Whoever Is Killed Defending His Country/Land Is A Martyr
By Imam Murtada Gusau
Monday, November 26, 2018
In The Name Of Allah, The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (Peace be upon him).
Dear Brothers and Sisters! In Islam, martyrdom is one of the great ambitions of a true believer. This is because dying as a martyr entails abundant rewards designated for such persons in the Hereafter. Abdullah Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as saying:
“Martyrs are forgiven their sins, except debts.”
The phrase “except debts” also relates implicitly to usurpation of people’s rights, unjustified killing, and so on.
It suffices here to quote the Divine Promise for martyrs as stated in the following Qur’anic verses:
"Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision. Jubilant (are they) because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not joined them but are left behind; that there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. They rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers." [Al-Imran 3: 169-71]
There are basically two broad categories of martyrs (Shuhadah) in Islam, firstly, those who have died fighting for the cause of Allah (i.e., in legitimate jihad or legitimate war), and secondly, those who have died being succumbed to certain types of ailments or calamities, not of their own making. The second group, although not recognised and treated as martyrs in this world, will receive rewards of martyrs in the Hereafter. As for a list of people of this category, we find a number of traditions - although not contradictory - such as the following:
1. In a report jointly reported by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) mentioned five types of martyrs:
“One who dies in a plague, one who dies of intestinal ailments, one who dies of drowning, one who dies under a collapsed building, and one who dies as a martyr in jihad (or any legitimate war).”
2. Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i, and others stated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“There are seven martyrs.”
Having said this, he added the following to the list mentioned above:
“…one who dies in a fire” and “…a woman who dies during child-birth.”
3. A third report states that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever dies while defending his own possessions is a martyr; whoever dies defending his own person is a martyr; whoever dies guarding his own faith is a martyr; whoever dies fighting in order to defend his own family is a martyr; whoever dies defending his homeland is also a martyr.”
4. In a report by an-Nasa’i, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever fights to protect his rights and dies in the process is a martyr.”
Imam Ibn Hajar states that:
"We can conclude from these traditions (Hadiths) that martyrs are of two types: Those who are recognised as martyrs in this world, and those who are recognised as martyrs only in the Hereafter. A martyr recognised in this world is one who has died fighting in the cause of Allah without having retreated from the battle. But those who are recognised only in the Hereafter are those upon whom the laws of martyrdom are not applicable in this world, although they merit rewards of martyrdom.”
And according to Imam an-Nawawi:
“The second category of martyrs will receive rewards of martyrdom, and yet unlike the martyrs of jihad, they will be bathed (before burial) and prayed over.”
From the above discussion, however, one is advised not to jump to the conclusion that everyone who dies in similar circumstances as mentioned above will automatically merit rewards of martyrdom. Such an inference is not valid, since Allah’s acceptance of a person ultimately depends on his or her state of faith, Iman or sincerity as well as upon the way he or she has responded to the will of Allah at the time of death. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“A person is raised up in the Hereafter in the state he has passed away.”
Respected Brothers and Sisters! I urge myself first and all of you to obey Allah, fear Him and be submissive to Him. Verily, Allah, Exalted is He, has declared the truth in His Noble Book. He said:
“O you who have believe, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.” [Ali-Imran, 200]
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Our country, our nation is our cradle where we lives, acquaints ourselves with its elements and enjoys its vicinity. As such anyone who has loves his country all throughout his life must be sincere in building it and protecting it. In this sense, founding nations and civilisations is more than a mission; rather it is a covenant that only people in whom Allah invests honesty can fulfill. That is why people take to defend their country naturally and willingly. Some would sacrifice their life and this is the utmost form of generosity. Some would sacrifice their time, their knowledge, their children or their wealth, while others would do all of these and even more.
In Surah An-Naml (The Ants), the Noble Quran tells the story of a group of people who proposed to their Queen to defend their land, capitalising on their might and strong will. Allah the Almighty said:
“They said, ‘we are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command’.” [An-Naml, 33]
Some scholars explained that the speakers in this verse were ready to defend their kingdom, their land and their nation by hinting at using wisdom, knowledge and force. Yet while taking this stance, they let this matter to the Queen (their leader) with full belief in her prudent opinion. In so doing, they were all set to follow her orders.
As an outcome, she led them to safety, thanks to her wisdom and good sense of judgment. This incident highlights the value of obedience, making it a beneficial lesson, especially for the young ones who are the safety valve for any nation.
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Know that safeguarding our country from the evil of terrorists is an honour like no other. Its unique status was stressed by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) when he said:
“Shall I tell you about a night better than Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Decree), [It is when] a guard, a soldier, an army who is on watch in a fearful place and who are perhaps may not return to his family.”
So congratulations to our gallant soldiers who are away from their families, our gallant troops, staying up all night so that we can sleep (peacefully). They died such that we live. They battle the cold so that their people and nation remain stable and secure. Because of their sacrifice they earn a higher rank. May their souls rest in perfect peace, ameen.
On the narration of Ata Bin Al-Munzir that Umar Bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him), told his Companions:
“Who amongst people shall have greater reward?” They said those who fast and pray, mentioning so and so. Thereupon, he said: “Shall I inform you about the most rewarded of all those you mentioned?” They said: “Yes please.” He said: “A man reins his horse and guards people, not knowing if there is a predator around to prey on him, a venomous snake to bite him, or an enemy to assault or attack him. This is a greater recompense than those you mentioned.”
Moreover, it is mentioned in a Prophetic Hadith that the watchful eye on people’s rights, one that guards the borders of the nation and obeys Allah will, by His grace, not be touched by the Hellfire.
Ibn Abbas narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) saying:
“There are two eyes that shall not be touched by the Hellfire: an eye that wept from the fear of Allah, and an eye that spent the night standing on guard in the cause of Allah.”
