An important question that was handed to me, and the brother confirmed that it's authentic. It says: "We're a group of sisters in camps and prisons in the land of Ash-Shām, who follow and listen to your lessons and classes. Shaykh, can you give us some advice on patience, and raise awareness for us at a time when the Ummah has neglected us?"
To this we say:
مثل هذا يذوب القلبُ من كمدٍ إن كان في القلبِ إسلامٌ وإيمانُ
To this the heart melts, If the heart has any Islam and Emaan within it.
In the time of Ibn al-Arabi al-Māliki, when prisoners were somewhat neglected, nothing compared to how it how it is today. He said the statement of Imam Mālik and the rest of the Scholars:
فإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون على ما حل بالخلق في تركهم إخوانهم في أسر العدو وفي أيديهم خزائن أموال وفضول الأحوال والقدرة والعدد والقوة والجلد
To Allah would belong and to Him, we shall return. And what happened to the to the people of today? They have treasures and wealth, they have power and ability, and numbers and force – yet they failed their captive brothers who are in the hands of the enemies.
Ibn al-Arabi al-Māliki said that statement, after making the obligation towards captives very simple and very clear. He said (in summary): “…We must aid the weak prisoners until not a single one of us remains alive, and we must do so physically, if we're able to, or by spending our entire wealth to release them, until not a single one of us has a Dirham left.”
Meaning we spend all our wealth to free them, until not a single one of us has a penny left. He said that's what Imam Mālik and the rest of the Scholars have said. Al-Qurtubi took that quote and put it in his Tafsir because it's very essential and important.
You can infer from that that those who fail the captives are not [true] Scholars. Even if they know the various types of Recitations of the Qur’an, and the books of Hadith, Fiqh, and the volumes of Islamic references. When Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) heard that Al-Mizzi was imprisoned – Ibn Taymiyyah himself did not rest, until he went to prison and broke him out himself. That was the mission of the Scholars, of the Imams of the Muslims. One isn’t a Scholar, if he doesn't speak for the unpopular causes of the weak and unfortunate of this Ummah. And what's amazing is that Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) – When he himself was taken to prison, everyone let him down, not a single person broke him out. Do you think he had any regrets? There's no regrets. There's no words of sorrow. He didn't say I spent my life freeing captives, and now I die lonely, neglected in a prison. So, when it's done for the sake of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ), there is no regret. Even if the same people you helped, turned on you.
Those Scholars, they were referring to the male captives. Women and children captives, are a much bigger priority and concern. Real men don't stand cross armed, while their noble and pure sisters are held captives. The scholars of the past and the past rulers, the real men of this Ummah, had zero tolerance when it came to women captives – [for someone to take a woman captive] was to declare war on the Ummah. Any man who hasn’t been tainted with Diyātha, has Gheerah over women being held captives in the hands of the dirtiest, most cruel, relentless, and ruthless enemies of Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) in our time. Just yesterday, or the day before yesterday, elsewhere in the world, a young Palestinian physician was going to offer his prayer in Masjid Al-Aqsa, and he saw the filthy hands of the Zionist soldiers beating a Muslimah. He doesn't know that sister, and she doesn't know him.
They're fully armed him, and he has nothing. Their actions triggered his Gheerah, and he went to defend her, and as a result, they shot him with 20 bullets – killing him. Why did this Palestinian man act the way he did? Gheerah. The Gheerah of a typical, normal man.
Let's assume for the sake of argument, one disagrees with the sisters [who are imprisoned]. For the sake of argument, one disagrees with the sisters, or their husbands. Assume that for the sake of argument. Disagreeing with them is not a justification to let them down, when they're captives. It's not time to blast them for what you think is wrong, even if they do actually have mistakes. When our sisters are under oppression, it's only time to aid them. It's not time to castigate them. When our sisters are under oppression, it's time for those with slimy repulsive mouths, to put a lid on it. Muslims and those with an ounce of manhood don't wait for the weakness of an opponent to gloat, let alone weak, helpless, honorable, noble, pure women and children Insha’Allah.
The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:
فُكُّوا العانِيَ
Free the Captives…
Women and children captives get a priority in that command, as we've emphasized many times, and it's obvious why. They’re weaker, they’re our honor and pride. It's shameful that there isn't among the Tawagheet, a Mu’tasim or a Hajjaj – whose armies would have crossed the continents and oceans, to secure the release of a single Muslimah. If you look at the Muslim world today, the number of official armed troops throughout the Muslim world is over 10 million troops, and probably another 10 million on reserve – some with the most advanced technology, but they’re there to serve the enemies who caused this oppression and to stand behind them, and even to hand over to them the Afeefāt. That's exactly what Ibn al-Arabi [al-Māliki] was talking about during his time and it's much worse today:
وفي أيديهم خزائن أموال وفضول الأحوال والقدرة والعدد والقوة والجلد
They have treasures and wealth, they have power and ability, and numbers and force.
