Advises for the Times of Trial

by Shaykh Salaah Al-Budayr
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All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings
be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers in faith! We Muslims have never been in such need of
self-examination as we are in these days of crises and hardship. We are in
dire need of unity so as to wash away the filth of ignominy that is
presently our lot. We must go back to the pristine sources of our great
religion and follow their injunctions. The Messenger of Allaah warned the
Muslims of the causes of degeneration and weakness when he sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam said, 'When you become preoccupied with transaction in
credit and are so engaged in cattle rearing and in crops that you abandon
jihad; Allaah will enforce an ignominy upon you and will not remove it until
you go back to your religion.' (Aboo Daawood).

We must understand the causes of our problems and calamities in the light of
the Qur'aan, the Sunnah and the guidance of our righteous predecessors. And
while dealing with those problems, we must be truthful, sincere and free
from whimsical desires and shirk. We must have confidence in Allaah and put
our trust in Him. He says what translates as, "When there comes to them some
matter touching (public) safety or fear they make it known (among the
people), if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged
with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it
from them (directly). Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allaah upon
you, you would have followed Satan, save a few of you." (An-Nisaa': 83).

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers in faith! Each individual Muslim possesses a great sacredness and
high position in Islaam. We must give him this privilege and not deny him of
it whenever he falls in trouble. Ibn 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him,
narrated that the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam stood on
the pulpit one day, raised his voice and said, 'O you who are Muslims by
tongue and faith has not penetrated your hearts! Do not harm Muslims nor
pursue their imperfections for whoever pursues the imperfections of his
Muslim brother, Allaah will pursue his imperfection and whosoever Allaah
pursues his imperfection, He will disgrace him.' He also stressed the
sacredness of Muslim life when he said, 'Indeed, the termination of this
world is of lesser importance to Allaah than the killing of a Muslim man.'
(At-Tirmithi).

Dear brothers! Muslims today are facing different kinds of persecution from
all parts of the world; they are being killed, tortured and expelled from
their lands. In fact they are in pitiful and deplorable situations. Foremost
among those who commit these crimes against them are world Zionists who are
a treacherous nation and these crimes are committed in front of the whole
world and nothing concrete is done to stop them. Where then is the claimed
justice and fairness with all these slogans of civilisation, freedom and
peace? We only see justice and fairness from those countries who claim to be
champions of justice when the wronged happen to be the Jews.

Fellow Muslims! One fact remains indisputable in view of our present
condition: we will never conquer our enemies unless we first of all conquer
our souls and whimsical desires. We can never defeat our enemies unless we
first of all implement the law of Allaah in every aspect of our lives. The
Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam stressed this point when
he said, 'Nations will be on the verge of calling one another to attack you
as people call on one another to a plate of food.' The companions said, 'O
Messenger of Allaah! Is it because we will be few then?' He replied, 'No.
You will rather be many and will be in multitude like the scum floating on
flood waters. Your fear will be removed from the hearts of your enemies and
theirs will be put in your hearts.' The companions said, 'What is the cause
of this?' He answered, 'Love for this worldly life and the hatred of death.'
(Ahmad and others.)

Summary

1) The virtues of Islaam.
2) The future belongs to Islaam.
3) Muslims are in great need for self-accountability.
4) Muslims need to return to the Book (Qur'aan) and Sunnah.
5) The obligation of supporting our fellow Muslims.
6) The implications of the Islamic bound.
7) The sanctity of Muslims.
8) The hardships of Muslims at the present time.
9) The crimes of the Jews in Palestine.
10) Conditions for victory.