The Shaykh’s remarks on the condition that jihad be conducted under the banner of a single commander.
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The questioner : Jihad should be conducted under a single commander. So, if these seven—assuming there are seven—differ?
The Shaykh : This is also an opinion I have heard here, and they mentioned that I stated that jihad must be under a banner. Yes, I said this and I still say it regarding Islamic lands. Islamic lands that are attacked from within their own territory, not attacked by disbelievers from outside, as recently happened in Syria with the Syrian revolution against the one called Hafiz al-Asad, and as our brothers in Egypt did against—what is the name of the one who was killed?—Anwar al-Sadat, and so on. We do not approve of these revolutions at all because they are not on the Islamic methodology. So we say that if such movements arise, they must be based on a Muslim man who has been pledged allegiance to, not from one sect of the Muslims, but from all the Muslims. This ruling I stated, and I still state it, is completely different from the current situation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan was attacked by a disbeliever state, so the people must all mobilize. And "all" here is interpreted in light of the previous explanation, because it is not reasonable that today two hundred million Muslims all go to Afghanistan and leave their homes empty, except to the extent that the individual obligation is fulfilled.
But I see, returning to the previous discussion, and I have clarified that the existing doubt must be under a single banner. This is what we say, or what we said, regarding revolutions that occur within Islamic lands. Here, and although we say that this was my answer, also in Afghanistan, that they should fight under the command of one person, but there is no power or might... if this is not possible, we do not leave Islamic lands to be an easy prey for the disbelievers because of this disagreement among some commanders and the desire of each one to be the commander, and he...
So we must continue to support them with all the equipment, personnel, and funds they need.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. Regarding the situation of a Muslim whose case is ambiguous there, is he... in need? Or not in need? He hears an officer of the forces...
Another questioner: This is...
The questioner : And the other is that they are not in need, and now his mother, for example, tells him not to go. Meaning, some of our brothers have a mother who is sick with a heart condition and is tired, and she says to him, "Do not go." He said that Shaykh Nasir said it is an individual obligation and whoever does not go commits a sin, and so on. So in such a case, and many of them, which is more preponderant?
The Shaykh : I did not say this to you, and we said it this morning in a gathering. I say it is an individual obligation, but every person is responsible for himself. I gave an example.
The Shaykh : This is also an opinion I have heard here, and they mentioned that I stated that jihad must be under a banner. Yes, I said this and I still say it regarding Islamic lands. Islamic lands that are attacked from within their own territory, not attacked by disbelievers from outside, as recently happened in Syria with the Syrian revolution against the one called Hafiz al-Asad, and as our brothers in Egypt did against—what is the name of the one who was killed?—Anwar al-Sadat, and so on. We do not approve of these revolutions at all because they are not on the Islamic methodology. So we say that if such movements arise, they must be based on a Muslim man who has been pledged allegiance to, not from one sect of the Muslims, but from all the Muslims. This ruling I stated, and I still state it, is completely different from the current situation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan was attacked by a disbeliever state, so the people must all mobilize. And "all" here is interpreted in light of the previous explanation, because it is not reasonable that today two hundred million Muslims all go to Afghanistan and leave their homes empty, except to the extent that the individual obligation is fulfilled.
But I see, returning to the previous discussion, and I have clarified that the existing doubt must be under a single banner. This is what we say, or what we said, regarding revolutions that occur within Islamic lands. Here, and although we say that this was my answer, also in Afghanistan, that they should fight under the command of one person, but there is no power or might... if this is not possible, we do not leave Islamic lands to be an easy prey for the disbelievers because of this disagreement among some commanders and the desire of each one to be the commander, and he...
So we must continue to support them with all the equipment, personnel, and funds they need.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. Regarding the situation of a Muslim whose case is ambiguous there, is he... in need? Or not in need? He hears an officer of the forces...
Another questioner: This is...
The questioner : And the other is that they are not in need, and now his mother, for example, tells him not to go. Meaning, some of our brothers have a mother who is sick with a heart condition and is tired, and she says to him, "Do not go." He said that Shaykh Nasir said it is an individual obligation and whoever does not go commits a sin, and so on. So in such a case, and many of them, which is more preponderant?
The Shaykh : I did not say this to you, and we said it this morning in a gathering. I say it is an individual obligation, but every person is responsible for himself. I gave an example.