I was asked to say something, yet there's no words to say – other than the words spoken by The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), in a nearly identical predicament. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) visited Ammār and his parents (رضي الله عنهم) being tortured in the hot sun of Mecca. No one can imagine the hurt in the heart of The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) while looking at them. The softhearted man (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) who was concerned over his Ummah, that was still [even] not born [yet]. He was concerned (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), over his Ummah, like me and you, that only existed back then in The Knowledge of the Unseen. The man who used to raise his hands [to Allah], while weeping:
اللهم امتي
O Allah [save] my Ummah.
In concern over an Ummah, he still didn't see! Now, before his eyes, he sees the few believers in Him being tortured in the most savage, ferocious way. Among them was Umm Ammār (رضي الله عنها), the frail old woman, the first martyr of Islam. It may have been at a time where he couldn't secure their release fully, but he never neglected them. Not even in that weak point from reading the narrations, it’s evident that he didn’t just casually pass by Ammār and his parents (رضي الله عنهم), he went out of his way to visit those who are being tortured, and a lesson from that [which we can extract] is:
ما لا يدرك كله لا يترك جله
Whatever you can't gain entirely, don't disregard it entirely.
You can't secure their release, then do something else you're able to. Raise awareness for them, write to them. If they were able to read and listen to my lectures, and I'm not sure how that's possible, that's why I asked the brother if it was authentic, and he said it is. If they're able to listen to that, then they will read your words in support of them. And that means more than you can imagine to a captive. Their families who don't denounce them, need support as well. In the weakest of his times, The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) went to show them support as every Muslim should do. Uthman (رضي الله عنه) said: The Messenger would take me walking towards Ammār and his parents (رضي الله عنهم) being tortured in Mecca, and he when he saw them, He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:
صبرًا يا آل ياسر، فإن موعدكم الجنة
Be patient O Family of Yāsir, for your final destination is Jannah.
His visit, his words, were to support and inspire them, to uplift their spirits and their Emaan. Only captives know the feeling of a nice word they hear or a letter they receive while they're lonely in their captivity. And a lesson from this – as well – and it's not a lesson I ever read before. It's that it's not only an Emaan boost to the captives, but it's [also] a solace for those who care about them as well. It's a solace for the real men of this Ummah, the men and woman who spent sleepless nights agonizing over their sisters in captivity. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was sent by Allah, the Most chosen man, yet he endured that pain, and at a time he couldn't directly free them. He agonized over a woman captive, as we do today. And he is The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)! The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) went to show them that they're not forgotten, that they're not neglected. You want it to uplift their morale, boost their Emaan, and do what he is able to do at that time – and don't get it wrong – The words encouraging patience:
صبرًا يا آل ياسر
Be patient O Family of Yāsir
Were not coming from a defeatist. Our Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is The Definition of Bravery and Courage. “Be patient O Family of Yāsir,” wasn't in the context of what the governments of the West want their Imams to do.
I read an article long time ago, and I may have mentioned it in one of the old lectures, that their “Imams” are encouraged to tell those who express sympathy about Muslim causes, to [simply] have patience and make Dua. Go make Dua and have patience, and snore it away. Rather, “Be patient O Family of Yāsir,” is said in the context of calming people down so they can feel good about themselves and towards Muslim causes that they simply sympathize with. Because it's natural, when you belong to an Ummah, to feel for the Ummah.
As opposed to the way the West and their scholars want it – they tell you to make Dua and be patient in an attempt to remove from your conscience the guilt of forsaking the oppressed Muslims. They add forgiveness in matters where there's no forgiveness. There's absolutely no forgiveness in our woman being in captivity. Or for example, like The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) being mocked. The same “Imams” could never withstand the slightest indirect criticism, want you to forgive and pray for those who mock The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), and take your sisters as captives. They say regarding our sisters, who are tortured in prisons: “Go make Dua, have patience, and forgive.”
