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Verily, the one who reads the biography and struggle of the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) will see the following stages:

1- The stage of Tawheed: The Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remained in Makkah for 13 years, calling his people to the Tawheed of Allaah in worship, supplication and legislation – and the fighting of Shirk – until this ‘Aqeedah became firm and established in the souls of his Companions, and they became courageous, not fearful of anyone except Allaah. Hence, it is obligatory for the callers to Islaam (du’aat) to start with Tawheed and to warn against Shirk, so that they may become amongst those who take the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as a model and an example to be followed.

2- The stage of Brotherhood: Verily, the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) migrated from Makkah to Madeenah in order to form a Muslim community based upon mutual love. So the first thing he began with was building a mosque in order to gather the Muslims in it for the worship of their Lord, Who ordained the five daily prayers for them to organize their lives. The Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) promptly embarked upon setting up a brotherhood between the Ansaar (the residents of Madeenah) and the Muhaajiroon who had migrated from Makkah and had left their wealth and property behind. Then the Ansaar offered their wealth and property to the Muhaajiroon, and provided them with every assistance that they needed.

The Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) found that the residents of Madeenah from the Aws and the Khazraj* had previous enmity between themselves. So he made peace between them, and Allaah removed hatred and enmity from their hearts. The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) made them brothers in Eeman and Tawheed, loving each other for the sake of Allaah, as has been reported in the hadeeth: A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim…

3- The stage of Preparation: Verily, the Noble Qur`an has ordered us to make preparations for the enemies. So Allaah, The Most High, said:

وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّة

And make ready against them all you can of power… (Al-Anfal, ayah 60)

The Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) explained this verse by saying: Is the power not warfare? [Muslim]

So warfare and the study of all its branches is obligatory upon all the Muslims, depending on their ability. This obligation includes studying the use of guns, tanks, planes and other weapons which are needed for warfare.

Woe to the students of the colleges who study warfare and then take part in competitions and races which are not beneficial for the defense of their religion and their sacred places. However, the youth squander their time playing football, and taking part in competitions, during which they display their bigoted team loyalty, which Islaam has ordered us to abolish. They also neglect their prayers, which Allaah has ordered us to preservere.

4- When we return to the ‘Aqeedah of Tawheed, and we become brothers and sisters – loving each other for the sake of Allaah – and we prepare weapons for the enemies, then if Allaah Wills, the Muslims will achieve victory and the Help of Allaah just as the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the companions after him achieved victory and the Help of Allaah. Allaah, The Most High, said:

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ

Oh you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allaah, He will help you, and make your foothold firm.
(Muhammad, ayah 7)

5- By categorizing these stages, we do not mean that they are separate and distinct, i.e. that the stage of brotherhood cannot be present alongside the stage of Tawheed. Rather, it is possible that these stages can co-exist. Allaah, The Most High, said:

وَكَانَ حَقّاً عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

…and (as for) the believers, it was incumbent upon Us to help (them). (Ar-Rum, ayah 47)

This noble verse explains that Allaah has promised help for the believers against their enemies, and it is a promise that will not be revoked. Allaah helped His Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in the Battle of Badr, and He helped the Confederates during other battles and expeditions.

He, The Most High, helped the companions of the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) after him against their enemies. He spread Islaam, opened the lands, and aided the Muslims despite the misfortunes and calamities. It was a reward for the believers, those who were truthful to Allaah in their Eeman, their Tawheed, their worship, and their supplication to their Lord in times of hardship and in times of ease.

The Qur`an relates the condition of the believers during the Battle of Badr, when they were few in number and without many weapons, so they called upon their Lord:

إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُمْ بِأَلْف ٍ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ

(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): “I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession.” (Al-Anfal, ayah 9)

Allaah answered their supplication and aided them with angels who fought with them and struck the necks and limbs of the disbelievers, and that is when He, The Most High, said:

فَاضْرِبُوا فَوْقَ الأَعْنَاقِ وَاضْرِبُوا مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ بَنَان

…so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes.” (Al-Anfal, ayah 12)

He, The Most High, brought about help and victory for the believers – the Muwahhiddeen – those who singled Him out for worship. He, The Most High, said:

وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْر ٍ وَأَنْتُمْ أَذِلَّة ٌ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And Allaah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force. So fear Allaah much that you may be grateful. (Aali Imran, ayah 123)

One of the supplications of the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in the Battle of Badr was: Oh Allaah, fulfill for me that which You promised me. Oh Allaah, if you destroy this group from the people of Islaam, You will not be worshipped on the earth. [Muslim]

We see the Muslims of today entering into wars against their enemies in most of the lands, but they are not aided and they do not find victory, so what is the reason for that? Has the Promise of Allaah ascribed to the believers failed to come true? No, never! It has not failed, however, where are the believers in order that He may give them the help and victory mentioned in the verses?

We ask the Mujaahideen (those who fight in the Path of Allaah):

1- Have they prepared with Eeman and Tawheed which the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) began his call with in Makkah before the fighting?

2- Have they acquired the means which their Lord ordered them to acquire in His saying:

وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّة

And make ready against them all you can of power… (Al-Anfal, ayah 60)

Verily, the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) explained it as warfare.

3- Did they call upon their Lord and single Him out for supplication at the time of fighting? Or did they associate partners with Him, and then set out to ask help from other than Him, from those whom they believed to have sovereignty, whereas they [those worshipped besides Allaah] were themselves slaves of Allaah, and they were not capable of benefiting or harming anyone. Why do they not follow the example of the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in his supplication to his Lord alone?

أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَه

Is not Allaah Sufficient for His slave?… (Az-Zumar, ayah 36)

4- Also, are they united and loving one another regarding that which is between them, their distinguishing feature being, the saying of their Lord:

وَلاَ تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ

…Do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart… (Al-Anfal, ayah 46)

5- Finally, why did the Muslims leave their ‘aqeedah and the commandments of their religion, which orders precedence to be given to knowledge and civilization, in opposition to the rest of the nations? So when they return to their religion, their superiority and honor will return to them. When you implement the required Eeman, then He shall give you the promised help and victory.

وَكَانَ حَقّاً عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

…and (as for) the believers, it was incumbent upon Us to help (them). (Ar-Rum, ayah 47)

Source: Chapter 30 of Shaikh Zaynoo’s highly beneficial book The Methodology of The Saved Sect