Chapter 21

As for the fundamental legal issue of whether the religious law of those who came before us constitutes a religious law for us, some have stated: If a text appears in our Shariah narrating the law of those who preceded us by way of argumentation and approval without rejection, then it implicitly establishes the validity of using it as evidence and acting accordingly. ¶

Based on this, those who prefer to remain in isolation from the Ummah in its struggle against its enemies, and who adopt passivity as a methodology and a means to escape confronting problems and events, are not true believers—not in Allah as Lord, in Islam as a religion, nor in Muhammad as Prophet and Messenger. Otherwise, they would not stand by as spectators in the conflict between Truth and Falsehood as if the matter did not concern them, and as if they had no stake in the unfolding events. If these people, who bury their heads in the sand in pursuit of safety, were sincere to Allah and His religion, and if they showed loyalty to the people of faith and disavowal toward the people of disbelief and disobedience, and confronted events with the steadfastness of a believer and the patience of a monotheist, they would have blocked the path of the people of falsehood, and atheistic anarchy would have found no way into the homelands of the Muslims. ¶

Allah has commanded [us] to follow the path of the believers and to hold fast with them to the Truth. The Almighty 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 taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.' ¶

And the Almighty says: 'And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.' ¶

Allah has encouraged 'holding fast' (al-i'tisam) to the Truth, which is stronger than mere assembly; then He emphasized this with the word 'all together' (jami'an), and then prohibited 'turning away' (al-sadd), which is division. These are three points of emphasis regarding the obligation of adhering to the community (Jama'ah) and remaining cohesive with it. Allah has explicitly commanded this in Surah Al-Kahf, saying: 'And keep yourself patient with those who call...' ¶

The verse states: 'And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, 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' (Surah Al-Kahf: 28). ¶

This verse is a command to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his Ummah after him to adhere to the community of Muslims and not to depart from them in pursuit of the adornments of worldly life and its limited, transient desires, nor to seek to please those who are heedless and distracted from the Hereafter by the world, having squandered both their worldly life and their Hereafter for the sake of their lusts and whims. ¶

Thus, whoever isolates himself from the people of faith and the community of Muslims has followed a path other than theirs, has separated from them, and has become deserving of a severe warning. This is because such isolation constitutes abandoning the Muslims. It has been reported from Sahl ibn Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him) in a marfu' (elevated) narration: 'Whoever witnesses a believer being humiliated in his presence and does not help him while being capable of doing so, Allah will humiliate him before all of creation on the Day of Resurrection.' ¶

Some might argue using the report narrated by Talha ibn Ubaydullah, who said: A man from Najd came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with disheveled hair; we could hear the resonance of his voice but could not understand what he was saying until he drew near and began asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Five prayers during the day and night.' He asked: 'Is there anything else upon me?' He replied: 'No, unless you do it voluntarily.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then mentioned the fasting of Ramadan, and he asked: 'Is there anything else upon me?' He replied: 'No, unless you do it voluntarily.' He then mentioned Zakat to him, and he asked: 'Is there anything else upon me?' He replied: 'No, unless you do it voluntarily.' The man turned away, saying: 'By Allah, I will neither add to this nor subtract from it.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'He will succeed if he is truthful.' ¶

And the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a Bedouin came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said... ¶

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In this context, forming allegiance (walayah) to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers is among the most important principles of worshiping Allah (Azza wa Jall). Conversely, harboring love for the disbelievers and taking them as allies is a form of shirk (polytheism). Allah the Almighty says: 'And of the people are some who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah' (1). ¶

He also says: 'And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people' (2). ¶

Based on this, there is no validity to the misconception held by some weak-minded Muslims that it is permissible for them to limit themselves to some of the obligations mentioned in the first hadith without bearing the responsibility of 'allegiance for the sake of Allah' (al-muwalat fillah) and 'enmity for the sake of Allah' (al-mu'adat fillah), by joining the Party of Allah (Hizbullah) and fighting against the Party of Satan. This is because Allah says: 'And whoever is an ally of Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed – indeed, the party of Allah – they will be the predominant' (3). He also says: 'Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Those are the party of Allah. Unquestionably, the party of Allah – they are the successful' (4). Whoever is not in the Party of Allah is in the Party of Satan. Allah says: 'Unquestionably, the party of Satan – they are the losers.' Thus, there is no middle ground between the Party of Allah and the Party of Satan. Every person must examine themselves to see which of the two parties they belong to in speech, action, and belief. The wise one is he who disciplines his soul and works for what comes after death, and the weak one is he who follows his own desires and harbors vain hopes from Allah. ¶