As for those who transgress in their Kufr and oppression, then it’s not just in one area, apart from where the question is from (Syria), but also Palestine at the hands of the Zionists, or in Egypt, or in China, or in Morocco, or even in the United States. We say be patient, we say make Dua, and we say it will not be forgiven nor forgotten. What they do to our sisters globally, must be documented in our history and taught to our children, to the new cubs, to the new generation, that doesn't know the meaning of defeat. So, if our eyes are not delighted with the light of victory, our children in faith will take their children in faith to سوق النخاسة[Slave Market]. There's times forgiveness is commanded and there's times forgiveness is not praiseworthy, and there's Fiqh behind each! Allah praised many qualities in the Quran – in a series of verses He Praise those who refrain from major sins, those who control their anger, those who respond to the call of their Lord, those who have Shura, and among the praises in those series [of verses] is:
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْبَغْيُ هُمْ يَنتَصِرُونَ ﴿٣٩﴾
And those who, when an oppressive wrong is done to them, they take revenge.
[Surah Ash-Shura:39]
Those who avenge themselves when they're wronged, is a quality that’s praised [by Allah]. There's Fiqh behind when it's proper to forgive and when it's not. The verses go on:
وَلَمَنِ انتَصَرَ بَعْدَ ظُلْمِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَا عَلَيْهِم مِّن سَبِيلٍ ﴿٤١﴾
And indeed whosoever takes revenge after he has suffered wrong, for such there is no way (of blame) against them.
[Surah Fussilat:41]
There is no blame on those who defend themselves, if they're wronged. When The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) visited the captives under torture, and he said Be patient, he didn't forgive nor did He forget.
The same one who told them:
صبرًا يا آل ياسر، فإن موعدكم الجنة
Be patient O Family of Yāsir, for your final destination is Jannah.
Nearly 10 years after that, with all of that went on in His life. He never forgot. He never let it go. Abu Jahl ended up receiving the justice he deserved in the Battle of Badr. You would think, with all the duties of The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), that he may have forgotten about it, but he didn't! This was a priority and a concern. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) never forgot what he (Abu Jahl) did to the captives. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) never forgot what he did to Umm Ammār. When the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) saw his carcass after Badr, he told Ammār:
قد قتل الله قاتل امك
Allah killed the one who killed your Mother.
To our sisters we say, during your difficult times, and we know they're unbearable, but you must be in the peak of your optimism and confidence in Yaqeen in Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), in that the victory is right around the corner (insha’Allah). It wasn't a difficulty or hardship that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) endured, except that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was consistently always the most positive, and most optimistic that victory is right around the corner. When the global coalition united to eliminate Islam off the face of the earth and the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was helping them build a trench to defend the Muslims – the globe was at his front yard. He's building a trench to defend the Muslims, but his confidence and Yaqeen in Allah was at an all-time high. It wasn't only that they're not going to harm us; It was mightier and bigger than that. The hypocrites were saying, “We can’t even go defecate [out of fear for our lives], and Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is promising that we're going to conquer Persia and Rome.” The hope and Yaqeen in Allah must be at its peak.
In other difficult times, He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:
وَاللَّهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إِلَى حَضْرَمَوْتَ، لاَ يَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ أَوِ الذِّئْبَ عَلَى غَنَمِهِ، وَلَكِنَّكُمْ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
…By Allah, this religion (i.e. Islam) will prevail till a traveler from Sana (in Yemen) to Hadrarmaut will fear none but Allah, nor a wolf with regards to his sheep, but you (people) are hasty.
[Bukhari:3612]
The violent shakes of trials can only be met by getting nearer and closer to Allah. Once the tests hail on us, we have to accept them and take them with honor and pride.
Welcome to the Path of Umm Ammār. Welcome to the Path of the Wife of Pharaoh. Welcome to the Path of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the Messengers. The less of these trials that you have, the less you have of the inheritance of Prophethood. We say to our sisters, be patient, in the same context, that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:
صبرًا يا آل ياسر
Be patient O Family of Yāsir
A context of Pride, Hope, and Confidence in Allah. We talk about having patience and reliance [on Allah], combined with having good thoughts and assumptions about Allah, that He will avenge the oppression of the oppressors who transgress against the Muslim Women, the Believing Women, the Pure and Chaste Muwahidāt, before the physical hands of the Muwahideen actually reach them. When all the doors are shut, and attachment to means in creation is eliminated, and it vanishes, the gates of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) open up wider than one can possibly imagine.
