FEAR YOUR SINS
Question: Why are our enemies able to walk over us?
Listen to Sayyiduna Umar Ibn Khattab’s (R.A) advice to his army.
When Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) despatched the army of Saad bin Abi Waqqas (RA) to the Battle of Al-Qadisiyyah, he advised him: “Fear your sins more than you fear the enemy, as your sins are more dangerous to you than your enemy. We Muslims are only victorious over our enemy because their sins outnumber ours, not for any other reason. If our sins were equal to those of our enemy, then they would defeat you due to their superior numbers and resources.”
Abu Ishaaq Al-Fazaaree {Rahimahullaah} says:
The enemy was never able to stand up to the Companions of Allah’s Messenger {Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him}, so when the news of the defeat of the Romans came to Heraclius at Antioch he asked [his people], “Woe to you, tell me about these people who fight you, are they not humans like you?” They replied, “Indeed, they are.” He asked, “So are you more in number or them?” They replied, “We outnumber them greatly in all places.” He said, “So how is it that you are defeated whenever you confront them?”
A senior and esteemed elder amongst them replied, “Because they stand in prayer at night, fast during the day, fulfill their agreements and promises, enjoin what is right and forbid what is evil, they are fair and just amongst themselves; and because we drink wine, fornicate, disobey, break our agreements, steal, oppress and do injustice, enjoin the committing of what angers God and forbid what pleases God, the Mighty and Majestic, and we cause evil and corruption in the land.”
Heraclius said, “You are the one who has spoken the truth.”
Source: [Abu Bakr Al-Daynooree, Al-Mujaalasah wa Jawaahir Al-‘Ilm 4:91]
When the Persian emperor asked a captured sahabi:
“Why is it that we fought you before and always had the upper hand but now we can’t defeat you?”
The Sahabi replied “The battles used to be between you and us, and you had more power so you used to defeat us, however, the situation now is, that Allah ﷻ, the Powerful, is on our side and Allah ﷻ can never be defeated”
One spy described the companions to the emperor “By day, they are warriors, but by night, they are monks”
Today, We need to bring Allah ﷻ on our side. This can only be done through obedience, devotion, total submission and by invoking Allah ﷻ for His help.
May Allah ﷻ guide us towards what is right, what pleases Him and what angers Him.
May Allah ﷻ give us Tawfeeq to behave properly.
May Allah ﷻ help the Muslim ummah around the globe. Ameen
(Shaykh Abdul Raheem)
