her children are captives at the hands of her enemies – and to Allah she raises her complaint.)
Thus Imam Baqi said, “Depart now so that I may look into this matter by the Permission of Allah.”
The scholar bowed his head and moved his lips, praying to Allah the Almighty to release her son from the clutches of the Franks. It was not long before the woman returned to the scholar with her son beside her. She said, “Listen to his story, may Allah have mercy upon you.”
Imam Baqi said, “Tell us your story.”
The boy said, “I was amongst those who used to serve the King - all the time bound in fetters, and one day, while I was walking, the chain broke loose from my feet. Therefore, my guard then came to me and swore at me and said, ‘Why have you removed the chain from your feet?’ I said, ‘No, I swear by Allah I did not even touch it. It just came loose and I didn’t even feel it fall.’ So they brought the blacksmith, who put the chain back on my feet, fixed the link and tightened the screws firmly. As soon as I stood up, the chain again broke loose so they put it back again – this time even more securely, and again it fell. They then asked their monks about the cause of this. Their monks asked, ‘Does he have a mother?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ They replied, ‘Indeed she has prayed for you and her prayers have been answered. Set him free!’ So they set me free and guarded me until I arrived at the Islamic lands.”
Baqi bin Mukhallad asked the boy about the exact hour in which the chain broke loose from his leg and lo and behold it was the exact hour in which he prayed to Allah to set the boy free!
Do the Muslim scholars follow in the path of such unique examples and play their part in trying to rescue our prisoners from the hands of the wicked enemy? Are the scholars moving to advise those responsible, to make this into a real cause and issue? O Allah!
Have I conveyed the message? O Allah may You be my witness! May Allah bless me and you through this great Quran.
......i jz hope the imam gets to keep his job 
told us in a Hadith that we should speak good or be silen.