We must accept the calamity that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) puts us through. Everyone's tested, and the most noble of those tests are the ones pertaining to Tawheed. When I taught the Tawheed classes – I emphasized – experiencing calamities and the associated necessary reaction of Patience. Why? What's that got to do with the textual part of Tawheed? Because pure Tawheed and experiencing calamities go hand in hand. One doesn't recklessly ask for problems, but from the wisdom of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) is that they come to one's doorsteps or face, and once they do, one must accept them as firm as the unshakable and steady mountains – that's how one takes them (calamities). Firm in Emaan in Allah, and in the Decree of Allah. A Muwahhid and Muwahhida in this position should see this as forgiveness of sins, and that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) loves her. Insha’Allah we see it as a means that she'll be elevated to the rank of Firdaws in a palace, whose ceiling is the Throne of Allah, insha’Allah.
The wife of Pharoah had this Dunya and what was in it, but she chose Tawheed. She chose Tawheed, even if it came with prison and torture. One word from her could have taken her from that torture, to the most luxurious life in palaces. But, the brightness of Tawheed illuminated her heart. She resisted temptations, threats, torture, and remained firm and patient.
رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١١﴾
My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allah)
[Surah At-Tahrim:11]
That’s all she wanted. There's an Arabic saying that says, “Choose your neighbor before your house.”
"My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise…” She wanted nearness to Allah, then a palace. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) said about her, that she was an example for the believers, male and female to follow.
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ
And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe, the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh)
Calamities, and how to deal with it can be lectures and volumes – but I'll give you one Hadith that summarizes the life of a Believer versus the life of a Kafir and a Hypocrite. It's the summary of life. If you understand it, and let it register, it'll change your outlook on life.
مَثَلُ المُؤْمِنِ كَمَثَلِ خامَةِ الزَّرْعِ يَفِيءُ ورَقُهُ مِن حَيْثُ أتَتْها الرِّيحُ تُكَفِّئُها، فإذا سَكَنَتِ اعْتَدَلَتْ، وكَذلكَ المُؤْمِنُ يُكَفَّأُ بالبَلاءِ، ومَثَلُ الكافِرِ كَمَثَلِ الأرْزَةِ صَمَّاءَ مُعْتَدِلَةً حتَّى يَقْصِمَها اللَّهُ إذا شاءَ
The example of a believer is that of a fresh green plant the leaves of which move in whatever direction the wind forces them to move and when the wind becomes still, it stand straight. Such is the similitude of the believer: He is disturbed by calamities (but is like the fresh plant he regains his normal state soon). And the example of a disbeliever is that of a pine tree (which remains) hard and straight till Allah cuts it down when He will."
[Bukhari:7466, Muslim:2809]
A believer is like a fresh tender plant. What happens with a new tender plant, the wind blows it left and right. It’s a tender soft plant. The wind are the trials. The tender plant is the Muwahhid and Muwahhida, and the wind plays with that tender plant. The tender plant goes along with the wind with no resistance. The plant going along with the wind with no resistance is the believer accepting the decree of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) with no resistance. When the wind settles, the plant goes back straight in its original position – that's the interval in the life of the believer with no trials, and they're usually short lived. Those short intervals are rare in the life of a Muwahhid and Muwahhida. Why? Because they sold their lives, their wealth, their freedom, their peace of mind, their honor, and everything they have – they sold it! It’s no longer theirs. The owner can do as He wills.
You struck a bargain with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ)!
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلْجَنَّةَ ۚ
Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise.
[Surah Tawbah:111]
The Muwahhideen sold their lives and what’s in them, in return for what no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart or mind has ever thought of. You don't sell your house and then go to the new owner and question him about his new renovations or what he does to his house.
The parable of a tender plant is unique, because a tender plant doesn't break with winds. They don't crumble either. Meaning, trials don't break the pure and chaste Muwahhida. They don't render them on their heels as non-believers. They accept the trials — because they're tender — they accept them without falling or breaking. If the comparison was not to a tender plant, but rather a firm branch, then they break, or their branches break. The tree we have, every time the wind hits it, the branches keep falling off, or the leaves fall off of it. But the tender plant doesn't break. It doesn't get affected. It goes along with the wind, in acceptance of what Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) Decreed. A tender plant going along with the wind is a believer accepting the Decree of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) with Patience and Ihtisāb. If that parable registers in the mind of a believer, it'll change their perspective and outlook on life. They'll see that they're always subject to trials and calamities. They'll realize this Dunya is something that doesn't belong to them. They’ll realize they were not created for this vanishing Dunya, but rather for that everlasting Ākhirah. That wind, blowing the tender plant left and right, is also wind blowing away sins for those who have Patience and Ihtisāb for their losses and hardships — for the prison time, for losses of children, children being taken away, terrorized by the terrorists, loss and death of spouses, loss of wealth, hardships and sadness over what may have happened while in prison, the entire globe unified under slandering and letting them down.
