Types of Kufr (Disbelief)

Types of Kufr (Disbelief)
Imam ibn Kathir (rahimullah – b. 701 AH – d. 774 AH)
Adapted from "Tafsir ibn Kathir"

The Qur’an uses the word "kufr" to denote people who cover up or hide realities. The Qur’an uses this word to identify those who denied Allah’s favors by not accepting His Dominion and Authority. Kufr thus is an antonym for iman or disbelief in Allah and a kafir is a non-believer. This type of kufr is called Kufr al-Akbar (Major Kufr). There are many types of Kufr al-Akbar:

1. Kufr-ul-‘Inad: Disbelief out of stubbornness. This applies to someone who knows the truth and admits to knowing the truth and admits to knowing it with his tongue, but refuses to accept it and refrains from making a declaration. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says what means:

"Throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever" -Surah al-Qaf ayah 24

2. Kufr-ul-Inkar: Disbelief out of denial. This applies to someone who denies with both heart and tongue. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says what means:

"They recognize the favors of Allah, yet they deny them. Most of them are disbelievers." -Surah an-Nahl ayah 83

3. Kufr-ul-Kibr: Disbelief out of arrogance and pride. The disbelief by Shaytan (Iblis) is an example of this type of Kufr. *For it was out of kibr (arrogance and pride) that Iblis refused to fulfill the command of Allah to prostrate to our father Adam alayhi salaam.

4. Kufr-ul-Juhood: Disbelief out of rejection.This applies to someone who acknowledges the truth in his heart, but rejects it with his tongue. This types of kufr is applicable to those who call themselves Muslims but reject any necessary and accepted norms of Islam such as Salat, Zakat, etc. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says what means:

"They denied them (Our Signs) even though their hearts believed in them, out of spite and arrogance." -Surah an-Naml ayah 14

5. Kufr-ul-Nifaq: Disbelief out of hypocrisy.This applies to someone who pretends to be a believer but conceals their disbelief. Such a person is called a Munafiq or hypocrite. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says what means:

"Verily the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of Hell. You will find no one to help them." -Surah an-Nisa ayah 145

6. Kufr-ul-Istihlal: Disbelief out of making Haram into Halal and vice versa. This applies to someone who accepts as lawful (Halal) that which Allah has made unlawful (Haram) like alcohol, adultery, etc. Only Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has the prerogative to make things Halal and Haram and those who seek to interfere with His right are like rivals to Him and therefore fall outside the boundaries of iman.

7. Kufr-ul-Kurh: Disbelief out of detesting any of Allah’s commands. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says what means:

"Perdition (destruction) has been consigned to those who disbelieve and He will render their actions void. This is because they are averse to that which Allah has revealed so He has made their actions fruitless." -Surah Muhammed ayat 8-9

8. Kufr-ul-Istihzaha: Disbelief due to mockery and derision. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says what means:

"Say: Was it at Allah, His signs and His apostles that you were mocking? Make no excuses. You have disbelieved after you have believed." -Surah at-Tawba ayah 65-66

9. Kufr-ul-I’radh: Disbelief due to avoidance. This applies to those who turn away and avoid the truth. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says what means:

"And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of his Lord’s signs but then turns away from them. Then he forgets what he has sent forward (for the Day of Judgment) -Surah al-Kahf ayah 57

10. Kufr-ul-Istibdal: Disbelief because of substituting Allah’s Laws and ruling by other than He azza wa jall has revealed. This could take the form of:

• Rejection of Allah’s law (Shari‘ah) without denying it

• Denial of Allah’s Law and therefore rejecting it, or

• Substituting Allah’s Laws with man-made laws. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says what means:

"Or have they partners with Allah who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed?" -Surah ash-Shura ayah 8

Allah says that which means:

"Say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely that this is lawful and this is forbidden so as to invent a lie against Allah. Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah will never prosper." -Surah an-Nahl ayah 116

*And it is this last case of kufr-ul-istibdal, substituting or ruling by other than what Allah has revealed, I'm flabbergasted to find a segment of Muslims classifying and propagating this to be but a minor act of kufr and that we cannot oppose such rulership or defend Allah's Cause, our rights and lives against them in any case without an amir. This is not the understanding the true 'ulema of Ahl us-Sunnah have inherited from the Salafus Saliheen. The following article, by Aboo Hafs ash-Shaamee, explains (in summary) the characteristics and distorted ideologies of such groups and individuals, how, why and where they went wrong. Let's inform ourselves and may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala protect our youth from such groups and the "diseases" they spread that misguide and cripple our Ummah in iman and thought, unity and honor. Ameen.