Knowing this, anyone, who desires the great reward, should be content with what Allah has prepared for him while he defends his nation, whether in land, sea or sky. It was narrated by Sahl Bin Sa’ad (May Allah be pleased with him) that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) said:
“Guarding the frontier (Ribat) for a day in the cause of Allah is better than the world and all what is in it.”
In the same regard, Abdullah Bin Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
“I would rather love to stay up all nights guarding and be afraid in the way of Allah, the most Exalted, than giving one hundred camels as charity.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters! For the cause of defending the nation one can sacrifice his life, give money or make achievements. An example of this Noble mission was taken by a group of people who were praised in the Quran when they offered their wealth to protect their land from temptations and threats. The Quranic verse read as follows:
“They said, ‘O Zul-Qarnain, indeed Yajuj (Gog) and Majuj (Magog) are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?” [Al-Kahf, 94]
Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him), said:
“The expenditure refers here to, the money which people wanted to collect amongst themselves and give it out to Zul-Qarnain in return for erecting a barrier to keep their enemies away and under control.”
Also, protecting the land can be achieved by serving it across all of its institutions and by being dedicated to performing work as it ought to be done. Thus one has to be sincere about discharging his responsibilities, and should work on protecting the reputation of his nation. Failing to do so is failing to defend the nation and this is against what our beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Every one of you is a guardian and responsible for what is in his custody.”
My beloved soldiers! Wallahi protecting the nation is a responsibility that requires commitments, including praying for the nation and the leaders. On this matter a respected scholar from our pious predecessors (Salaf) said:
“If I have an (confirmed) accepted supplication I will pray it for the leader.”
Let us then pray to our Lord to confer upon our great country, Nigeria, goodness and prosperity as well as continuing safety and security. Doing this is one of the signs of loyalty and sincere sense of belonging. It also reflects the Prophets traditions and manners. The Prophet Ibrahim (AS), for example, prayed for his land saying:
“My Lord, make this city (Makkah) secure.” [Ibrahim, 35]
Also Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) on his part, supplicated for his land as he said:
“O Allah, bless us in our mudd; O Allah, bless us in our Saa’; O Allah, bless with this blessing two more blessings.”
With this in mind, you are urged to pray for your nation and supplicate to Allah to protect it and bless it with His generous favours.
May Allah bless our country with continued bounties and keep it safe from all sorts of evil.
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Be aware that you are asked to obey Him, the Almighty, as it ought to be, by observing Him in private and in public and know that it falls on us to contribute effectively in educating our children on the love of their nation. It is our responsibility to prepare them during the peacetime to be the builders of their country’s civilisation and glories and in need stand as the shield of protection. This is because they are the renewable source of energy from which the country draws its strength and resistance. In this regard, Umar Bin Al-Khattab, (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Teach your children swimming, archery (Shooting) and horse-riding.”
Let us all salute and pray for the defenders of our nation; our armed forces, our gallant troops, who ensure safety and security so that everyone can enjoy a stable and serene life. No wonder then if they are referred to as the wealth of this nation, its impervious fort, a symbol of its union, a source of its pride and pillar of its security. In fact without their role we could not have reached such a progress and steady prosperity at all levels. We truly appreciate their unyielding efforts in protecting the nation and its gains, for whose cause they offer their lives.
My respected people! Islam is a religion of forgiveness and leniency. It appeals to people, and let them accept it. Thus it comes to emphasise good morals, lay the foundations of moderation, safeguard human rights, and establish such finest cultural values of unity, coexistence, tolerance and solidarity. Then there has emerged the eternal message of mercy and peace for all mankind. Allah the Most High said:
“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a Mercy to the world.” [Al-Anbiya, 107]
In the same regard, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Actually, I was awarded mercy (by Allah).”
This authentic principle is being thoroughly stressed in Islam as he (Peace be upon him) said:
“He who shows no mercy to the people, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, does not show mercy on him.”
He (Peace be upon him) also said:
“Mercy is taken away only from him who is miserable.”
Mercy in Islam is a virtue that encompasses also other creatures besides humans. Ibn Mas’ud reported that:
“We were with the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) during a journey. He went to ease himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) came and said: ‘who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it.”
If the Prophet (Peace be upon him) prohibited us to cause suffering and hardship to a bird by taking its little chicks, so what would be the case with someone who inflicts grievance on another by taking the life of his father, son, brother or relative?
We have to bear in mind that when we, Muslims, state that Islam is a religion of peace and mercy, we are not trying to prove something unreasonable or solve a crossword puzzle. Rather, we are just stating a fact backed by clear-cut evidence and unquestionable proofs. Even we don’t need to state this fact, for Islam, in itself, is self-explanatory, in terms of its meaning, its noble teachings and the core of its message conveyed by the Prophets Allah sent to mankind. At the same time, all peoples believe that peace and security should be attained through justice and equity.
Our merciful Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) stood for funeral processions of non-Muslims to show his respect for humanity. He condemned the killing of civilians, even in the time of war. He refused to punish non-Muslims without enough evidence. He did not rule unjustly against a Jew in favour of a Muslim. He visited the sick among non-Muslims. He and his Companions gave and accepted gifts from non-Muslims. He ordered his followers to maintain the ties of kinship with non-Muslim relatives. He forgave the Jewish woman who poisoned him. He pardoned the Bedouin who wanted to kill him. He forgave the Quraish after the conquest of Makkah. He forgave the harsh treatment by the people of Ta’if. He forgave and prayed for Suraqa Bin Malik. He shows tolerance for a Jewish Rabbi. He is praying for his enemies even in the time of a battle. The concessions during the treaty of hudaibiyyah. He and the Jews of Madinah had a Constitution (Sahifah) for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect of rights between Muslims and Jews. He joined and endorsed a civil society organisation (Hilf al-Fudul). He would swallow his anger when provoked. He overlooked the shortcomings of others. He forgave treason. He prayed over the body of the leader of hypocrites, Abdullah Bin Ubay Bin Salul. His religion (Islam) permits some interfaith marriages. His love for his kind polytheist (Mushrik) uncle, Abu Talib. He received and allowed non-Muslims in his Mosque in Madinah. He received a loan from a Jew and gave his shield as collateral. He trusted a non-Muslim with his life.