That was the believer, the tender plant.
وَمَثَلُ الْمُنَافِقِ كَالْأَرْزَةِ
And in another narration, وَمَثَلُ الْكَافِرِ
وَمَثَلُ الْمُنَافِقِ كَالأَرْزَةِ لاَ تَزَالُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ انْجِعَافُهَا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً
And the example of a hypocrite is that of a pine tree which keeps straight till once it is uprooted suddenly
[Bukhari:5643]
A Kāfir and Munāfiq is like an ‘Arza, not a tender plant. A Munāfiq and a Kāfir is like an ‘Arza. It's from the pine tree family, like the cedar tree. When some ‘Ulamā’ described it (‘Arza) in the past, like An-Nawawi (رحمه الله), they said it grows a lot in Bilād Ash-Shām. And Subhān’Allah, it became in recent times a symbol on the flag. It became the symbol of the country on their flag. And of course, Lebanon is part of Bilād Ash-Shām. And the reason they chose it as a symbol is because it grows there a lot, and it's a strong tree that withstands seasonal changes. They actually use it as their symbol because it's a symbol of strength and resilience, according to them. Not to condone nationalistic flags, which are the symbols of Jāhiliyyah, but this shows how accurate the ‘Ulamā’ were in describing the terms of the Ahādīth hundreds of years ago. And also imagine — SubhānAllah, a side issue — imagine that out of everything they could have chosen, they choose as their symbol a tree, that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) compared it to a Munāfiq and a Kāfir. The tree was chosen because it's a symbol of strength, that's why they chose it And in the Hadīth, it's mentioned because it's a symbol of strength.
It's not a tender plant, it's a strong tree. Is that the believer? That strong tree, is that the believer? No. The believer is tender, who goes along with the winds of trials.
A Munāfiq and a Kāfir appear strong, like that pine tree. It's firm and deeply rooted in the ground, and it lives long. It's always straight and the wind doesn't affect it. It's not affected by the wind. No trials. No trials for the Kāfir and the Munāfiq. Why would they have trials when they failed the first trial? It remains strong, it's not affected by the wind. Everyone looks and says, “Look. Look how strong that Munāfiq or Kāfir is. Look how peaceful.There's no wind shaking it. No trials befalling them.” But then comes a time where Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) breaks it down and uproots it once and for all. There comes a time where Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) breaks it down and uproots it once and for all.
حَتَّى يَقْصِمَهَا اللَّهُ إِذَا شَاءَ
Till Allah cuts (breaks) it down when He wishes.
[Bukhari:5644]
When some of the Salaf were tested, they used to say,
سحابة صيف، ثم تنقشع
A summer cloud, passing right through.
That's how they saw trials.
And a unique concept for our sisters who are captives — it applies for the brothers as well, but this question is from the sisters, so it's geared more towards them. A specialty of those in captivity, who accept the trials with Patience and Ihtisāb is that they are in an ongoing ‘Ibādah. Meaning, for every moment, every millisecond, or even what's less than that, they're stacking up on Ajr. If they're sleeping, they're reading, they're cleaning, they're cooking, they're working — with Patience and Ihtisāb, the Ajr continues to pour in inshā’Allah. Now if they engage in other ‘Ibādāt — like recitation of the Qur’ān, raising their kids, Adhkār — then that's Ajr on top of the original Ajr.
There is continuous, ongoing Ajr during a trial, when one awaits the opening from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ), if there is Patience and Ihtisāb. Any discomfort, any illness, anxiety, sorrow, sadness, solitary confinement, hurt, distress, abuse, grief, mental worry — all that is means for Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) to expiate sins and raise one’s rank, with proper Sabr and Ihtisāb. Sufyān Ath-Thawri used to consider trials a blessing, and he saw ease as a trial.
Ibn Mas’ūd (رضي الله عنه) said, “For me to bite a hot ember” — a hot, red ember — “with my mouth until it cools off, or to hold the hot burning ember in my hand until it cools off, is more beloved to me than to say to something Allah Destined for me, ‘I wish it never happened.’” I'd rather hold that burning ember than to say, “I wish it never happened”. Many get distressed over trials, as if they didn't know why this Dunyā was made. It's a summary of this Dunyā. The healthy awaits illnesses. The youngsters await to be elders. The free and happy ones await prisons and trials. The living ones are waiting for death.
