Is qunut prescribed in a general calamity?

The questioner : Regarding the issue of qunut, specifically qunut for calamities:

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : I mean, who determines that we Muslims are currently living through calamities?

The Shaykh : The jurist, and the jurist is one who follows the Book and the Sunnah, not one who merely studies fiqh.

The questioner : I mean, regarding the current conditions of Muslims, the situation Muslims are living in, for example, is the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina considered a calamity?

The Shaykh : It is a calamity.

The questioner : Do Muslims not perform qunut for it?

The Shaykh : As for the general conditions of Muslims, no; but as for sudden events, they are certainly calamities, such as the calamity of Andalusia and the calamity of the Jews. We should perform qunut for the calamity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, just as we should have performed qunut for the calamities of Afghanistan, Eritrea, the Philippines, and so on.

Another questioner : Peace be upon you

The Shaykh : And peace be upon you. But to clarify the difference between one qunut and another: why do they not perform qunut to repel the aggression and invasion of the Jews? Because it has become part of the life of Muslims; the meaning of a sudden calamity has been lifted from it, and it has become a natural state. And I say, why do Muslims not perform qunut for what happened in Andalusia? Centuries have passed, and it has become part of the life of Muslims; Andalusia has become one of the lands of the disbelievers. So when a temporary calamity befalls Muslims, it is obligatory upon them, or at least prescribed, to perform qunut. But God forbid that this calamity becomes part of their lives. The evidence for this is that they have become accustomed to living with it. The Jews are sufficient as an example. The disaster of the Jewish occupation of Palestine is truly a more dangerous disaster than the disaster of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, because the Soviets occupied Afghanistan through agents, not by the Russians arriving as a massive army to occupy the lands of the Muslims. Whereas the Jews occupied it with an army and weapons, and so on. And not only that, but the Islamic states have come to recognize this unjust and oppressive occupation, and they seek reconciliation based on this occupation. Therefore, the Jewish occupation of Palestine has become part of the life of Muslims, so qunut is not performed for it. As for Bosnia and Herzegovina, yes, qunut is prescribed here. But if the Arab states, as is observed with regret now, cooperate with the Security Council, just as they are cooperating now with the Americans when they occupied Somalia under the pretext of relief, relieving them from hunger, which is undoubtedly a military and political occupation aimed first at occupying Somalia, and second at encircling some of the other Islamic states. If the Arab states themselves are cooperating with America, where is the qunut? Qunut for these Serbs who are attacking Bosnia and Herzegovina, killing, shedding blood, and committing heinous crimes against women, and so on? Or for those who are cooperating with the Security Council, which is helping the Serbs against the Muslims? I heard a very strange news item, I do not know if you paid attention to it or not, that there is an idea in the Security Council to submit a resolution to disarm Bosnia and Herzegovina. Did you hear this? If they comply, then so be it; they are thinking of fighting. It means they want to take a decision with the Serbs against whom? Against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Serbs are the aggressors, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are the ones being attacked. So to stop the war, they disarm the ones being attacked. God is Great. The disasters of the Muslims are very strange disasters, and disasters keep coming one after another.

The questioner : Shall we postpone the remaining questions, if Allah wills, until after the afternoon, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh : If Allah wills.