Explanation of the Muslims' inability to undertake political or jihad work in the present age, and that their obligation is to work according to the methodology of purification and education
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The Shaykh : Now comes the question: Can the Muslims rise to political work and jihad work as every Muslim desires? And as I said, and as you also said, can they do it? Do you not know the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: [Ar-Rum 30:31-32] Do you not believe now that there are large Islamic parties, unfortunately, and that the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, applies to them, unfortunately: [Al-Mu'minun 23:53] Do you agree with me on this?
The questioner : We Muslims, the parties present on the scene are all, I mean...
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. So who are they, my brother, who want to do political work and strive in the path of Allah with great jihad? Who are they? In my opinion, they have not yet appeared, and if they have appeared, they are scattered due to circumstances that you know and we all know, surrounding the Islamic lands, such as colonialism... and so on.
So it is upon us now, each within the limits of his ability and capacity. Whoever is a scholar should work within the limits of purification and education. Whoever is a student should work within the limits of what he has learned, and he should also realize, even if it is just one hadith, namely his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): This is the complementarity and this is the cooperation, everyone according to the system mentioned above. What is not present today, unfortunately, in the Islamic world, whether you take it as a whole or divide it country by country or people by people. When a people among the Muslim peoples return to what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his noble Companions were upon at that time, the believers will rejoice in the victory of Allah.
Now, May Allah reward you, you have a very unfortunate example. When the Muslims, I mean, placed very great hopes on it, which was: establishing the Muslim state in Afghanistan. What was the fate of Afghanistan? Do you know what the reason was? Seven parties striving against the communists, but these parties, the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, was true of them:[Ar-Rum 30:31-32] Now the president of the Afghan state is fighting those who were with him fighting the communists. Now, if we imagine that a jihad was established, imagine, Abu Ahmad, the issue is very important. If a jihad was established, the mujahideen would differ because they are now differing. Therefore, reform begins from the starting point, which is: as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did. What did the Messenger do? Did the Messenger start by fighting riba (usury or interest)? Did the Messenger start by fighting zina (unlawful sexual intercourse)? The answer is: No, no. With what? [An-Nahl 16:36].
The questioner : He started with 'aqidah (creed).
The Shaykh : He started with 'aqidah (creed). Now, where are the scholars who rectify the 'aqidah (creed) of the Muslims? We are now living, unfortunately, in a tragedy, because it is not only that the scholars do not perform the obligation of teaching the Muslims the correct 'aqidah (creed). If that were the case, we would say: "Pity, some evil is less than some." But they fight the correct 'aqidah (creed), and the best of them is the one who tells you, "By Allah, this is correct, but this is not the time for it."
The questioner : ... My whole question is related to this matter that you are now speaking about.
The Shaykh : I am answering you.
The questioner : I mean, now...
Another questioner: No, I still want the Shaykh to answer me, I mean, to satisfy me in this topic, which is 'aqidah (creed) and fighting the taghut (tyranny/idolatry), which is what I...
The Shaykh : My brother, there is a taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that we can fight, and there is a taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that we cannot fight. And from the perfection of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) of Islam is the saying of Allah, the Exalted:[At-Taghabun 64:16] And his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Now we have taghut (tyranny/idolatry) spread among us, the people, and we have taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that rule us with a non-Islamic rule, right?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Which of the two types of taghut (tyranny/idolatry) is easier and closer for us to fight?
The questioner : By Allah, I say, in my humble opinion, can we fight both sides?
The Shaykh : You deviated from the answer, so pay attention! Even though your answer is wrong.
The questioner : I came to listen. I have a point of view on that, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : No, no, you deviated from the answer, you did not answer me.
The questioner : Ah, you did not answer me.
The Shaykh : I am not telling you why you are speaking like this now. I am telling you that you did not answer me. I repeat my question: We have two taghut (tyranny/idolatry), you know them, right?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, my question is: Which of the two taghut (tyranny/idolatry) is easier for us to fight?