And let me add, so I won't forget, and emphasize and reiterate, that our sisters in the camps and in prisons are chaste pure, honorable, innocent, believing women inshā’Allah. Their innocence is beyond innocence. How dare any Fāsiq Kadhāb slander them? Do you know, aside from this, some of the other questions that I've gotten?
“Shaykh, I was in prison, a male guard put shackles of cuffs on me. I'm not able to get over him touching me.”
Shaykh, when I was in prison, the guards put their hands on me while assaulting me and torturing me. Do I get sinned?”
“Shaykh, how can I live, when a non-Mahram man touched me?”
“Shaykh, there's not a moment since I was really released that I don't think about what had happened.”
“Shaykh, the guards forcefully saw my face without Niqāb. How can I deal with this? How can I live with this?”
And the questions are very similar to that, because our sisters are at a high standard.
Let me share a story and there's plenty to share, plenty. One of the sisters, who does a lot of work for us — may Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) reward her and preserve her and ease her difficulty — she was taken as a prisoner, at the age of 15 years old, in a European country. This is not even in the deserts. This is in a European country. 15 years old, for no other reason other than her belief in Allah. I mean, what would a 15-year-old do? They beat her. They spit on her. They left her at times with no food and water. They kept her in shackles at times. They pulled her Niqāb off. They were agitated to see her in Salāh, so they would beat her while she was in Salāh. They tortured her to speak about others as well. She's a 15-year-old girl. She's not a target, or not a big target. They want others, and they want her to get others in trouble. And that is on top of the isolation and solitary that they put her in. That in itself is torture. That by itself is torture. And she mentioned of other sisters who she knew of, that were raped. And then she was deported to her original country, wherein she was and is being tortured, and put in programs in an attempt to strip her of her Deen and Tawheed.
May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) protect her, and her Deen and Tawheed, and her honor. [Also] Like the sister I mentioned recently, when I sent condolences to her husband, and the brothers released it. She was tortured and deported and suffered from the aftermath of torture until her death, (رحمة الله تعالى عليها). That's in European countries. Imagine our sisters in deserts, where there’s no limits to what they do, because they're not human beings. Those who slander our sisters’ purity are speaking of the filth of the ideology that they grew upon, and it's a reflection of the gutter that's their mind.
Our women ask if they’ve sinned over matters that are not under their control. Women so pure, so noble, they can't live with a weight of a mustard seed of impurity, even when they're not held accountable for it, even when they will not be sinned for it. No matter how high you attempt to elevate attacking the honor of our sisters, you will never — by Allah — reach beyond the bottom of their stitched-up shoes. Corrupt liars, who slander our sisters, and they don't have a milli-ounce of manhood in them. No matter how much you disagree with someone, there's limits! I won't say Muslim standards or student of knowledge standards, or those who claim to campaign for Muslim causes — I’m not going to say that kind of standards. But just a typical man knows that there's limits, you don't go and transgress beyond them when you disagree with someone.
There are limits when you quarrel, if you're a man, if you're a man, but you're not a man. A man doesn't transgress beyond his limit, even when he disagrees. When Pharoah, the tyrant, ordered the killing of the Māshitah, she said, “Put my grave with my children's graves.” Pharoah told her, “That's the right you have over us” — Pharoah! He said أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ (I am your lord the most high). But he knew, in his disagreements, there's a limit — you don't cross that limit!
Our sisters in captivity are the crowns of this Ummah. People campaign for corrupt people and Disbelievers, because they're famous and popular. And our sisters, not only do they get the silence of the graveyards, but they get slandered! And we only have Allah, and that's all we need. I don't say it loosely like some people do, some people say “We only have Allah” and they say it loosely or in weakness. That's wrong. We say we only have Allah, and it means we have what's Mightier, what's Greater, what's more Powerful, and what's more Sufficient. What our sisters go through boils the blood in the veins of every Muslim, every real man, except those whose ideology breeds Mukhanatheen[Transvestites]. It's a duty on you O Muslim, to uplift their spirits, and morale, and to strengthen their Emān with your words. Like I said, if they say that the lecture reached them, and the brother told me when I asked him, it's authentic. If so, then your words will be read by them. Your campaign for them will be read by them. A Duā you randomly post will be read by them, and it will mean a lot to them. It's a duty on the Ummah to boost their Emān and let them know they're not forgotten.
It's essential to emphasize to those in captivity and those who are free, that they're not dishonored, nor did they shame themselves, nor their families, nor the Ummah in any way. What happened by force, by disbelieving predators, is not something one will be held accountable for by Allah, nor by people. It must be widespread and normalized that they’re honorable heroes not sinners. The brothers should be more eager to prioritize them in marriage, if they're able to, because they will (inshā’Allah) get more Ajr for attempting to heal their past and in being patient with them.