O Allah, make us of Your successful party and among Your supporters and helpers. Turn our hearts away from the love, support, and assistance of the parties of Satan, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy. You are sufficient for us, and [You are] the best Disposer of affairs. ¶

Section Two: The Withdrawal of Believers Out of Fear of the Enemies of the People of Faith ¶

Many people know that the truth lies with a certain sect or group of Muslims, yet the fear for their own lives, wealth, or families drives some who are affiliated with Islam to withdraw from the Muslim community, withhold their support, or refrain from engaging in jihad with them, in pursuit of comfort and out of fear of the trials, tribulations, and afflictions inherent in the path of Dawah (proselytizing). There is no doubt that fear is part of human nature, but this fear must either find its correct and natural place—which is the fear of Allah (Almighty and Majestic) and His punishment—in which case the Muslim hastens to perform acts of obedience and avoid prohibited matters, driven by the fear of Allah’s punishment and the hope for His reward and immense recompense; or, the attribute deviates from its proper course. In the latter case, one fears and dreads worldly leaders to the extent that their fear outweighs the fear of Allah, due to one's short-sightedness and weakness of faith. It is this type of fear that is condemned in the Book and the Sunnah. Allah the Almighty says: 'It is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.' (Surah Ali 'Imran: 175). ¶

And Allah the Almighty says: 'The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.' These verses indicate that being free from the fear of anyone other than Allah is part of the perfection of faith. For this reason, Allah praised the believers for not fearing anyone besides Him. Likewise, Allah the Almighty condemned those who claim righteousness and reform during times of ease and abundance, but when the hour of trial and distress arrives, and hearts reach the throats, they disavow Islam and the Muslims, denying any affiliation with them out of fear for their own lives, wealth, and worldly gains. Allah says: 'And of the people is he who says, 'We believe in Allah,' but when he is harmed for the sake of Allah, he considers the trial of the people as the punishment of Allah.' Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) stated: 'Fear is a form of worship of the heart for Allah the Almighty; therefore, fear should only be directed towards Allah. It is like humility, love, reliance (tawakkul), hope, and other forms of the heart's worship.' ¶

Thus, fear that causes a person to abandon their obligations of dawah, jihad, and supporting the believers through word and deed, out of fear of certain people, is a type of shirk that contradicts the perfection of Tawheed. ¶

In the aforementioned verse, there is a refutation of the Murji'ah, the Karramiyyah, and those among the later generations who followed in their footsteps, who claim that whoever chooses to abandon jihad due to fear, dissociates from the community of believers, and does not engage in jihad with them, does not incur kufr (disbelief) as a consequence of this action. This is based on their premise that faith is merely an internal affirmation (tasdiq). Al-Bahnasawi argues for this by saying... ¶

The Almighty says: {And those who believed but did not emigrate - you have no duty of guardianship toward them until they emigrate} (Surah Al-Anfal: 72). It is mentioned that the Qur'an affirmed their description of faith even though they refrained from migration out of fear and did not join the Muslims in Medina. To clarify this statement, we say: ¶

First: That those who did not migrate to Medina did not stay in Mecca due to fear, nor did they personally desire to avoid joining the Muslims for this reason, as evidenced by the fact that general books of Tafsir do not mention this reason as the cause for their stay. ¶

Second: That those who remained in Mecca were among the mustad'afin (the oppressed/weak) whom Allah excused for their stay, as being oppressed is a form of coercion (ikrah), unlike fear. Fear is distinct from oppression. Coercion is forcing a person to do what they do not want to do, while fear is abandoning what a person wants due to the dread of something another person might do. Thus, coercion is something imposed upon a person, while fear originates from within the person regarding something that has not yet befallen them. The Holy Qur'an has indicated that those who were not oppressed were not excused for remaining in Mecca; rather, the Almighty informed them of the obligation of migration upon them... The Almighty says: {Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while they are wronging themselves - [the angels] will say, 'In what [condition] were you?' They will say, 'We were oppressed in the land.' They will say, 'Was not the earth of Allah spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?' For those, their refuge is Hell - and evil it is as a destination. Except for the oppressed among men, women, and children who cannot devise a plan...} ¶

so that they may find a way. For them, it is expected that Allah will pardon them, for Allah is ever Pardoning, Forgiving (1). ¶

