Love of the Life and Fear of Death

 

I want to talk today about an illness I have witnessed among Muslims. A while back, I was trying to help a brother find a wife, but came upon some problems. I also received some questions that made me sad for our current situation. The brother wanted to find a wife, but he wanted it clear from the start that he wanted to go to make jihad as soon as Allah made a way for him.

 

Ordinarily, this would be a normal matter among Muslims, as Allah says:

Go forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if you (but) knew. 9:41

And Only those are Believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah: Such are the sincere ones. 49:15

 

And You shall believe in Allah and His Messenger, and struggle hard in Allah's way with your property and your lives; that is better for you, did you but know! 61:11

 

Allah also says much more, on this topic. Allah has made it clear for us that Jihad is an essential part of every Muslim man’s life, and that the one who dies without even the intention of making jihad dies on a path other than Islam. This being the case, it should be the norm, not the exception, and we should automatically expect this from every brother that presents himself for marriage.

Since this should be the norm, it surprised me when I heard (from strong, practicing Muslims) questions and statements like: “If he wants to go to jihad, why does he want to marry?” or “It would be better for him to marry a non-virgin or an older woman because it would be less traumatic if he were to die.”

 

As I think back to the companions of Rasul Allah, I recall all the stories of the feats of bravery and piousness in the face of death. I see how all of these people expected to be in jihad, and it was never an issue in marriage. They did not sit at home and send money off to the Muslims who were in need. They mounted their steeds or walked to the battlefield, willing to give all for the sake of Allah. I do read about the fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters of their wives refusing marriage to one of them for fear that they would die.

 

Subhanallah! The women were encouraging their men and felt pride at the prospect of a shaheed husband. No. It is not an easy matter to urge one we love to risk his life for the sake of Allah, but Allah tells us:

Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline: or the dwellings in which ye delight - are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause; - then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious. 9:24

Our primary goal is to worship allah and not be among those who fear death – ours or our loved ones. This is the destruction of the Muslim nation. As rasul Allah warned us:

 

"The nations summon each other upon you as you call guests to eat from a plate of food", they said , "will we be few in number on that day O Messenger of Allaah?" He said, "no rather you will be many on that day, but you will be like the foam on the ocean. And Allaah will remove the fear in the hearts of your enemies and place in your hearts al-wahn". They said, "what is al-wahn O Messenger of Allaah?" He said, "love of this world and hatred of death."' (Sahih: Taken from a speech by Al AlBaani: www.ucl.ac.uk/~uczxisl/jihad.htm).

 

This class is not about encouraging men to go out for jihad. It is about how our actions and fears discourage them. We tell them that if they want Allah and jihad, they cannot have a Muslim family. They cannot be normal men because their path is a strange one. Brothers and sisters, the ones on a strange path are those who discourage the Muslim from jihad, for they are on a path other than Islam.

 

Allah says: Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew.9:41

And Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask thee for no exemption from fighting with their goods and persons. And Allah knoweth well those who do their duty. 9:44

This is a great obligation upon every Muslim man, for the Prophet told us:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle was asked, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and His Apostle (Muhammad)". The questioner then asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's Cause." The questioner again asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To perform Hajj (Pilgrim age to Mecca) 'Mubrur, (which is accepted by Allah and is performed with the intention of seeking Allah's pleasure only and not to show off and without committing a sin and in accordance with the traditions of the Prophet)." Saih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 2, Number 25:

 

Also, if we do not do this, if we deny this part of our deen, and we turn our backs on this great duty, we are turning our backs on the deen itself, for Islam is not a pick and choose religion. We do not have a right to deny one of Allah’s commands – either by words or actions – for those of us who do turn our backs, Allah says,

O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, they will be humble before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah's way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer; this is Allah's Favour, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.5:54

 

Allah has told us that willingness to sacrifice our lives is a characteristic of the true believer. Allah further says:

Only those are Believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah: Such are the sincere ones. 49:15

 

So it is upon us to raise our daughters to love to have a mujahid husband. It is upon us to have daughters that will raise sons who will willingly go to jihad for the sake of Allah, to be mothers who are willing to sacrifice their sons. Also, we must raise our sons to be fathers who will fight for the sake of Allah and instill this noble characteristic upon their sons.

 

We must stop loving this life and giving excuses. When I was young, I asked a friend of mine, whose dad was a general in the American Army, why we were unable to take back our hostages from Iran. She said her father had answered, “Our primary weapon is fear of annihilation. Muslims do not fear death, so how can we threaten them?” I will tell you how they will threaten us. They remove our fear of death and replace it with love for the world. Bye bye deen – bye bye threat.!

 

O Allah! Let us stop loving the life and fearing death. O Allah, return us to the honorable state of loving You and loving sacrifice for Your sake and living in this life as if a stranger – fighting to keep our deen strong, while not