The Shaykh’s meeting with a mujahid from Eritrea during Hajj, and the Shaykh’s advice to the mujahideen of Eritrea.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The questioner : I am your brother in Allah, Muhammad Ali Sulayman.
The Shaykh : Muhammad Ali Sulayman.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Welcome, and always welcome, in every time and in every place.
The questioner : A member of the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement, and a member of the Da'wah Office.
The Shaykh : Very good.
The questioner : So the Amir of 'Arafah tasked us, meaning, to pray for their victory, and for the Muslims in Eritrea; because they declared jihad in the path of Allah to exalt the word: There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : In those Islamic lands that were oppressed[Al-Hajj 22:39], we were severely oppressed, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the word of the Muslims united on a single Imam. So from that time, the Ummah pledged allegiance to a single Amir, and by that, we established—Allah willing—the restoration of the Islamic Caliphate.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah to grant you success in that, but I remind you of this bitter reality that we faced in Afghanistan, where we had great hope that rule by Islam would return in those lands; because they also declared it a word of jihad in the path of Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—but surely you have heard, as we have heard, that that heat and that strength which enabled them to stand firm against the disbelievers, and against the largest states existing today on the face of the earth in terms of material weaponry, and they stood firm against them, and even drove them out of the lands of the Muslims, but finally they stopped at some lands. It appears—and Allah knows best, and the witness sees what the absent one does not see—that their division into sects and parties is what caused their downfall and cost them the efforts of ten years, where they stood before two capitals, or two large towns, namely Kabul and Jalalabad, for example. It has been said: "Whoever sees the lesson in others, let him take heed." So I remind you—and remembrance benefits the believers—to be one word, and not to open the door to dividing the Muslims into groups and parties. For we all read together the saying of the Lord of the worlds—Mighty and Majestic—:[Ar-Rum 30:31-32], and the story of the Battle of Hunayn is a lesson for those who take heed. Therefore, I remind you of this first, and second, that the concern of the leader, whom you say you have pledged allegiance to—I know nothing about him—and I hope that he is worthy of our good opinion, with knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah and application of the Book and the Sunnah, is that he imposes that upon the people who have gathered under his banner. These are two issues, which I summarize as: first, the obligation to take heed from the experience of others and not to divide, and second, the attention to applying the rulings of Islam to individuals; because that is the first step for these individuals to be able to establish the Islamic society and the Islamic state.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
The questioner : So in terms of this man, he is a man in the middle of his age, approximately fifty years old, which he spent mostly in seeking knowledge, and he is a graduate of the Islamic University, graduating from the College of Sharia at the Islamic University.
The Shaykh : Good.
The questioner : And since he graduated in the seventeens until now, he has worked as a teacher in the Salafi Muhammadian Ansaar al-Sunnah institutes in Sudan, and he was also an Imam.
The Shaykh : Very good.
The questioner : And when the fitnahs intensified in Eritrea, and before that we had made a plan, meaning, where we placed some students of knowledge in the institutes, the khalwas, and some Islamic universities, the opportunity arose and the matter intensified greatly, and the Ummah was oppressed and the girls were violated, so praise be to Allah, the Ummah rose to pledge allegiance to him, considering what we saw in him and believe in him of goodness.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
The questioner : We ask Allah that he may be worthy of our good opinion, so this is in terms of, and praise be to Allah, he is a Salafi man, and a scholar who knows from the Book and the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : The thing that qualifies him for that, at least in this stage.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
The questioner : This is in terms of "Arafah Ahmad Muhammad."
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : And the other thing, meaning your advice—Allah willing—we will preserve it, and it is not to divide. We consider ourselves that if we can maintain it, we started from where the Afghans ended.
The Shaykh : You started?
The questioner : From where the Afghans ended, such that we do not differ afterwards. We did not establish multiple fronts in Eritrea, but we established unity before anything else, and the pledge of allegiance to the Imam on the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf—may Allah be pleased with them—so on this basis we pledged allegiance to the Amir. As for maintaining it, we ask Allah for us, and you also, pray to Allah for us that we may be granted success.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for you success, rather, more success, and that He may grant you victory over your enemy.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, and do you—Allah willing—do you find assistance from the Islamic states?
The questioner : From the states, we have not found anything but a little, but from the individuals who are zealous for Islam; praise be to Allah, we found a lot.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : From that we started, first with the little effort of the Eritrean Ummah, which gave a lot from their daily sustenance relative to them, and praise be to Allah, we started the battle with that the first time.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : Despite the exorbitant price of weapons, praise be to Allah, from that we started and from that the victories began by the grace of Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—and we prepared what we could, and even if this thing that we started with is not equal to anything relative to the arsenals existing with the enemies, but[Al-Anfal 8:60], so praise be to Allah, victory was our companion despite that.