It is for this reason that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to say in his Qunut: 'O Allah, save Al-Walid ibn Al-Walid, Salamah ibn Hisham, and the oppressed among the believers. O Allah, intensify Your punishment against the tribe of Mudar and bring upon them years like the years of Joseph' (2). ¶

Thirdly: Hadiths have been narrated condemning those who reside with the polytheists while not being among the weak who are excused, and who are unable to openly practice their religion among them. It is well known that the disbelievers in Makkah were at war with every Muslim and did not allow the manifestation of Islam among them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'The guarantee of protection is void for anyone who resides with the polytheists in their lands' (3). ¶

He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: 'I am dissociated from every Muslim who lives with a polytheist.' Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'Beware, their fires should not be visible to one another' (4). Furthermore, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'I pledge allegiance to you that you worship Allah, establish prayer, pay Zakat, offer sincere advice to the Muslims, and separate from the polytheists' (5). Therefore, fear is not an excuse to abandon Da'wah (calling to Islam) and isolate oneself from the Jama'ah (the community). For who among us does not fear for their life, wealth, family, and honor? If such fear were to justify abandoning Da'wah and isolating from the community, no one would have risen to uphold the obligations of Islam or fulfilled the rights of this religion. ¶

Indeed, whoever leaves working for the sake of Islam with the Islamic community without a Shari'ah-based excuse, ¶

If a person refrains [from jihad] merely out of fear that he might suffer a loss in his own person, his family, or his wealth, he is committing a grave sin and a major offense; these are the excuses of the hypocrites. Allah the Almighty says: 'The bedouins who were left behind will say to you, "Our possessions and our families occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not within their hearts. Say, "Then who could prevent Allah at all if He intended for you harm or intended for you benefit? Rather, ever is Allah, with what you do, Acquainted."' (Surah Al-Fath: 11). This is pure hypocrisy. Yet, the requirement of true faith is to fear no one but Allah; that is why, at the end of the aforementioned verse, He says: 'Say, "Then who could prevent Allah at all if He intended for you harm or intended for you benefit?"' Thus, those who isolate themselves from the rituals of Islam and the Muslim community out of fear and apprehension of suffering any loss to their persons, wealth, or families are preferring the worldly life over the Hereafter. They fall under the words of Allah the Almighty: 'That is because they preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter' (Surah An-Nahl: 107), and His saying: 'The ones who prefer the worldly life over the Hereafter' (Surah Ibrahim: 3). If there were a path to jihad where a person would not lose a single drop of blood, nor a dirham of his wealth, nor be separated from his family or children, the hypocrites would have raced toward it. And the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would not have endured the burden of sacrificing wealth, life, and family for the sake of Allah if there were an alternative that served the same purpose. If staying behind from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in a single battle was sufficient to label those who remained behind as hypocrites—as in the saying of the Almighty: 'Those who remained behind rejoiced in their staying [at home] after the Messenger of Allah and disliked to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah and said, "Do not go forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is more intensive in heat" - if they would understand. So let them laugh a little and weep much as recompense for what they used to earn' (Surah At-Tawbah: 81-82)—then if these people were to receive punishment for staying behind from a single battle, what is your thought of someone who stands as a mere spectator in the struggle between truth and falsehood? ¶

Those who persistently stay away, preferring safety, seeking comfort, and belittling the call (Da'wah) and its people—are they not greater in sin than those who simply missed a single battle? ¶

Does the stance of this person who abandons the Da'wah and its callers not suggest a lack of concern or care for Islam and the Muslims? ¶

Fear is one of the most significant reasons that cause those with weak faith to sit back from showing loyalty for the sake of Allah and disavowal for the sake of Allah (al-wala' wal-bara'). ¶

