The Revival of Islam

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

"We are rid of you and what you bow down before - and between you and
us there will be hatred and fighting until you accept Allah and Allah
alone." 6:4 Interpretation of Meaning


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:

"They [the kafiroon] want to extinguish Allah's Light with their
deceit, their lies, but Allah will never allow this - for His Light
will be seen even though they the Kafiroon hate (it). For it is He Who
has sent His Messenger to reveal the Way of truth, to make it triumph
over all other Ways even though they, the Mushrikun, hate (it)." 9:
32-33 Interpretation of Meaning


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 Islam, in the name of Islam, against the
enemies of Islam, to establish Islam, 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.


Allahu Alam
Abdul-Aziz ibn Myatt
18 Safar 1427


Notes:
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

3) For further details regarding democracy as a Taghut, refer to "Hukm
Al-Islam Fi Ad-Dimuqratiyyah Wa At-Ta'dudiyyah Al-Hizbiyyah" by
Sheikh Abu Basir Mustafa Halimah