Shaming them or making them feel bad in any way, is like killing them for something that wasn't even under their control. It's practically a different means of doing what was done in Jāhiliyyah of burying women alive. Burying women alive has been buried, so don't dig it up again.
If the disbelievers killed them once, don't be a participant in killing them twice. And I don't mean rape, I don't mean to the extent of rape, but our sisters are at such a high standard, that being in the vicinity of men taints their purity. A Shaykh, a long time ago, discussed a matter like this, very similar to this, in Irāqi prisons. And he was saying, from what I remember, he said, “We should open the door of Ijtihad and let the ‘Ulamā’ issue Fatwas for abortion and to lie about their past and that which happened in prison.” What Ijtihād and what lies and what Fatāwa? There's nothing to be ashamed about, or to lie about, even if the worst has happened. If there's any shame, it's on the men of the Ummah, that's the only shame there is.
The dishonor is on the men of the Ummah who are free in letting their sisters be captives in the hands of the most notorious disbelievers of our time. The shame in history will be upon every man who let them down, and every corrupt liar who slandered them. May Allah curse them.
When someone returns from the front line with amputated limbs, we hail him a hero, and we say his limbs preceded him to Jannah inshā’Allah. But a woman harmed in the path of Allah gets shamed. I ask Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) to free them and honor them. And I ask Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) in this blessed month, in these blessed days, to curse — in Dunyā and Ākhirah — all those who slander our sisters in captivity and speak ill about their honor. I ask Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) to curse them, equivalent to the number of sisters they slandered in the camps and prisons, and equivalent to the number of people who heard and read their slander. May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) never lift his curse until they openly and publicly repent in the clearest of terms.
Dedicate a large amount of your Duā in the last 10 nights that are coming up inshā’Allah, dedicate a lot of your Duā before Iftār and in Tahajjud, to your sisters in prison, and captives in general. And before you make Duā for their release, make Duā upon those who slander them. Why wouldn’t we curse someone who Allah cursed? Why? Why? I’ll say exactly what Ibn Mas’ūd (رضي الله عنه) said, when he cursed Al-Wāshimāt[The woman who Tattoos] and Al-Mustawshimāt[The woman receiving Tattoos] and Al-Mutanammisāt[The woman who plucks her eyebrows]. He cursed the woman who do tattoos and pluck their eyebrows. A woman argued with him about that. Ibn Mas’ūd (رضي الله عنه) said, “Why shouldn't I curse those whom Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) cursed? Why shouldn't I curse those who the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) cursed and it's in The Book of Allah?” Why wouldn't we curse those who Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) cursed?
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ ٱلْغَـٰفِلَـٰتِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ لُعِنُوا۟ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌۭ
Indeed, those who [falsely] accuse chaste, unaware and believing women are cursed in this world and the Hereafter; and they will have a great punishment.
[Surah An-Noor:23]
Those who accuse chaste woman who never think of doing anything wrong, are cursed in this Dunyā and in the Ākhirah, and for them is a great torment.
What's more horrific is the verse after that:
يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
On a Day when their tongues, their hands and their feet will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.
[Surah An-Noor:24]
On the Day their tongues and their hands and their legs and their feet will testify against them to what they used to do, and what they used to say. Let's see how good Kāfir articles will stand when Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) asks for proof. How many more years do you think you'll live before you stand in front of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) with thousands of the ‘Afeefāt — rather, among the best ‘Afeefāt of our time inshā’Allah — as your opponents in front of Allah. Get arrogant before Allah, get arrogant before Allah like you do with those who advise you in this Dunyā, and watch that filthy mouth get sealed shut, and the fingers that utter the filth begin to speak.
ٱلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.
