Then the Shaykh spoke about the importance of 'aqidah.

The Shaykh : And I think there is absolutely no disagreement among Muslims that the foundation of every victory over the disbelievers is 'aqidah, is it not? Now, if Muslims disagree on 'aqidah, they will certainly disagree on matters other than 'aqidah. Disagreement on 'aqidah is what causes harm, while disagreement on branches is what does not cause harm, provided a person is sincere in following the truth wherever it is. The majority of Islamic preachers today do not have this, not just here, but in all Islamic lands, there is a lack of attention to spreading the correct 'aqidah among the people. This is a shortcoming on the part of all the scholars, so attention must be paid to this aspect. Let us hear from our brother Jamal what he has to say and benefit from it.

The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We had hoped at the beginning of the discussion, and some of the brothers went beyond this hope.

The Shaykh : Good, if Allah wills.

The questioner : So that the benefit is widespread and we are concise without going into details. I return to where we left off in our discussion.

The Shaykh : Please go ahead.

The questioner : As for the professor's advice regarding the use of the term Wahhabi, your advice, may Allah reward you with good, is in its proper place.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.

The questioner : The intention was to use the common expression in the course of the discussion. I mentioned the expression but did not intend to imply...

The Shaykh : Yes, I did not speak about your intention, as your intention is like light, but we spoke about the word.

The questioner : May Allah honor you, may Allah reward you with good. The second issue is about the topic of 'aqidah, and I do not think two people would disagree that it is the starting point and the end point, and it is the entire subject, the beginning and the end. What I am saying is that there may have been some confusion in understanding my words when I said that the 'aqidah, and I was speaking about the leadership of the organizations, and I said that their 'aqidah is Salafi, then it was understood afterwards that I was speaking about the Afghan society. I did not say this. Just as the brother mentioned the leadership and the first and second, and approximately the third row, the people around them, there is no doubt about their 'aqidah. And this may have been the reason, Professor, for one of the reasons the situation was affected, because these organizations handed over responsibilities in places of influence to their own people, who may have studied in Islamic universities and other things, which led to a shortcoming on the part of another group that these individuals and personalities were removed from their places in the jihad. For example, a person was a front commander, then he was sent to the Islamic university, and upon his return, his relationship with the front became formal or official, because it was delegated to another person who had taken over the responsibility. The reason for this is their ijtihad that those with influence, decision-making, and the word should be in the hands of trusted people from their group. This is the main reason they are keen to send their own people or the elite to study abroad. Second, the universities and educational institutions for knowledge, although the organizations, my brothers, are independent, but the only committee that is still connected and has not been dissolved is the Education and Training Committee. It is the only committee among all the organizations, despite the collapse of the previous government, and the current government is unstable, while the Education and Training Committee remains as it is, along with its officials, because they are aware of this issue. And I heard from the mouth of one of the leaders, to achieve the idea that we did not actually do well in entering this issue and did not realize where our true place is. He said, if you want to educate the people, this is Afghanistan before you, and it is an open letter: do what you want, and do not interfere in our internal affairs and the political problems that are occurring. And indeed, we did not take advantage of this and did not benefit from it, and even to this moment, he tells you, in education and training, do what you want, do as you please. And this is what we are saying, anyone now, the arena, Professor, the jihad is full of at least fourteen Sharia institutes established by various Islamic associations and entities. These are intermediate institutes that give something like a diploma for a period of two years. This is in addition to the universities; there are three universities among the mujahideen. The universities, who teaches in them, generally, of course, are Sharia universities and Arabic language faculties, and perhaps a Faculty of Islamic Principles is added in one of the universities. Most of their professors are Arab professors who are hired from abroad. Therefore, it explains why they hand over to these people, knowing that they have Afghan doctors who were working at Kabul University and others. The point is that they really have a great effort, as the brother mentioned. They are now keen on the issue of the third and fourth rows, and so on. They have started spreading circles in which they spread. Second, their general educational efforts among the mujahideen inside and in the arena of the emigrants. There are programs that were put in place during the winter, because during the winter, the mujahideen come from inside to Peshawar, so it is a good opportunity, because, Professor, you cannot carry out a complete and correct educational work inside the front due to the lack of security; you cannot do this. And so they take advantage of their coming to Peshawar and Pakistan to implement these programs. There are limited programs implemented in some nearby and border areas where there is relative safety, and safety is from Allah. The important thing is to say that there is really an effort being made, but compared to the size of the effort required for the issue of an entire people, approximately eighteen or twenty million, it is almost negligible. In addition to this... I hope in this form that I have clarified.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you.