With all these, it is heartbreaking to see the tolerant teachings of Islam and the Prophetic tradition being violated out of proportion. This has been undertaken by sinful groups taking to extremist views, insurgency, militancy and terrorism, and tarnishing the image of our tolerant religion. In total disregard of religious dictates and in cruelest manner, they unleash havoc, shedding blood and breaching sanctities. Disgracefully, they speak in the name of Islam and attribute their heinous crimes to it.
Nay they have utterly distorted Islam and its humanitarian ideals because they endorse an alien ideology that is contradictory to it. Truly, their radical attitude has killed their pure human nature and perceptions, rendering them insensible to morality and humanity. Can anybody then say that such crimes have anything to do with Islam? The answer to this question is capital NO!
Along this dark, unjust and deadly road, have walked those people who are penetrating unspeakable massacres; they kill others in cold blood and disfigure them. They have been tearing down buildings, spilling blood, violating integrities, assaulting and abducting women without respect to any of Islam’s commands, nor to any of human’s values or principles. Here again arises a question: where are they from those religious texts that condemn the crimes they do?
Where are they from the incident involving Usama Bin Zaid who raised his sword when he (the soldier of the polytheists) uttered: “there is no deity but Allah.” But he (Usama Bin Zaid) killed him. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) called for him and asked him why he had killed him. He (Usama Bin Zaid) said: “O Messenger of Allah, he struck the Muslims and killed such and such of them. And he even named some of them. I attacked him and when he saw the sword he said, ‘there is no deity but Allah’.” The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “did you kill him?” he (Usama Bin Zaid) replied in affirmative. He (the Noble Prophet) remarked: “what would you do with his: ‘there is no deity but Allah,’ when he would come (before you) on the Day of Judgment?” He (Usama Bin Zaid) said, “O Messenger of Allah, beg pardon for me (from your Lord).” He (the Noble Prophet) said, “what would you do with: ‘there is no deity but Allah’ when he would come before you on the Day of Judgment? He (the Noble Prophet) added nothing to it but kept saying, ‘what would you do with: ‘there is no deity but Allah’ when he would come (before you) on the Day of Judgment? “The Prophet (Peace be upon him) kept on repeating that so often that I wished I had not embraced Islam before that day,” Usama Bin Zaid said.”
Where are they from the Hadith of the Prophet of mercy (Peace be upon him) saying that:
“A faithful believer remains at liberty regarding his religion unless he kills somebody unlawfully.”
Where are they from the severe warning contained in the words of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that:
"For this world to be destroyed, that would be less significant before Allah than the unlawful killing of a believer or any other innocent person?”
Again where are they from the stern warning in the words of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that:
“If the inhabitants of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth all took part in shedding blood of a believer or any other innocent person, then Allah would cast them (all) in the Hellfire?”
How on earth can they ignore the Prophet’s instruction that:
“Whoever rebels against my Ummah, killing good and evil people alike, and does not try to avoid killing the believers, and does not pay attention to those who are under a covenant (non-Muslim), then he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him.”
So how will those people meet the Prophet (Peace be upon him) on the Day of Judgment while they did not respect the sanctity of his Ummah, and ignored his warnings, commands and orders?
As you can see, these verses and Hadiths denounce categorically all forms of extremism and terrorism, and stress the fact that it is against our tolerant religion and call for fighting it by all means.
Fellow Nigerians! Since militant ideology has reached this dark alarming level with their advocators having fallen deep in the abyss of impurity, losing sense of conscience and failing to listen to the voice of wisdom and comply with good guidance, then a firm and effective action must be taken. This is required in order to preserve the religion and the nation from such an alien system of thought and protect people from the evil posed by those extremists and their gruesome acts. For these reasons and others, addressing the harm caused by those terrorists by all possible means is legal and legitimate demand. May Allah save our nations from those corrupters and purify it from the extremists.
Fellow Nigerians! Please obey Allah as it ought to be by observing Him in private and in public and be aware that as the image of our religion and nation is being stained by those terrorist group’s actions, of ambushing and killing our gallant soldiers, killing innocent people, violating sanctities and taking other’s property, it is our duty to show to the world that this is contrary to the teachings of Islam and also contrary to our cultures. It is our duty to warn against any misleading Fatwa (verdicts or rules) that defends those corrupt groups or be deceived by it.
The responsibility rests as well with parents who need to protect their children from any intruding ideology and dangerous creed by educating them, following the true Islamic principles. The youth, boys and girls, for their part, must adhere to the guidance of genuine Islam and to beware of radical ideas and of those who spread them, especially through electronic social network media. They also must stand alert not to let themselves be lured to slogans and allegations disseminated by terrorist organisations and groups, which claim falsely glamorous slogans.
My Respected people! Terrorists launched attacks on our gallant troops, our gallant soldiers, the defenders of our nation, who surrendered their life, abandoned their family, so that we sleep peacefully and killed many of them. The attacks occurred in Borno State. We must strongly condemn these attacks and pray for our soldiers.
The terrorists have no respect for human life. They are very bad, disgust, unpleasant, despicable, cruel, vicious, sinful, atrocious, inhuman and barbaric people.