[Surah Ya-Seen:65]
A journalist — his name is Khaleel Al-Miqdād. He's either a journalist or a political analyst, as he probably describes himself. He is, from what I think (والله أعلم), someone independent. He's not affiliated with anyone. And the fact that he resides in and is active in Qatar says a lot about his background. He's a man. I mean, he's a man like any and every man should be in this matter — a man with Gheerah. And I read his quote some time ago, so I'm rephrasing it as best as I can remember. He said, “The honorable, Aseerāt, Muslimāt, ‘Afeefāt — the women in the camps in Syria and Irāq — are not an easily digestible piece of cake up for grabs.” He said, “I'm not talking about Allah's anger and wrath that will reach those who are oppressing them.” He said, “I believe Allah will send them those who will lift the oppression they're facing, and revenge them to a point that will soothe the heart of the believers.” He said, “The pigs have reached a new low in their treatment to those women.” On a Day when their tongues, their hands and their feet will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.He's not affiliated with them, but his statement shows he's a man. He's a man! He's not affiliated with them, but his statement shows that he's a man. A typical man with Gheerah. You don’t have to be a Tālib ‘Ilm to know this, or a Shaykh or ‘Ālim or someone who claims to fight or campaign for the causes of the Muslims! You just don't have to be tainted with Diyāthah, that's all. It takes an ounce of manhood to know that this is the proper position to take as a simple, bare Muslim, even if you disagree with them! The majority of the attorneys who are representing Muslims in the West — the United States, for example — they're Jews, they're Christians or atheists. They don't follow the religion of their client, nor do they condone their religion or what they were accused of, but they advocate for them. They believe they're bound by a code of their Kufr ethics to faithfully discharge their duties as attorneys. And so-called supposed Muslims, who claim to be fighting for the causes of the Muslims, slander the ‘Afeefāt.
لَّوْلَآ إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًۭا وَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَآ إِفْكٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of themselves [i.e., one another] and say, "This is an obvious falsehood"?
[Surah An-Noor:12]
It's not only a shame on the one who slanders and the ones who associate with them. When they hear the rumor, the believer thinks good and says هَـٰذَآ إِفْكٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ. “This is outrageous slander”. Articles of Kuffār are rumors that won't stand in front of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ). Judgments of Tawāgheet courts are rumors that will not stand in front of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ). You must think good when you hear rumors. Think good, meaning it's a lie.
وَلَوْلَآ إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُم مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّتَكَلَّمَ بِهَـٰذَا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ هَـٰذَا بُهْتَـٰنٌ عَظِيمٌۭ
And why, when you heard it, did you not say, "It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You, [O Allāh]; this is a great slander"?
[Surah An-Noor:16]
When you hear it, you should have said, “We don't speak about this matter. It's not right for us to repeat it.” سُبْحَـٰنَكَ هَـٰذَا بُهْتَـٰنٌ عَظِيمٌۭ. This is serious slander. You don't think it's true — it’s a lie. You don't speak about it. You don't repeat it. You deter others from speaking about it. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) from on top of seven heavens judged them as corrupt liars with no credibility, whose testimony is rejected if they don't produce 4 witnesses.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا۟ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ فَٱجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَـٰنِينَ جَلْدَةًۭ وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَهَـٰدَةً أَبَدًۭا ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses - lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them testimony ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient,
[Surah An-Noor:4]
If they don't produce 4 witnesses, flog them 80 times. Reject their testimony. Reject their testimony forever. They're Fasiqoon. وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ. Who said they're Fasiqoon? Me? Did I say they're Fasiqoon? Fasaqa! They’re Fasaqa! Anyone who slanders our sisters is a Fāsiq. O Muslimeen! protecting the honor of the sisters is a means of attaining protection for your face from Jahannam.
لَّوْلَا جَآءُو عَلَيْهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ ۚ فَإِذْ لَمْ يَأْتُوا۟ بِٱلشُّهَدَآءِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلْكَـٰذِبُونَ
Why did they [who slandered] not produce for it four witnesses? And when they do not produce the witnesses, then it is they, in the sight of Allāh, who are the liars.
[Surah An-Noor:13]
The previous verse, وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ. Here, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says كَـٰذِبُونَ. Fasaqa — liars.
Finally, our Thiqah and Yaqeen in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) is that the fences and walls of these oppressive prisons will not last long. Our Yaqeen in Allah is that he promised that the night and darkness of oppression will not last long. To our sisters, make Duā of what your endured as means of Waseelah. Use it in your Duā as a Waseelah, at a time when the whole world let you down. Use it as a Duā of Waseelah to attain what you want of the goodness of this Dunyā and Ākhirah. Ya Allah, you know what we endured of such and such. And you know, it touched us because of our Tawheed. So, grant us this and this.
And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) will not let you down.
فَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَأُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمْ وَأُوذُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِى وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ وَقُتِلُوا۟ لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ثَوَابًۭا مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسْنُ ٱلثَّوَابِ
So those who emigrated or were evicted from their homes or were harmed in My cause or fought or were killed - I will surely remove from them their misdeeds, and I will surely admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow as reward from Allāh, and Allāh has with Him the best reward.
[Surah Al-Imran:195]