Auspices of the Ultimate Victory of Islam
A Necessary Pause
I sincerely hope my dear reader that the beam of hope that fills my soul has now penetrated your heart, and the mists of despair and frustration that hovered over the hearts of many have dissipated or almost did, and the feeling that the Victory of Allah is near has dominated and prevailed, despite all the conferences that are held, the conspiracies that are plotted and the campaigns that are waged against Islam, under the name of extremism at times and under the name of terrorism at other times and fundamentalism time and again!!
Yes, despite the intense pressure that the Islamic arousal is subjected to, and the monstrous blows that are aimed at the Islamic movement, not to mention the secret plots that are being woven against the Islamic nation, and the apathy of those in charge of the nation, even their backing of the enemies against their own people, despite all that I feel optimistic about the future of the nation as well as the arousal of the people and the revival of the call to Islam.
I have declared on more than one occasion during my lectures and lessons that if the nineteenth century was the century of capitalism, and the twentieth century is that of communism, the twenty-first century will be the century of Islam.
We may also say that if the nineteenth century was the century of Christianity, and the twentieth is that of Judaism, the establishment of Israel and its victory over more than twenty Arab countries and more than forty Islamic countries, we can say that the twenty-first century is the century of Islam.
I mean if we viewed Islam as a religion set against the two most celebrated religions: Christianity and Judaism, or if we viewed it as a regime set against the two international regimes: mainly Capitalism and Communism, we would find that Islam is unique. It innately houses the factors of immortality, the revival of its nation, the spreading of its call, together with the dire need of the entire world of it; being the sole message capable of achieving the stability (equilibrium) that humanity sorely lacks.
I thank Allah that others are now affirming what I have said years ago: that the coming century (21th century) shall be the century of Islam, by the Will of Allah.
Dr. Murad Hofmann stated the same opinion in his book entitled (Islam 2000), where he affirmed that the way is now paved for Islam to become the first professed religion of the entire world in the 21th century.
This opinion is also endorsed by Jim Meran, member of the board of external affairs in the American Congress, who called on Americans to know Islam, the religion of peace and tolerance, the religion that urges perseverance and hard work, espouses discipline and commitment and flows with love and tenderness. He regards the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the greatest man that history has ever known and deems it a duty that one should learn about the aspects of his grandeur that dignified him, and a good many of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). Furthermore, all the nations of the world should learn about the teachings that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has been sent with, but unfortunately, such a thing has not happened for two reasons:
First: Non-Muslims are prejudiced against these teachings, out of fanaticism, bias and ignorance.
Second: Muslims do not promptly endeavor to impart to others the greatness of their religion.
He concluded his long interview held with the editor-in-chief of (The Society) Kuwaiti magazine by saying, “I believe that the coming century is the century of Islam, and the century of Islamic culture, which will be a chance to establish more peace and prosperity all over the world”.1
Warning against Two Things
I would like during this pause to warn against two important issues:
First: All the revivifying religious callers and social reformers had hopeful hearts full of faith in Allah, sure of victory, expecting a promising tomorrow and awaiting the approach of dawn.
A religious caller who is overwhelmed with despair can never succeed in conveying his call to others, or helping his message to prevail. The true religious caller is the one who conquers despair by hope, and whose faith overcomes all provokers of fear and anxiety, and rests assured that he is with Allah, because Allah, Whose Majesty reigns supreme, is surely with him.
يقول الله تعالى في كتابة العزيز:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا {2} وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا )الطلاق: 2، 3)
Almighty Allah says in His noble Book what means:
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.” (At-Talâq, 65: 2-3)
Hassan Al-Bannâ and Hope
Our martyred Imam, Hassan Al-Bannâ, was one of the people who cherished the greatest hope for victory, and faith in the future, despite the pitfalls and impediments that were dug and implanted in his way, which he quite knew and perceived. He reflected such hope in his lectures and lessons, and he recorded it in his famous theses, and wrote it down in his articles, especially in (Al-Ikhwân Al-Muslimûn) (The Muslim Brotherhood) daily newspaper, where he used to write the weekly column entitled Hadîth Al-Jumu‘ah (Friday Discussion), particularly during the year 1948 when the crisis had hardly peeped out, and the sly intriguers (triple invasion) were cooking their poisonous meal.