My sincere condolence goes out to the victims of all these terror attacks, where innocent people have been killed by these wicked people, murderers and blood suckers.
I am profoundly saddened by the loss of life and indiscriminate murder of our gallant soldiers and all innocent people. This criminal barbarity is Godlessness. Terrorism has no faith and cannot be condoned by any means, rationale or ideology. We must commit to each other to defeat it. Godless cowards attack unarmed, randomly selected, innocent people. Terrorists are sinful, immoral and barbaric criminals.
It is displeasing to hear the media call the like of ISIS, ISWAP, Al-Shabab, Al-Qa’idah, Taliban, Boko Haram, Ansaru etc, Islamic Jihadists. Neither are their actions from the Sunnah nor Islamically considered Jihad.
My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families.
I ask Allah, the Lord of the worlds, to bring justice to these horrific situations, to recompense those who committed these murders with what they deserve, to bring those still at large to justice, and to rid the earth of these evil, treacherous, murderous lunatics, who do nothing but bring harm and corruption to the world.
O Allah, be with our brave soldiers as they fight against terror. Match forward o defenders of our nation, we are proudly behind you. Do not be weakened or scared, be courageous like a lion, be strong and stand for what is right, no matter how the challenges. Do not be scared. Be courageous and watch Nigeria begin the revival process, watch Nigeria rescued, and watch Nigeria being restored. We shall not be cowed; our sense of humanity shall trump, outrank and defeat their terror by the Grace of the Almighty Allah.
My heart, thoughts and prayers goes to the entire people of Nigeria, and to our gallant troops, and all the victims of terror and the victims of injustice any where they are. Be assured that terror will be defeated; terrorism will not win In shaa Allah!
It is a very sad story coming again from Metele, Borno State, home to the Nigerian Army 157 Task Force Battalion.
At least 118 soldiers were killed and 153 missing in the Sunday attack on 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State Nigeria, according to the most-recent finding by the Premium Times online Newspaper.
My heart bleeds for the parents of these soldiers. This is the height of irresponsibility on the military command and a shame on the Nigerian government. There is no word suitable to describe this. Playing foolish politics and spreading propaganda with peoples lives, only because their children are not in the combat zone?
Wallahi, in a descent society the minister of defense and all the military commands should have resigned and be made to account for the billions given to them to purchase arms. Any sane human being will shed tears for this horrendous act. May Allah (SWT) save Nigeria.
American servicemen served their country with honour, but it seems there is no honour serving this country. Leadership in this country is about lies, deceit, injustice materialism and opportunity. Service is not a thing of value in this country. The most unfortunate ones are toys in the hands of the oppressive few individuals. May Allah bring sane leadership with compassion to this country.
All their eyes are in 2019 elections. Let's face these terrorists sincerely. Let's give our soldiers the proper weapons to face the enemies. We all know that terrorism, insurgency and revolutions are not child's play, they are governed by strong ideological beliefs. We are all students of military history, we should draw lessons from chairman Mao Tsetung, Fidel castro, Che Guevara, Samora machel and of recent cases Robert Mugabe and Nelson Mandela. What surprises me is that we train military officers in the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), and some in Sandhurst Military Academy, but yet they stick to static warfare, which is obsolete. Warfare today is about mobility and psychology not determined in trenches, this is the advantage Boko Haram has on the Nigerian military. While they attack our weak points in trenches and run we remain put waiting as sitting ducks. You don't use T55 tanks in mobile warfare, where a group of determined insurgents can surprise a superior force in static position, it is just unfortunate.
I continue to wonder what our officers are taught in the NDA. It is my belief, frontal attacks, withdrawal, flanking attacks, night attacks and tank warfare, these are obsolete in today's scenario we are dealing with mobile warfare hit and run tactics. You can only get this experience when you have very strong ideological beliefs and determined individuals. When officers are used to comfort of mess life, drinking and partying with ladies they don't become good materials for sustained mobile warfare, we have to critically reexamine the training at the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA). Wallahul Musta'an!
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Bear in mind that you are asked to offer prayer and a greeting upon our most Noble Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), for Allah says:
“Indeed, Allah and His angels sends blessing upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.” [Al-Ahzab, 56]
On the same matter, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“For everyone who invokes a blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah.”
He also said:
“Nothing turns back the Decree except supplication.”
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), his family, and all his Companions. May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali and all those who will follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.
May Allah grant success to our Armed Forces and add strength to their strength. May Allah reward them abundantly, for the work they are rendering to their nation.
O Allah, we implore You at this instant not to let a sin unforgiven, a distress unrelieved, an illness unhealed or a handicapped without relief, a dead without mercy or a debt unsettled. Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Hellfire.
O Allah, help us to succeed in these blessed days in every work we do to please you, O Lord of the Worlds.
O Allah, may we ask You to help us with what get us closer to Paradise and furthers us from Hellfire.
O Allah, we seek Your grace to admit us, our parents, our leaders and whoever has done a favour to us and all Muslims to Your Paradise.
O Allah, forgive all the Muslims, men and women living and dead, and make blessings follow us and them.
We pray to Allah, the Most Gracious, to preserve and protect all Nigerians from all temptations, both apparent and hidden, and continue blessing our nation and all countries with safety and security.
O Allah, make this our gathering one of compassion, and our dispersion after it one that is infallible.
O Allah, do not let anyone amongst us deprived, desperate or unhappy. O Merciful One grants us Your Mercy.
O Servants of Allah! Remember Allah and He will remember you. Be grateful for His benevolence and He will increase His blessings to you. Allah, the Most High, says:
“And establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoings, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.” [Al-Ankabut, 45]
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our Noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.
Wassalamu Alaikum,
Written by your Brother, Imam Murtadha Muhammad Gusau, from Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusaumurtada@gmail.com or +2348038289761.
