No Amount of Material Strength is Sufficient to Overcome the Weakness of the Mind!

The media wing of Pakistan’s armed forces reported on 28 December 2023, “General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) presided over the two days long 261st Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) held at GHQ, today.” [Source: No PR-224/2023-ISPR] Thus, the conference of the senior-most commanders of the armed forces of Pakistan, the seventh most powerful in the world, took place on 28 December 2023. Regrettably, the discussed topics and consequent declarations, were not befitting the stature of a nuclear-armed powerful country. It was neglect of the command of over 600,000 brave Muslims, aspiring to attain the best reward and the best status. Al-Bukhari Narrated from Abu Huraira (ra), a man came to the Messenger of Allah (saw) and said, دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ يَعْدِلُ الْجِهَادَ “Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad in reward.” He (saw) replied, «لاَ أَجِدُهُ» “I do not find such a deed.” Then he (saw) added,

«هَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ إِذَا خَرَجَ الْمُجَاهِدُ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ مَسْجِدَكَ فَتَقُومَ وَلاَ تَفْتُرَ وَتَصُومَ وَلاَ تُفْطِر»

“Can you, while the Muslim fighter is in the battle-field, enter your mosque to perform prayers without cease and fast and never break your fast?” The man said, وَمَنْ يَسْتَطِيعُ ذَلِكَ “But who can do that?” Abu Huraira added,

«إِنَّ فَرَسَ الْمُجَاهِدِ لَيَسْتَنُّ فِي طِوَلِهِ فَيُكْتَبُ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٍ» “The Mujahid Muslim fighter is rewarded even for the footsteps of his horse while it wanders about grazing, tied to a long rope.”

The first reported point was about internal security. The fact of the matter is that there is not a single nuclear nuclear-armed state that limits its vision to internal matters only. Indeed, these gathered commanders betrayed the trust Allah (swt) had placed with them, by honoring them with such lofty command. They ignored the Shariah rulings that our Master Muhammad (saw) brought. Nuclear powers by definition are expected to be global players. Deserting the responsibility is a betrayal of the trust. With equal severity, it was cowardly to declare oneself as secure, when the enemies have declared war and is martyring, maiming, and abducting without impunity, in Kashmir and Palestine. The blood that the Messenger of Allah (saw) declared sacred is being violated. However, the commanders of a powerful army declared being content with being safe in their houses. Ibn Majah narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (saw) circumambulating the Ka’bah and saying,

«مَا أَطْيَبَكِ وَأَطْيَبَ رِيحَكِ مَا أَعْظَمَكِ وَأَعْظَمَ حُرْمَتَكِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَحُرْمَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ حُرْمَةً مِنْكِ مَالِهِ وَدَمِهِ وَأَنْ نَظُنَّ بِهِ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا»

“How good you are and how good your fragrance; how great you are and how great your sanctity. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the sanctity of the believer is greater before Allah than your sanctity, his blood and his wealth, and to think anything but good of him.” Such behavior can never be suitable for an army of the believers.

Then the conference discussed the issue of the Muslims of Kashmir. Their talk of the Hindu regime’s atrocities committed on the brave Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir were similar to that of powerless prisoners. Indeed, they are prisoners of their defeatist mentality. They bore witness against themselves in front of the Allah (swt). They merely listed the crimes of the Hindu tyrant, but did not move to rescue them as Allah (swt) had commanded. Allah (swt) said,

[وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلْوِلْدَٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَٱجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّۭا وَٱجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا]

“And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah (swt) securing those oppressed from being weak from men, women, and children, whose cry is, ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors. Raise for us from You one who will protect. Raise for us from You one who will help!’” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa 4:75]. The Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir are waiting for the full might of an army of Muslims to fall upon the occupying Indian army, following the commands of Allah (swt), the Lord of all humanity. They do not care for the uttered empty words of support and sympathy, calling upon the unjust resolutions of the United Nations. They await the takbeerat of the servants of Allah (swt) and not the wails of the servants of the US, UK or France.

The commanders then deliberated upon the issue facing the state on the western border. They deliberately presented the matter as if it was a bigger threat than the hegemonic US, who continues to interfere in the region through its fort-like embassy in the capital, and many consulates. Then there is the brutal Hindu regime in the east. Wasn’t it a fact that the traitors of the past had moved troops away from the eastern border with India, to the western border to fight Muslims in the tribal regions. This was to ease the Hindu regime’s fear on its western border with Pakistan, so that it can relocate its forces to its eastern borders to confront China. Isn’t this the reason for the instability and strife in our tribal belt, as a war between Muslims has been ignited? The brave sons of the Ummah are exploited to sow seeds of hatred among the Muslims tribal fighters in the Af-Pak region. This is instead of allowing them to join hands with their brothers, so as to fulfill an obligation to Allah (swt) and rescue their brethren in Occupied Kashmir. It was more befitting for this conference of senior army officers to have discussed the establishment of a powerbase of unparalleled strength, by the unification of the Muslim lands of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This alone would have neutralized the Hindu regime’s dream of becoming the hegemonic West’s policeman in the region. India would have been surrounded by Muslim-majority regions from all sides.

