Chapter 15

towards their Lord, and worship has no time limit except death. Allah the Almighty said: 'And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty (death).' ¶

Al-Qurtubi stated: 'Certainty' here means death. This means that love for the sake of Allah must continue with the people of faith until death. Even if some brothers in faith pass away, this love should extend to their children and relatives, as love for the sake of Allah is intended for the Hereafter. Thus, if it is severed before death without a valid Sharia excuse, the deed is nullified, and the efforts of those who severed the bond are lost. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'There are seven whom Allah will shade in His shade on the day when there is no shade but His,' and he mentioned among them: 'Two men who loved each other for the sake of Allah; they met upon this [love] and parted upon it.' ¶

If a servant falls short in the obedience of Allah, Allah deprives him of those who provide him companionship, for sitting with brothers for the sake of Allah is a solace from sorrows and an aid in matters of religion and worldly life. ¶

Therefore, Ibn al-Mubarak said: 'The most delightful of things is sitting with brothers and gathering with them.' ¶

Everlasting affection is that which exists because of loyalty for the sake of Allah and love for His sake. As for affection based on a worldly purpose, it vanishes with the disappearance of the motive for which the affection was established. ¶

It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whenever two people love each other for the sake of Allah the Almighty, or for the sake of Islam, they are only separated by a sin committed by one of them.' (1) ¶

Fulfilling the right of brotherhood for the sake of Allah entails not agreeing with a brother upon something that contradicts the truth; rather, it is a mark of loyalty to disagree in such instances if the dissenting party possesses an explicit evidence for the position they have taken. ¶

Eighth: Among the rights of alliance (al-muwalat) for the sake of Allah is that if a person is unable to provide material aid to their brothers, the least they can do is to pray for their victory and empowerment during their lifetime, and for their forgiveness and pleasure (of Allah) after their death. It is stated in the Hadith: 'There is no Muslim servant who prays for his brother in his absence, except that the angel says: And for you, the same.' (2) ¶

(1) See: Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah by Al-Albani, Vol. 2, p. 232. (2) Narrated by Muslim. See: Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 2094 (Book of Dhikr - 23). ¶

Section Three: Supporting Muslim Minorities ¶

Supporting and aiding Muslim minorities—indeed, the Muslim majority shattered under the feet of criminal disbelievers—is a Shariah obligation for which Muslims cannot be excused if they abandon it; they incur a grave sin by failing to act upon it. How could it be otherwise, when Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says: 'Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah, and those who gave shelter and aided—they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate—for you there is no custodianship of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do' (Surah Al-Anfal: 72). ¶

It becomes evident from this verse that the foundational principle is that the Muslim society should be an indivisible whole, a community that does not splinter, and a unity that cannot be broken. Furthermore, it is a foundational principle that the Muslim society must open its doors to accept anyone who professes Islam, without distinction or discrimination based on color, race, lineage, place of birth, or any other such criteria. ¶

Contrasting with Jahili (pre-Islamic/ignorant) distinctions, the Abode of Islam (Dar al-Islam) is the legitimate sanctuary for every Muslim. Entering the Abode of Islam is a Shari’ah-based right for every Muslim upon all other Muslims; the latter have no favor or grace in this if they are Muslims applying Islam correctly. However, if a minority of Muslims remains in the Abode of Disbelief (Dar al-Kufr), and is subsequently attacked—despite the facilities granted by Muslims for them to enter the Abode of Islam—the Islamic duty still mandates that Muslims assist that Muslim minority which chose to remain in the Abode of Disbelief without a valid excuse or Shari’ah justification, given that the Abode of Islam has opened its doors for their entry and the entry of every Muslim. Allah Almighty says: 'And if they seek your help in the matter of religion, then you must help, except against a people between whom and you there is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do' (Surah al-Anfal: 72). ¶