By Imam Murtada Gusau
Monday, November 26, 2018
In The Name Of Allah, The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (Peace be upon him).
Dear Brothers and Sisters! In Islam, martyrdom is one of the great ambitions of a true believer. This is because dying as a martyr entails abundant rewards designated for such persons in the Hereafter. Abdullah Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as saying:
“Martyrs are forgiven their sins, except debts.”
The phrase “except debts” also relates implicitly to usurpation of people’s rights, unjustified killing, and so on.
It suffices here to quote the Divine Promise for martyrs as stated in the following Qur’anic verses:
"Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision. Jubilant (are they) because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not joined them but are left behind; that there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. They rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers." [Al-Imran 3: 169-71]
There are basically two broad categories of martyrs (Shuhadah) in Islam, firstly, those who have died fighting for the cause of Allah (i.e., in legitimate jihad or legitimate war), and secondly, those who have died being succumbed to certain types of ailments or calamities, not of their own making. The second group, although not recognised and treated as martyrs in this world, will receive rewards of martyrs in the Hereafter. As for a list of people of this category, we find a number of traditions - although not contradictory - such as the following:
1. In a report jointly reported by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) mentioned five types of martyrs:
“One who dies in a plague, one who dies of intestinal ailments, one who dies of drowning, one who dies under a collapsed building, and one who dies as a martyr in jihad (or any legitimate war).”
2. Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i, and others stated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“There are seven martyrs.”
Having said this, he added the following to the list mentioned above:
“…one who dies in a fire” and “…a woman who dies during child-birth.”
3. A third report states that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever dies while defending his own possessions is a martyr; whoever dies defending his own person is a martyr; whoever dies guarding his own faith is a martyr; whoever dies fighting in order to defend his own family is a martyr; whoever dies defending his homeland is also a martyr.”
4. In a report by an-Nasa’i, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever fights to protect his rights and dies in the process is a martyr.”
Imam Ibn Hajar states that:
"We can conclude from these traditions (Hadiths) that martyrs are of two types: Those who are recognised as martyrs in this world, and those who are recognised as martyrs only in the Hereafter. A martyr recognised in this world is one who has died fighting in the cause of Allah without having retreated from the battle. But those who are recognised only in the Hereafter are those upon whom the laws of martyrdom are not applicable in this world, although they merit rewards of martyrdom.”
And according to Imam an-Nawawi:
“The second category of martyrs will receive rewards of martyrdom, and yet unlike the martyrs of jihad, they will be bathed (before burial) and prayed over.”
From the above discussion, however, one is advised not to jump to the conclusion that everyone who dies in similar circumstances as mentioned above will automatically merit rewards of martyrdom. Such an inference is not valid, since Allah’s acceptance of a person ultimately depends on his or her state of faith, Iman or sincerity as well as upon the way he or she has responded to the will of Allah at the time of death. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“A person is raised up in the Hereafter in the state he has passed away.”
Respected Brothers and Sisters! I urge myself first and all of you to obey Allah, fear Him and be submissive to Him. Verily, Allah, Exalted is He, has declared the truth in His Noble Book. He said:
“O you who have believe, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.” [Ali-Imran, 200]
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Our country, our nation is our cradle where we lives, acquaints ourselves with its elements and enjoys its vicinity. As such anyone who has loves his country all throughout his life must be sincere in building it and protecting it. In this sense, founding nations and civilisations is more than a mission; rather it is a covenant that only people in whom Allah invests honesty can fulfill. That is why people take to defend their country naturally and willingly. Some would sacrifice their life and this is the utmost form of generosity. Some would sacrifice their time, their knowledge, their children or their wealth, while others would do all of these and even more.
In Surah An-Naml (The Ants), the Noble Quran tells the story of a group of people who proposed to their Queen to defend their land, capitalising on their might and strong will. Allah the Almighty said:
“They said, ‘we are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command’.” [An-Naml, 33]
Some scholars explained that the speakers in this verse were ready to defend their kingdom, their land and their nation by hinting at using wisdom, knowledge and force. Yet while taking this stance, they let this matter to the Queen (their leader) with full belief in her prudent opinion. In so doing, they were all set to follow her orders.
As an outcome, she led them to safety, thanks to her wisdom and good sense of judgment. This incident highlights the value of obedience, making it a beneficial lesson, especially for the young ones who are the safety valve for any nation.
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Know that safeguarding our country from the evil of terrorists is an honour like no other. Its unique status was stressed by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) when he said:
“Shall I tell you about a night better than Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Decree), [It is when] a guard, a soldier, an army who is on watch in a fearful place and who are perhaps may not return to his family.”
So congratulations to our gallant soldiers who are away from their families, our gallant troops, staying up all night so that we can sleep (peacefully). They died such that we live. They battle the cold so that their people and nation remain stable and secure. Because of their sacrifice they earn a higher rank. May their souls rest in perfect peace, ameen.
On the narration of Ata Bin Al-Munzir that Umar Bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him), told his Companions:
“Who amongst people shall have greater reward?” They said those who fast and pray, mentioning so and so. Thereupon, he said: “Shall I inform you about the most rewarded of all those you mentioned?” They said: “Yes please.” He said: “A man reins his horse and guards people, not knowing if there is a predator around to prey on him, a venomous snake to bite him, or an enemy to assault or attack him. This is a greater recompense than those you mentioned.”
Moreover, it is mentioned in a Prophetic Hadith that the watchful eye on people’s rights, one that guards the borders of the nation and obeys Allah will, by His grace, not be touched by the Hellfire.
Ibn Abbas narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) saying:
“There are two eyes that shall not be touched by the Hellfire: an eye that wept from the fear of Allah, and an eye that spent the night standing on guard in the cause of Allah.”
