All Praise and All Thanks are for Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala to whom we shall all return to be judged on The Last Day.
 

"When someone is brought to the Truth, he will never be concerned about the numbers of those who follow the Truth, nor by the greater number of people who oppose those who follow the Truth - and this particularly in The Last Days... Indeed, if most people were upon the Way of Truth, then Islam would not be Gharib - and, most certainly, today Islam is - by Allah - something strange." Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah (400-401)

"We only created the heavens and this Earth, and everything in and around them, for a reason, and for a finite period. But the unbelievers turn away [in their arrogance] from the warnings given to them."  46:3  Interpretation of Meaning

"From each and every direction He has the power to deliver misfortune to you - to sow confusion and dissension among you. Thus do We reveal our Signs, that you might understand them." 6:65 Interpretation of Meaning

The war against Islam by the kuffar is a war which involves two basic strategies. The first strategy is the military and colonial war which involves practical occupation of Muslim lands by the kuffar - the destruction by force of any attempt to establish a genuine Islamic community - and the creation or support of pro-kaffir, pro-Western so-called governments in Muslim lands who bow down to the idols (Taghut) and laws of the West and whose rulers and lackeys imprison, kill or hand over to the kuffar those Muslims who are intent on establishing a genuine Islamic community, and/or who speak and write about authentic Islam: the authentic Islam of the revival. This first strategy is evident in the invasion, by the kuffar, of Afghanistan and Iraq, and in their support for the un-Islamic regimes in the Land of the Two Holy Places, in Egypt, in Pakistan, and elsewhere.

The second strategy involves the kuffar - and their apostate allies among the Muslims - in trying to get Muslims to accept the idols, the Taghut, of the West, and to view Islam in the terms, and by means of the concepts, the ideas, of the kuffar. Part of this second strategy is the campaign by the kuffar to convince Muslims that a so-called "war on terror" is being fought, and that the kuffar are not involved in a war against Islam, and that therefore, according to the kuffar, so-called "moderate Muslims" should inform on their fellow Muslims to the kaffir authorities, allow the kuffar to put Muslims on trial for dis-obeying the laws of the kuffar, and allow, and even applaud, the imprisonment of Muslims by the kuffar in the name of "democracy", and "freedom" or whatever term the kuffar want to use to justify their actions. In effect, the kuffar desire to change Islam - to pacify, to tame, Muslims, and to have Muslims imitate the ways, the ideas, the life-style, of the West.

In order to understand and effectively fight the war the kuffar are waging against us, we need to understand and accept three things. The first is to understand and accept that this is a war on Islam, by the kuffar. The second thing is to understand that the revival of Islam - which the kuffar hate and want to destroy - is Islam, pure and simple. The third thing we need to understand is that those who ally themselves with the kuffar against the Muslims, for whatever reason and from whatever motive - who aid the kuffar in their war on Islam - have negated their Islam and must be considered to be apostates, and the enemy of the Muslims.

“Anybody who supports the kuffar in their Kufr or against the Muslims, they are Kaffir.” Ibn Taimiyyah: Majmou’ Al Fattawa

"Whomsoever helps the disbelievers or brings them to the country of Ahl Al-Islam, then that person is clearly an apostate." Sheikh Abdul Latif bin Abdur Rahman bin Hassan Aal-Sheikh: Ad-Durrar 8/326

"Aiding the Non-Muslims over Muslims - no matter which form of aid or co-operation it be, even if it is merely in speech - this is clear Kufr and sheer hypocrisy. The one who does this has perpetrated one of the actions which negates Islam, as has been specifically stated by the Imams of the Dawah and others, and such a person is not a believer in the Aqeedah of Al-wala wal-bara." Sheikh Safar bin 'Abdir-Rahmaan al-Hawaali

Fundamentally, the kuffar fear the revival of Islam which is, and has been, taking place. They, in their arrogance and desire for power, do not want and will not tolerate a genuine Islamic community where Shariah is the only law, where there is bayah to an Ameer, and where Muslims can live, as Muslims, behave, as Muslims, and think as Muslims. The revival of Islam includes:

1) Practical Jihad to regain Muslim land and establish an Islamic community or communities. To participate in this Jihad, or to support such Jihad, is an obligation, a duty on all Muslims.

"Jihad is continuous with every group of the Muslims and a person can wage Jihad by himself or with an Ameer.... Jihad is an act of worship and an obligation that is legislated until the Day of Judgement. Nothing invalidates it." Sheikh Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi

2) The striving to present the authentic Islam of the revival by Muslims thinking in Islamic terms - and so countering the distortion that the "moderates", the apostates, have and are introducing in their attempt to imitate the kuffar. Part of this means correcting the mis-understandings, the mis-interpretations, the errors, about Islam, about our Deen, which the so-called "moderates", with their imitation of the kuffar - and the kuffar themselves - desire us to accept. In many ways, the struggle to present authentic Islam and counter the imitation of the kuffar is part of the battles, the Jihad, to free our lands from the kuffar and the apostates, and the Jihad to create Islamic communities.


