The Profound Consequences of Fitna and the Imperative to Seek the Guidance of the Senior Scholars of The Ummah
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah, The Most High, says:
وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا
And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him. [An-Nisaa. 93]
Ibn Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him, said: “The one who was murdered will come with the scalp and head of his killer in his hand on the Day of Resurrection, his jugular vein flowing with blood and saying, ‘O Lord! This one killed me!’ And he will draw near to the Throne.” They (i.e. the people) mentioned repentance to Ibn Abbaas, so he recited the verse:
[وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ – Whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell]; then he said, “This Ayah has not been abrogated or replaced, so where is his repentance?” [Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmidhee 3029]
Abdullah Bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “The first (thing) that will be decided among people on the Day of Judgment will pertain to bloodshed”. [Saheeh Muslim. Hadeeth Number 1678a]
Imam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “This hadith illustrates the grave nature of bloodshed, indicating that it will be the primary issue to be judged between people on the Day of Resurrection due to its severity and profound danger. It does not conflict with the well-known hadith found in the Sunan, which states that “The first thing a person will be questioned about is the prayer.” The distinction lies in the fact that the latter pertains to the individual’s relationship with Allah, while the former (concerning judgment on bloodshed) is a matter between people”. [Sharh Sahih Muslim 11/139]
The Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “The termination of the world means less to Allah than the killing of a Muslim (i.e. without right)”. [Sahih Al-Jami 9208]
The people said to Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, “Advise us”. He said, “The first thing of the human body to putrefy is the abdomen, so he who can eat nothing but good food [halaal and earned lawfully] should do so, and he who does as much as he can that nothing intervenes between him and paradise by not shedding even a handful of blood [i.e. unlawful killing], should do so”. [Al-Bukhaari 7152]
Fighting During Political Strife
Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “As a result of this, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not praise [i.e. in the hadith] anyone involved in the battles of Al-Jamal and Siffeen, and he also did not commend those who participated in the events in Madinah on the day of Al-Harrah, nor the siege against Ibn Zubayr, or the turmoil involving Ibn Al-Ash’ath, Ibn Al-Muhallab, and others”. [1]
Iman is neither wishful thinking nor empty assertions; it is a conviction that resides in the heart, demonstrated through one’s actions. One cannot be a true believer without wishing for their Muslim brother what they desire for themselves and treating others as they wish to be treated. It is universally acknowledged that everyone seeks security, making it a Muslim’s duty to prioritise the safety of others to attain security and peace for themselves. [2]
Must Return to The Senior Scholars In Times of Fitna
Allah, The Exalted, says:
وَإِذَا جَآءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْنِ أَوِ ٱلْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰٓ أُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَنۢبِطُونَهُۥ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَٱتَّبَعْتُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
And when there comes to them a matter pertaining to public security or fear, they spread it (among the people). But if only—(before spreading it)— they had referred it back to the Messenger and to those in authority over them, then those (of sound opinion and reason) who could derive the correct conclusions regarding it would have known it. And were it not for the favour of Allāh upon you and His mercy, you would have followed Satan, except a small (number). https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/search/4_83
[وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰٓ أُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ – But if only—(before spreading it)— they had referred it back to the Messenger and to those in authority over them]. Qatadah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Referring back to the scholars”. Ibn Jurayj, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Referring back to those who possess a sound (precise) understanding of the religion and sound reasoning”. [3]
Al-Allamah Ubaid Bin Abdillah Al-Jabiri, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: In times of difficulty and complex situations, those who embody virtue and righteousness used to turn to the senior people of knowledge, seeking a definitive and satisfactory answer. This tradition dates back to the era of the Prophet’s companions, followed by the Imams of the Taabi’een, and has been carried on by knowledgeable and virtuous individuals. Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, expressed this beautifully: “As long as knowledge is acquired from the companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and their elders, people will remain righteous and upright; but if they seek knowledge from the young ones, they will be destroyed”. [4]
Some Senior Scholars of The Ummah at Present
Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, Al-Allamah Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbad and Al-Allamah Abdul Aziz Aala Ash-Shaikh. In moments of political turmoil, contact them immediately for guidance and do not replace their advice with anything else.
Ask Allah:
اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْراً لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْراً لِي، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْغِنَى وَالْفَقْرِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيماً لَا يَنْفَذُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضِا بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ، اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ
وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ
O Allah! By Your Knowledge of the unseen and by Your Power over creation, let me live if life is good for me, and let me die if death is good for me; O Allah! I ask You to grant me (the blessing of having) fear of You in private and public, and I ask You (to make me utter) a statement of truth in times of contentment and anger, and I ask You for moderation when in a state of wealth and poverty, and I ask you for blessings that never ceases, and I ask You for the coolness of my eye that never ends, and I ask You (to make me pleased) after (Your) decree; and I ask You for a life of (ease, comfort, tranquillity, etc) after death; I ask You for the delight of looking at Your Face (i.e. in the Hereafter) and yearning to meet You without any harm and misleading trials (coming upon me). O Allah! Adorn us with the adornment of Iman, and make us (from those who are) guided and guiding (others). [5]
اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي
وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ
O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return; and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [Sahih Muslim. 2720] [6]
[1] An Excerpt from Silsilah Ar-Rasaa’il Al-Manhajiyyah Fin-Nus’hi Wal-Irshaad Wat-taw’iyah’ pages 30-33
[2] An excerpt from “Silsilah Ar-Rasaa’il Al-Manhajiyyah Fin-Nus’hi Wal-Irshaad Wat-Taw’iyah”. page 7]
[3] At-Tabari
[4] [الطيب الجني على شرح السنة للإمام المزني – page 19]
[5] https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2021/01/01/o-allaah-let-me-live-if-life-is-good-for-me-and-let-me-die-if-death-is-good-for-me/
[6] https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2020/12/29/o-allaah-rectify-my-religion-for-me-which-the-safeguard-of-my-affairs-a-tremendous-supplication/