The Aims of Al-Qaida
29-08-2008
By Abdul-Aziz ibn Myatt
All Praise and All Thanks are for Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala to whom we shall all
return to be judged on The Last Day.
“The first to be summoned to Paradise on the Day of Resurrection will be those
who praised and gave thanks to Allah for both their good fortune and their
misfortune.” Al-Tirmidhi, 730
The Aims:
The fundamental aims of Sheikh Usama Bin Muhammad Bin Ladin (hafidhahullah) and
Al-Qaida are essentially three-fold. First, to reclaim Muslim lands, for example
occupied Filistine, Iraq and Afghanistan, and to expel the invaders from them.
Second, to make the Word of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala supreme, in the lands of
the Muslims, by replacing the rule of Tawagheet with the rule of Shariah. Third,
to establish the security of Muslim lands, by removing the power and influence
of the kuffar (and their apostate lackeys and allies) from those lands, and by
instilling in the Muslims the virtues and superiority of Jihad Fee Sabilillah
and by establishing practical training in Jihad.
How are these aims to be achieved? Through holding fast to the Quran and Sunnah,
and through Jihad Fee Sabilillah alone. Through not compromising with the
arrogant, ignorant, kuffar and their apostate lackeys and allies. Allah
Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says:
“When they [the deniers] seek compromise, they only
desire you to compromise.” 68: 9 Interpretation of Meaning
“And there shall be no blame for those who take revenge
after they have suffered injustice. The way (of blame) is only for those
rebellious ones who oppress others and who insolently walk on the earth: for
these there will be a painful torment indeed.” 42: 41-42
Interpretation of Meaning
“Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you,
and let them find in you a harshness.” 9:123 Interpretation of
Meaning
These aims and the means to achieve them mean and imply several things. They
mean confronting the forces of the kuffar and their apostate lackeys and allies
in both the lands of the Muslims and in the lands of those kuffar who have
invaded our lands, who have supported apostate regimes in our lands, and who
have interfered in our affairs. They mean a rejection of all the Tawagheet of
the kuffar, such as nationalism, tribalism, democracy, and a rejection of the
human-manufactured, kaffir, law, and organizations, based on such Tawagheet,
such as the so-called United Nations. They mean confronting and challenging the
lies and the propaganda of the kuffar, and the attempt by the kuffar - using
their apostate allies and their lackeys - to divide us and to change, to
“modernize”, our Deen.
Thus, there is a complete rejection of using the Tawagheet of the kuffar, such
as “politics” - and thus a complete rejection of the human-manufactured
“democratic system”. [ See Footnote (1) ]
The Problem:
The fundamental problem is, and has been, the interference of the kuffar in our
affairs, their invasion and occupation of our lands, and their support for the
corrupt rulers and the corrupt and apostate regimes that rule most if not all
the lands where the Muslims are in the majority.
This interference in our affairs, this invasion and occupation of our lands,
this support for corrupt rulers and regimes who rule other than by Shariah, has
been going on for well over a century. This interference includes the occupation
of Filistine by Zionists, the manufacture, by the kuffar and their
organizations, of Taghut nations such as Iraq, and the invasion, by the forces
of the kuffar, of lands such as Afghanistan and what is now called Iraq.
Al-Qaida is a Muslim solution to this problem of kaffir interference in our
affairs; to this problem of the kaffir invasion and occupation of our lands; to
the problem of kaffir support for corrupt rulers and regimes who rule other than
by Shariah.
The issue is one of the kuffar having killed hundreds upon hundreds of thousands
of our brothers and sisters. The issue is one of the kuffar having tortured and
humiliated tens upon tens of thousands of our brothers and sisters. The issue is
one of the kuffar having imprisoned tens of thousands of Muslims, word-wide, for
simply striving to do their duty, as Muslims, according to Quran and Sunnah. The
issue is one of kaffir arrogance, and greed - of their determination to dominate
us, to have control of our lands and our resources, and to have us submit to
them and their Tawagheet.
The Foundation:
“Those who have experienced the beauty that is Al-Eeman are those who are
content with Allah as their Rabb, with Al-Islam as their Way of Life, and with
Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as their Messenger and Prophet.”
Narrated Al-’Abbaas bin ‘Abd Al-Muttalib (Shahih Muslim)
The foundation for the aims of Al-Qaida, and for the means to achieve them, is
Islam: that simple submission to only Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala which returns us
to our true, our Muslim, nature (our fitrah) and which thus expresses the
meaning and the purpose of our mortal lives.