A Summary of the Deviations of the Madaakhilah

*indicates places where I've inserted details pertaining to the subject but do not appear in "Tafsir ibn Kathir".

ad-Dajjal (The Antichrist)

Bismillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah

As-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah, brothers and sisters in Islam. What proceeds is a lecture given by brother Jalal ibn Sa'eed, a condensed overview of the sahih ahadith concerning ad-Dajjal, his charateristics, the signs of his arrival and the abundant, severe fitnan (trials) surrounding him.

There has not been a single Messenger except that he has warned of ad-Dajjal; as for the final Messenger Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, Khatim an-Nabiy'in, the Seal of the Prophets, it was left to him to recieve and relate wahy (revelation) identifying the specifics of ad-Dajjal being that he was the last Prophet and so the advent of the dajjal is closer and preparation of those during and after his time is far dire. Many believers, even the most knowledgeable among us will succumb to his deception and affirm their faith in him. May we arm ourselves with the taqwa and sabr that we may resist his ways if it shall fall upon us. Ameen.

It is the very reason our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam advised that when we complete tashahhud in our salah that we should seek refuge from four things before offering tasleem:

Allahumma inni a'udu biki min adhabi jahanam
wa min adhabil qabr
wa min sharri fitnatil mahya wa'l mammat
wa min sharri fitnatil masih ad-dajjal

(O Allah! Indeed I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hellfire
and from the punishment of the grave
and from the trials of living and of dieing
and from the trials of the false Messiah, the Antichrist)

Dajjal Part 1 Jalal ibn Saeed flagoftawheed.com from flagoftawheed on Vimeo.

Dajjal Part 2 Jalal ibn Saeed flagoftawheed.com from Abu Muwahhid on Vimeo.

The Two Essentials

Bismillah walhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa-ashabihi wa-salaam tasliman kathira

Brothers and sisters in iman:

Allah - the Most Perfect, the Most High responded to the du'a (supplication) of His Prophet Ibrahim 'alayhi salaam when he said:

"Our Lord! Send to them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them Your Signs, teaching them the Book and the Wisdom and purifying them. Indeed You are the Most Powerful, the Most Wise." -Surah al-Baqarah 2:129

So Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - said:

"It is Allah who has sent to the unlettered people a Messenger from amongst themselves, reciting to them His Signs, purifying them and teaching them the Book and the Wisdom, whereas before that, they had been in clear misguidance." -Surah al-Jumu'ah 62:2

So here the Prophet salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam has been characterized with two tasks: ta'leem (teaching) and tazkiyah (purification). In his request, Ibrahim 'alayhi salaam mentioned ta'leem before tazkiyah. However, Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - answered him, but by giving tazkiyah precedence to ta'leem.

And Allaah blessed the Believers by sending the Messenger who carried out these two tasks, so He - the Mighty and Majestic - said:

"As We sent to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves, reciting to you Our Signs, purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Wisdom, that which you did not know." -Surah al-Baqarah 2:151

So in this ayah also, Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - mentions purification before teaching. Thus, as is known, purification is one of the fruits of acting upon knowledge; and that knowledge causes harm for its possessor if it is not accompanied by action. Indeed, whosoever increases in knowledge, but does not increase in taqwa (piety, fear and obedience to Allah), then let him be suspicious about his knowledge.

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H) rahimahullah - said: "The Scholar who does not act upon his knowledge, will be punished before the worshippers of idols."

And our Salaf (Pious Predecessors) used to inherit purification from each other, as part of good and fine manners. This was due to their sitting with the Shaykh and accompanying him. So 'Abdullah ibn Maslamah al-Qa'nabi (d.221H) said: "We used to sit with Imam Malik and take from his manners and conduct, just as we would take from his knowledge." [2]

However, in the later generations, Shari'ah knowledge has almost become restricted to just colleges and universities and sitting in front of the doctors and teachers for short periods of time. So the students do not take any benefit from good manners and conduct - even if those teachers have a share of it. And we often see and hear about many shortcomings of both the students and the teachers! Thus, the religion has become weak, yaqeen (certainty of faith) has dwindled, sabr (patient perseverance) - with its wide Islamic understanding - has passed away, as has az-zuhd (praiseworthy abstinence from this world) except for those whom my Lord has mercy upon.