The Shaykh : Okay, do you know the area of Eritrea?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Approximately how much, meaning? Not in kilometers, because that is difficult to comprehend for the general people, but relative to the measure of some known states on the face of the earth from the Arab states, approximately how much? Approximately what?
The questioner : Relative to the Arab states, I cannot see or know a state that equals it, but it is distinguished by strategy; in that it is located on the Red Sea, with an area of a thousand kilometers from Djibouti to Sudan, and it is the only point that makes the Red Sea not Arab. If Eritrea becomes an inseparable part of Ethiopia as it is now and as the Western states claim, including America and Israel, its independent islands on the Red Sea; in fact, this point makes the word of the Arabs and even the word of the Muslims not agree, or they cannot reach the success of making it an Arab sea by the grace of Eritrea, and from this point, it has always been a path of dispute and violation until they uproot it from the Arab Ummah, meaning, it has important strategic importance, as for its area.
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : As for its area in kilometers, and although as you said it is not well known; but it is one hundred and nineteen thousand square kilometers, one thousand one hundred and nineteen square kilometers.
The Shaykh : You are recalling a map, for example, of Asia, and from it, for example, our land of Jordan and the Hijaz and so on, so relative to these lands, is it larger or smaller or...?
The questioner : Approximately like Jordan.
The Shaykh : Like this, meaning.
The questioner : Yes, a little more, a bit.
Another questioner : No, no, it is like Syria once and a half.
The Shaykh : Like Syria once and a half?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, it extends from the Red Sea to the east, how much, for example? ...
The questioner : Yes, to near Port Sudan in Sudan, a thousand kilometers.
Another questioner : Northward.
The Shaykh : A thousand kilometers.
The questioner : On the west of the Red Sea in what is known as the Horn of Africa, and its importance results from the fact that the Bab al-Mandab is located in it, opposite the Suez Canal.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : And the Israeli Eilat, and it has islands on the Red Sea, many islands that the enemies of Allah covet.
The Shaykh : Yes, how many are our Muslim Eritrean brothers?
The questioner : Approximately three million Muslims, and approximately one million Christians, and a few polytheists.
The Shaykh : What is their position relative to the movement, the Christians?
The questioner : Relative to the movement, those who have a glimpse of knowledge and correct creed, specifically the scholars.
The Shaykh : What is the correct creed?
Another questioner : He saysThe Shaykh : About the position of the Christians regarding jihad?
The Shaykh : I say, the Christians?
The questioner : Of course, this is[Al-Baqarah 2:120].
The Shaykh : It is authentic, but there is a difference between them rising up against you and them being dormant, having no power or state. I know this Quranic reality, but I am asking about their current reality regarding you: what is it?
The questioner : Right now, they are preparing to descend upon us.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : They are the ones who stripped our daughters and inherited our homes and everything, and they expelled us outside the homeland, outside Eritrea. So now they are preparing to finish off the Islamic Jihad movement. They see this movement as more dangerous to the other African states and others, meaning more than Ethiopia, and therefore they have calculated everything against us.
The Shaykh : I understand from your words that the Eritrean Christians are the same as your enemies, and the war is ongoing between you and them?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But.
Another questioner : And the Abyssinians.
The Shaykh : And the Abyssinians?
Another questioner : Eritrea was occupied by the Abyssinians. When the Abyssinians occupied it, the Christians took the opportunity and formed a very strong front, stronger in terms of weapons than our brothers. And these people are opposed from two sides.
The Shaykh : The Abyssinians and the Eritrean Christians.
Another questioner : From the side of the Abyssinians and from the side of the Christians.
The questioner : The Eritrean Christians themselves.
The Shaykh : Okay, does the Abyssinia interfere openly or secretly?
The questioner : Openly, because they occupy the general territory. And the existing Christian revolution in Eritrea itself also wants to seize power for itself from Ethiopia and from the Muslims alike. But everyone agrees against the Jihad movement.
Another questioner : Then there is a third front: the Muslims themselves.
The Shaykh : Yes, we are afraid of them. How so?
Another questioner : The secular Muslims.
The questioner : Those who had a presence before the Jihad movement.
The Shaykh : And now?
The questioner : Yes, now they are divided among themselves; there are Ba'athists, there are secularists, and there are communists, and they also oppose the Jihad movement.