I recall from these articles the one entitled (Albeit), where he gives glad tidings of the close victory of Islam, even if hardships grow severer, and promises that dawn is coming no matter how long darkness prevails. The other article is entitled (Four Evidences) where he corroborates his belief that victory is undoubtedly coming by scripts, historical records and calculations.
He stressed that meaning expressively in his theses, with his simple yet profound style, as in his thesis entitled (Our Call in a New Phase) where he concentrated on the awakening of the soul, by which he meant the animation of hearts, the bestirring of feelings and emotions, as well as the aspirations of the souls and their competition to achieve high goals and lofty ideals. The very things that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) succeeded in achieving within the souls of his Companions, where he implanted in them three sentiments: faith, pride, and hope: faith in the grandeur of Islam, pride in embracing Islam, and hope that Allah shall support Islam.
In another thesis entitled (To What Should We Call People), Al-Bannâ (may Allah be merciful to him) said under the title (A Long Way):
“I hope that these successive words concerning the elucidation of the religious call of the Muslim Brotherhood have revealed to the honorable readers their aim, and have clarified for them, even to a certain degree, their methodology in heading towards this aim. I have previously held a long conversation with many of our brothers, jealous of (vigilant in guarding) Islam and its glory, that is more like the words the readers have viewed under the title (To What Shall We Call People). During that conversation the group of listeners have given me their full thankworthy attention. We promptly discussed and talked over every single detail until we came out of the conversation with a staunch belief in the nobleness of the aim and the success of the means we adopt. But I was greatly surprised when I touched in almost all of them a consensus that this way, despite an acknowledgement of its success, is a long one, and that the violent destructive streams in our country are real vicious, which makes the despair that these interlocutors have already experienced creep in the hearts. In order that the honorable readers do not suffer from this hard feeling that these interlocutors have already been through, I wished to make my words full of hope, overflowing with certainty of achieving success by the Will of Allah. Indeed, the decision of all matters, before and after is only with Allah, and I will try to confine the topic to two positive viewpoints:
A Social Philosophical View
Sociologists say that the realities of today were the dreams of yesterday, and the dreams of today would be the realities of tomorrow. Such a view is corroborated by the status quo, and is substantiated by proofs and evidences. Even more, it is the pivot of the progress that humanity achieves, and its gradual advancement towards the degrees of perfection. Who would have believed that scientists could achieve the recent discoveries and inventions a few years before their realization? Moreover, the masters of science themselves denied the possibility of such discoveries at first glance, till they were actually proven and affirmed by evidence and the examples are many. I believe that it is a self-evident matter that needs no further elaboration.
A Historical view
Actually, the rise of nations has always started from a state of weakness, which makes the beholder believes that reaching the desired target is impossible. In spite of such a perception, history has related to us how patience, steadiness, sagacity and deliberateness where the steps on which those nations with their weak structure and modest means rose from feebleness to strength, till they reached the ultimate success and superiority craved by those shouldering their cause. Who could ever have believed that the Arabian Peninsula – that barren arid desert - would bring forth light and balm, and control the greatest countries of the entire world through the spiritual and political strength of its children? Who could ever have believed that such a little clandestine sect from Banu (the tribe of) Ali and Al-‘Abbâs could succeed in overthrowing that strong far-stretching kingdom within the elapse of an eve and its morning, though one day it had faced killing, expulsion, exile, and threat? Who could ever have believed that Sâlah Al-Dîn Al-Ayyûby would stand fast all those long years, till he drove the kings of Europe back to their homes defeated, despite their huge number and their well-armed troops, till twenty-five kings from amongst the greatest European kings allied against Sâlah Al-Dîn Al-Ayyûby?
If the aforesaid belongs to ancient history, modern history also serves as an excellent example; for who could have believed that king ‘Abdul-‘Azîz Âl-Sa‘ûd, after having his family exiled, his people made homeless, and his monarchy seized, would succeed in restoring his kinship just with the help of some twenty men and afterwards become one of the hopes of the Islamic nation for the restoration of its glory and revival of its unity?
