Is the command in the saying of the Exalted, “And prepare against them whatever you are able of strength and of bonded horses,” specific to the Companions?
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The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : I said that the specification is that the intended meaning of preparation[Al-Anfal 8:60] is for the true believers, just as the Companions were, not now. I mean, what is the evidence from the Book for this specification, when we, the believers, are required to prepare?
The Shaykh : The evidence is the verse. I told you the verse contains two things: one is apparent and clear, which is material preparation. But I pointed out the answer to this question you are mentioning now: “And prepare against them”—to whom is the address directed? Directly, who are they?
The questioner : The Companions, but also to us.
The Shaykh : Listen, my brother, may Allah reward you. Were the Companions true believers?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : I am saying now, if we assume a group of Muslims who are open sinners, are they the ones addressed by this verse?
The questioner : By Allah, I cannot say for certain, but let us say, for example,
The Shaykh : I can say, I can say first, you know his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) Do you know this hadith?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : So, can the open sinner strive against his desire for the sake of Allah? Say no.
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : So why do you hesitate to say that this address is not directed to open sinners? Now, ascend and ascend until you reach with me the true believers. The true believers are those who perform what Allah has made obligatory upon them and refrain from what Allah has forbidden them from. It is not necessary for these people to fast the whole year and stand in night prayer. No, these are voluntary acts. But the believers are those who do what Allah has made obligatory and refrain from what Allah has forbidden. So when a group of believers gathers with these characteristics and they are able to prepare—and I think, my brother, you are not of the group that deals with matters by their emotions—if I tell you now that the command here is for the true believers, but if these true believers cannot realize this Qur'anic text[Al-Anfal 8:60], are they obligated?
The questioner : No,[At-Taghabun 64:16]
The Shaykh : So, if we assume that today there is a group of Muslims who gather in a land and they are directly addressed by the previous verse, “And prepare against them,” but they cannot, would you say they must do what they cannot? No. So why are you surprised when I tell you the verse has two meanings: an apparent, explicit meaning that everyone understands, and an implicit meaning contained in the address of Blessed and Exalted is He to those first believers. When was this verse revealed? It was not revealed in Makkah; it was revealed in al-Madinah. Why? Because first, they were not in a position to deserve this address, and second, there was no gathering based on this strong faith. So the call proceeds in stages, and history repeats itself, as I told you earlier. Now, many of the young Muslims who belong to some groups in Egypt or elsewhere are enthusiastic about material preparation, and they suffer all tribulation and all fitnah, and they retreat because they are preparing for material preparation before they are able to handle it, so that they have dominance over their enemy. Therefore, I hope that two things are noted here in this verse: the first thing I mentioned earlier, and the second thing I mentioned later and finally, which is ability. [Al-Baqarah 2:286] Today, in my opinion, no Muslim group can apply this Qur'anic text. [Al-Anfal 8:60] Today, bonded horses, as you know, rarely have an effective role in the civil wars existing today. So the preparation we are commanded to do today is not training horses and managing horses, because they no longer have that effect they had before. Now, tanks, airplanes, and these destructive bombs have taken the place of these means that were known before. So this preparation, my brother, is not easy for a group of Muslims to do, first because they are scattered in the corners of the earth, and second because they have not been raised with the correct Islamic upbringing on the pure Islam by which we declare our religion to Allah and believe that Allah the Mighty and Majestic will support those who walk on this path by facilitating for them material preparation just as He facilitated for them spiritual preparation. And Allah the Mighty and Majestic is Able to do that.
The questioner : Especially, Shaykh, the situation, specifically the situation in Lebanon, was originally a situation where, during the war period, the strong devoured the weak, and the political parties... Now, when the situation stabilized and the government, for example, started taking weapons from the people, and so on, if the matter remains like this, can it be compared to any other Islamic state, or any state, excuse me, that has Muslims? But the brothers say that when it reached them that the matter has not yet stabilized, and especially that what they call the Habash, or the Shi'ah, or the other sects, are preparing weapons and training, and they are not, I mean, only for the purpose of attacking, but if, may Allah forbid, they are attacked, they will defend their honor and their people.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : I said that the specification is that the intended meaning of preparation
prepare against them whatever you are able of power
أعدوا لهم ما استطعتم من قوةThe Shaykh : The evidence is the verse. I told you the verse contains two things: one is apparent and clear, which is material preparation. But I pointed out the answer to this question you are mentioning now: “And prepare against them”—to whom is the address directed? Directly, who are they?
The questioner : The Companions, but also to us.
The Shaykh : Listen, my brother, may Allah reward you. Were the Companions true believers?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : I am saying now, if we assume a group of Muslims who are open sinners, are they the ones addressed by this verse?
The questioner : By Allah, I cannot say for certain, but let us say, for example,
The Shaykh : I can say, I can say first, you know his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)
The mujahid is the one who strives against his own desires for the sake of Allah.
المجاهد من جاهد هواه للهThe questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : So, can the open sinner strive against his desire for the sake of Allah? Say no.
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : So why do you hesitate to say that this address is not directed to open sinners? Now, ascend and ascend until you reach with me the true believers. The true believers are those who perform what Allah has made obligatory upon them and refrain from what Allah has forbidden them from. It is not necessary for these people to fast the whole year and stand in night prayer. No, these are voluntary acts. But the believers are those who do what Allah has made obligatory and refrain from what Allah has forbidden. So when a group of believers gathers with these characteristics and they are able to prepare—and I think, my brother, you are not of the group that deals with matters by their emotions—if I tell you now that the command here is for the true believers, but if these true believers cannot realize this Qur'anic text
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power
وأعدوا لهم ما أستطعتم من قوةThe questioner : No,
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فاتقوا الله ما استطعتمThe Shaykh : So, if we assume that today there is a group of Muslims who gather in a land and they are directly addressed by the previous verse, “And prepare against them,” but they cannot, would you say they must do what they cannot? No. So why are you surprised when I tell you the verse has two meanings: an apparent, explicit meaning that everyone understands, and an implicit meaning contained in the address of Blessed and Exalted is He to those first believers.
And prepare
وأعدواAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعهاAnd prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war
وأعدوا لهم ما استطعتم من قوة ومن رباط الخيلThe questioner : Especially, Shaykh, the situation, specifically the situation in Lebanon, was originally a situation where, during the war period, the strong devoured the weak, and the political parties... Now, when the situation stabilized and the government, for example, started taking weapons from the people, and so on, if the matter remains like this, can it be compared to any other Islamic state, or any state, excuse me, that has Muslims? But the brothers say that when it reached them that the matter has not yet stabilized, and especially that what they call the Habash, or the Shi'ah, or the other sects, are preparing weapons and training, and they are not, I mean, only for the purpose of attacking, but if, may Allah forbid, they are attacked, they will defend their honor and their people.
The Shaykh : Yes