These individuals are not members of the unified Islamic society bonded by Islam. Allah Almighty says: 'And those who believed and did not emigrate—for you there is no guardianship of them until they emigrate' (Surah al-Anfal: 72). Despite this, He made it obligatory upon us to assist them by virtue of the bond of Islam and faith, with the exception that such assistance must not violate the conditions of any treaty between Muslims and the disbelievers. This is because the interest of the Muslim society in the Abode of Islam takes precedence over the interest of a minority of Muslims who chose to stay in the Abode of Disbelief rather than migrate to the Abode of Islam, despite having the ability to enter it if they so desired. ¶

If assisting this minority, with those stated characteristics, is obligatory in Islam, then what would you think of assisting Muslims who are held captive by the disbelievers, who have no means to escape and find no way out, and who, if they were to leave the Abode of Disbelief, would find no Abode of Islam to shelter them, embrace them, or defend them? ¶

The Islamic duty mandates that states and peoples affiliated with Islam must choose between two options in their dealings with oppressed Muslims: ¶

First: To open the doors of their countries to receive oppressed Muslims from all parts of the world, sheltering them in the Dar al-Islam (Abode of Islam) and providing them with generous assistance and opportunities for honorable work. They should share with them all rights and privileges, just as the Muhajirun (emigrants) and the Ansar (helpers) shared in Medina upon the arrival of the emigrants. This matter may entail some difficulties, given that some may migrate to Islamic lands who do not practice Islam correctly, and given the presence of many groups of disbelief and hypocrisy living within Islamic countries who do not approve of such a measure, as it conflicts with their desires and way of life. Therefore, it is preferable, in the beginning, that Muslims do not increase the ranks of their opponents with such actions until they have established a solid foundation that can challenge the forces of disbelief and hypocrisy both internally and externally. Furthermore, opening the door of migration to some Islamic minorities may lead to their migration being motivated by worldly interests, and may lead to many countries that were once ruled by Islam becoming a Dar al-Kufr (Abode of Disbelief) with no Muslims remaining in them. This is despite the fact that Muslims today are not in dire need of quantitative numbers as much as they are in dire need of the sincere and truthful quality that understands Islam as the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) understood it. ¶

Second: That Muslims refrain from opening the door of migration for the majority of oppressed Muslims in most Islamic countries, and replace this with generous support for their brothers through wealth, self, and counsel. Thus, Muslims in the Dar al-Kufr would be Mujahideen in the path of Allah with their own selves and wealth, and their brothers in Islam would be Mujahideen alongside them with wealth, counsel, and self if the situation demands it. Thereby, Muslims achieve two goals: ¶

(1) Breaking the power (shawkah) of the disbelievers and protecting Muslims from the hegemony and dominance of disbelief over the Muslim community. (2) Raising the banner of Jihad which Allah has commanded to be upheld, so that there remains no fitnah (persecution/disbelief) and the religion is entirely for Allah. The Almighty says: "And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah" (Surah al-Anfal: 39). Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi says: "If there are prisoners or oppressed people among the Muslims, then the bond of guardianship (wilayah) with them remains in effect, and supporting them is obligatory with one's person, wealth, and counsel. We should not allow even a blink of an eye to pass until we go forth to rescue them, provided our numbers are sufficient to do so. We must spend all our wealth in securing their release, until not a single dirham or dinar remains with any of us that we would withhold from this cause." There is no doubt that the application of such teachings was the primary reason for the victory and honor of the Muslims throughout the long centuries of this glorious nation's history. Conversely, the neglect of this matter is precisely what has emboldened the enemies regarding Muslim lands; they began, day by day, to prey upon parts of the Muslim world, while the remaining Muslims are preoccupied with amusement, frivolity, debauchery, and lostness. Today, the states attributed to Islam are not fulfilling the obligations toward Muslim minorities to the level required by Shariah. Instead, they have sufficed with establishing a feeble, weak, and ineffective administration pursuant to the resolution of the Ninth Islamic Conference held in Dhaka (1398 AH / 1978 AD). The activities of this administration are extremely limited; it merely requests aid from member states and then distributes it to Islamic centers in the form of rare, limited subsidies that neither nourish nor satisfy any hunger. ¶