Knowing this, anyone, who desires the great reward, should be content with what Allah has prepared for him while he defends his nation, whether in land, sea or sky. It was narrated by Sahl Bin Sa’ad (May Allah be pleased with him) that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) said:
“Guarding the frontier (Ribat) for a day in the cause of Allah is better than the world and all what is in it.”
In the same regard, Abdullah Bin Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
“I would rather love to stay up all nights guarding and be afraid in the way of Allah, the most Exalted, than giving one hundred camels as charity.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters! For the cause of defending the nation one can sacrifice his life, give money or make achievements. An example of this Noble mission was taken by a group of people who were praised in the Quran when they offered their wealth to protect their land from temptations and threats. The Quranic verse read as follows:
“They said, ‘O Zul-Qarnain, indeed Yajuj (Gog) and Majuj (Magog) are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?” [Al-Kahf, 94]
Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him), said:
“The expenditure refers here to, the money which people wanted to collect amongst themselves and give it out to Zul-Qarnain in return for erecting a barrier to keep their enemies away and under control.”
Also, protecting the land can be achieved by serving it across all of its institutions and by being dedicated to performing work as it ought to be done. Thus one has to be sincere about discharging his responsibilities, and should work on protecting the reputation of his nation. Failing to do so is failing to defend the nation and this is against what our beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Every one of you is a guardian and responsible for what is in his custody.”
My beloved soldiers! Wallahi protecting the nation is a responsibility that requires commitments, including praying for the nation and the leaders. On this matter a respected scholar from our pious predecessors (Salaf) said:
“If I have an (confirmed) accepted supplication I will pray it for the leader.”
Let us then pray to our Lord to confer upon our great country, Nigeria, goodness and prosperity as well as continuing safety and security. Doing this is one of the signs of loyalty and sincere sense of belonging. It also reflects the Prophets traditions and manners. The Prophet Ibrahim (AS), for example, prayed for his land saying:
“My Lord, make this city (Makkah) secure.” [Ibrahim, 35]
Also Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) on his part, supplicated for his land as he said:
“O Allah, bless us in our mudd; O Allah, bless us in our Saa’; O Allah, bless with this blessing two more blessings.”
With this in mind, you are urged to pray for your nation and supplicate to Allah to protect it and bless it with His generous favours.
May Allah bless our country with continued bounties and keep it safe from all sorts of evil.
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Be aware that you are asked to obey Him, the Almighty, as it ought to be, by observing Him in private and in public and know that it falls on us to contribute effectively in educating our children on the love of their nation. It is our responsibility to prepare them during the peacetime to be the builders of their country’s civilisation and glories and in need stand as the shield of protection. This is because they are the renewable source of energy from which the country draws its strength and resistance. In this regard, Umar Bin Al-Khattab, (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Teach your children swimming, archery (Shooting) and horse-riding.”
Let us all salute and pray for the defenders of our nation; our armed forces, our gallant troops, who ensure safety and security so that everyone can enjoy a stable and serene life. No wonder then if they are referred to as the wealth of this nation, its impervious fort, a symbol of its union, a source of its pride and pillar of its security. In fact without their role we could not have reached such a progress and steady prosperity at all levels. We truly appreciate their unyielding efforts in protecting the nation and its gains, for whose cause they offer their lives.
My respected people! Islam is a religion of forgiveness and leniency. It appeals to people, and let them accept it. Thus it comes to emphasise good morals, lay the foundations of moderation, safeguard human rights, and establish such finest cultural values of unity, coexistence, tolerance and solidarity. Then there has emerged the eternal message of mercy and peace for all mankind. Allah the Most High said:
“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a Mercy to the world.” [Al-Anbiya, 107]
In the same regard, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Actually, I was awarded mercy (by Allah).”
This authentic principle is being thoroughly stressed in Islam as he (Peace be upon him) said:
“He who shows no mercy to the people, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, does not show mercy on him.”
He (Peace be upon him) also said:
“Mercy is taken away only from him who is miserable.”
Mercy in Islam is a virtue that encompasses also other creatures besides humans. Ibn Mas’ud reported that:
“We were with the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) during a journey. He went to ease himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) came and said: ‘who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it.”
If the Prophet (Peace be upon him) prohibited us to cause suffering and hardship to a bird by taking its little chicks, so what would be the case with someone who inflicts grievance on another by taking the life of his father, son, brother or relative?
We have to bear in mind that when we, Muslims, state that Islam is a religion of peace and mercy, we are not trying to prove something unreasonable or solve a crossword puzzle. Rather, we are just stating a fact backed by clear-cut evidence and unquestionable proofs. Even we don’t need to state this fact, for Islam, in itself, is self-explanatory, in terms of its meaning, its noble teachings and the core of its message conveyed by the Prophets Allah sent to mankind. At the same time, all peoples believe that peace and security should be attained through justice and equity.
Our merciful Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) stood for funeral processions of non-Muslims to show his respect for humanity. He condemned the killing of civilians, even in the time of war. He refused to punish non-Muslims without enough evidence. He did not rule unjustly against a Jew in favour of a Muslim. He visited the sick among non-Muslims. He and his Companions gave and accepted gifts from non-Muslims. He ordered his followers to maintain the ties of kinship with non-Muslim relatives. He forgave the Jewish woman who poisoned him. He pardoned the Bedouin who wanted to kill him. He forgave the Quraish after the conquest of Makkah. He forgave the harsh treatment by the people of Ta’if. He forgave and prayed for Suraqa Bin Malik. He shows tolerance for a Jewish Rabbi. He is praying for his enemies even in the time of a battle. The concessions during the treaty of hudaibiyyah. He and the Jews of Madinah had a Constitution (Sahifah) for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect of rights between Muslims and Jews. He joined and endorsed a civil society organisation (Hilf al-Fudul). He would swallow his anger when provoked. He overlooked the shortcomings of others. He forgave treason. He prayed over the body of the leader of hypocrites, Abdullah Bin Ubay Bin Salul. His religion (Islam) permits some interfaith marriages. His love for his kind polytheist (Mushrik) uncle, Abu Talib. He received and allowed non-Muslims in his Mosque in Madinah. He received a loan from a Jew and gave his shield as collateral. He trusted a non-Muslim with his life.