Is There Another Way?
There are two other theories that bring about the same result and direct the heart of the jealous Muslim powerfully and rightly to hard work.
The first theory: says that this way, no matter how long it may take, is the only option we have if we want to build our nation on solid ground, and trial has proven the validity of this theory.
Duty comes first:
The second theory: says that the worker labors first to accomplish his duty, second to earn his otherworldly reward, and third for general welfare and benefit. If he performs his work, he fulfills his duty, and will certainly win the Reward of Allah, provided that all the conditions are fulfilled. Then remains the benefit, which is left to the Will of Allah; for an opportunity may come about that he has not expected and cause his work to bear the most blessed fruits. On the other hand, if he sits idly, he will be guilty of dereliction, and will lose the reward for earnest striving, and will surely be deprived of bringing any benefit. Then which of the two is best in point of position and as regards station? The Noble Qur’an has given a full illustration of the image holding the two parties through the noble verses saying:
يقول الله تعالى في كتابة العزيز:
وَإِذَ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا قَالُواْ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ {164} فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ أَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ بِعَذَابٍ بَئِيسٍ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ (الأعراف: 165،164)
The noble Qur’anic verses say what means:
"And when a community among them said: ‘Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy or to punish with a severe torment?’ (The preachers) said: ‘In order to be free from guilt before your Lord (Allah), and perhaps they may fear Allah.’ So when they forgot the remindings that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel (disobey Allah). " )Al-A'râf: 7:164-165). 2
Auspices Incite to Exert More Effort
The second issue: that I would like to warn against now, is that the auspices concerning the future of Islam that we have mentioned throughout the previous sections should not make us rely on them, be given to apathy, resign ourselves to servility and sloth, and wait for the Victory of Allah to descend upon us from heaven without exerting any effort, or striving hard, or working perseveringly in all the domains of our life in order to straighten out what is perverted in it, rectify what is corrupted, rebuild what is destroyed, strengthen what is weak, and complete what we lack while summoning up the spirit of innovators not imitators.
Our patrimony should be an inspiration to us, and we should take it as our guiding lighthouse, rather than shackles that confine our movement, and hinders our advancement.
We should not confine ourselves to a certain Islamic school, but acquire wisdom wherever it is voiced. We should not restrict ourselves to one doctrine, but we should benefit from all schools, doctrines, and trends as long as they are one with the agreed upon basics, while referring the unclear issues to those entirely clear, the dubious matters to conclusive matters, parts to whole, and branches to roots.
Moreover, we should acquire from the methodologies and experiences of occidental schools all the knowledge that may avail us. We can then modify and develop it within the frame of our own standards, needs and circumstances until it becomes suitable to us, and merges into our system of life. Nothing is wrong with that, for wisdom is the believer’s long-sought goal, wherever he finds it he is the one of all people most entitled to it.
We should set ourselves free from the prison of regression to the spaciousness of progress. We should achieve real development whether economically, humanly, materially or physiologically. We should also dedicate all our energies – many of which we have wasted or paralyzed – to achieve complete development, for the sake of existence and for mankind. We should derive from Islam the greatest incentive to rally those powers and strengthen them, and push their wheel forward with a force tantamount to ten times the normal strength, as affirmed by the noble Qur’anic verse discussing earnest striving in the Cause of Allah:
يقول الله تعالى في كتابة العزيز:
إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُواْ مِئَتَيْنِ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّئَةٌ يَغْلِبُواْ أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَفْقَهُونَ (الأنفال،65)
The noble Qur’anic verse says what means:
"If there are twenty steadfast persons amongst you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are people who do not understand."