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Some governments claim to adhere to a principle of neutrality toward their sister nations or other countries of the world. However, the truth is that there is no neutrality with those who wage war against Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. Allah the Almighty says: 'You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred' (Surah Al-Mujadilah: 22). This excuse is unacceptable, and any association that conflicts with the Book (Quran) and the Sunnah must be discarded. Some of the evidences for the obligation to support Muslim minorities have already been mentioned, and others are as follows: 1. Allah the Almighty says: 'Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged. And ever is Allah Hearing and Knowing' (Surah An-Nisa: 148). 2. Allah the Almighty says: 'And those who, when tyranny strikes them, they defend themselves' (Surah Ash-Shura: 39). 3. Allah the Almighty says: 'And the retribution for an evil deed is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers. And whoever defends himself after having been wronged - those have no cause [for blame] against them' (Surah Ash-Shura: 40-41). From the Sunnah, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 1. It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he said: 'Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed.' 2. Al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded us with seven and forbade us from seven. He mentioned visiting the sick, following funeral processions, saying Yarhamuk-Allah to one who sneezes, returning the greeting of peace, helping the oppressed, accepting invitations, and fulfilling oaths.' 3. His (ﷺ) saying: 'The example of the believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion is like...' ¶

The body, if one of its members suffers, the rest of the body reacts with sleeplessness and fever (1). These verses and hadiths indicate the obligation to seek justice for the oppressed against the oppressors, and for the persecuted who are tortured by criminal disbelievers, regardless of whether those tormenting the Muslims are explicit disbelievers or apostate collaborators. Indeed, these proofs provide an eternal affirmation of a defining trait of this Muslim Ummah: the quality of seeking retribution against every rebel, aggressor, and tyrant, regardless of their status or position within the Islamic community. The Islamic religion does not show favoritism to anyone at the expense of others. Therefore, Islam has forbidden submission to the oppressor, assisting them in their oppression, covering up their injustices, or justifying their crimes and tyranny. The Muslim Ummah is religiously mandated to seek justice against those who oppress it and is required to respond to the evils of the oppressors in kind. In doing so, it exercises its legitimate right to repel injustice from itself, its individuals, and its subjects—the Muslims everywhere on earth. No regard is given to any customs or Jahili (pre-Islamic/ignorant) concepts that aim to strip away the rights of Muslims and trample their dignity, especially at a time when the states of disbelief abandon all the laws they themselves established whenever they perceive that these laws do not serve their goals, their interests, or the interests of their agents. International bodies, managed by the enemies of Islam, seem designed to shackle the Muslims, restrict them, and annihilate them group after group (2). Truly, the situation of the Muslim majority in our present era is extremely critical. (1) Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. See: Nuzhat al-Muttaqin Sharh Riyad al-Salihin, Vol. 1, p. 246, Hadith no. (226). (2) See: Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 6, pp. 1-4. Also see: Fi Zilal al-Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 6, pp. 577-579, and Vol. 25, pp. 301-403. ¶

The enemies of Islam have established fragmented states and emirates, enclosing them within artificial geographical borders, assigning them distinct nationalities, and placing at the head of each—with rare exceptions—a tyrannical dictator who inflicts severe suffering upon the Muslims. These states can neither overcome such tyrants on their own, nor seek help from their neighbors, as those in charge of neighboring states are performing the same role and following the same agenda. ¶

Muslim populations are crushed and submerged in a sea of desires and doubts, to the extent that they are oblivious to the process of being stripped of their Islamic identity and the physical liquidation of those Muslims who are zealous about their religion. We find that the general public is preoccupied with lewd art, while others are busy with sports that condition people toward dissipation, humiliation, and decadence. A third group is occupied with the worship of money, chasing it through every available means, no matter how vile. If a believing minority exists within this society—which has drifted from Islam—and feels the pain of their brothers suffering under the weight of criminal tyrants, they often find no way to assist them. This is because most states affiliated with Islam do not permit the collection of any form of charity for oppressed Muslim minorities worldwide—or even for the oppressed majorities within the Islamic world. ¶