The Shaykh : Yes, they oppose it?
The questioner : Yes, they oppose the Jihad movement.
Another questioner : The committed Muslims in Eritrea are one front.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : What is the approximate number of these enemies, the communists and their like?
The questioner : Yes, they form about five fronts.
The Shaykh : No, what is their total approximate number?
The questioner : I cannot count them, but they have many arsenals of weapons, and they also have recognition from Arab and non-Arab states.
The Shaykh : Arab states as well?
The questioner : Yes, the number of all forces that can be owned is about five or six thousand. Yes.
The Shaykh : And does fighting occur between you and them?
The questioner : Yes...
The Shaykh : Does fighting occur between you and them?
The questioner : It has not occurred, except that they do espionage and deception; they work behind our backs.
The Shaykh : They work?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Meaning, secretly and stealthily, do they hold back?
The questioner : Yes, they do not hold back.
The Shaykh : As for direct confrontation, they cannot?
The questioner : We have not confronted them, and they have not confronted us.
The Shaykh : Are the Christians the ones confronting you?
The questioner : Yes, and those with them who have defected, meaning with the Christians are the advocates of progressivism, and the advocates of... and among the ranks of the Christians there are also Muslims.
The Shaykh : Yes, geographical Muslims?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for you a victorious and immediate victory, if Allah wills, so that you can fulfill what you pledged to Allah.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
Another questioner : In conclusion, a word to the Muslims, if Allah wills, to support the Islamic Jihad in Eritrea. Your word, if Allah wills, has weight and is counted for you, if Allah wills, with Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in the scale of your good deeds. This ongoing Jihad in Eritrea is a Jihad based on the Book and the Sunnah, according to the concept of the righteous Salaf. They set out from a pure, clean, and authentic creed. Your brothers there are besieged by the enemies from the Jews, Christians, Magians, communists, Ba'athists, and others. They are in dire need, and today they are in the greatest need for the support of Muslims and for Muslims to stand by them. They now rely on Allah, Mighty and Majestic, then on their few efforts and the little money they have, which is negligible. They have not been able to move the soldiers who were trained and prepared with the teaching of the creed and pure, clean, and authentic Islamic upbringing, and with military preparation as well. So the movement is currently unable to move these brigades of mujahideen in the path of Allah, whose command is based on the Book and the Sunnah, and who learned this creed. They were unable to move them due to the scarcity of material and money. The Muslims today, and praise be to Allah, have heard the news of the Eritrean Islamic Jihad movement among them, but those who hastened and advanced to support this movement are few, a handful of benevolent individuals and organizations. So your word, if Allah wills, has a role. We also advise you to follow up on this Jihad, to speak a sincere word, to send someone to see, to assess, to guide, and to make clear to the brothers, if Allah wills, the command of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and the command of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so that this Jihad is established on the correct path, if Allah wills. May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Is the way open for you to reach you, as was the case for the Afghans? Or how is it?
The questioner : The way is open, if Allah wills, for any person who wants to visit, specifically the camps located inside Sudan.
The Shaykh : Sudan?
The questioner : Yes, through Sudan one can reach us. Any delegation you see is in safety and security, if Allah wills. One can see the Jihad and stand personally on what we have achieved. Many brothers have visited us, and praise be to Allah, they saw the good and advanced.
The Shaykh : I understand this to mean that Sudan is with you?
The questioner : If Allah wills, they have no objection to anyone visiting us, or providing us with something, or for things to reach us through them.
The Shaykh : This in reality confirms the obligation of Muslims in general, and Islamic states that are zealous for Islam in particular, to help our brothers, these Eritrean mujahideen, with whatever help they can, whether in men, or money, or sermons, lessons, and admonitions. As came in "Sunan al-Darimi" and "Musnad Ahmad" and others, with a valid chain from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:. So as long as the way is open, and the situation is not like that in Jordan with the Jews where the way is closed, with great regret, this confirms to all Muslims, individuals, groups, and governments, to perform the duty of helping our brothers, these mujahideen there, and to remember the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard, which is: . We hope that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will inspire all Muslims to perform the duty of supporting our brothers, and that the conclusion of this Jihad will be the establishment of the rule of Allah in those lands, so that they can set a good example for other countries. This is the hope that was desired in the Afghan Jihad, and perhaps this hope will remain alive there as well, because, if Allah wills, those who are divided in their religion will return to one community, so that Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, will help them against their enemy. And then there will be two good examples among the Muslims, and perhaps your example will be better than that, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah bless your life.