With all these, it is heartbreaking to see the tolerant teachings of Islam and the Prophetic tradition being violated out of proportion. This has been undertaken by sinful groups taking to extremist views, insurgency, militancy and terrorism, and tarnishing the image of our tolerant religion. In total disregard of religious dictates and in cruelest manner, they unleash havoc, shedding blood and breaching sanctities. Disgracefully, they speak in the name of Islam and attribute their heinous crimes to it.
Nay they have utterly distorted Islam and its humanitarian ideals because they endorse an alien ideology that is contradictory to it. Truly, their radical attitude has killed their pure human nature and perceptions, rendering them insensible to morality and humanity. Can anybody then say that such crimes have anything to do with Islam? The answer to this question is capital NO!
Along this dark, unjust and deadly road, have walked those people who are penetrating unspeakable massacres; they kill others in cold blood and disfigure them. They have been tearing down buildings, spilling blood, violating integrities, assaulting and abducting women without respect to any of Islam’s commands, nor to any of human’s values or principles. Here again arises a question: where are they from those religious texts that condemn the crimes they do?
Where are they from the incident involving Usama Bin Zaid who raised his sword when he (the soldier of the polytheists) uttered: “there is no deity but Allah.” But he (Usama Bin Zaid) killed him. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) called for him and asked him why he had killed him. He (Usama Bin Zaid) said: “O Messenger of Allah, he struck the Muslims and killed such and such of them. And he even named some of them. I attacked him and when he saw the sword he said, ‘there is no deity but Allah’.” The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “did you kill him?” he (Usama Bin Zaid) replied in affirmative. He (the Noble Prophet) remarked: “what would you do with his: ‘there is no deity but Allah,’ when he would come (before you) on the Day of Judgment?” He (Usama Bin Zaid) said, “O Messenger of Allah, beg pardon for me (from your Lord).” He (the Noble Prophet) said, “what would you do with: ‘there is no deity but Allah’ when he would come before you on the Day of Judgment? He (the Noble Prophet) added nothing to it but kept saying, ‘what would you do with: ‘there is no deity but Allah’ when he would come (before you) on the Day of Judgment? “The Prophet (Peace be upon him) kept on repeating that so often that I wished I had not embraced Islam before that day,” Usama Bin Zaid said.”
Where are they from the Hadith of the Prophet of mercy (Peace be upon him) saying that:
“A faithful believer remains at liberty regarding his religion unless he kills somebody unlawfully.”
Where are they from the severe warning contained in the words of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that:
"For this world to be destroyed, that would be less significant before Allah than the unlawful killing of a believer or any other innocent person?”
Again where are they from the stern warning in the words of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that:
“If the inhabitants of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth all took part in shedding blood of a believer or any other innocent person, then Allah would cast them (all) in the Hellfire?”
How on earth can they ignore the Prophet’s instruction that:
“Whoever rebels against my Ummah, killing good and evil people alike, and does not try to avoid killing the believers, and does not pay attention to those who are under a covenant (non-Muslim), then he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him.”
So how will those people meet the Prophet (Peace be upon him) on the Day of Judgment while they did not respect the sanctity of his Ummah, and ignored his warnings, commands and orders?
As you can see, these verses and Hadiths denounce categorically all forms of extremism and terrorism, and stress the fact that it is against our tolerant religion and call for fighting it by all means.
Fellow Nigerians! Since militant ideology has reached this dark alarming level with their advocators having fallen deep in the abyss of impurity, losing sense of conscience and failing to listen to the voice of wisdom and comply with good guidance, then a firm and effective action must be taken. This is required in order to preserve the religion and the nation from such an alien system of thought and protect people from the evil posed by those extremists and their gruesome acts. For these reasons and others, addressing the harm caused by those terrorists by all possible means is legal and legitimate demand. May Allah save our nations from those corrupters and purify it from the extremists.
Fellow Nigerians! Please obey Allah as it ought to be by observing Him in private and in public and be aware that as the image of our religion and nation is being stained by those terrorist group’s actions, of ambushing and killing our gallant soldiers, killing innocent people, violating sanctities and taking other’s property, it is our duty to show to the world that this is contrary to the teachings of Islam and also contrary to our cultures. It is our duty to warn against any misleading Fatwa (verdicts or rules) that defends those corrupt groups or be deceived by it.
The responsibility rests as well with parents who need to protect their children from any intruding ideology and dangerous creed by educating them, following the true Islamic principles. The youth, boys and girls, for their part, must adhere to the guidance of genuine Islam and to beware of radical ideas and of those who spread them, especially through electronic social network media. They also must stand alert not to let themselves be lured to slogans and allegations disseminated by terrorist organisations and groups, which claim falsely glamorous slogans.
My Respected people! Terrorists launched attacks on our gallant troops, our gallant soldiers, the defenders of our nation, who surrendered their life, abandoned their family, so that we sleep peacefully and killed many of them. The attacks occurred in Borno State. We must strongly condemn these attacks and pray for our soldiers.
The terrorists have no respect for human life. They are very bad, disgust, unpleasant, despicable, cruel, vicious, sinful, atrocious, inhuman and barbaric people.
My sincere condolence goes out to the victims of all these terror attacks, where innocent people have been killed by these wicked people, murderers and blood suckers.