Some Errors of the Apostates:

In order to return to the pure, simple, fundamental Islam of Quran and Sunnah - in order to do our duty as Muslims and obey only Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) as we have been commanded to do - we need to counter the many misconceptions, the errors, about Islam which are rife among the apostates and which these apostates, and their kaffir allies, seek to inflict upon our brothers and sisters.

1) The error that Islam means "peace".

Many of the apostates - and those who mistakenly follow them - say and write that the very word Islam is derived from the word "peace". This is incorrect, for the word Islam derives from the word "submission" (al-silm). Islam means submission - to the Will of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala as made manifest to us in the Quran and Sunnah, and thence in Shari'ah.

In addition, when Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala talks about peace, what is meant is that peace which arises from submission - be this the eternal Peace which is Jannah, or whatever "peace" we may find in this short mortal life of ours, given to us by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

"Allah guides toward peace those who seek His pleasure." 5:16 Interpretation of Meaning

"And this (Islam and the Quran) is the straight path of your Rabb. For those who take heed of Our clear revelations there shall be that dwelling which is peace (Jannah). 6:126-7 Interpretation of meaning

"It is through remembrance of Allah that the heart discovers rest." 13:28 Interpretation of Meaning

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala also makes it quite clear that our brief mortal life is a means, a test - a gateway to Jannah, InshaAllah - and that this mortal life, our world, is a place of conflict, and fighting.

"He [Allah] created life and death that He might put you to the test and find out which of you acquitted himself best."  67: 1-2.Interpretation of meaning

"And there shall be conflict between you while you dwell, resting for a while, on Earth which shall provide for you." 2: 36 Interpretation of Meaning

"Fighting is prescribed for you, even though you may dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike that which is good for you, and that you love that which is bad for you. Yet although you may not know, Allah knows." (2:216 Interpretation of Meaning)

Thus, unlike the kuffar and the apostates who imitate the kuffar, we are taught - commanded - to view this life as a place of conflict, as a place where we can find the truth and follow it, as a place where we can and should submit to our Rabb, as a place where we can discover and know the Signs of our Rabb, and as but a means to attain that perfect, true, Peace which is Jannah, a Peace promised to us by our Rabb.

"The life of this world is nothing - only play and amusement. What is best is the dwelling in the Life-to-Come - for those who possess Taqwa." 6:32 Interpretation of Meaning

Hence our fundamental aim - our very perspective, our very view about life - differs completely from that of the kuffar. The kuffar and their apostate allies are concerned with some abstract, mythical, universal and personal "peace" and "happiness" in this, mortal, life - that is their aim; their desire. Our aim, our desire, as Muslims, is to please, to submit to, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. This is what being Muslim means. It means we submit, willingly. It means we strive to obey Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. It means we see this life, our own lives, as brief, as a test, and accept that our life, our world, may be full of conflict. That is, we do not seek some sort of abstract universal or even personal "happiness" and "peace". Our perspective is the perspective of Jannah - of submission to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam).

If our duty, as Muslims, is to undertake, or support Jihad - for example to reclaim our lands from the kuffar - then we should strive, InshaAllah, to do this, even though such Jihad can and will involve killing, destruction, suffering, violence, hatred, unhappiness, and conflict.

"Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the hearts of a believing people." 9:14 Interpretation of Meaning

Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "If anyone meets Allah with no mark of Jihad he will meet Allah with a flaw in him."  [Al-Tirmidhi, 3835, Narrated Abu Hurayrah]

"Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find in you a harshness." 9:123 Interpretation of Meaning

Islam is the way of Al-wala wal-bara - of love for the sake of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and of hatred for the sake of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. We, as Muslims, are not - should not be - interested in "peace" and "harmony" as the kuffar and their apostate allies understand and use these terms. We fight for Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) in the name of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) against the enemies of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) to establish the Way of Life that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has given us, in order to do our duty to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

2) The error that Islam does not condone "terrorism" and attacks on "innocent civilians".

Nowhere, in the Quran and Sunnah, is there any mention of, or use of, the terms "innocent" and "civilian". Let us be quite clear that these are kaffir terms, kaffir concepts, which the kuffar and their apostate allies project onto Islam in order to distort Islam and have Muslims imitate the kuffar. 