Those who live only for their bellies and their desires are most afraid of losing their worldly interests. For this reason, you see them sacrificing Islam and the Muslims for the sake of those interests. Fear and cowardice drive them to flatter every person in power, to follow every tyrant, and to distort the meanings of words to seek the pleasure of the authorities. The least of them are those who resort to silence in situations where there is the most urgent need to speak the word of truth in the presence of a tyrannical ruler. ¶

It is narrated from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) in a marfu' (elevated) report: "It is a sign of weak conviction that you seek to please people by angering Allah, that you praise them for the provision Allah gave you, and that you blame them for what Allah did not give you. Allah’s provision cannot be brought by the greed of a greedy person, nor can it be prevented by the dislike of someone who dislikes it." This indicates that preferring the pleasure of a created being in a way that brings the displeasure of the Creator is a form of shirk (polytheism), because he has prioritized the pleasure of the creature over the pleasure of the Creator, Mighty and Majestic is He. From Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah while angering the people, Allah will be pleased with him and will make the people pleased with him. And whoever seeks the pleasure of the people while angering Allah, Allah will be angry with him and will make the people angry with him." Narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih. ¶

Therefore, it is incumbent upon a Muslim, once they know the truth, to follow it and to speak it without hesitation. ¶

There should be no fear of anyone, nor flattery of anyone, because this is the enjoining of good and the forbidding of evil, and he who is silent about the truth is a mute devil. How can the fear of people be placed in a position greater than the fear of Allah? This is not permissible, whether for an individual or for the Muslim community, because once a Muslim recognizes the truth, he must rely on Allah in calling to it and explaining it. The Almighty says: {O Prophet, sufficient for you is Allah and for whoever follows you of the believers.} And He says: {And whoever relies upon Allah, then He is sufficient for him.} It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: 'Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.' Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said it when he was thrown into the fire, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) said it when it was said to him: {Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them. But it increased them in faith, and they said, 'Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.'} ¶

As for the person who intends only the worldly life through their deeds, it is natural that they would fear its loss and sacrifice everything for its sake, to the point of stripping themselves of their creed; this is a form of shirk (polytheism). The Almighty says: {Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.} ¶

Therefore, fear of other than Allah that causes a person to abandon the Shariah-mandated duties is a type of shirk from which the Muslim must abstain. ¶

Allah Almighty says: {So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.} (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 44). ¶

One might ask: why then do we see some scholars and thinkers overlooking many evils and prohibited acts in their countries and ignoring their existence? Does this not signify their fear of the ruler and his oppression? ¶

The answer, in my opinion, is that not everyone who sees an evil and remains silent about it is necessarily pleased with it or afraid to denounce it. In some circumstances, denouncing an evil may not be the most prudent course for the Da'wah (call to Islam) and its advocates, even if denouncing evil is generally a virtuous act. This depends on the nature of the society in which the Muslim lives. A Muslim may live in a society committed to Islam; in this case, it is sufficient to openly denounce the evil, as they will find full support from the authorities and the community to change and eliminate it. Conversely, a Muslim may be in a society where the individuals are Muslims but the authority is non-Islamic (kaafir); in this case, the denunciation and call must be directed toward the society, because the authority is not prepared to respond except to the language of force, and force is not always available to the advocates of the cause in all circumstances. ¶

Furthermore, a Muslim may be in a society that is disbelieving—both in its state and its individuals—and in such a situation, it is not wise to stand against the entire society when one is but a drop in the ocean. ¶

In such cases, one resorts to private Da'wah through individual contact, perhaps with complete secrecy, as Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) did with his people, and as our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did in Makkah, where he spent three years calling people in secret. Such methods of Da'wah are part of the wisdom that Allah has commanded us with in His saying: {Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.} ¶

is the best.' And the Almighty says: 'He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding.' Based on this, whoever follows one of these paths within the society in which he lives is not considered someone who has severed ties with Da'wah, nor can he be described as fearful or cowardly for ignoring some evils. This is because he views matters with wisdom and deliberation that differs from the perspective of those shallow in knowledge and thought—those who are either held back by fear from working for Islam in all fields, or those who rush without wisdom or deliberation into fighting the superficialities and branches of falsehood, forgetting or ignoring the serious work of uprooting the foundations of falsehood from their depths. Falsehood is like a tree; every time a branch is cut from it, another grows in its place, and falsehood does not vanish except by uprooting its origin. The Almighty says: 'And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, having no stability. Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills.' Therefore, we must distinguish between one who works for the sake of Allah with wisdom, and one who abandons working for the sake of Allah out of fear of people. ¶

