Clarification of the Third Doubt, Which Is: When Can the Muslims Go Out and Fight in the Path of Allah the Exalted?

The Shaykh : What else do you have?

The questioner : There is another point they cite as evidence. They say, for example, what is the criterion in the matter of, say, jihad or going out? If it is based on a time period, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) remained for thirteen years, and then there was jihad. If it is based on a number, the first battle, as I believe, was three hundred and so on. And we still have more than twenty years left, and the number might be in the thousands.

The Shaykh : We do not have years in our reckoning; we have the preparation of the Muslim community to fulfill a duty, to fulfill a certain duty. We give a very simple, very easy example to understand the issue. Look, enjoining good, enjoining good alone is easier, or is fighting in the Path of Allah easier? Enjoining good is easier. And enjoining good has three levels, as is well known. This changing of evil by hand: can the Muslims in any of the Islamic countries do it? Can they carry it out? How can they do this, O people?! So when does the answer come to the question you raised regarding jihad? When will the Muslims be able to enjoin good at the highest and first level? This is not a question to be asked, because this depends on the condition of the Muslims in terms of the strength of their faith, their patience, their knowledge, and so on. This matter is entrusted to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). All that can be said regarding setting those limits, like how many years we need, is that this is a matter left to Allah. But it is our duty to proceed within the limits of what Allah the Glorious and Exalted has commanded. And we do not believe that victory is deserved by the Muslims through their material and moral preparations. Rather, victory is in the hand of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). When Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) gave the Muslims victory in the Battle of Badr and caused them to fail at the beginning of the affair in the Battle of Hunayn, there was only one cause in the Battle of Hunayn: their pride in their numbers, as mentioned in the Noble Qur'an. But after that, Allah the Glorious and Exalted bestowed His favor upon them and gave them victory, even though in the first situation where they were defeated, they were more numerous than their number in the Battle of Badr, in which Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) gave them victory. So it is upon us to take the means and then place our reliance on the Lord of Lords. As for when Allah will give victory, victory is from Allah. It is impossible to set a limit or a time for it absolutely. Religious matters are not like material matters. We hear today from some of the great powers that they set, for example, a five-year budget to treat a certain disease or a temporary problem, and then after these years they change the program. Material matters can be organized to a large extent and subjected to the will of rulers. But spiritual matters are delicate and very delicate. Therefore, it is wrong to raise a question like this: when will the number be reached? We are not responsible for the number. We are responsible for the Muslims continuing to fulfill their duty.