Whoever uses such kaffir terms, in order to try and understand Islam or in order to in their ignorance obtain some kaffir-pleasing principle from Islam, is imitating the kuffar - for they are re-interpreting Islam to please themselves, or the kuffar, or they are so in love with the kaffir way of life, with kaffir ideas and concepts, that have lost or are losing their own Islam. The kaffir concepts of "innocent" and "civilian" have become Taghut - idols, principles, which the kaffir have created and which they make laws about, which laws they seek to impose on Muslims. These concepts are Taghut because they are created without reference to the Quran or Sunnah - created, by fallible humans, without reference to the Will of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. In many ways, it is right to think as these things as objects which the kuffar now worship, or which they put their trust in - which they make, as standards, for people to follow and obey.

"The one who judges without referring to the Quran is a Taghut."  Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah: Majmo' al-Fataawaa, Part 28, 201.

"Their way is to refer matters to a Taghut. " 4:60 Interpretation of Meaning

In respect of "terror" we are clearly commanded by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala to strike great fear into our enemies:

"To counter them, use whatever force [quwah] you can, including steeds of combat, that you might strike great fear into the enemies of Allah who are your enemies."  8:60 Interpretation of Meaning

Here, "to strike fear into" can be interpreted to mean "terrorize". Therefore, does this mean that we are commanded to terrorize our enemies?

3) The error that Islam is a religion and that "democracy" is compatible with Islam.

Islam is a Deen given to us by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. That is, it is a complete, and perfect, Way of Life. Religion is a kaffir concept, a kaffir term. Our Deen is all-embracing, and does not divide things into "government", "politics", "State", "religion" and so on - for all of these things are artificial ideas, concepts, which the kuffar, in their arrogance, project onto the world and its peoples.

Our Deen is the Way of wholeness, of that Unity which arises when we submit, humbly, to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. This means that our Deen gives us everything we need - its gives us the laws we need; it informs us what is lawful and forbidden; it informs us of how to behave, in public and private; its sets out our aims, both as an Ummah and as individuals. Our Deen exists to guide us to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala - to guide us InshaAllah to Jannah - and to fulfil the purpose that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has given it.

Thus, if we talk and write about such things as Islamic politics, as Islamic government - of Islam as one religion among many - we are in error because we are viewing Islam through the fallible terms, the fallible ideas, the fallible concepts, of the kuffar. There is only Islam, and the practical implementation of Islam in our personal lives, and in the Ummah - in the community or communities of Muslims. Thus, there is no distinction in Islam between what the kuffar call "religion" and what they call "politics" - our aim is to manifest the divine, the sacred, in our Way of Life, so that everything, everyone, acknowledges their duty - and the thanks that are due - to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. In a very practical way, the Shari'ah is our way to draw closer to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, to implement His Will, in this mortal world.

Our Islamic way - the practical way to establish Shari'ah and an Islamic way of life for Muslims - is the way of Siyasah, and to render, or mis-translate, Siyasah by the kaffir term "politics" is to misunderstand Siyasah and to imitate the kuffar. It is to distort the meaning, the truth, of Siyasah - and thus to distort the meaning, the truth, of Islam itself. As I have written elsewhere:

"Siyasah is defined as the application of the Quran and Sunnah in the world: the means whereby Muslims can live in a community according to the command of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. That is, it is the practical application of the knowledge of Islam. Siyasah basically means commanding the good, and forbidding the bad, defined as these are by Quran and Sunnah alone: that is, it means a community ruled by an Ameer, or Khalifah, who rules according to Shari'ah, and who is thus the representative of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala in this mortal world.

What is the aim of Siyasah? To uphold, maintain and expand the Way of Al-Islam through such things as Shari'ah and Jihad. What are the fundamental principles of Siyasah? Bay'ah and Shura... Khilafah does not refer to a type of "government" of some "State". It refers only to Khilafah - it is the application of Siyasah."

Hence, we Muslims should talk and write about giving bay'ah to an Ameer - about giving a personal oath of loyalty, on our honour, to someone who is known to be a good Muslim and who has the qualities to guide us. We are loyal to this Ameer so long as he represents Islam - so long as we see his Islam and see his striving for Islam. We Muslims do not talk about - should not talk about - "voting" in some kaffir-style "election" for some "politician" or some "representative of the people". We admire, and are prepared to give our loyalty to, and to follow, someone who is Muslim and who is an example of Islam, an example of that complete, humble, simple submission to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala which is Islam. al-Khulafaa' al-Raashidoon, As-Salaf as-Saalih and, of course, our beloved Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) are such examples. This loyalty, this oath, does not depend on some promises someone makes us during some election - or on some "political programme" or on some "political manifesto",  just as it is not the so-called "will of the majority" that matters. It is loyalty to Islam, the desire to implement Islam in practical way, through, for example, Shari'ah, and Jihad, that matters. It is being Muslim that matters - being obedient to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

"Because obedience is a form of worship, it is not allowed to obey anyone unless it conforms with obedience to Allah and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam)." Sheikh Muhammad Abdul-Wahhaab: Kitaab At-Tawheed

The very principles of so-called "democracy" are un-Islamic - because in democracy it is, supposedly, the will, the desires, of the majority, or of a majority, which are important and which should be obeyed, and which, in theory at least, give political representatives their authority and their power to make fallible laws.