Third Section: Scholars Between the Path of Jihad and the Path of Withdrawal (I'tizal) ¶

There is no doubt that scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets and the most God-fearing among them. Allah the Almighty says: 'It is only those among His servants who have knowledge who fear Allah.' Had these scholars found that the path of withdrawal (i'tizal) would lead them to safety in this world and the Hereafter, they would have followed it and invited others to it. This is because they are the most knowledgeable of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him), and they are the most capable of extracting (istinbat) and understanding rulings, as Allah the Almighty says: 'If they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those who can draw correct conclusions from it would have known it.' Thus, had the scholars derived the permissibility of withdrawing from enjoining good and forbidding evil, abandoning the community of Muslims, and contenting themselves solely with self-purification and the performance of devotional acts limited to the individual, they would not have taken those stances that led them to sacrifice their lives and wealth cheaply in the path of Allah. ¶

It was possible for those mujahideen to seek refuge in those verses and hadiths whose literal appearance might suggest the permissibility of isolation from the conflict between truth and falsehood. They could have interpreted those texts in a way that would exempt them from the exhaustion of jihad and its grueling hardships, providing them relief from the lashes of oppressors and the prisons of criminal tyrants. However, they realized that the path they had chosen was the correct one. Thus, they walked upon it, deeming all obstacles faced along the way as insignificant and trivial, and enduring them patiently, for this path is the path of jihad that leads to the pleasure of Allah and His Paradise. One of these mujahideen says: ¶

And the path of our da'wah is jihad, and if it is lost, the sanctity of the homelands is lost; and death is the wish of the callers (to Islam), so do you see? A pillar that is faulted by these pillars (1)? ¶

In this section, we will present living examples of men whose hearts were filled with faith; they did not care for status or authority, nor did they yield to tyranny or oppression. Rather, they fought tyranny at the peak of its power and brutality and conquered oppression in its arrogance and defiance. They had no weapon other than the weapon of faith, by which the believer is exalted above every other weapon. ¶

It was possible for all of them to live with their nations and rulers without adopting this style and this path, had they desired the comfortable life and meager pleasures that the scholars of evil and the brokers of tyrants scramble for. But they were too great to be seduced by the world or held back by desires and doubts. The stances of scholars in this regard are too numerous to count, but it suffices for us to mention a few portrayals as a reminder, for the reminder benefits the believers. Among these stances are the following: ¶

First: The stance of Sa'id ibn Jubayr (2) with Al-Hajjaj Sa'id ibn Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) was known for his extreme piety and devotion; he had been granted... ¶

He possessed a tongue that spoke the truth, a heart that preserved knowledge, and a quick wit in presenting irrefutable arguments before his adversary. Al-Hajjaj was notorious for his wickedness and his transgression against the sanctity of people's lives and property. He feared the presence of Sa'id ibn Jubayr among the subjects due to their love and trust in him; thus, he decided to eliminate him through a mixture of enticement and intimidation. ¶

Sa'id ibn Jubayr was brought before Al-Hajjaj. When he entered, Al-Hajjaj asked him several questions filled with mockery, reproach, and scorn, to which Sa'id responded with a crushing retort. ¶

Al-Hajjaj then ordered a tray filled with pearls, chrysolite, and rubies to be brought, gathering them in his hands in the hope that it might entice Sa'id ibn Jubayr, serving as a price for his silence and submission. However, Sa'id grasped the motive behind this and said to Al-Hajjaj: 'If you have gathered this to shield yourself from the terror of the Day of Resurrection, then it is a good deed. Otherwise, a single terror [on that day] will make every nursing mother forget her nursling, and there is no good in anything of this world except that which is pure and blessed.' ¶

This enticement with wealth and gold did not benefit Al-Hajjaj, for Ibn Jubayr was not a slave to money, nor was he among those who sell their religion for the sake of their worldly life. Consequently, Al-Hajjaj became weary of Sa'id and said to him: 'Choose, O Sa'id, by what manner of killing I should kill you?' Sa'id replied: 'Choose it for yourself, for by Allah, you will not kill me in any way but that Allah will kill you in the same way in the Hereafter.' Al-Hajjaj then asked: 'Do you want me to pardon you?' Sa'id answered: 'If pardon is to be granted, it is from Allah, but as for you, you have neither absolution nor excuse.' ¶

Al-Hajjaj then ordered him to be executed, and he was slaughtered from jugular to jugular while his tongue remained moist with the remembrance of Allah. ¶

[Footnote] He was one of the Imams of Islam in Tafsir (exegesis), Fiqh (jurisprudence), and various sciences, and was known for his abundant righteous deeds. He passed away (may Allah have mercy on him) in the year 95 AH at the age of 74. See: Al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya by Ibn Kathir, Vol. 9, pp. 98-99, and see: Al-Islam bayn al-'Ulama wal-Hukkam by Al-Badri, pp. 138-143. (1) See: Al-Islam bayn al-'Ulama wal-Hukkam, p. 141. (2) See: Wafayat al-A'yan by Ibn Khallikan, Vol. 2, p. 112, and see: Al-Islam bayn al-'Ulama wal-Hukkam by 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Badri, pp. 138-143. ¶

It was said to Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him): 'Al-Hajjaj has killed Sa'id ibn Jubayr.' He replied: '(O Allah, take revenge on this wicked man of Thaqif. By Allah, if all the people between the East and the West had participated in his killing, Allah the Almighty would have cast them all into the Fire).' ¶

Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) said: '(Al-Hajjaj killed Sa'id ibn Jubayr, at a time when there was no one on the face of the earth who was not in need of his knowledge).' ¶

Second: When al-Ma'mun supported the Mu'tazila against Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah regarding the issue of the creation of the Qur'an, Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him)—the supporter of the Sunnah and the vanquisher of innovation—stood like an unshakeable mountain. No threat could intimidate him, nor could any temptation lure him. His students and relatives even felt pity for him; his uncle Ishaq came to him and said: '(O Abu Abdullah, your colleagues have complied [with the demand], you have fulfilled your duty between yourself and Allah, yet you remain in prison and distress).' He replied: '(O uncle, if the scholar complies out of taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation) and the ignorant remains so due to their ignorance, then when will the truth be made clear?)' ¶

Third: When Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) was imprisoned after being flogged by the order of Abu Ja'far al-Mansur, his mother visited him in prison and said: '(O Nu'man, a knowledge that has brought you nothing but lashes and imprisonment is one you should turn away from).' He replied: '(O mother, if I had desired the world, I could have attained it, but I wanted Allah to know that I have safeguarded knowledge and did not expose it to destruction).' ¶

Fourth: Indeed, Jihad and exposing oneself to martyrdom is of greater reward and more beneficial to the Muslims than those who hide their heads in the sand despite witnessing evil, thinking that merely performing some rituals of Islam that cost them nothing in terms of their souls or wealth is sufficient to elevate them to the ranks of the martyrs, the righteous, and the Mujahideen in the path of Allah. ¶

Although the truth is contrary to what they have imagined, for the duty is to combine the performance of acts of worship with Jihad alongside the Muslim community to support this religion through both speech and action. This is what the scholar, man of action, and mujahid Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) understood; he would perform Hajj one year and engage in Jihad the next, until he passed away while on the path of Jihad. This venerable scholar was a friend of Fudayl ibn Iyad, who had devoted himself exclusively to worship in the most honorable place, the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram). Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak wrote a letter and a poem to his brother Fudayl ibn Iyad, some verses of which say: ¶

O worshipper of the Two Holy Sites, if you were to see us, you would realize that you are merely playing in your worship. He who moistens his cheeks with tears, look at our necks; they are drenched in our blood. You have the scent of perfume, but our perfume is the dust kicked up by the hooves of horses, the most fragrant dust. Indeed, there has reached us from the speech of our Prophet a true and honest statement that cannot be false: The dust of Allah’s horses entering a man’s nostrils and the smoke of the blazing Fire are not equal. This is the Book of Allah speaking among us, that the martyr is not dead—this is no lie. ¶

Ibn al-Mubarak wrote these words at a time when Jihad was not an individual obligation (fard ayn), unlike the current situation where Jews, Christians, and Communists have violated most of the Islamic lands. Ibn al-Mubarak described his friend’s devotion to supererogatory acts of worship as 'play,' even though such worship was taking place in the most honorable spot on this earth. One wonders what Ibn al-Mubarak would say about those who claim knowledge and issue fatwas to reconcile with the Jews regarding the sanctities of the Muslims, and those who bow before the feet of tyrannical oppressors. May Allah have mercy on the scholars of action who do not justify their own mistakes or the mistakes of the corrupt rulers of their time with flimsy excuses that allow them to abandon Jihad and justify the tyranny and persecution of the people of truth and guidance by criminal despots. ¶

Fifth: The stance of Izz al-Din ibn Abd al-Salam regarding al-Malik al-Salih Ayyub (ruler of Egypt) serves as a lesson for those who fear none but Allah Almighty. Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Salam, known as 'Izz ibn Abd al-Salam', stayed as a guest of al-Malik al-Salih Ayyub in Egypt after being expelled from the Levant. One day, while the King was in a gathering surrounded by princes, officials, military officers, and elite courtiers, people approached to kiss his hands and bow their heads in a procession that manifested humiliation and submissiveness to other than Allah. Izz ibn Abd al-Salam stepped forward, cutting through the ranks and pushing through the crowd, to call out to the King with the strength of a believer and the resolve of a monotheist: 'Why is alcohol sold during your reign while you are oblivious and distracted in this grandeur and luxury?' The Sultan had no choice but to apologize gently, replying softly, 'I did not know of this... perhaps it is from the time of my father.' Izz ibn Abd al-Salam repeated his statement with even greater intensity: 'You are nothing but one of those who say: "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following." (1)' The Sultan then ordered the tavern to be closed. Later, a person from his inner circle, astonished by the Shaykh's audacity in upholding the truth before the crowds, asked, 'Did you not fear him?' The Shaykh replied, 'By Allah, my son... I held the awe of Allah Almighty in my heart, and thus the Sultan became like a small cat before me. (2)' ¶

Sixth: The stance of Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) while in prison. When some of his brothers wrote to him, suggesting that he agree, accommodate, and compromise with his opponents to gain his release from prison, he replied in a letter: 'To proceed: I have received the note in which the two pious elders mentioned what they mentioned. May Allah include them among the Imams of the righteous who combined patience with certainty, and who knew that Allah is the helper of His party, the fulfiller of His promise, and the Avenger for the servants of the Most Merciful against the party of Satan. However, what was required...' ¶

Its wisdom and its established way (sunnah) continued through trial and tribulation, by which Allah distinguishes the people of truth and faith from the people of hypocrisy and slander. ¶

Allah Almighty says: 'Alif Lam Mim. Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe," and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.' ¶

Seventh: Among the positions taken by scholars who chose the path of jihad and calling to Allah over the path of isolation and withdrawal is the stance of Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him). He rose up against shirk (polytheism) and the polytheists, unconcerned by what he encountered in the path of Allah. After the mission (da'wah) spread and became a threat to the people of corruption and immorality, some wicked individuals conspired against him and assaulted his home at night to assassinate him. People became aware of them and shouted, causing them to flee. After this incident, the Sheikh no longer felt secure residing in Huraymila, so he moved to al-Uyayna. Its emir, Ibn Mu'ammar, initially received him with acceptance and support; however, he was a governor appointed by Ibn Ar'ar, the ruler of al-Ahsa. Some evil proponents and ignorant misguided individuals slandered the Sheikh to Ibn Ar'ar, who wrote to Ibn Mu'ammar ordering him to expel the Sheikh from his territory. Ibn Mu'ammar had no choice but to execute his master's order. From there, the Sheikh moved to Diriyah, where Allah decreed for him victory through cooperation with Imam Muhammad ibn Saud. ¶

Eighth: Regarding the participation of scholars in the issues of their Ummah and their jihad, which rises above material temptations, is the instance involving Jamal al-Din al-Afghani with the Sultan. ¶