The Shaykh’s commentary on a tape containing al-Sayyaf’s response to the threat of cutting off support from some Muslims.

Listening to the tape: "Cutting off support from you by some..."

The Shaykh : Go back and listen to the beginning of the speech. Just that.
Listening to the tape: "That they do not fight them, and they are not aware. The fourth question: What is your opinion on the threat to cut off support from you by some Muslims?"
We are not children, nor are we sons of this world, to be afraid of these threats or for these threats to affect us. If we were people of this world, lovers of this world and its trivial adornment, we would have been affected by these threats. We began our jihad before these betrayers knew us, and before we knew them. and we continue on our path with the same creed and the same faith. We did not enter this jihad except to establish the rule of Allah on the face of the earth, to exalt His word, and to spread the creed of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). If we are sincere in this claim, then Allah takes charge of our affairs, and He takes charge of the righteous. Upon Him we rely, and upon Him let the believers rely. We will not be affected by these threats, and I think it is best to remind them—meaning those who threaten us with cutting off support—to remind them that cutting off their support for the mujahideen is far less harmful than unleashing their tongues against them with lies and fabrications, and accusing them of not being among the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). May Allah guide these accusers to the truth, and we pray for them again and again, saying: May Allah guide them...

The Shaykh : CommentaryThe Shaykh : Who do you mean by the ones threatening?

The questioner : Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.

The Shaykh : Did Saudi Arabia declare something like that?

The questioner : They cut off the zakah funds completely, and the donors cut off any riyal reaching Afghanistan, and they announced it in the sermons and on the pulpits. Many leaflets reached Peshawar regarding this matter, and this brought about a sermon by Musa al-Qarni, a Shaykh from Saudi Arabia, stating this matter.

The Shaykh : When did they cut it off?

The questioner : Mostly, it started after the killing of...The Shaykh : Jamil. The statements began, and from the time the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurred, it has been so since the beginning of the fitnah, which was before... like this, or more than four months. It started like this. Of course, these fronts are empty of food, yes, and weapons are almost gone, and conversely, it has increased... daily, between forty and fifty planes land at Kabul airport... loaded with weapons and ammunition from the Soviet Union, and now this jihad of the mujahideen is going to be lost.

The Shaykh : There is no power nor strength except by Allah.