Ibn Bazz: Advice to all Muslims regarding Iraq's invasion of Kuwait

Advice to all Muslims regarding Iraq's invasion of Kuwait 

Q : Your Eminence Sheikh `Abdul­`Aziz Ibn Baz, some Muslims in this country are afflicted with fear and horror because they are expecting a war in the near future. Many of them hastened to buy large amounts of goods and foodstuffs to store them. Others prepare themselves to leave the city of Riyadh because they fear that war may break out at any time. What is your advice to them in this regard? 

A : In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon His Messenger, his family, Companions and those who followed his guidance! 

My advice to all Muslims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the Gulf countries, and everywhere is to fear Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and to hold fast to His Religion in all times, particularly in such circumstances when we are experiencing the aggression committed by the ruler of Iraq against Kuwait.The Muslims are obliged at all times to fear Allah (may He be Exalted and Glorified), to hold fast to His Religion, and to beware of the sayings and deeds Allah (Exalted be He) prohibited for them. Forms of obedience result in worldly and eternal goodness, for they bring security and happiness and extinguish turmoil. 

Sins cause evil in this life and the Hereafter. Every good in this life and in the Hereafter is the result of obeying Allah (Exalted be He) and following His Shari'ah, and conversely every evil in this life and in the Hereafter is the result of disobeying Allah (Exalted be He), associating others with Him, and deviating from His Religion. 

The incidents that happened in the Gulf are due to what has been committed by people like disobeying the order of Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and violating the limits of Allah (may He be Exalted and Glorified) who says in His Noble Book: And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. (See the Qur’ân Verse 35:45). 

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Allah (Glorified be He) also says: Evil (sins and disobedience to Allâh) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allâh) may make them taste a part of that which they have done,inorderthattheymayreturn(byrepentingtoAllâh,andbeggingHisPardon). Allah(GlorifiedbeHe)alsosays:Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allâh, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself. 

Every Muslim should reproach himself and remember that he is always watched by his Lord, and this should push him to carry out Allah's commands (Exalted be He), avoid His prohibitions, and hasten to turn to Him with sincere repentance from all one's sins. Allah (may He be Exalted and Glorified) says: And all of you beg Allâh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful 

Allah (Glorified be He) also says: O you who believe! Turn to Allâh with sincere repentance! Sincere repentance involves regret for past sins, giving them up, being aware of them, and truthfully be willing not to commit them again so as to show obedience to Allah (Exalted be He), glorify Him and be devoted to Him, and desire what is with Him, and be careful of His punishment. 

By doing so, evils will be removed, security will prevail, and Allah (Exalted be He) will disperse, humiliate and make calamity of evil on enemies. Allah (may He be Praised) says: O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allâh, He will help you, and make your foothold firm. 

Helping (in the cause of) Allah (Exalted be He) includes Istiqamah (standing erect) in worshiping Him, turning in repentance to Him from all sins, and being prepared to fight enemies with patience and perseverance. By doing so, victory and support will be achieved by the allies of Allah (Exalted be He) and those who obey Him, whereas humiliation and defeat will be the share of His enemies. 

Allah (may He be Praised) says: Verily, Allâh will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allâh is All­Strong, All­Mighty. Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) enjoin Iqamat­as­Salât [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salât (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakât and they enjoin Al­Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid Al­Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islâm has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur’ân as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allâh rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures). Thus, my advice to all Muslims is to repent to, beseech, and ask Allah (Exalted be He) for victory and help Muslims to defeat enemies, hasten to do all that pleases Him and draws one nearer to 

Him implicitly and explicitly, 

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and believe that He (may He be Praised) is the One in Whose Hand is victory as He (may He be 

Praised) says: And there is no victory except from Allâh, the All­Mighty Victory cannot be attributed to 

reasons; they are mere reasons. Victory cannot be achieved by armies, which are mere 

reasons, too. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says in His Great Book: (Remember) when you sought 

help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): "I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession." Allâh made it only as glad tidings, and that your hearts be at rest therewith. And there is no victory except 

from Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All­Mighty, All­Wise. Victory is from Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) but He (may He be Praised) orders that we should seek the possible means and prepare to meet the enemies with fit weapons, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: And make ready against them all you can of power Allah (Glorified be He) also says: O you who believe! Take your precautions Thus, Muslims should equip themselves and fight against their enemies using all possible weapons and perseverance. I can give glad tidings to all my brothers that Allah (Exalted be He) will grant victory to His Religion and His party and will defeat the party of His enemy. 