Some states may, under specific circumstances, allow fundraising for victims if it aligns with their political situation and security issues. They permit such collections under their own supervision and scrutiny, under the pretext of 'regulating' them. They then channel the proceeds, or a portion thereof, to their own loyalists in conflicts—whether in Palestine, Afghanistan, or other Islamic lands—while the actual affected parties receive nothing. The only outcome is to provide some hypocrites and agents the opportunity to be featured on television and in newspapers and magazines, subsequently circulating this through news bulletins and the local and global press. ¶

For this reason, many Muslims refrain from participating in supporting Muslim minorities, as they are not confident that these aid provisions will reach the rightful recipients according to Shariah, given that those in positions of authority in most Islamic countries are far removed from the essence and reality of Islam. ¶

However, if a true, honest, and sincere Islamic state were to exist and wish to assist the oppressed Muslims in the Islamic world with seriousness and sincerity, it would be performing a legitimate act and fulfilling a duty toward this religion and toward Muslims in general. In its actions, it would be guided by the saying of the Messenger (peace be upon him): 'Each of you is a guardian, and each of you is responsible for those under your care; the Imam (ruler) is a guardian and is responsible for those under his care.' The care Muslims show for their brothers is not limited by boundaries, nor hindered by non-Shariah restrictions. An objector might ask: 'How can a small state intervene in the internal affairs of another state?' The answer is: Muslims, in their mutual affection, mercy, and support for one another, must be stronger than the solidarity of the disbelievers (kuffar) among themselves. All the states of disbelief have stood in solidarity with the Jews from the time they declared their state until this very day, providing them with human, military, economic, and moral support, particularly from the major powers. All the states of disbelief stood in solidarity with America in the case of the American hostages in Iran, despite America's strength and superiority in various fields. The Jews stood in solidarity with the Christians of Lebanon, and indeed the Christians of the entire world, and the Communists in Cuba, Poland, and Arab states stood with Russia in its invasion of Afghanistan, even though Russia was not in need of it. So, is the cooperation and solidarity that the states of disbelief permit for themselves forbidden to be applied among Muslims? ¶

The governments existing in Islamic lands possess many means by which they can... ¶

Through these means, pressure and influence can be exerted upon those who persecute the Muslim majority, to say nothing of Muslim minorities. Among these methods are the following: ¶

First: Utilizing the economy as a powerful and effective instrument against the circumstances of these criminals. We must not export to them what they desperately need, nor should we import from them what we can obtain from others who have good relations with the Muslims. ¶

Second: One of the means of pressuring the enemies of Allah, His Messenger, and the believers is to refrain from cooperating with them in any sphere of life. We must neither assist them nor seek their assistance in any of the affairs of the Muslims, as long as we can find others to fill their place. Even if we are compelled to deal with them, we should limit our interaction to commercial transactions without any love or affection. They are plundering the wealth and resources of the Muslims, harboring nothing for them but malice, hatred, and malicious schemes!! ¶

Third: Muslims must expose the plans of the disbelievers and clarify their crimes against Islam and the Muslims through educational curricula and the media, and they must not adopt a path of appeasement or hypocrisy with them. ¶

Fourth: Muslims, both as peoples and governments, must extend a helping hand and provide generous support to those Muslims who are resisting tyrannical governments and infidel parties, supporting them in this without shame, shyness, or fear of people. This is because it is a Shar'i obligation among the duties of Islam, which Muslims must perform just as they perform other Shar'i obligations. ¶

Fifth: Muslims should take in some of the refugees who have been expelled from their lands and who represent only a small minority in the lands of the disbelievers, such as refugees from Cambodia, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and some countries in Africa and Eastern Europe, and then the inhabitants of Muslim countries should share the responsibility for them among themselves. ¶

Just as the Crusader nations do with the Christians in Southeast Asia, the Muslims are in need of labor. Instead of importing hundreds of thousands of Crusaders, Jews, and idolaters, they should bring in their brothers in Islam. Thus, they would benefit from them in various fields of work, and in turn, benefit them by providing support, shelter, and the opportunity for a dignified life among Muslims. Islamic countries possess vast expanses of land, large and abundant rivers, and immense oil wealth; therefore, they are capable of growth in agriculture, industry, and all other aspects of life. They have the capacity to absorb millions of people. For instance, Sudan, southern Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia contain vast deserts that could be utilized to settle thousands of refugees. ¶