So knowledge alone, without good manners and conduct, will not produce any fruit in a way that the people can be benefited by its possessor - from what is seen and what is spoken. And through seeking knowledge alone, the Muslims will not be saved from hypocrisy. Rather, seeking knowledge must be accompanied by good manners and conduct, so that he remains safe, derives benefit and is saved from sin and its causes, and also from being burdened. This is attested to by what at-Tirmidi relates:

The Prophet salallahu 'alayhi wa salam said: "There are two qualities which do not come together in a munafiq (hypocrite): Good manners and conduct, and the understanding of the deen (religion)." [3]

So in this hadeeth, good manners and conduct are mentioned before understanding of the religion. Indeed, the greatest and most valuable fruits of purification are sabr (patience) and zuhd (praiseworthy abstinence from this world). Whilst the greatest and most precious fruits of 'ilm (knowledge) is yaqeen (certainty). So he who gains both patience and certainty, in this way, then he is one of the leaders of the religion, and this is testified to by the saying of Allaah - the Most High:

"We made from them leaders, giving guidance by Our Command, because they had sabr (patient perseverance) and had yaqeen (certainty) in Our Signs." -Surah Sajdah 32:24

So patience is the fruit of purification, whilst certainty is the fruit of knowledge and teaching.

And here also patience is mentioned before certainty. Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) used to say: "Through sabr and yaqeen leadership in the religion is attained." [4]

Indeed! That is so because he who gains them both, then he has attained and actualised the two tasks of Allah's Messenger salallahu 'alayhi wa salam, and has thus become an inheritor of the Prophet - and the Prophet salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam is the leader of all the leaders.

Finally, we must draw attention to the Fact that the Salafus-Saaliheen (Pious Predecessors) - may Allaah be pleased with them all - actualised these two tasks and therefore they acheived rectification of themselves and rectification of others. 'Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak (d.181H) used to say: "The latter part of this Ummah will not be rectified, except by that which rectified its first part: zuhd and yaqeen."

And zuhd cannot be attained except by means of sabr, which cannot be attained except through tazkiyah (purification). And yaqeen cannot be attained except through purified Sharee'ah knowledge.

So would that we had realized that our misfortune lies in the absence of these two matters from our lives, and that he who calls to them, persisting in this and refusing to be pre-occupied from them by anything else, then he is upon the correct manhaj (methodology) and upon The Straight Path.

Footnotes:
1. This article was taken from Al-Asaalah magazine (no.10 / Shawaal 1414H).
2. The likes of this has been related by adh-Dhahabee in Siyaar A'laamun-Nubalaa (3/285).
3. Saheeh: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.2837), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu. It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah.
4. Related by Ibn al-Qayyim in Madaarijus-Saalikeen (1/132).

References:
Shaykh Mashur ibn Hasan
This article was taken from Al-Asaalah magazine (no.10 / Shawaal 1414H)
Source: Al-Istiqaamah Magazine , Issue No.2 - Safar 1417H / July 1996

The Counterfeit Salafiyya

Bismillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah

As-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, brothers and sisters in Islam. What is probably viewed by many of us as needless-to-mention given it's transparency is a topic, broad and controversial, that yet remains detrimental to the consciousness of the sincere and often young Muslim wherever he or she may reside. Particularly those who before practicing Islam were cliquish or directly influenced in either a tribal or gang mentality leaving them especially prone to dragging this sickness into their deen; this cursed trend of splintering into factions and falling into this Shatiani trap of sectarianism in Islam. Let's understand when Allah says what means:

"And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. the covenant and allegiance to 'la ilaha ill Allah Muhammad ar-Rasulullah' and al-Qur'an that ever-binds it and everything it entails together), and be not divided among yourselves..." -Surah Al-i-Imran ayah 10

Let us reflect when Allah ta'ala says that which means:

"As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least; their affair is with Allah: He will in the end Tell them the Truth of all that they did." -Surah al-Anaam ayah 159

Alhamdulillah, the bid'ah and deviancy emanating from many of those proclaimed adherents to al-Islam is as obvious as a diarrhea-afflicted African Elephant in the middle of your living room. However, there is a more clever, cunning and devilishly deceptive form that has taken root using such familiar terms as "Ahl us-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah", "as-Salaf as-Salih", "Salafi", etc. masquerading as prestine Islam or as the saved sect. However, a closer look at their estranged stances on concepts such as "jihad", "takfeer", "madhabiyya" and my personal favorite... obeying those in command, ruling by non/anti-Islamic secular laws and involved in the oppression, extermination, expulsion and exploitation of Muslims in their own lands one would clearly see how repugnant and anomalous their views truly are in the light of al-Qur'an was-Sunnah.