There is no doubt that the ruler of Iraq has committed aggression and oppression against his neighbors. He has caused great turmoil for which he will be punished unless he turns to Allah (Exalted be He) with sincere repentance and repays the rights to their owners. It is obligatory to fight against him to drive him out of Kuwaitand continue to do so until he returns to the truth and what is right. Those who are fighting against this tyrant are doing great good. The one who is sincere in fighting for the Cause of Allah will deserve praise as well as a great reward if he survives, and will be deemed a martyr if he dies while fighting for the Cause of Allah to save a Muslim country, support the oppressed, and deter an oppressor committing aggression and oppression, because this situation indicates this ruler's unbelief and the wickedness of his atheistic creed. 

My advice to all Muslims is to harbor good thoughts about Allah (Exalted be He) and to be sure that He (Glorified and Exalted be He) will grant them victory. Allah (may He be Praised) is the One Who grants victory to His allies and worshipers. It is Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) Who says: So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for Al­Muttaqûn (the pious) Thus, the (good) end is for the believers who fear Allah (Exalted be He) who says: Truly, Allâh defends those who believe. Verily, Allâh likes not any treacherous ingrate to Allâh [those who disobey Allâh but obey Shaitân (Satan)]. 

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This tyrant has committed treachery. The tyrant of Iraq exchanged the favor of Allah (Exalted be He) for disbelief and was ungrateful to his neighbors who did him favors and helped him during the critical times he underwent. Yet he exchanged the favor for disbelief, was a bad neighbor, and committed oppression and transgression. Definitely he will meet his bad end. 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: There is no sin more fitted in the sight of Allah to have punishment meted out in advance in this world than oppression and severing ties of relationship. Yet such a person has committed aggression and oppression. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: And whoever among you does wrong(i.e.setsuprivalstoAllâh),Weshallmakehimtasteagreattorment. Allah(GlorifiedbeHe)alsosays:Andthe Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong­doers) will have neither a Walî (protector or guardian) nor a helper. There is no harm to seek the possible means at the time of war. There is no harm that Muslims seek the possible means, which benefit them at the time of war. In all matters, they are commanded to adopt the possible means to reach the desired end. They are also commanded to own weapons and prepare themselves to fight their enemies, the same as they are commanded to provide the needs of food and provisions to their families, houses, and so on. 

Muslims are commanded to seek all such matters. Yet this must be accompanied by thinking well of Allah (Exalted be He), observing Istiqamah (standing erect) in His Religion, and turning to Allah (may He be Praised) with repentance of all sins. All Muslims are obliged to do so. We are commanded to seek all possible means. Though it is right to seek the possible means, this must be accompanied by placing trust in Allah (Exalted be He) which is obligatory in all matters. It involves two matters: 

First, to trust in and rely on Allah (Exalted be He) and to believe that He is the Supporter and the Disposer of all affairs, and that every thing is in His Hand (may He be Exalted and Glorified). 

Second, to seek all possible means because Allah (Exalted be He) orders us to do so. Allah (may He be Praised) says: And make ready against them all you can of power Allah (Glorified be He) also says: O you who believe! Take your precautions Allah (Glorified be He) also says: When you (O Messenger Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم) are among them, and lead them in As­Salât (the prayer), let one party of them stand up [in Salât (prayer)] with you taking their arms with them The Prophet (peace be upon him) wore at the battle of Uhud two shields and he sought all possible means at the battle of Al­Khandaq (The Trench). He did the 

same on the day of the Conquest of Makkah. All such matters that were done by the Prophet (peace be upon him) were out of 

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his keenness on seeking all possible means of preparing for the enemies. This applies to all other means, including warding off the evil of war and preparing for one's family needs. All these are required matters that neither contradict the order of Allah (Exalted be He) nor breach putting trust on Allah (Exalted be He). Rather, putting trust on Allah (Exalted be He) involves the two matters: trust in and rely on Allah (Exalted be He) and believe that He is the Supporter (Glorified and Exalted be He), along with seeking all possible means. This is what Muslims should do. 

We ask Allah to grant victory to His Religion, raise His Word, defeat the ruler of Iraq,shatter his unity, and make him suffer a disgraceful torment. We ask Allah (Exalted be He) to make Muslims victorious over him, help them for every good, grant victory to the oppressed and return them their country and guide them as well as all Muslims to the Right Way. 

May Allah (Exalted be He) make the consequences of all Muslims good. May He make such incidents lessons for the believers and a cause for them to achieve Istiqamah (standing erect) in His Religion and a cause for all Muslims to repent of every sin, for He is the Most Generous! May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!