The questioner : The 'aqidah of the common people is mixed with truth in it, and you find among them that when you ask him, he tells you, "I do not know, Allah exists, and I want to fight these communists, and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and I pray this prayer."

The Shaykh : This is a Salafi indication, but does he mean it?! Oh, what do you think, Abu Malik?

The questioner : By fitrah, Professor.
Abu Malik: It is a confirmation of what is said by fitrah...
Al-Halabi : ... .

The Shaykh : And when it is said by knowledge, he denies it.
Abu Malik: And this is the sad thing.

The Shaykh : The goal of our speech is that there should be greater attention directed, as Professor Abu Yusuf said, to correcting the 'aqidah, because without correcting the 'aqidah, there is no success...

The questioner : And there is no benefit from all this jihad...

The Shaykh : Yes?

The questioner : There is no benefit from all this fighting.

The Shaykh: This is it, may Allah bless you.

The questioner : I do not think two people would disagree on this, and the truth is that I did not focus on this point, being certain from us that it is an understood and accepted matter.

The Shaykh : But you are wrong when you say that two people do not disagree on this.

The questioner : Well, at least from this gathering.

The Shaykh : How can you not believe that there are groups and parties that believe it is not permissible to raise any disagreement now, and that unity and gathering on Islam is required, and as I said in my first words to you, general Islam. Do you not believe that there are people who believe this?

The questioner : We have heard this, we have heard it and read it.

The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, so how do you say that two people do not disagree on this? Unless you meant the group of those present...

The questioner : No, I intended something broader than this. That this gathering, in truth, is not in my consideration, because the one who holds this opinion, in my opinion, does not realize the reality of the struggle and jihad between Islam and disbelief.

The Shaykh : But may Allah bless you, this is the 'aqidah of most Muslims today.

The questioner : So this increases the burden on us as well.

The Shaykh : It is so, and therefore we must pay attention to 'aqidah and spread it.

The questioner : Well, let us return to the topic, Professor.

The Shaykh : Please go ahead.

The questioner : What you have clarified in these two points, if you would like to clarify another matter.

The Shaykh : No, I only add my voice to the voice of Abu Malik that we have benefited from you in describing the disease; there, we should understand what the cure is.

The questioner : I tell you, in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. First, Mr. Professor, the arena there requires a specific type of person who understands, first of all, that their duty is that they are callers to Allah. What does the word "da'wah" (calling) mean? They need a specific type, not just anyone who has this innate and acquired scientific aptitude. Second, it is necessary that the person realizes the reality of the arena to which he will go and work in, and recognizes the mines on his path so that he does not collide in side battles and forget his main battle and primary objective. Third, it is necessary that he benefits from the experiences of those who came before him. Fourth, the atmosphere there is prepared and open. And I say, to be honest, if Muslims want to build a general future plan for Afghanistan, or a plan for Afghanistan, we must build it for the next two or three decades. In this decade, many beliefs have become rooted, so it is forbidden for us to deal with the issue according to its current reality, because the generation of the future will be lost. Mr. Professor, the Soviet Union, even until now, takes thirty thousand Afghan children annually—children aged eight to ten—and raises them inside the Soviet Union, in addition to the delegations and the youth, meaning what they call the youth, i.e., young men and women, and in addition to the trips, and in addition to the media pressure, and in addition to the fact that the entire educational curriculum inside Afghanistan has been torn apart and changed, meaning it has been placed according to what they want. So this person must understand this. The situation there is greatly prepared for this matter, with the condition I mentioned or with these conditions we mentioned. And I think, Mr. Professor, that perhaps from here there was a great influence in that the Arabs had somewhat negative effects, although, and we testify to Allah the Exalted and Majestic, I say that the effort made by the Arabs in the Afghan jihad in the three main areas in which they worked was an effort blessed by Allah the Exalted and Glorified, and no one can overlook this effort, and no one can forget it. But there are some groups that deviated from the primary objective, which is that wherever you are, as a doctor, an engineer, etc., you must adapt your profession so that you do not forget your primary objective and your primary profession which Allah the Exalted and Majestic entrusted to you. And the truth I say, and this is now becoming very clear, is that the organizations, the leadership above, a while ago, Mr. Professor, held a seminar where four main leaders and some side leaders gathered, and it was very useful, speaking about spreading the Islamic awakening and the Islamic renaissance in Afghanistan, and what are the problems, and why is this the reality now, and why are the sons, who were in one row and in one university, having these forms of conflict or fanaticism among them over issues that have no value? It was very useful. The main focus was the weakness of upbringing, because they were under great pressure and they were alone in the field, and there was no one with them except Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Now they have increased in conviction in this. What I want to say is that the cure must begin with us being convinced that the arena in which we work is not a school or a club arena. We are working in an arena of twenty million Muslims, twenty million children, or how many millions will emerge after three decades? A whole people, a whole country, on this basis. So our thinking must be broad and expansive, and we must truly understand the reality of the challenge before us. And Allah knows best.