This means that our perspective, as Muslims, is of Jannah, not of the dunya, and
thus that we understand, and feel in our hearts, that our own lives are but a
means, a way, to Jannah (InshaAllah). It means that we rely only on Allah
Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, and thus understand, and feel in our hearts, the meaning of
the phrase Wa la howla wala Quwatta Ilaa Billaah - that there can be no
achievement, no success, no strength, except through the help, the aid, the
assistance, of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Thus, we measure our success, our
victories, not by some mortal standard or by some measure manufactured by the
kuffar, but by whether our actions, our deeds, are pleasing to Allah Subhanahu
wa Ta’ala, and by the hope that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala will grant us Jannah.
This foundation means an acceptance of Al wala wal Bara. As written
elsewhere:
Al wala wal Bara is a manifestation of, and a means to know, Tawheed - and it
means loyalty and enmity for the sake of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala alone.
To apply Al wala wal Bara is to show loyalty to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala,
loyalty to His Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and loyalty to our
brothers and sisters, our fellow Muslims. It is to understand what Allah
Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says:
“The believers are as one family.” 49:10
Interpretation of Meaning
To apply Al wala wal Bara is to show enmity for those who hate, dislike or are
disrespectful toward Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, His Messenger (salla Allahu
‘alayhi wa sallam) and our family: our brothers and sisters. As Allah Subhanahu
wa Ta’ala says:
“You who believe! If anyone turns away from this Deen,
then Allah will replace that person with many whom He loves, who love Him -
those who are loyal to the Believers, stern toward the kuffar, who fight in the
Way of Allah, and who do not heed the criticism of their critics. For this is
the honour that He bestows upon whomsoever He wills - for Allah is The
All-Knowing, The Infinite One. In truth, your champions are Allah, His
Messenger, and the Believers - those who undertake As-Salat, who give Zakat and
who submit [in loyalty to Allah]. For whomsoever has Allah, His Messenger, and
Believers as their Champion, are the ones who will achieve victory.”
5: 54-56 Interpretation of Meaning
To apply Al wala wal Bara is apply the Muslim principle of husn udh-dhan to our
family, and to be wary and suspicious of the kuffar and their intentions: to
doubt all that they say and write. As Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says:
“They [the kafiroon] want to extinguish Allah’s Light
with their deceit, their lies.” 9: 32 Interpretation of Meaning
Thus do we understand, and feel in our hearts, what Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala
says:
“He [Allah] created life and death that He might put
you to the test and find out which of you acquitted himself best.”
67: 1-2 Interpretation of Meaning
Dar Al-Harb and Martyrdom Operations:
In the pursuit of the above mentioned aims, Al-Qaida operates on three
fundamental Muslim principles, which are that the lands of those kuffar who have
invaded and occupied our lands, and who interfere directly in our affairs, are
part of Dar al-Harb; that Martyrdom Operations are lawful (according to Quran
and Sunnah); and that Martyrdom Operations (and other attacks by Mujahideen) are
permissible in Dar al-Harb.
In respect of Dar al-Harb, a Declaration of War has been issued, with the rulers
and the peoples of those lands having been publicly invited to Islam. In
addition, several declarations have been issued explaining the reasons for the
conflict, and asserting that if they, the kuffar, do not want to be attacked,
they should stop interfering in our affairs, should withdraw from our lands, and
cease supporting corrupt rulers and corrupt regimes in lands where Muslims are
the majority.
In respect of Martyrdom Operations (and other attacks) in the lands of the
kuffar, it is accepted that there is no Aqd Al Amaan between us and the kuffar [
see Footnote (2) ], and that, according to Shariah, those who can be targetted
are those who are directly engaged in fighting us, and those who incite, or who
aid, or who encourage, those directly fighting us, even if those so inciting, or
so aiding or so encouraging are women and children. [See Footnote (3)]
Furthermore, it is accepted that attacking the enemies of the Muslims through
participation in Jihad Fee Sabilillah, and through undertaking Martyrdom
Operations, is one of the best means to attain Jannah (InshaAllah), and thus
fulfil the purpose and meaning of our brief mortal lives. Allah Subhanahu wa
Ta’ala says:
“Do not think that those who are killed in the Way of
Allah are dead. Rather, they are alive, fulfilled, and with their Rabb. They
rejoice because of what Allah has bestowed upon them in His generosity. They
rejoice because of those who have not yet joined them, but have been left behind
- that no fear, no grieving should come to them. They rejoice because of the
favour that Allah has shown them in His mercy: for no dishonour touched them and
Allah always rewards the Believers. Thus for those who heard and answered (the
Call of) Allah and His Messenger Muhammad after harm touched them - for those of
them who did honourable deeds and feared Allah - there will be the best reward
of all.” 3: 169-172 Interpretation of Meaning
Conclusion:
“You are the best of people among all peoples, for you
command Al-Maruf and forbid Al-Munkar, and you submit [in belief] to Allah.”