But where are those who think of such things and work toward them? ¶

Most of the states ruling over Muslim peoples neither think of such things nor plan for them, because their vision is short-term and they lack self-confidence. This is because they were not established or launched from a sound foundation that would allow them to be secure in their planning and conduct across all their affairs. ¶

They await their downfall morning and evening; therefore, their only concern is to hold onto their positions with tooth and nail, even if it means the destruction of the entire Muslim Ummah. ¶

They are prepared to sell the lands of the Muslims and the Muslims themselves in exchange for vast wealth and a comfortable chair. Such governments do not build, nor do they care for their own people—limited as they are by narrow borders—let alone be expected to do any good in supporting peoples and lands far from them. One who does not possess something cannot give it; and there is no power nor strength except in Allah, the Most High, the Almighty. ¶

Fourth Topic: Causes for Achieving Enmity for the Sake of Allah ¶

A Muslim is commanded to manifest enmity towards the enemies of Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. This commandment cannot be realized except through five primary causes, which are as follows: ¶

The First Cause: Abandoning the following of the desires of the disbelievers or fulfilling their wishes in matters involving disobedience to Allah. The Almighty says: 'And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion. Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance." If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper' (Al-Baqarah: 120). ¶

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) stated: 'Observe how, in the information provided, He mentioned their 'religion' (millah), and in the prohibition, He mentioned their 'desires' (ahwa'), because they will not be satisfied unless one follows their religion absolutely, whereas the prohibition was issued against following their desires, whether in small or large matters.' ¶

And Allah the Almighty said to Moses and Aaron: 'Keep both of you on the right path, and do not follow the path of those who do not know.' And Moses said to his brother Aaron, as Allah mentioned: 'Take my place among my people, act rightly, and do not follow the path of the corrupters.' And Allah says: 'And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers, We will give him what he has chosen and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.' And Allah says: 'So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from the truth that has come to you.' And Allah says: 'Then We put you on a path (Shariah) concerning the matter; so follow it and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know. Indeed, they will not avail you at all against Allah. And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of each other, but Allah is the protector of the righteous.' ¶

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah the Almighty has ordained for His Messenger a Shariah, commanded him to follow it, and forbade him from following those who do not know. Included in 'those who do not know' is everyone who opposes the Shariah of Islam and follows the disbelievers. Allah says: 'And thus We have revealed it as an Arabic authority. And if you should follow their inclinations after what has come to you of knowledge, you would not have against Allah any protector or any defender.' Thus, among the signs of faith is the intentional opposition to the whims of the disbelievers and the rejection of their desires, through which they intend to drag the Muslim into disbelief and cast him out of Islam. (End quote) ¶

Second reason: It is the disobedience of the disbelievers in what they command, for Allah the Almighty has forbidden obeying the disbelievers and warned that if the Muslims obey them, they would apostatize from faith. ¶

Regarding [the return] to disbelief, Allah the Almighty says: "O you who have believed, if you obey a party of those who were given the Scripture, they would turn you back, after your belief, to [being] disbelievers." And He says: "And do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect." And He says: "And indeed do the devils inspire their allies [among men] to dispute with you. And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him]." And He says: "So do not obey the disbelievers, and strive against them with the Qur'an a great striving." ¶

Therefore, it is incumbent upon Muslims, both rulers and the ruled, not to obey the disbelievers, to demonstrate disobedience to them in both word and deed, and to treat them with such sternness that they do not harbor hope of attaining anything beyond what they are entitled to under the Shariah of Islam. ¶

The third reason: Not to incline toward the disbelievers or the oppressors, nor to take them as trustees or advisors, for refraining from doing so is a sign of hostility toward them, as Allah the Almighty has commanded. Allah has promised the Fire in the Hereafter and a lack of support in this world for those who incline toward the disbelievers or take them as allies. Allah the Almighty says: "And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allah any protectors; then you would not be helped." ¶

