Regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And prepare against them whatever you are able of strength,” how is the preparation to be carried out in the first place?
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The questioner : The second question is regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted [Al-Anfal 8:60], or how is the preparation to be carried out in the first place, and are there conditions and characteristics that must be considered in this preparation?
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that the preparation mentioned here in the noble verse is material preparation. As stated in the hadith of 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) explained the saying in this verse by saying:Sahih Muslim 1917. Therefore, the strength here is material strength. However, it is not permissible to overlook a reality latent in the address of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to the believers in this verse, where He said: . This address is undoubtedly directed directly to those who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger. If we observe this, which is an obligatory and necessary matter, we then arrive at the following conclusion: this command to prepare materially is preceded by spiritual or moral preparation, if that expression is correct. This is what creates the difference between the believing Muslim nation and the disbelieving, sinful nation. All disbelieving nations are always and forever concerned only with material preparation and do not think about this preparation to which we have drawn attention in mentioning the saying of Allah the Exalted: . The address here is to the believers. We find the realization of this meaning in the guidance of the Messenger (peace be upon him), his Sunnah, and the starting point of his call. We all know that when Allah sent the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) as a Prophet and Messenger, the first things he focused on were two:
The first thing was to establish or correct the beliefs in the hearts of those being called to Islam.
The second thing was to educate these Muslims in Islamic morals. This is a very natural and self-evident matter, and I mean that it is necessary to correct the creed and care for education. So we say that the verse commands the believers who have prepared themselves psychologically or spiritually that it is obligatory for them to add to this preparation another preparation, which is material and military preparation. There is no doubt that Muslims do not achieve victory over their enemies merely by taking material means to meet strength with strength, because there is a great difference between Muslims and disbelievers. The victory of Muslims does not require that their material preparation be equal to the material preparation of the disbelievers. Rather, the condition for Allah’s victory for His believing servants is that, along with their material preparation, they have advanced in spiritual, psychological, or educational preparation—whatever we call it, the expression varies but the meaning is one.
The disbeliever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, does not practice the religion of the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and does not adopt the morals of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). As for the Muslim, if we assume that a Muslim nation in a certain time is stronger in preparation and has more powerful weapons than a disbelieving nation, that nation does not deserve victory from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) unless it has prepared that preparation which disbelievers do not prepare, which is spiritual preparation, as we said.
In brief and in summary, the matter is as Allah the Exalted said:[Muhammad 47:7]. Therefore, the victory of Allah does not come about merely by fulfilling one matter, as stated in that verse: [Al-Anfal 8:60] to its end. Rather, it comes about by taking and implementing and applying all the necessary commands so that the Muslims are prepared and become deserving of the victory of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) for them over their enemy.
Therefore, it is necessary to present the psychological preparation before the material preparation. This is what we call in some of our words or lectures that Muslims must undergo purification and education. Purification is purifying Islam from what has entered it that is foreign to it. Education is acting upon this purified Islam. If Muslims do not act upon purified Islam as is the case today, unfortunately, and they take all means of material strength, that does not qualify them to deserve the victory of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ ...The Shaykh : There is no doubt that the preparation mentioned here in the noble verse is material preparation. As stated in the hadith of 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) explained the saying in this verse by saying:
Beware, strength consists in archery. Beware, strength consists in archery. Beware, strength consists in archery.
ألا إن القوة الرمي ألا إن القوة الرمي ألا إن القوة الرميAnd prepare against them
وأعدوا لهمAnd prepare against them
وأعدوا لهمThe first thing was to establish or correct the beliefs in the hearts of those being called to Islam.
The second thing was to educate these Muslims in Islamic morals. This is a very natural and self-evident matter, and I mean that it is necessary to correct the creed and care for education. So we say that the verse commands the believers who have prepared themselves psychologically or spiritually that it is obligatory for them to add to this preparation another preparation, which is material and military preparation. There is no doubt that Muslims do not achieve victory over their enemies merely by taking material means to meet strength with strength, because there is a great difference between Muslims and disbelievers. The victory of Muslims does not require that their material preparation be equal to the material preparation of the disbelievers. Rather, the condition for Allah’s victory for His believing servants is that, along with their material preparation, they have advanced in spiritual, psychological, or educational preparation—whatever we call it, the expression varies but the meaning is one.
The disbeliever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, does not practice the religion of the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and does not adopt the morals of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). As for the Muslim, if we assume that a Muslim nation in a certain time is stronger in preparation and has more powerful weapons than a disbelieving nation, that nation does not deserve victory from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) unless it has prepared that preparation which disbelievers do not prepare, which is spiritual preparation, as we said.
In brief and in summary, the matter is as Allah the Exalted said:
if you support Allah, He will support you
إِنْ تَنْصُرُوا اللهَ يَنْصُرْكُمْAnd prepare against them whatever you are able of power
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍTherefore, it is necessary to present the psychological preparation before the material preparation. This is what we call in some of our words or lectures that Muslims must undergo purification and education. Purification is purifying Islam from what has entered it that is foreign to it. Education is acting upon this purified Islam. If Muslims do not act upon purified Islam as is the case today, unfortunately, and they take all means of material strength, that does not qualify them to deserve the victory of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).