3: 110 Interpretation of Meaning
It was narrated by Abdullah Ibn Umar that the Prophet, Muhammad (salla Allahu
‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever helps his brother, then Allah will help him;
whoever saves his brother from distress, Allah will save from distress, and
whoever shields his brother, Allah will shield him.” Bukhari: Vol 3, Book 43,
622
It was narrated from Yahya from Malik from Abu’z-Zinad from al-Araj from Abu
Hurayra that the Prophet, Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Do
not turn away from each other - rather, as slaves of Allah, be brothers.” Malik,
Muwatta: Book 47, Number 47, 4.15
“Do not spy on each other, and do not complain about
each other.” 49:12 Interpretation of Meaning
“What your heart desires and your eyes delight in will
be there in that Garden of Paradise you can inherit through your deeds in your
life in this world.” 43:71-72 Interpretation of Meaning
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala protect us from all forms of Al-asabiyyah Al-Jahiliyyah,
forgive us for our mistakes, and guide us to and keep us on the Right Path.
17 Jumaada al-Thaani 1429
Notes:
(1) Participating in this democratic system manufactured by the kuffar is an
error because it is an acceptance of the Tawagheet of the kuffar, and ruling,
and judging, by means and criteria not given by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. This
error is manifest, for example, by groups such asHizb ut-Tahrir, who have
abandoned Jihad Fee Sabilillah in favour of peacefully “participating in the
democratic process”.
The Muslim way - given to us by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala - is Siyasah, which is
often incorrectly translated as “politics”. Siyasah is:
“The application of the Quran and Sunnah in the world… Siyasah basically means
commanding the good, and forbidding the bad, defined as these are by Quran and
Sunnah alone: that is, it means a community ruled by an Ameer, or Khalifah, who
rules according to Shari’ah, and who is thus the representative of Allah (Subhanahu
wa Ta’ala) in this mortal world.
What is the aim of siyasah? To uphold, maintain and expand the Way of Al-Islam
through such things as Shari’ah and Jihad. What are the fundamental principles
of siyasah? Bay’ah and Shura.” (Siyasah - The Way of Islam[/url])
Thus, the fundamental error of groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir is accommodating
themselves to the ignorance of the kuffar, manifest as this in, for example, the
manufactured, fallible, abstractions of Western philosophy. Thus, they move away
from the Tawheed of Al-Islam to life-less kaffir-manufactured abstractions,
which abstractions are or which become Tawagheet, to be followed, obeyed, and
which those so following and obeying them give their loyalty and obedience to,
and which they bow down before and worship, in clear defiance of Allah Subhanahu
wa Ta’ala Who says:
“Obey, follow and give allegiance only to that brought to you from your
Sustainer, and do not obey, nor follow nor give allegiance to those who are
Awliya’ besides Him.” 7:3 Interpretation of Meaning
“Allah does not forgive that partners should be set up with Him to be obeyed,
even though - if He pleases - He forgives whom He pleases everything else, for
whomsoever sets up partners with Allah in obedience, has most certainly
manufactured a grievous error. ” (4: 48 Interpretation of Meaning)
(2) According to groups such as al-Muhajiroun, there is a “Covenant of Security”
between the kuffar and those Muslims residing in the lands of the kuffar, with
this Covenant being an unwritten one based on ‘Urf. For a brief discussion of
this error of theirs, see Concerning Aqd Al Amaan: Covenants of Security[/url].
[edited by alghayb: also discussed here ibn Myatt: Covenant of Security, here:
'Thinking Like A Muslim', here: 'In Reply to Sheikh Salman b. Fahd al-Oadah',
here: 'ibn Myatt: Are Martyrdom Operations Lawful (According to Quran and
Sunnah)?', here 'ibn Myatt: Questions Regarding Martyrdom Operations, Jannah and
Jizya']
(3) Refer to Jihad al-Kuffar: Al-Qital al-Fasil (Siyasatush-Shariah) by Sheikh
ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah (Rahimullah).
Submitted by a Mujahid