)Al-Anfâl, 8: 65(
The Noble Qur’an has shown that the victory Allah grants shall not be and will not be achieved save by the believers. It is only granted to the believers. Almighty Allah, addressing His noble Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), says:
يقول الله تعالى في كتابة العزيز:
وَإِن يُرِيدُواْ أَن يَخْدَعُوكَ فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ اللّهُ هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ (الأنفال: 62)
The noble Qur’anic verse says what means:
“And if they intend to deceive you, then verily, Allah is All-Sufficient for you. He it is Who has supported you with His Help and with the believers." )Al-Anfâl, 8: 62 (
How can we expect that the angels who descended from heaven in the Battle of Badr or Al-Ahzâb (The Confederates) or Hunian would descend on people whose hearts are void of faith, or whose lives lack the manners of believers, and the deeds of believers. Allah, Whose Majesty reigns supreme, says:
يقول الله تعالى في كتابة العزيز:
إِذْ يُوحِي رَبُّكَ إِلَى الْمَلآئِكَةِ أَنِّي مَعَكُمْ فَثَبِّتُواْ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ سَأُلْقِي فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الرَّعْبَ فَاضْرِبُواْ فَوْقَ الأَعْنَاقِ وَاضْرِبُواْ مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ بَنَانٍ {12} ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ شَآقُّواْ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ {13} (الأنفال: 12،13)
The noble Qur’anic verse says what means:
“When your Lord inspired the angels (saying), ‘Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes.’ This is because they defied and disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever defies and disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.” (Al-Anfâl, 8: 12-13)
Messages do not triumph alone, but through the help of their supporters, and truth does not prevail alone – but according to the Laws of Allah – it prevails through the help of its religious callers and its men who combine the virtues of knowledge, hard work and devotion.
The auspices of the victory of Islam must provide us with renovating energy for more sacrifice and work needed by our nation in all domains. The nation can never dream of being granted victory by Allah while suffering from wicked habits, and committing shameful deeds, rather the nation must change itself so that Allah changes what ails it.
The nation can never aspire to defeat the Jews, while plagued by backwardness, dissention, hostility, frailty, sloth, laxity and perplexity.
Allah will never grant lazy people victory over hard workers, or to the laggards over the strivers, or to chaotic people over the disciplined, or to the improvisers over the planners, or to the dissolute people over the upright or to those who care only for their own welfare over those who shoulder the burdens of their nation.
A nation fighting against its best elements (the Islamic ones), and torturing the best of its sons can never attain victory. Those who have had chance to live with such Islamic figures have attested that they have the most brilliant minds, the most innocent hearts, the purest hands and the most genuine willpowers. They are the noblest characters even in disagreement, perform the most righteous of deeds, and are the most self-denying and martyr-like of all other parties.
They are innocent of any grievous sins, of the pettiest faults, even the slight dubious matters. The cigarette they know not, nor can it worm its way into their lives. They are the monks of the night and the knights of the day; darkness knows them as prayerful believers who spend the night offering prayers, while during daytime they are strivers. People know them as hard workers, and Allah knows them to be sincere worshippers.
It is impossible that victory can be achieved by a nation whose greatest concern is playing football, and the most important topics that fill its press and its entire media are about singing, dancing, and acting. Its public figures are not the scientists, the writers or the thinkers, but the singers, the dancers and the actors, whether dead or alive.
It is impossible that victory can be achieved by a nation wherein the average working hours of the individual is approximately half an hour a day, while people in the developed nations labor all day long. Man toils and drudges until he returns home at the end of the day fatigued and exhausted, then he quickly goes to sleep to resume working early in the morning.
The authorities that lead the nation and influence its progress should cooperate with one another to elevate it in all domains and make up for what it has forfeited over the passage of years. They should fill the gap that severs itfrom the developed nations and make it face the challenges with a firm will and faith based on accurate planning and insightful futuristic anticipation.
They should examine the diseases that ail the nation, discover their causes and seek to remedy them. Indeed, Allah has created no disease without creating its remedy, but some know it and some are ignorant of it.
In the economical domain, they should endeavor to increase production, economize, dispense justly and transact business honestly.
In the sociological domain, they should strengthen the ties of brotherhood between individuals; promote cooperation between different classes and solidarity between people of the world. They should cut short the distance between the rich and the poor, nurse maternity, childhood and senility as well as firmly establish family life on solid foundations overshadowed by tranquility, intimacy and mercy.