The Shaykh : We ask Allah for success.

The questioner : O Allah, amen.

The Shaykh : My personal opinion is that it is necessary to focus on 'aqidah throughout the entire Muslim world, including Afghanistan. The shortcoming of the entire Muslim world is its turning away from 'aqidah and from clarifying it for people. The greatest proof of this is that well-known Islamic parties, known for their large numbers and long history of party politics, consider engaging in da'wah and correcting ideas to be a mistake. We have had very unfortunate experiences. For thirty years, I have been in Medina, and we gathered a council exactly like this one, but we were sitting in an Arab-style session on the ground. I was sitting in the place of this brother here, Munir, I think? That is not right, is it? The last person to enter was a preacher, a man with a shaved head as they say, and the head of a well-known Islamic party in some countries. He greeted us and started shaking hands. I noticed his facial expression changed, as mentioned in the hadith. The reason was that no one stood up for him, and this is certainly not customary in such gatherings. As for the person entering, he has a social status. When he reached me, and I was the last one sitting there right by the door, I said to him, "Professor," as they say in our region of the Levant, "A guest without standing up." Because I felt that he was somewhat bothered by these people not standing up for him. He barely heard this word before he exploded and said, "Professor, we now want to sit and work on these details, and so on and so on." He was blustering, as they say in the Arabic language, "the bellowing of the bull." He is a preacher; we must be one word. We are now living with the Ba'athists and the communists, and so on. So I left him until he finished. I said, "Professor, is what you heard from you sufficient? Is it enough for us to agree on 'La ilaha illa Allah' even without understanding?" He said, "Even without understanding, what do you think?" He is the head of an Islamic party, and I know that these parties live on this principle. They are content with the general Muslims saying 'La ilaha illa Allah' even if they do not understand that this testimony, or this good word, necessitates disbelief in the taghut. But not only disbelief in the taghut in the modern sense today, because that is also one of the misfortunes of the present age. Many of the young Muslims now consider the taghut to be the ruler who rules by other than what Allah has revealed. Meanwhile, there are various taghuts: these vows, these oaths, and these calls directed to other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic). These are contrary to the word 'La ilaha illa Allah' for one who understands that 'La ilaha illa Allah' means tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship) and the oneness of worship. This Muslim world lives on this. Therefore, Islamic preachers truly must gather, not only in the good style I have been talking about, but also with correct knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah. This is what the Muslim world needs, not just the Afghans. And for this reason, I referred to the word of Professor Abu Malik just now to our brother there in the corner. And in corners there are secrets, as they say. It caught his attention that Al-Albani says that it is obligatory for Muslims, as an individual obligation, that they strive in Afghanistan. I hold this opinion and still do, and I add to this opinion a companion. I say that the Arabs who go there are performing two duties: the duty of jihad against the disbelieving communists there, and the duty of da'wah to the correct knowledge that they need. This point is not noticed by many Islamic preachers. So I met with some Saudi sheikhs who have their own opinion. They say there is no objection, saying that jihad there is a collective obligation, not an individual obligation. I say that if this is a collective obligation for the general Muslims, or for the general Muslims, then it is an individual obligation for the scholars of the Muslims to go there to perform the two duties: the duty of fighting for those who are able, and the duty of jihad that combines both, or at least for those who are not able, they strive with people by spreading the correct knowledge. This type of jihad is missing today in the Muslim world. And we firmly believe that the saying of Allah the Exalted is the first victory for Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and for His religion is the correct 'aqidah. I think this is something on which there should be no disagreement, is it not? It appears there is disagreement. Please proceed.