The questioner : I understood the meaning of your question. I know that the smaller taghut (tyranny/idolatry), which is the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) spread among us, is easier for us to fight.
The Shaykh : I am afraid you will deviate a second time. You bring a short answer and explain as you wish. Which of the two taghut (tyranny/idolatry) is easier for us to fight?
The questioner : The taghut (tyranny/idolatry) present among us, the small taghut (tyranny/idolatry).
The Shaykh : You imitated me, it seems, after you saw me looking at the clock. Now, this was before that. May Allah reward you. If we all do not fight the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that is easier to fight, we will not fight the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that is harder and further to fight. It is like a person who cannot carry in his hand what weighs twenty kilos; he is not burdened to carry twenty-five, for example. We train him to carry ten, and after a while ten and a half, and eleven, and so on, until his muscles become strong and he can carry more than that.
Nevertheless, now that you have answered me and I understood well that fighting the easier one is what we can do, and nevertheless we are falling short in it, but I want to draw your attention that you are most wrong when you say, with enthusiasm, and as it is said, "You are not the first traveler to be deceived by news." You are one of those enthusiasts who say: We can fight the greater taghut (tyranny/idolatry). How, my brother? And we said earlier, we reminded you of the example that was present in Afghanistan and how was the outcome of that jihad that lasted more than ten years. How can you fight the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) and we are scattered? Did you forget, it seems?
The questioner : If you please, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Please proceed.
The questioner : I seek your pardon that I am able to respond to every word you have mentioned, and I have an argument from the Book of Allah and from the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : I do not think so.
The questioner : You do not think so, but I want to ask you to allow me to respond to you, but give me a session. This session will not be enough for me.
The Shaykh : Please proceed.
The questioner : This session is not enough. I want you to promise me that you will listen to me for an hour or half an hour, which you decide from your time, and I will sit with you.
The Shaykh : Here, Abu al-Harith, it is up to you.
The student: Record it on a tape, he will take it on a tape.
The questioner : No, I do not want to record.
The Shaykh : No, it is nothing. It is up to you to hold a session with him, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : O Allah, Subhanak Allahumma wa bihamdika, ashhadu an la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk. (O Allah, Glorified are You and with Your praise, I bear witness that there is no deity but You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.)
and do not be of those who associate others with Allah (32) [Or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.
ولا تكونوا من المشركين من الذين فرقوا دينهم وكانوا شيعاً كل حزب بما لديهم فرحونeach faction, in what it has, rejoicing.
كل حزب بما لديهم فرحونThe questioner : We Muslims, the parties present on the scene are all, I mean...
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. So who are they, my brother, who want to do political work and strive in the path of Allah with great jihad? Who are they? In my opinion, they have not yet appeared, and if they have appeared, they are scattered due to circumstances that you know and we all know, surrounding the Islamic lands, such as colonialism... and so on.
So it is upon us now, each within the limits of his ability and capacity. Whoever is a scholar should work within the limits of purification and education. Whoever is a student should work within the limits of what he has learned, and he should also realize, even if it is just one hadith, namely his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
Convey from him even if it is one verse.
بلغوا عنه ولو آيةNow, May Allah reward you, you have a very unfortunate example. When the Muslims, I mean, placed very great hopes on it, which was: establishing the Muslim state in Afghanistan. What was the fate of Afghanistan? Do you know what the reason was? Seven parties striving against the communists, but these parties, the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, was true of them:
and do not be of those who associate others with Allah (32) [Or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.
ولا تكونوا من المشركين * من الذين فرقوا دينهم وكانوا شيعاً كل حزب بما لديهم فرحونWorship Allah and avoid Taghut
أن اعبدوا الله واجتنبوا الطاغوتThe questioner : He started with 'aqidah (creed).