Behind this "Salafi mask" we face an ideology so foreign and so off track from the understanding and methodology of the Sahabah radiallahu 'anhum and the true Salaf as-Salih rahimullah. We find how loose at the tongue they are at engaging in slander and gheebah (backbiting) in its many forms when it comes to our fellow Muslims and yet failing to detect any flaws with kufr and the spiritual, psychological and physical harm it brings about upon our Ummah. So just as the terms "tasawwuf" and "sufism" have been tainted by what it's become to be known as and associated with today (i.e. pantheism, grave-worship, supplicating the dead, innovated rituals of 'ibadah, etc.) and is no longer recognized as az-zuhd (wordly abstinence) observed by the likes of Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Qayyim, Imam Nawawi, al-Fudayl ibn Iyy'ad and others whom we ask Allah bestow His Mercy upon. So too can the terms "salafi" and "ahl us-Sunnah" be perverted and associated with the ideas upheld by the proclaimed "salafiyoon" that shall be discussed, in'sha'Allahu ta'ala, in the proceeding article by Dr. Tariq Abdelhaleem if not careful.

In a nutshell the so-called "salafiyoon movement" and the "salafi daw'ah" and its various sub-groups derives from those in power (namely the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia) , hence their ideology and manhaj is mainly adapted to suit their interests. The apparency of their corruption is manifested through their aggressive positions against particular fundamentals (of Islam) that are perceived threats to those in power.

This is a direly needed advisory and naseehah I pray reaches the ears, minds and hearts of all our beloved Muslim youth so that they be aware and avoid or denounce this devious trap of Shaitan. May Allah guide and protect us all from the various forms of misguidance and keep us firm upon His Obedience and Way. Allahumma ameen ya Rabbil'alameen!

(click to view article)
Al-Salafiyoon: Salafis & the Salafi Dawah

Superior Days

Bismillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmaeen

As-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

Inna alhamdulillah! Indeed Allah is praised whether we praise Him or not. Yet humbly we praise Him. We seek His aid; we seek His forgiveness and we seek refuge with Him from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whomever Allah misguides, none can guide. I bare witness before all that there is no god, no diety, no object, no personality, no entity worthy of worship except Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And I bare witness before all that the slave and final Messenger of Allah; the best of men, the most pious of men; the best example, influence, model, methodology and pattern for humanity to follow; the one whom Allah sent as a Mercy to the whole of creation (rahmatul lil 'alameen) is none other than Muhammad ibn Abdullah salallahu 'alayhi wa alihi wa salaam. Amma ba'd.

Brothers and sisters in Islam, as Believers, we are most privilaged and honored by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to have upon us the first 10 days of the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah. As we should know, not all days are created equal. Allah has preferred some days over others and He, azza wa jall, has decreed some days be superior over other days. And it is these 10 days that Allah ultimately preferred and declared for them superiority over all other days. Therefore, the good deeds, amilu salih, are of a worth and value far greater in the Sight of Allah than when the same deeds are performed on any other day of the year.

And so it is strongly preferred that we increase in our good deeds during these 10 days; observing the naf'l (voluntary acts), maintaining an ahklaq, -a behavior and conduct, a control over ourselves, our tounges and our anger- that is complimentary, representative or in accordance to the Sunnah of ar-Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam so that we might be purified, forgiven and compensated in a way Allah, ar-Rahman, never so does during any other day outside these first 10.

Ibn Abbas radiallahu 'anhu narrated that our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said of these 10 days: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." It was asked: "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?" He salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam replied: "No, not even Jihad fisabillah, except for the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause -and returned with nothing."

Allah azza wa jall magnified the hasanat for the acts of simply pronouncing tasbih (subhan'Allah), takbir (Allahu Akbar), tahleel (la ilaha ill Allah) and tahmeed (alhamdulillah). Abdullah ibn Umar radiallahu 'anhu reported that Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said: "There are no days greater in the Sight of Allah and in which good deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during them recite much of tahleel, takbir and tahmeed."

