The Shaykh’s remarks on their saying, “We want an alternative.”

Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh! It is the same topic, a clarifying question, I mean.

The Shaykh : May it be good, if Allah wills.
Al-Halabi : In the question from our dear brother—and we hear this often—the word “alternative” is used: “We want the Islamic alternative to such-and-such, the Islamic alternative to such-and-such.”

The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah!
Al-Halabi : It would be good, our Shaykh, if you would shed light on this, I mean, for the benefit of the people.

The Shaykh : And by Allah, this statement is correct; it is a valid question. When we talk about the tragedies of banks, the merchants ask us—merchants who, even if they stopped working entirely and lived as long as they lived, would still be rich—saying, "What is the alternative?" They are afraid that if we tell them, "Fear Allah and stop dealing with banks," they will die of hunger; they want an alternative. My brother! The alternative must not be in the sense that every person with an interest, every person with a desire and an objective, imagines it to be. The alternative exists in the Shari'ah; so you seek the Shari'ah and act upon it, and you will reach the alternative by the shortest path. People today—Glorified and Exalted is He!—when we come to speak about—and peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings—the conditions, or about the path that Muslims should follow so that they can achieve the Islamic society, establish Islamic rule, and pledge allegiance to the Muslim caliph, what is the path to reaching this? The methodologies of the Islamic parties, of course, differ from the methodology of the Victorious Group, which is the one that follows the Book and the Sunnah in everything. This group says: "Proceed as the first Muslims proceeded, and then the result will be the establishment of the Muslim state, whether you will it or not." As for you, other parties who want to establish the Muslim state before you establish it within yourselves; you will never reach its establishment, absolutely not; because it is known that one who lacks a thing cannot give it, on the one hand. And among the contemporary wisdoms—today—and it is strange that it was issued by a leader of one of the existing parties today, and they do not act upon this wisdom—and it is: "Establish the state of Islam in your hearts, and it will be established for you in your land." They do not establish the state of Islam in their hearts.
The Shaykh : Part of this establishment is that you fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that you do not seek an alternative to the anthems that were of the Sufis, or these anthems that have taken the place of the Sufi anthems. Do not seek an alternative; because the Qur'an is the best alternative, and you have just heard his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: . The point is: the alternative for all the complaints that may arise on the occasion of what is . Islam does not forbid what Allah has made lawful, nor does it permit what Allah has forbidden, and the matter is as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: to the end of the hadith. So it is not permissible for the Muslim, whenever he is told, “This is forbidden,” to say, “What is the alternative?” The alternative is: Fear Allah, my brother! Our Lord says in the Qur'an—and the Muslims, due to their deviation, have taken it as a plaque to decorate the walls of their houses—and it is: . But this, instead of being on the wall, must be in the heart, and when it settles in the heart, then the Muslim will not be concerned, he will not ask about the alternative; because he knows, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said—look at how the hadiths respond to one another—: . My brother! If you leave working with such-and-such a bank or such-and-such a bank out of fear of Allah, Allah will provide for you from where you do not expect and do not calculate.