The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. And by Allah, Mr. Professor, the truth is that what you have graciously stated truly reveals a person's level.

The Shaykh: May Allah bless you.

The questioner : When one is inside the trial or the test, I add that the duty awaiting us inside Afghanistan is much easier, Professor, than the duty awaiting us here. The Afghan people are very easy to influence, despite this background they have. If there is a person who is a scholar of his time—and the truth is that you used the term "scholars," and we ask that you reach those whom this word refers to—what I want to say is that a person does not need great intellectual capacity to the same extent that he needs clarity of word and simple style. I give you an example to illustrate the nature of the Afghan people. We work there, and the brother Abu Akram alluded to something we call Islamic training camps. During the winter, the mujahideen come, and we agree with the leaders to take about one hundred men from each organization, gather them in one place, isolate them from their society, and begin an educational program. Part of the program, after the Fajr prayer and the dhikr, is a speech. In this speech, we begin to talk about what the words "love of Allah" and "love of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)" mean. The love of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has a very great impact on their hearts. We start from there and move into what love means, and how one must submit to the Beloved, and so on. You will find, believe me, Professor, that in the first lesson, the second lesson, they come after the lesson and offer us amulets, incantations, boxes of snuff, and boxes of cigarettes. They have one request: they tell you, "Take it and give me a mushaf." Take it and give me a mushaf. And we used to tell them, "Bring these and take the mushafs." The Afghans' only request during that period was, "Give us mushafs," because they did not have any. And when you see their interest and pride in the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), you truly see how close they are to the fitrah (the innate natural disposition). They place it first inside... perhaps you have seen this inside the peoples...

The Shaykh : This alone indicates what? It indicates Islamic emotion and ignorance.

The questioner: Correct.

The Shaykh : This problem...

The questioner : This Islamic emotion and ignorance make the idea easier for you...

The Shaykh : This is true, but does it draw their attention to this reality? That is, when you see an ordinary Muslim kissing the Qur'an, but you teach him that he does not act upon it...

The questioner : This person who asks for the Qur'an after we clarify to him—I said that we begin with him by talking about the love of Allah...

The Shaykh : I know, but I say this: the one you have prepared for, when you see him interested in the Qur'an, and if he reads it, if he reads it well, he does not understand anything from it, because he is a non-Arab like me; he is Afghan and I am Albanian. So the point is, but there is emotion. This emotion is utilized through this preparation and this occasion. This is what I wanted to say.

The questioner : You are correct.

The Shaykh : Through this preparation you spoke about and this occasion, and when we claim affiliation with the Salaf (the earliest generations), many people who do not know the reality of this affiliation are surprised, or rather disapprove, that we claim it because we feel completely that they are the ones who understood the call of Islam, the call of truth. We find in some athar (reports from a Companion or successor) that passed us that one of the Companions, I think Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, saw a man kissing the Qur'an and said to him, "Reverence for the Qur'an is not by kissing it, but by acting upon what is in it." Today, kissing the Qur'an is as if it is an obligation among the obligations, as if I had not heard anyone from the people of knowledge follow this Salafi, Ibn Mas'ud, in drawing the attention of these kissers and decorators of the Qur'an, and those who adorn it, and so on, to the fact that its reverence is not achieved by these actions, but by acting upon what is in it. This is the intent. We ask Allah to inspire us with the right. Yes.