Additionally, I doubt there is a more suitable time than on these blessed 10 days to observe az-zuhd and/or al-wara'. What could make us to understand these terms? Zuhd can be considered abstinence from worldly pleasures which distract one from Allah and their Akhirah. Wara' is to avoid certain parts of the halal which you fear may lead you to engage in something haram. Nothing to me describes and clarifies so concisely these terms than the explanation given by Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimullah who said: "Az-Zuhd entails abandoning what does not bring about benefit in the Hereafter. Al-Wara', abandoning a part of the permissible for fear of falling into the impermissible, entails abandoning what you fear of its consequences in the Hereafter." So let us, in'sha'Allahu ta'ala, practice az-zuhd on these passing superior days so we might have the dunya removed from our hearts and placed into our hands where it belongs.

Glory to these days Allah has exalted. Let us honor our Lord and ourselves by honoring these days through the prescribed acts in hopes of attaining honor and Mercy from our Rabb. Let's take special care on the 9th day, the anniversary of which Allah completed His revelation, al-Qur'an, on His Messenger salallahu 'alayhi wa alihi wa salaam. Allah sent down what means:

"This day have I perfected for you your deen (i.e. system or way of life, religion, etc.), completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your deen." -Surah al-Ma'idah ayah 5

After which no wahy of the Qur'an proceeded. The 9th day, Yawm-ul-Arafah, if fasted upon will expiate for the sins of two years. Allahu Akbar!

Glad tidings to those who are embarking Hajj and intend to sacrafice bismillah. May Allah accept from you all, bless you all and your families and increase you always in the good and grant you Jannah al-Firdows. Ameen.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar
La ilaha ill Allah, wallahu Akbar wa lillahi hamd!

Anatomy of Ikhlas

Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa-ashabihi wa salaam tasleman katheera

Sincerity in all we do is a commandment of Allah:

"Say, 'Indeed my prayer, my rites of sacrafice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded and I am the first among you of the Muslims.'" -Surah al-An'aam ayat 162-163

"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion, inclining towards truth and to establish the prayer and to give zakah. That is the correct Deen." -Surah Bayyinah ayah 5

Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjaani rahimullah defined ikhlas as "not seeking any audience for your deeds other than Allah."

We're warned throughout the Qur'an and Sunnah to have sincerity in tawheed of Allah, sincerity in our intentions, sincerity in our tawakkul (placing of trust and reliance) in Allah, sincerity in our worship (i.e. salah, sujood, du'a, siyaam/fasting, Hajj, zakah, sadaqah, tawba, Jihad, recitation of al-Qur'an, etc.) and sincerity in all our actions and words.

Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad rahimullah addressed his students on one occasion about Surah al-Mulk ayah 2 that's interpreted to mean: "He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed." Noting that "It is those deeds which are most correct and most sincere. If a deed is done sincerely, yet is not done correctly, it will not be accepted. And if a deed is done correctly, but not sincerely for Allah, it will not be accepted. It must be done sincerely (for Allah alone) and correctly (in accordance to the Sunnah).

BEWARE THE ANTAGONISTS OF IKHLAS! They are three:

• Riyaa

• Sum'ah
  

• 'Ujb.

Riyaa is to perform an act of worship to show off to people; seeking their praise or some other vanity.

Sum'ah is to speak good for the sake of people's compliments or praise.

'Ujb is a sitatuation where one becomes impressed with his/her self for the good deeds they've done.

Ibn al-Mubarak rahimullah said: "Perhaps a great deed is belittled by an intention. And perhaps a small deed, by a sincere intention, is made great."

May Allah, Mighty and Exalted is He above having any partner, equal or opponent, make us all among His mukhliseen (sincere slaves) and keep us aware and resistant of those diseases that corrupt our righteous actions and convert them to arguments against us on the Day of Accounting. Ameen.

Ya'qub al-Makfuf (may Allah have Mercy on him) would say: "The sincere one is he who hides his good deeds in the same way that he would hide his bad."

"The Major" Dilemma

Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmaeen.