The Shaykh : May Allah preserve you, may Allah keep you safe and strengthen you, and my greetings to all the brothers there. Welcome, may Allah reward you with good, welcome.
And the drop, ohAbu Layla ؟
Abu Layla : Our Shaykh, today I gave you twice.
The Shaykh : That is not what matters, it has no schedule. Whenever I feel the need, that is what the doctors said.
The questioner : I am your brother in Allah, Muhammad Ali Sulayman.
The Shaykh : Muhammad Ali Sulayman.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Welcome, and always welcome, in every time and in every place.
The questioner : A member of the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement, and a member of the Da'wah Office.
The Shaykh : Very good.
The questioner : So the Amir of 'Arafah tasked us, meaning, to pray for their victory, and for the Muslims in Eritrea; because they declared jihad in the path of Allah to exalt the word: There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : In those Islamic lands that were oppressed
Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged
أذن للذين يقاتلون بأنهم ظلمواThe Shaykh : We ask Allah to grant you success in that, but I remind you of this bitter reality that we faced in Afghanistan, where we had great hope that rule by Islam would return in those lands; because they also declared it a word of jihad in the path of Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—but surely you have heard, as we have heard, that that heat and that strength which enabled them to stand firm against the disbelievers, and against the largest states existing today on the face of the earth in terms of material weaponry, and they stood firm against them, and even drove them out of the lands of the Muslims, but finally they stopped at some lands. It appears—and Allah knows best, and the witness sees what the absent one does not see—that their division into sects and parties is what caused their downfall and cost them the efforts of ten years, where they stood before two capitals, or two large towns, namely Kabul and Jalalabad, for example. It has been said: "Whoever sees the lesson in others, let him take heed." So I remind you—and remembrance benefits the believers—to be one word, and not to open the door to dividing the Muslims into groups and parties. For we all read together the saying of the Lord of the worlds—Mighty and Majestic—:
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 شيعًا كل حزب بما لديهم فرحونThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
The questioner : So in terms of this man, he is a man in the middle of his age, approximately fifty years old, which he spent mostly in seeking knowledge, and he is a graduate of the Islamic University, graduating from the College of Sharia at the Islamic University.
The Shaykh : Good.
The questioner : And since he graduated in the seventeens until now, he has worked as a teacher in the Salafi Muhammadian Ansaar al-Sunnah institutes in Sudan, and he was also an Imam.
The Shaykh : Very good.
The questioner : And when the fitnahs intensified in Eritrea, and before that we had made a plan, meaning, where we placed some students of knowledge in the institutes, the khalwas, and some Islamic universities, the opportunity arose and the matter intensified greatly, and the Ummah was oppressed and the girls were violated, so praise be to Allah, the Ummah rose to pledge allegiance to him, considering what we saw in him and believe in him of goodness.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
The questioner : We ask Allah that he may be worthy of our good opinion, so this is in terms of, and praise be to Allah, he is a Salafi man, and a scholar who knows from the Book and the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : The thing that qualifies him for that, at least in this stage.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
The questioner : This is in terms of "Arafah Ahmad Muhammad."
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : And the other thing, meaning your advice—Allah willing—we will preserve it, and it is not to divide. We consider ourselves that if we can maintain it, we started from where the Afghans ended.
The Shaykh : You started?
The questioner : From where the Afghans ended, such that we do not differ afterwards. We did not establish multiple fronts in Eritrea, but we established unity before anything else, and the pledge of allegiance to the Imam on the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf—may Allah be pleased with them—so on this basis we pledged allegiance to the Amir. As for maintaining it, we ask Allah for us, and you also, pray to Allah for us that we may be granted success.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for you success, rather, more success, and that He may grant you victory over your enemy.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, and do you—Allah willing—do you find assistance from the Islamic states?
The questioner : From the states, we have not found anything but a little, but from the individuals who are zealous for Islam; praise be to Allah, we found a lot.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : From that we started, first with the little effort of the Eritrean Ummah, which gave a lot from their daily sustenance relative to them, and praise be to Allah, we started the battle with that the first time.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed!
The questioner : Despite the exorbitant price of weapons, praise be to Allah, from that we started and from that the victories began by the grace of Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—and we prepared what we could, and even if this thing that we started with is not equal to anything relative to the arsenals existing with the enemies, but
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy
أعدُّوا لهم ما استطعتم من قوَّة ومن رباط الخيل ترهبون به عدو الله وعدوكمThe Shaykh : Okay, do you know the area of Eritrea?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Approximately how much, meaning? Not in kilometers, because that is difficult to comprehend for the general people, but relative to the measure of some known states on the face of the earth from the Arab states, approximately how much? Approximately what?
