MUSLIM SERMON - PRAY FOR VICTORY OVER THE INFIDELS
أسباب النصر وأسباب الهزيمة
Summary
1) Conditions for victory and reasons for defeat.
2) The miserable predicament of the contemporary Muslims.
3) Muslim rulers and leaders will behave towards their subjects as they behave towards Allaah.
4) A severe warning against discarding prayer.
The companion ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him,
narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Five
matters result when five things happen: If people break their covenant
with Allaah, He will send an enemy against them; If they rule by other
than the Law of Allaah, poverty will spread among them; If they become
deceptive in trade, Allaah will deprive them of crops and they will be
struck with famine; And if they withhold the payment of Zakaah, they
will be struck with drought.” (Tabaraani). In another narration he
sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “If they break the covenant of
Allaah and His Messenger, Allaah will send an external enemy against
them who will seize some of their possessions; If they do not rule by
the Book of Allaah, nor attempt to implement everything in it, Allaah
will spread enmity among them.”
This is a comprehensive clarification of the conditions for victory and
the causes of defeat for the Muslim nation. Breaking the covenant of
Allaah and His messenger, or in other words, disobeying Allaah and His
messenger, is one of the reasons for its defeat and being subjugated by
its enemies. Likewise, ruling by other than the rulings of Allaah is
the reason for the poverty, disunity and conflict which is occurring
among the Muslims.
Conversely, obeying Allaah and His Messenger sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa
sallam is the source of victory. Allaah says that which translates as:
“O you who have believed, if you support Allaah, He will support you
[by giving you victory].” (Muhammad: 7).
Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, was checking on
his army during the battle of Qaadisiyyah. He passed by the tent of one
group of soldiers at night and found the men inside praying Qiyaam, or
voluntary night-prayer, and remarked: ‘Victory comes from such a tent’
then he passed by another tent and found the men inside sleeping and
remarked: ‘Defeat comes from such a tent.’ This was despite the fact
that the men who were sleeping only missed a recommended prayer and not
an obligatory one; yet Sa’d considered missing this recommended act to
be a reason for defeat.
Qutaybah Ibn Muslim, who was a great Muslim conqueror, was the leader
of Khurasaan when it was being attacked. He passed by Muhammad Ibn
Waasi’, who was one of the Taabi’een, or the generation that followed
the Sahaabah, while Muhammad had his finger raised towards the heavens
supplicating to Allaah. Thereupon Qutaybah remarked: ‘That finger is
dearer to me than thirty thousand soldiers’.
How can the Muslims expect Allaah to grant them victory while they are
discarding prayers, refusing to pay Zakaah and dealing in interest?
What can they expect when alcoholic drinks and nightclubs become
prevalent in their lands? What happens when evil becomes widespread?
The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was once asked: “Would we be
punished by disasters which befall us while we have righteous people
amongst us?’ he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied: “Yes, if evil
becomes widespread.” Allaah says that which translates as: “And fear an
affliction which will not strike those who have wronged among you
exclusively, and know that Allaah is severe in penalty.” (Al-Anfaal:
25).
Therefore, if Muslims truly wish for victory, then they must change
what is in themselves as Allaah says that which translates as: “…Indeed
Allaah will not change the condition of a people until they change what
is in themselves …” (Ar-Ra’d: 11).
A Muslim must not feel despair and lose hope in Allaah, as He may grant
Muslims victory due to some of the oppressed or weak righteous people
amongst them who cannot defend themselves. The Prophet sallallaahu
‘alaihi wa sallam said: “You are provided for and granted victory due
to the weak amongst you”.
It is a fact that the leaders and rulers of the Muslims will be as
unjust and oppressive as the Muslims are amongst themselves and their
leaders will be dealt with as they deal with their subjects. Imaam Ibn
Al-Qayyim said: ‘Reflect on the wisdom of Allaah when the Muslims are
subjugated by their enemies as a result of the powerful amongst them
(Muslims) oppressing the weak and denying the rights of the oppressed.
Due to this, Allaah will send those who will dominate these Muslim
leaders and deal with them exactly as they dealt with the weak, an eye
for an eye. This is the way of Allaah from the time history began to
when it will end.
Look how Allaah has given the Muslims exactly the types of rulers that
their own deeds and actions deserve. It is as though their actions are
manifested in the form of their leaders and rulers. Therefore, whenever
people are just among themselves, their rulers will be just to them;
whenever people defraud and cheat each other, their rulers will do
likewise to them; and if the people fail to fulfil the rights of the
Allaah, then their rulers will fail to give them their rights.
A man asked ‘Ali ibn Abu Taalib, may Allaah be pleased with him: “Why
have difficulties and hardships arisen during your time, while this was
not the case at the time of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?” he replied to
him: “‘Umar and Abu Bakr were leaders over people like myself while I
am a leader over people like you’.
O Muslims! One of the major signs of abandoning the religion is to
forsake prayers. This is done by either not praying at all, or by only
praying the Jumu’ah prayer and neglecting the rest of the daily
prayers. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The bonds of
Islaam will be broken one by one; the first of which will be the
implementation of Islamic legislation and the last of which will be
prayers” and he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said as narrated by
Jaabir, may Allaah be pleased with him: “What lies between a man and
disbelief is the abandonment of prayers.” (Muslim). He sallallaahu
‘alaihi wa sallam also said: “Prayer is the backbone of the religion,
he who establishes it has established his religion and he who does not
establish has abandoned faith.”
Praying is the first thing that one will be held accountable for on the
Day of Judgement and it was among the final things that the Prophet
sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam strongly emphasised on before his death.
Allaah described the believers with that which translates as: “…Those
who [carefully] maintain their prayer.” (Al-Ma’aarij: 34) and also that
which translates as: “Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the
believers at specified times.” (An-Nisaa’: 103).
The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also informed us that there
will come after him rulers who will abandon prayers or delay their
performance when he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam advised us to: “Pray
on time, then pray with them as an optional prayer.”