Brothers and sisters in Islam, as-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah. As the smoke circulating the incident at Fort Hood remains in course of clearing, a multitude of concerns and reactions plague the circumstance. Amidst our Ummah, the Ummah of Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, the majority we're haste in speaking out and even releasing statements condemning the act carried out by Malik Nidal Hassan. Confessedly, I too, basing the motives of our brother on the initial reports from officers who knew him, presumed he targeted people senselessly over some frustrated, petty personal reasons. But the more that unfolds about our brother, the more I'm convinced his gunfire was for the sake of Allah and in honor and defense of our fellow believers and worshipers of Him overseas.

The corporate journalists, columnists, networks and U.S. officials may manufacture whichever conclusions they please. As for us, those whose fear, hope and love is for Allah azza wa jall, we have the obligation to withhold conviction until analysis has been exhausted and ilm-ul-yaqeen, clear and certain knowledge, has been attained. Our dear brother and esteemed shiekh Anwar al-Awlaki, with unmatched bravery and commitment to al-Haqq, insisted publicly that Hassan did the right thing. On the other hand, I say if Hassan's intentions were as brother Awlaki speculates, and I pray they were, then only in such a case has he indeed done the right thing. Until we can confirm his true motives, and Allah Knows best what they were, I can neither praise nor rebuke the actions of our brother.

In Awlaki's claim that Hassan could no longer bear the contradiction of being Muslim and serving in the same forces assigned to fight his brothers and sisters abroad, I was brought to wonder about the rest of the Muslims serving in the U.S. Military as well. With over 10,000 soldiers who declare there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 'alayhi wa-salaatu wa-salaam is His final Messenger to be followed until the Last Day, this blatant contradiction and nifaq (hypocrisy) hasn't so much as twinkled in their mind? How do they, over 10,000 professed Muslims, justify their position?

O Muslims, seriously we must contemplate and remind ourselves where our loyalty is set and where our disavowal is applied. We must contemplate and honestly assess ourselves as to where our hearts stand in relationship to al-Wala 'wal-Bara. Is our loyalty and allegiance to Allah and His Messenger, or is it instead pledged to those who plot, spend and fight to disrupt, degrade and extinguish the light of Allah and the guidance of ar-Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam? Na'udu billah!

May Allah purify us of such nifaq and guide this Ummah and its mujahideen. May He give us victory over His enemies and ours. Ameen. May He azza wa jall amplify our resistance against forces of every form that oppose our entitlement to His Pleasure and an eternal abode in Jannah. Allahumma ameen!

Let us contemplate and remember the words of Umar ibn al-Khattab radiallahu 'anhu when he advised the mujahideen during the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah: "We do NOT overpower them with our strength!" Their numbers are greater and their weapons are superior, the only way we're victorious is due to our mindfulness and responsiveness to our duties to Allah. It is when we neglect our duties as Muslims and sin as our enemies sin that Allah, our Lord, humiliates us. Umar radiallahu 'an also warned: "Do not say our enemies our worse than us, so they will not overpower us. Perhaps some people who are worse than the others may overpower the others as the polytheists overpowered the Bani Israel as they involved themselves in disobedience to Allah."

And so we may question why in the first place does Allah allow His disbelievers and enemies a position of wealth and arms to invest in fighting against His Cause? Allah Promises everything they spend will wind a source of grief and utter regret for them and Islam will supersede all other ideological and political systems anyway. But in the meantime we may concern ourselves with "why?" Well, this was framed in fine perspective by the classic mufasir Ibn Kathir rahimullah who said about Surah al-Anfal ayah 36 coupled with its succeeding ayah in summary says to us what means: "We tried you with combatant disbelievers whom we made able to spend from their wealth in fighting you to distinguish between those believers who obey Allah and fight His disbelieving enemies and those (among our Ummah) who disobey Him." As Allah said in Surah al-Anfal ayah 179 what means:

"Allah will not leave the believers in the state they are presently in until He seperates the evil from the good (among them). Nor will Allah disclose to you al-ghayb (the unseen)."

And in ayah 142 of the same Surah our Mighty Rabb says what means:

"Do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His Cause and make evident those who are steadfast?"

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make us among the mu'mineen whose prayer, fighting, spending, sacrifice, living and dieing is for Him alone and who fully and unhesitatingly support, defend and join via spiritual or physical means the fight in His Cause, sincerely for His sake, that we may share in the barakah and glad tidings of the truly righteous and faithful. Ameen thumma ameen.