I am profoundly saddened by the loss of life and indiscriminate murder of our gallant soldiers and all innocent people. This criminal barbarity is Godlessness. Terrorism has no faith and cannot be condoned by any means, rationale or ideology. We must commit to each other to defeat it. Godless cowards attack unarmed, randomly selected, innocent people. Terrorists are sinful, immoral and barbaric criminals.
It is displeasing to hear the media call the like of ISIS, ISWAP, Al-Shabab, Al-Qa’idah, Taliban, Boko Haram, Ansaru etc, Islamic Jihadists. Neither are their actions from the Sunnah nor Islamically considered Jihad.
My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families.
I ask Allah, the Lord of the worlds, to bring justice to these horrific situations, to recompense those who committed these murders with what they deserve, to bring those still at large to justice, and to rid the earth of these evil, treacherous, murderous lunatics, who do nothing but bring harm and corruption to the world.
O Allah, be with our brave soldiers as they fight against terror. Match forward o defenders of our nation, we are proudly behind you. Do not be weakened or scared, be courageous like a lion, be strong and stand for what is right, no matter how the challenges. Do not be scared. Be courageous and watch Nigeria begin the revival process, watch Nigeria rescued, and watch Nigeria being restored. We shall not be cowed; our sense of humanity shall trump, outrank and defeat their terror by the Grace of the Almighty Allah.
My heart, thoughts and prayers goes to the entire people of Nigeria, and to our gallant troops, and all the victims of terror and the victims of injustice any where they are. Be assured that terror will be defeated; terrorism will not win In shaa Allah!
It is a very sad story coming again from Metele, Borno State, home to the Nigerian Army 157 Task Force Battalion.
At least 118 soldiers were killed and 153 missing in the Sunday attack on 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State Nigeria, according to the most-recent finding by the Premium Times online Newspaper.
My heart bleeds for the parents of these soldiers. This is the height of irresponsibility on the military command and a shame on the Nigerian government. There is no word suitable to describe this. Playing foolish politics and spreading propaganda with peoples lives, only because their children are not in the combat zone?
Wallahi, in a descent society the minister of defense and all the military commands should have resigned and be made to account for the billions given to them to purchase arms. Any sane human being will shed tears for this horrendous act. May Allah (SWT) save Nigeria.
American servicemen served their country with honour, but it seems there is no honour serving this country. Leadership in this country is about lies, deceit, injustice materialism and opportunity. Service is not a thing of value in this country. The most unfortunate ones are toys in the hands of the oppressive few individuals. May Allah bring sane leadership with compassion to this country.
All their eyes are in 2019 elections. Let's face these terrorists sincerely. Let's give our soldiers the proper weapons to face the enemies. We all know that terrorism, insurgency and revolutions are not child's play, they are governed by strong ideological beliefs. We are all students of military history, we should draw lessons from chairman Mao Tsetung, Fidel castro, Che Guevara, Samora machel and of recent cases Robert Mugabe and Nelson Mandela. What surprises me is that we train military officers in the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), and some in Sandhurst Military Academy, but yet they stick to static warfare, which is obsolete. Warfare today is about mobility and psychology not determined in trenches, this is the advantage Boko Haram has on the Nigerian military. While they attack our weak points in trenches and run we remain put waiting as sitting ducks. You don't use T55 tanks in mobile warfare, where a group of determined insurgents can surprise a superior force in static position, it is just unfortunate.
I continue to wonder what our officers are taught in the NDA. It is my belief, frontal attacks, withdrawal, flanking attacks, night attacks and tank warfare, these are obsolete in today's scenario we are dealing with mobile warfare hit and run tactics. You can only get this experience when you have very strong ideological beliefs and determined individuals. When officers are used to comfort of mess life, drinking and partying with ladies they don't become good materials for sustained mobile warfare, we have to critically reexamine the training at the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA). Wallahul Musta'an!
Dear Brothers and Sisters! Bear in mind that you are asked to offer prayer and a greeting upon our most Noble Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), for Allah says:
“Indeed, Allah and His angels sends blessing upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.” [Al-Ahzab, 56]
On the same matter, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“For everyone who invokes a blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah.”
He also said:
“Nothing turns back the Decree except supplication.”
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), his family, and all his Companions. May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali and all those who will follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.
May Allah grant success to our Armed Forces and add strength to their strength. May Allah reward them abundantly, for the work they are rendering to their nation.
O Allah, we implore You at this instant not to let a sin unforgiven, a distress unrelieved, an illness unhealed or a handicapped without relief, a dead without mercy or a debt unsettled. Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Hellfire.
O Allah, help us to succeed in these blessed days in every work we do to please you, O Lord of the Worlds.
O Allah, may we ask You to help us with what get us closer to Paradise and furthers us from Hellfire.
O Allah, we seek Your grace to admit us, our parents, our leaders and whoever has done a favour to us and all Muslims to Your Paradise.
O Allah, forgive all the Muslims, men and women living and dead, and make blessings follow us and them.
We pray to Allah, the Most Gracious, to preserve and protect all Nigerians from all temptations, both apparent and hidden, and continue blessing our nation and all countries with safety and security.
O Allah, make this our gathering one of compassion, and our dispersion after it one that is infallible.
O Allah, do not let anyone amongst us deprived, desperate or unhappy. O Merciful One grants us Your Mercy.
O Servants of Allah! Remember Allah and He will remember you. Be grateful for His benevolence and He will increase His blessings to you. Allah, the Most High, says:
“And establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoings, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.” [Al-Ankabut, 45]
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our Noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.
Wassalamu Alaikum,
Written by your Brother, Imam Murtadha Muhammad Gusau, from Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusaumurtada@gmail.com or +2348038289761.