The questioner : Relative to the Arab states, I cannot see or know a state that equals it, but it is distinguished by strategy; in that it is located on the Red Sea, with an area of a thousand kilometers from Djibouti to Sudan, and it is the only point that makes the Red Sea not Arab. If Eritrea becomes an inseparable part of Ethiopia as it is now and as the Western states claim, including America and Israel, its independent islands on the Red Sea; in fact, this point makes the word of the Arabs and even the word of the Muslims not agree, or they cannot reach the success of making it an Arab sea by the grace of Eritrea, and from this point, it has always been a path of dispute and violation until they uproot it from the Arab Ummah, meaning, it has important strategic importance, as for its area.
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : As for its area in kilometers, and although as you said it is not well known; but it is one hundred and nineteen thousand square kilometers, one thousand one hundred and nineteen square kilometers.
The Shaykh : You are recalling a map, for example, of Asia, and from it, for example, our land of Jordan and the Hijaz and so on, so relative to these lands, is it larger or smaller or...?
The questioner : Approximately like Jordan.
The Shaykh : Like this, meaning.
The questioner : Yes, a little more, a bit.
Another questioner : No, no, it is like Syria once and a half.
The Shaykh : Like Syria once and a half?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, it extends from the Red Sea to the east, how much, for example? ...
The questioner : Yes, to near Port Sudan in Sudan, a thousand kilometers.
Another questioner : Northward.
The Shaykh : A thousand kilometers.
The questioner : On the west of the Red Sea in what is known as the Horn of Africa, and its importance results from the fact that the Bab al-Mandab is located in it, opposite the Suez Canal.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : And the Israeli Eilat, and it has islands on the Red Sea, many islands that the enemies of Allah covet.
The Shaykh : Yes, how many are our Muslim Eritrean brothers?
The questioner : Approximately three million Muslims, and approximately one million Christians, and a few polytheists.
The Shaykh : What is their position relative to the movement, the Christians?
The questioner : Relative to the movement, those who have a glimpse of knowledge and correct creed, specifically the scholars.
The Shaykh : What is the correct creed?
Another questioner : He saysThe Shaykh : About the position of the Christians regarding jihad?
The Shaykh : I say, the Christians?
The questioner : Of course, this is
And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their
ولن ترضى عنك اليهود ولا النصارى تتبع ملتهمThe Shaykh : It is authentic, but there is a difference between them rising up against you and them being dormant, having no power or state. I know this Quranic reality, but I am asking about their current reality regarding you: what is it?
The questioner : Right now, they are preparing to descend upon us.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : They are the ones who stripped our daughters and inherited our homes and everything, and they expelled us outside the homeland, outside Eritrea. So now they are preparing to finish off the Islamic Jihad movement. They see this movement as more dangerous to the other African states and others, meaning more than Ethiopia, and therefore they have calculated everything against us.
The Shaykh : I understand from your words that the Eritrean Christians are the same as your enemies, and the war is ongoing between you and them?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But.
Another questioner : And the Abyssinians.
The Shaykh : And the Abyssinians?
Another questioner : Eritrea was occupied by the Abyssinians. When the Abyssinians occupied it, the Christians took the opportunity and formed a very strong front, stronger in terms of weapons than our brothers. And these people are opposed from two sides.
The Shaykh : The Abyssinians and the Eritrean Christians.
Another questioner : From the side of the Abyssinians and from the side of the Christians.
The questioner : The Eritrean Christians themselves.
The Shaykh : Okay, does the Abyssinia interfere openly or secretly?
The questioner : Openly, because they occupy the general territory. And the existing Christian revolution in Eritrea itself also wants to seize power for itself from Ethiopia and from the Muslims alike. But everyone agrees against the Jihad movement.
Another questioner : Then there is a third front: the Muslims themselves.
The Shaykh : Yes, we are afraid of them. How so?
Another questioner : The secular Muslims.
The questioner : Those who had a presence before the Jihad movement.
The Shaykh : And now?
The questioner : Yes, now they are divided among themselves; there are Ba'athists, there are secularists, and there are communists, and they also oppose the Jihad movement.
The Shaykh : Yes, they oppose it?
The questioner : Yes, they oppose the Jihad movement.
Another questioner : The committed Muslims in Eritrea are one front.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : What is the approximate number of these enemies, the communists and their like?