Indeed, it is not the material strength that is lacking but the courage to think independently. The feeble minds want to convince the Muslims of the region that the aggrieved Muslims of the tribal belt, and Baloch areas are instigated by the Hindu enemy. Then, in the same breath, they say it is in the interest of Pakistan to normalize relations with India, which is in fact an ever-aggressive Hindu regime. Aren’t these two matters contradicting? Allah (swt) said,

[وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ]

“When it is said to them, ‘Make not mischief on the earth,’ they say, “Why, we only Want to make peace!” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah 2:11].

The forum also discussed the Blessed Land of Palestine, the lands of the Prophets (as). They attempted to deceive the audience, by calling the occupation of the Blessed Land as “the Palestinian issue.” This is not an issue of the right to build a house or school. It is a land that Allah (swt) sent the Messenger of Allah (saw) to on a Night Journey, and it is the site of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, the First Qibla. Again, the commanders of an army of Muslims humiliated themselves, by falling to what cannot be fathomed by chivalrous and honorable men. They merely condemned, while the Zionist entity slaughtered our women and children. They expressed solidarity, when our children are left with a few morsels of food, in a completely besieged land. Allah (swt) said,

[أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَرَحُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَوَآءًۭ مَّحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ]

“What! Do those who seek after evil ways think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous deeds, that equal will be their life and their death? Ill-conceived is the judgment that they make.” [TMQ Surah Al-Jathiyah 45:21]. Allah (swt) obliged the rescue those who asked help in the name of the Deen. Allah (swt) said,

[وَإِنِ ٱسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّصْرُ] “But if they seek your aid in Deen.” [TMQ Surah Al-Anfaal 8:72].

Indeed, it is utterly unbefitting the commanders of a fully capable army to ignore their own plight in the Hereafter, for measly gains of this world. They made light of the commands of the Lord of this life and the Hereafter. Allah (swt) said,

[يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ أَرَضِيتُم بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ]

“O you who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when you are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, you cling heavily to the earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.” [TMQ Surah At-Tawbah 9:38]. The commanders of mujahideen must be as Allah (swt) described,

[إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلْجَنَّةَ ۚ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ ۖ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّۭا فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ وَٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِۦ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَٱسْتَبْشِرُوا۟ بِبَيْعِكُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَايَعْتُم بِهِۦ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ]

“Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods. For theirs in return is the garden of Paradise. They fight in His cause, and slay and are slain. It is a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an. Who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah (swt)? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded. that is the achievement supreme.” [TMQ Surah At-Tawbah 9:111].

It is unbefitting for such a leadership to embarrass the brave and honorable officers, by engaging in matters about which the Messenger of Allah (saw) warned, saying,

«إِذَا تَبَايَعْتُمْ بِالْعِينَةِ وَأَخَذْتُمْ أَذْنَابَ الْبَقَرِ وَرَضِيتُمْ بِالزَّرْعِ وَتَرَكْتُمُ الْجِهَادَ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ ذُلاًّ لاَ يَنْزِعُهُ حَتَّى تَرْجِعُوا إِلَى دِينِكُمْ»

“When you enter into the inah transaction, hold the tails of oxen, are pleased with agriculture, and give up conducting jihad. Allah will make disgrace prevail over you, and will not withdraw it until you return to your original Deen.” [Abu Daud]. Whether it is special investment facilitation, smuggling or other economic issues, such matters cannot be the only concern for a nuclear-capable state.

O Officers of Pakistan’s Armed Forces!

Your leadership has failed in its duties before Allah (swt). It has abandoned the Ummah to its attacking enemies. It is inciting war between Muslims. As for you, you have the lofty opportunity to be the Ansar of today. You have the opportunity to earn the reward that the first Ansar of our Master Mohammad ﷺ were bestowed with. Allah (swt) said,

[وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ * أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ * فِى جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ * ثُلَّةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ * وَقَلِيلٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِينَ]

“And those Foremost (in Faith) will be Foremost (in the Hereafter). These will be those Nearest to Allah: In Gardens of Bliss: A number of people from those of old, And a few from those of later times.” [TMQ 56,10:14].

What allowed Saad bin Muadh (ra) to achieve distinction is in front of the officers today. Neither elections nor dictatorship will change the status of the Muslims in this region and afar. It is only by uprooting the rotten colonialist system and replacing it with the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of the Prophethood that we will earn the pleasure of Allah (swt). It is upon you now to halt this march to destruction, with the strength that Allah (swt) has granted you. