The history books speak to us of another land that carried
upon it believers in Allah, the army of Alb Arsalaan. Coming
home from one of their battles, As they made their way home
to Khuraasan, a messenger rode up to Alb Arsalaan and
whispered to him: The emperor of Constantiniyya heard of
your army and is bringing an army of 600 thousand to crush
you – led by the war general Romanis!

By Allah they did not gather than many fighters for no other
reason that to quell the fear they had of Islam, the cowardice
they tasted in their hearts.

As Arsalaan swallowed the news he glanced into the eyes of
every one of his 15 thousand Mujahids, knowing that there
was little hope of victory. This faction nursing their wounds,
another weeping over the brothers that fell, a third weeping
for losing the chance of Jannah. His head drooped at the
sentence the messenger had brought and then he picked his
heart up like a lion.

Look brothers and sisters at the numbers. 600 thousand
prepared to fight 15 thousand! Is this any physical strength
that people speak of? No, by Allah, it is the strength of Iman,
the strength of Aqeedah, the strength of hearts filled with
certainty in Allah and His Messenger and the Final Day. Isn't
that enough?

What was Arsalaan to do? Should he continue back to his
home and let the forces of evil destroy his nation with their
vice, Shahaawaat? Or should he stand like a rock in their face
even if it meant his and his armies death?

A few moments, and the rays of Iman shone from his heart.

Arsalaan slipped into his tent and dressed himself in the
towels he would be buried in, fragrancing himself with hanoot.
He then addressed the entire army, saying: "Today Islam is in
danger! Today Muslims are in danger! And I fear that Laa
ilaaha illaa Allaah will be wiped away from our land!" He then
shouted, "Waa Islaamaah! (O Islaam!!) Waa Islaamaah!! (O
Islaam!!). Look at me, I have worn the towels of my coffin
and have fragranced myself with hanoot. Whoever wants
Jannah, let them dress as I have dressed! We are going to
fight under the shade of Laa ilaaha illa Allah until we are
destroyed or the flag of Laa ilaaha illaa Allah is raised!"

In moments the entire army stepped into the quarters and all
15 thousand Mujahids came out in the garments of their
coffin. The fragrance of Hanoot was on all their bodies, the
wind of Jannat Al firdows blew in their faces. The sky erupted
with the armies shouts of `Allahu Akbar!! Allaahu Akbar!!
Yaa Khayl Allah uthbuti!! Yaa Khayl Allah irkabee!!'

Allahu Akbar! Have you ever seen an army stepping onto a
plain that they know – with little doubt - they will be
resurrected from on the Day of Judgement? Have you ever
seen an army wrapped in the thobes of their coffin before
beginning the battle? Have you ever smelt the fragrance of
death – Hanoot – hovering 15 thousand believers in Allah?

That day, the Kuffar did.

The armies clashed – one believing in Allah and desiring the
appointment with Allah, the other disbelieving in Allah and
hating to meet him. The fighting was severe, Allahu Akbar cut
through the sky. Every Mujahid stepped forward, on their
tongues were the words, "I am coming to you, O Allah, in
haste so that you may be pleased with me."

Heads flew and skulls fell to the ground and blood flowed. As
the dust clouds softened, the flag of Islam rose high, the
crusaders fled in all directions. Someone shouted, "The
Romans are defeated and their general – Romanis – has been
captured."

Innumerable Muslims were martyred – in sha' Allah - that
day, and many were left crying. They were not crying for war
spoils that they lost. No, by the He who raised the heavens
without any poles. They were crying because that had to take
off their coffin wrap after they had sold themselves to Allah.
Alb Arsalaan, stood crying, thanking Allah.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is what is written in the history
books, but pick up the newspaper today and you will see it
happening again.

The Romans have now been replaced by the Russians. Those
Khuraasaan Muslim army of Alb Arsalaan has now been
replaced by our brothers and sisters in Chechneya. A Kaafir
correspondent writes about the plight our Muslims are facing:

[For the past four months, 5,000 lightly-armed Chechen
warriors fighting on flat, open terrain that favours air, armour
and artillery, have held off 160,000 Russian troops, backed
by regiments of heavy guns and rockets, helicopter gunships,
ground attack aircraft, and thousands of tanks and armoured
vehicles. Russia's generals have repeatedly vowed to
"exterminate" the Chechen. All Chechen males from 6-65 are
being thrown into concentration camps.

Chechen mujahedin, most without any formal military training,
have no heavy weapons and are chronically short of radios,
anti-tank rockets and even small-arms ammunition. There is
almost no medicine or morphine for their wounded, and no
shelter from massive Russian bombardment that includes
banned fuel air explosives, toxic gas, and napalm. If taken
alive by the Russians, they will be tortured, then executed.

In the first Chechen war, 1994-96, Russia killed over a
100,000 Chechen civilians, razed much of the small country,
and, in an act of monumental terrorism, scattered 17 million
anti-personnel land mines across the tiny nation. Russia was
driven from Chechnya in 1996, but its hardliners and
communists vowed to "exterminate the Chechen bandits."
Their man Putin's first act as president was to declare a
crusade - blessed by the Russian Orthodox Church - against
Chechnya. Moscow demanded revenge for 1996 and for
defeat at the hands of Muslim mujahedin in Afghanistan.While
Russian troops fought their way into Grozny, elite Russian
forces were pushing into the southern mountains. Chechen
units are battling ferociously, under intense shelling and
bombing, to defend the strategic Shatoi and Vedeno gorges.
Outnumbered 20-1, the Chechens' defend the mountain
passes]

Allah questions us all sitting here in this Masjid: [but if they
seek your aid in (the name) of the Deen (al-Islam), it is your
duty to help them,] surah Anfal, 8, 72. Have you heard, dear
brothers and sisters, the word of one of the Muslim defenders
of Chechneya:

"At a time when the world has left us entirely, we ask Muslims
around the world not to forget the ordeal of their brothers in
Chechnya fighting jihad against Russian oppression."

Allah ta'ala revealed: [And never think of those who have
been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are
alive with their Lord, receiving provision.] - 3, 169.

When Jaabir's (RAA) father was martyred on the day of
Uhud, he sat over his slain body and uncovered the sheet
from his face and weeped. He narrates, "The Companions
forbade me of my excessive weeping, but Rasul Allah did not
say anything. He then said, `Do not cry for him, for verily the
angels shaded him with their wings until (his soul) was raised
to the heavens.'" – Tafseer ibn Katheer and Zaad Al-Ma'aad,
6/p.33.

Rasul Allah - Sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - later told him,
"Allah raised your father and spoke to him directly! And told
him, `My slave, ask whatever you want!'" – Hasan, narrated
by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

Abdullah (RAA) was asked about that verse [And never
think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as
dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving
provision.] He said: We asked the same question to Rasul
Allah - Sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - and he told us, "the souls
(of the Shuhaadaa') are in the bodies of green birds with nests
hanging from the Throne (of Allah). They travel (back and
forth) in Paradise as they wish, then they return to their nests.
Allah looked towards them and asked, `Do you wish for
anything?' They said, `What else shall we desire when we are
allowed to travel (back and forth) in Paradise as we wish.'
Allah allows them to go and come three times and repeats the
question every time. When they realize that they must ask for
something, they say, `O Allah! Return our souls to our bodies
so that we may return to the Dunya and be martyred again!' –
Ibn Katheer

Dear brothers and sisters, for what reason was this reward so
high, the highest honor in Islam. To understand, all one must
do is look and experience the fear and pain and blood that
Muslims go through in this path. In Chechneya, the Muslim
soldiers are being sodomized, raped by the Russians. And
often, they make them rape themselves. They do this to entire
villages, arresting up to 700 seniors, young men, and young
boys, beating them, torturing them, murdering them, just to
filter out 7 Mujaahideen they claim.

You may have seen the pictures of our brothers being
dragged on their naked bodies by Russian tanks to their
death. Those are not random people, that is your mother and
father, your brother and sister, your son and daughter. When
their leg is blown off, it is your leg that was amputated. When
their mother is raped, it is your mother that was raped. When
their throats are slit, it is your throat that was slit. The Muslims
are one, ONE, body!

[And what is (the matter) with you that you fight not in the
cause of Allah and (for) the oppressed among men, women,
and children who say, "Our Lord, take us out of this city of
oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a
protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper.] – Suran
4, 75.