The questioner : Yes, they form about five fronts.
The Shaykh : No, what is their total approximate number?
The questioner : I cannot count them, but they have many arsenals of weapons, and they also have recognition from Arab and non-Arab states.
The Shaykh : Arab states as well?
The questioner : Yes, the number of all forces that can be owned is about five or six thousand. Yes.
The Shaykh : And does fighting occur between you and them?
The questioner : Yes...
The Shaykh : Does fighting occur between you and them?
The questioner : It has not occurred, except that they do espionage and deception; they work behind our backs.
The Shaykh : They work?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Meaning, secretly and stealthily, do they hold back?
The questioner : Yes, they do not hold back.
The Shaykh : As for direct confrontation, they cannot?
The questioner : We have not confronted them, and they have not confronted us.
The Shaykh : Are the Christians the ones confronting you?
The questioner : Yes, and those with them who have defected, meaning with the Christians are the advocates of progressivism, and the advocates of... and among the ranks of the Christians there are also Muslims.
The Shaykh : Yes, geographical Muslims?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for you a victorious and immediate victory, if Allah wills, so that you can fulfill what you pledged to Allah.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
Another questioner : In conclusion, a word to the Muslims, if Allah wills, to support the Islamic Jihad in Eritrea. Your word, if Allah wills, has weight and is counted for you, if Allah wills, with Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in the scale of your good deeds. This ongoing Jihad in Eritrea is a Jihad based on the Book and the Sunnah, according to the concept of the righteous Salaf. They set out from a pure, clean, and authentic creed. Your brothers there are besieged by the enemies from the Jews, Christians, Magians, communists, Ba'athists, and others. They are in dire need, and today they are in the greatest need for the support of Muslims and for Muslims to stand by them. They now rely on Allah, Mighty and Majestic, then on their few efforts and the little money they have, which is negligible. They have not been able to move the soldiers who were trained and prepared with the teaching of the creed and pure, clean, and authentic Islamic upbringing, and with military preparation as well. So the movement is currently unable to move these brigades of mujahideen in the path of Allah, whose command is based on the Book and the Sunnah, and who learned this creed. They were unable to move them due to the scarcity of material and money. The Muslims today, and praise be to Allah, have heard the news of the Eritrean Islamic Jihad movement among them, but those who hastened and advanced to support this movement are few, a handful of benevolent individuals and organizations. So your word, if Allah wills, has a role. We also advise you to follow up on this Jihad, to speak a sincere word, to send someone to see, to assess, to guide, and to make clear to the brothers, if Allah wills, the command of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and the command of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so that this Jihad is established on the correct path, if Allah wills. May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Is the way open for you to reach you, as was the case for the Afghans? Or how is it?
The questioner : The way is open, if Allah wills, for any person who wants to visit, specifically the camps located inside Sudan.
The Shaykh : Sudan?
The questioner : Yes, through Sudan one can reach us. Any delegation you see is in safety and security, if Allah wills. One can see the Jihad and stand personally on what we have achieved. Many brothers have visited us, and praise be to Allah, they saw the good and advanced.
The Shaykh : I understand this to mean that Sudan is with you?
The questioner : If Allah wills, they have no objection to anyone visiting us, or providing us with something, or for things to reach us through them.
The Shaykh : This in reality confirms the obligation of Muslims in general, and Islamic states that are zealous for Islam in particular, to help our brothers, these Eritrean mujahideen, with whatever help they can, whether in men, or money, or sermons, lessons, and admonitions. As came in "Sunan al-Darimi" and "Musnad Ahmad" and others, with a valid chain from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Fight the mushrikeen (those who associate partners with Allah) with your wealth, your tongues, and your selves.
جاهدوا المشركين بأموالكم وألسنتكم وأنفسكمGive this Ummah good tidings of honor, elevation, glory, and establishment in the earth; and whoever among them does a deed for the sake of this world, he will have no share in the Hereafter.
بشِّر هذه الأمة بالسَّناء والرِّفعة والمجد والتمكين في الأرض ، ومن عمل منهم عملًا للدنيا ؛ فليس له في الآخرة من نصيبThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah bless your life.
The Shaykh : May Allah preserve you, may Allah keep you safe and strengthen you, and my greetings to all the brothers there. Welcome, may Allah reward you with good, welcome.
And the drop, ohAbu Layla ؟
Abu Layla : Our Shaykh, today I gave you twice.
The Shaykh : That is not what matters, it has no schedule. Whenever I feel the need, that is what the doctors said.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.