This is a fact that has been realized, as we see that those who allied themselves with the enemies never triumphed over their enemies. In the wars fought by those who opposed the Jews in name, but not in reality, they did not defeat the Jews in the war of (1367 AH), the war of (1387 AH), and the war of (1393 AH)—that is, according to the Gregorian calendar, the war of (1948 AD), the war of (1967 AD), and the war of (1973 AD)—because they threw themselves into the embrace of their enemies, obeyed them, took them as allies, and followed their desires. Thus, what they attained were disastrous defeats, an affair occurring according to the Sunnah (the established way of Allah). ¶

God's decree in the universe and in life is that He has promised to deprive those who take others besides Him as guardians of honor and empowerment. The Almighty says: 'Those who take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers, do they seek honor with them? For indeed, all honor belongs to Allah' (1). ¶

The fourth reason: Among the reasons for realizing enmity for the sake of Allah is ceasing to befriend the disbelievers, avoiding forced cheerfulness in their presence, and refraining from excessive welcoming or honoring them without the intention of inviting them to Allah. The disbeliever is an enemy to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers; and the one among them who is at war (muharib) is even more hostile than others. The Almighty says: 'You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred' (2). ¶

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 'Allah informs us in this verse that there is no believer who maintains affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or sons. Therefore, whoever maintains affection for a disbeliever is not a believer, because the love of Allah and the love of His enemy are two opposites that cannot coexist in one heart' (3). ¶

The fifth reason: Among the reasons for realizing enmity for the sake of Allah is opposing the disbelievers by avoiding imitation of them in their speech and deeds. Allah has urged the believers to abandon words and actions that carry a specific and negative meaning according to the custom and usage of the disbelievers. The Almighty says: 'O you who have believed, do not say 'Ra'ina' but say 'Unzurna' and listen; and for the disbelievers is a painful punishment' (4). ¶

Thus, He forbade imitating the disbelievers in their speech and actions. The Sunnah has also indicated the prohibition of imitating the disbelievers in clothing and similar matters, as it was narrated from Abdullah bin Amr... ¶

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Some states that are considered part of the Islamic world compel their subjects to imitate the disbelievers in their speech and actions, and they wage war against Islamic morality through the means of education and media. Despite this, if anyone speaks out or describes them as disbelievers, they cast him into the depths of dark prisons and subject him to various forms of painful torture. ¶

As for the level of Muslim populations, most of them are divided into three categories: ¶

The First Category: A group of believers tested in their faith and worship. Wherever they turn and wherever they go, they find nothing but enemies conspiring against the believers. They are pained by this bitter and tragic reality, but they are unable to do anything significant about it, because the Muslim group committed to Islam lives amidst large crowds of apostates, hypocrites, opportunists, and the ignorant, who collectively form a bloc that stands against the truth and its people, fighting it with every weapon they possess. ¶

The Second Category: The class of hypocrites and the 'dregs' of Muslims whose only concern is their immediate desires and interests; for them, they form alliances, and for them, they manifest enmity. This group is usually with the strongest party, whether they are people of good or evil; they are followers of whoever takes the initiative and ascends to the position of leadership. ¶

The Third Category: The group of apostates and partisan disbelievers who belong to parties of disbelief and misguidance, such as the Ba'ath Party, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, or other such parties of disbelief that wear masks whose outward appearance is a call to reform, while their inner reality is a call to blatant disbelief. ¶

The existence of these groups and their control over the reins of power in most Islamic countries is what has led to the failure to achieve 'loyalty for the sake of Allah and enmity for the sake of Allah' (al-muwalat wal-mu'adat) at the level of Islamic states and peoples. ¶

The way out of this, as I believe—and Allah knows best—is for serious effort to be made by... ¶

It is the responsibility of the believers working for Islam to convert the greatest possible number of people residing in Islamic lands to the authentic Islam. Once this is achieved, it becomes easier to eliminate the enemies of Islam and the Muslims, and it becomes easier to implement the principle of allegiance for the sake of Allah and enmity for the sake of Allah, as occurred at the beginning of this call. And Allah is the Guide to the path of truth and correctness. ¶