The Shaykh : He started with 'aqidah (creed). Now, where are the scholars who rectify the 'aqidah (creed) of the Muslims? We are now living, unfortunately, in a tragedy, because it is not only that the scholars do not perform the obligation of teaching the Muslims the correct 'aqidah (creed). If that were the case, we would say: "Pity, some evil is less than some." But they fight the correct 'aqidah (creed), and the best of them is the one who tells you, "By Allah, this is correct, but this is not the time for it."
The questioner : ... My whole question is related to this matter that you are now speaking about.
The Shaykh : I am answering you.
The questioner : I mean, now...
Another questioner: No, I still want the Shaykh to answer me, I mean, to satisfy me in this topic, which is 'aqidah (creed) and fighting the taghut (tyranny/idolatry), which is what I...
The Shaykh : My brother, there is a taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that we can fight, and there is a taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that we cannot fight. And from the perfection of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) of Islam is the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
fear Allah as much as you are able
اتقوا الله ما استطعتمWhatever I have commanded you to do, do as much of it as you are able, and whatever I have forbidden you, avoid it.
ما أمرتكم من شيء فاتوا منهم ما استطعتم، وما نهيتكم عنه فاجتنبوهThe questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Which of the two types of taghut (tyranny/idolatry) is easier and closer for us to fight?
The questioner : By Allah, I say, in my humble opinion, can we fight both sides?
The Shaykh : You deviated from the answer, so pay attention! Even though your answer is wrong.
The questioner : I came to listen. I have a point of view on that, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : No, no, you deviated from the answer, you did not answer me.
The questioner : Ah, you did not answer me.
The Shaykh : I am not telling you why you are speaking like this now. I am telling you that you did not answer me. I repeat my question: We have two taghut (tyranny/idolatry), you know them, right?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, my question is: Which of the two taghut (tyranny/idolatry) is easier for us to fight?
The questioner : I understood the meaning of your question. I know that the smaller taghut (tyranny/idolatry), which is the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) spread among us, is easier for us to fight.
The Shaykh : I am afraid you will deviate a second time. You bring a short answer and explain as you wish. Which of the two taghut (tyranny/idolatry) is easier for us to fight?
The questioner : The taghut (tyranny/idolatry) present among us, the small taghut (tyranny/idolatry).
The Shaykh : You imitated me, it seems, after you saw me looking at the clock. Now, this was before that. May Allah reward you. If we all do not fight the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that is easier to fight, we will not fight the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) that is harder and further to fight. It is like a person who cannot carry in his hand what weighs twenty kilos; he is not burdened to carry twenty-five, for example. We train him to carry ten, and after a while ten and a half, and eleven, and so on, until his muscles become strong and he can carry more than that.
Nevertheless, now that you have answered me and I understood well that fighting the easier one is what we can do, and nevertheless we are falling short in it, but I want to draw your attention that you are most wrong when you say, with enthusiasm, and as it is said, "You are not the first traveler to be deceived by news." You are one of those enthusiasts who say: We can fight the greater taghut (tyranny/idolatry). How, my brother? And we said earlier, we reminded you of the example that was present in Afghanistan and how was the outcome of that jihad that lasted more than ten years. How can you fight the taghut (tyranny/idolatry) and we are scattered? Did you forget, it seems?
The questioner : If you please, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Please proceed.
The questioner : I seek your pardon that I am able to respond to every word you have mentioned, and I have an argument from the Book of Allah and from the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : I do not think so.
The questioner : You do not think so, but I want to ask you to allow me to respond to you, but give me a session. This session will not be enough for me.
The Shaykh : Please proceed.
The questioner : This session is not enough. I want you to promise me that you will listen to me for an hour or half an hour, which you decide from your time, and I will sit with you.
The Shaykh : Here, Abu al-Harith, it is up to you.
The student: Record it on a tape, he will take it on a tape.
The questioner : No, I do not want to record.
The Shaykh : No, it is nothing. It is up to you to hold a session with him, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : O Allah, Subhanak Allahumma wa bihamdika, ashhadu an la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk. (O Allah, Glorified are You and with Your praise, I bear witness that there is no deity but You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.)