In the intellectual and cultural domain, they should set the nation free from the vestiges of intellectual invasion and cultural occupation in the fields of education, culture and mass media; for these are the constructors of human minds and the founders of people’s psychological and intellectual propensities.
In the political domain, they should resist despotism and tyranny, firmly establish the pillars of consultation and protect human rights. They should teach people the importance of giving sincere advice, and the moral obligation of enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil; to straighten what is perverted if not by the hand, then by the tongue, and if not by the tongue, then by the heart (by denouncing and abhorring vices) if one is incapable of other action, which is the least of faith. They should set rules that differentiate between rights, duties, and responsibilities; establish a state regulated by organizations; treat people equally as regards honor, freedom and assuming responsibility, and never grant privileges to one person over another save by virtue of piety.
I have illustrated the idle powers in the Islamic nation and the Islamic movement in my book entitled ‘Ain Al-Khalal?’ (Where Is The Defect) and called for repairs of the defect on both sides if we longed for a better tomorrow and a more ideal future.
Religious callers and social reformers should cooperate to stir up willpowers in order to positively change the nation from within and help it mobilize its own resources, so as to compensate for what it has lost and catch up with the caravan of the advanced world. The nation should adopt the best the world has and give it its very best; for undoubtedly it treasures a great deal of goodness and blessings it has inherited from Islam and its civilization.
Islam – which changed the Arabs in the past – and brought them out of darkness into light and caused them to shepherd the nations after just tending sheep! – is mightily capable of altering them today and making them again the best of people ever raised up for mankind, as Allah loves for them. Is certainly capable of raising up from amongst them new Companions whom Allah, The Most Exalted, will send to deliver people from worshipping people to worshipping Him Alone; deliver them from the narrowness of this world to its spaciousness, and from the injustice of other religions, creeds and philosophies to the justice of Islam and its sublime values.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were absolutely convinced that they would be made triumphant and their hosts would be the victors. That it is the Promise made by Allah and Allah fails not in His Promise. But that absolute faith or conviction did not make them abandon hard work, laborious strife and incessant sacrifice even when the Promise of Allah was fulfilled. Truly, through the Companions on the earth, the Promise of Allah in heaven was fulfilled and through none others, because they were the instruments of destiny for realizing the Divine Promise. Moreover, they were the pledged Fate as some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) said.
It was narrated that in one of the battles fought during the Islamic Conquests, a Persian leader asked one of the leaders from amongst the Companions saying, ‘Who are you? And what do you want?’ He answered him, ‘We are Allah’s ordained destiny, Allah has made us your affliction and you ours, so even if you were on a cloud, we would have ascended to you or you would have descended to us!’
With such a strong, lively, and hopeful spirit we should face our troubles, and the obstacles deterring us from the inside and outside, starting from the inside because it is the core of calamity and the disease microbe. Allah, The Most Exalted, guides us to that purport when He addressed the Muslims after their being defeated in the Battle of Uhud (through the noble Qur’anic verse) saying:
يقول الله تعالى في كتابة العزيز:
أَوَلَمَّا أَصَابَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّى هَـذَا قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ (آل عمران: 165)
“(What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: ‘From where does this come to us?’ Say (to them), ‘It is from yourselves.’” (Âl-'Imrân, 3: 165)
We should march onward relying upon the Blessings of Allah; working hard with a firm determination while showing a sincerity that knows no dissembling, and a steadfastness that knows no wavering, and a resolution that knows no slackening, and a conviction that knows no doubt, and a hope that knows no despair, and an earnest struggling that knows no falling behind.
يقول الله تعالى في كتابة العزيز:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ {69{ (العنكيوت: 69)
Almighty Allah says in His Noble Book what means:
“As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allah’s Religion - Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allah is with the Muhsinûn (good doers)." (Al-‘Ankabût, 29: 69)
1 See: the interview of Ahmad Mansûr with Jim Meran in (The Society) magazine, issue 1190, published in 531996.
2 See the letter archives of the martyred Imam, Hassan Al-Bannâ pp. no. (52-54)