"One of the foremost principles of [Al-Jahiliyah] was that they were deceived by following the majority, using that majority as proof of the correctness of their view." Sheikh Muhammad Abdul-Wahhaab: Masaail-ul-Jahiliyah

Democracy is a Taghut - a system created by humans without reference to the Will of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala as manifest in the Quran and Sunnah. The kuffar and their apostate allies honour this Taghut, and bow down before it, and obey it, and those "representatives" of it who make fallible laws in its name, as they demand that we abandon the true Islam of the revival, the Islam of Quran and Sunnah, and bow down before them and their idol of democracy.

"Be loyal and do your duty to Allah; fear Him and always speak with honour. He will direct you to do honourable deeds and will forgive your mis-deeds. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will achieve the greatest achievement of all." 33:70-71 Interpretation of Meaning

Furthermore, we Muslims are not interested in the fallible, artificial, divisive kaffir concept of "nations" - of separate so-called States divided upon ethnic, religious, or cultural (or whatever) lines. For Islam, the only division is between Muslim and non-Muslim. Between the realms of Islam, and the realm of Kufr where abide those who are in ignorance of, or rebellion against, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. Our aim is to establish an Islamic Way of Life, a land or lands where Islam is the Way of Life - our so-called "culture", our so-called "race", our so-called "nationality" are all irrelevant. In fact, the Deen of Islam gives us the only identity we need, and it is true to say and write that Adhab Al-Islam creates a unique Islamic "culture".

The distinction we make is between those who live as Muslims, those who obey Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and those who do not. Nationalism, just like democracy, is a Taghut.

"Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut. So therefore fight against those friends of Shaitaan." 4: 76 Interpretation of Meaning

4) The error that Islam is somehow "backward" and we should desire and imitate the "progress" of the West and thus obtain "wealth" and "prosperity".

First, it must be stated that a lot - if not most - of what the West has now obtained in terms of wealth, it has obtained by the colonialism of centuries, by theft, by deceit, by blackmail, by usury, and by direct force. The peoples of the West have plundered the world for centuries; subjugating and oppressing millions upon millions of peoples, just as in more recent times they have used the threat of force, or political blackmail, to make advantageous trade deals for themselves.

Second, we must define what is meant by "progress" and ask who or what defines "backwardness". The simple answer is that it is the kuffar - the kuffar of the West - who have defined these things, based on their own fallible ideas and concepts. Usually, they define these in terms of their ideas of "happiness" and personal wealth, or in terms of some material luxury or other.

But what is "progress", for a Muslim? What is true wealth, for a Muslim? Progress, and wealth, are to find, and stay upon, the Right Path - the Path of Islam. To achieve the perfect peace which is Jannah. The criteria of the kuffar are irrelevant for us. Judged by our own Islamic criteria - that of obedience to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala; that of striving for Jannah; that of martyrdom in the path of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala - we can say that, Alhamdulillah, many Muslims have, InshaAllah, achieved success and are achieving success.

Third, we must ask: has there been a true Islamic community, a genuine Khilafah, these past few hundred years? There certainly is no such community now, where Muslims can live, as Muslims, obedient to only the law of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, and where the kuffar and their apostate allies have no influence and no power. But more and more Muslims - Alhamdulillah - are striving to create such a community as they find, or return to, the authentic Islam of the revival.

"Do not think that those who are killed in the Way of Allah are dead. Rather, they are alive, fulfilled, and with their Rabb. They rejoice because of what Allah has bestowed upon them in His generosity. They rejoice because of those who have not yet joined them, but have been left behind - that no fear, no grieving should come to them. They rejoice because of the favour that Allah has shown them in His mercy: for no dishonour touched them and Allah always rewards the Believers. Thus for those who heard and answered (the Call of) Allah and His Messenger Muhammad after harm touched them - for those of them who did honourable deeds and feared Allah - there will be the best reward of all." 3: 169-172 Interpretation of Meaning
 

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Use your property, your life and your words in striving against the Unbelievers. Abu Dawud 14, 2498

May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) protect us from all forms of Al-asabiyyah Al-Jahiliyyah, forgive us for our mistakes, and guide us to and keep us on the Right Path.

Abdul-Aziz ibn Myatt

18 Safar 1427

1) For further details regarding the Kufr of those who assist the kuffar, refer to at-Tibyan fi kufr man a'an al Amrikan by Sheikh Nasir al-Fahd

2) For further detail regarding Siyasah, refer to Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah: Siyasatush-Shar’iah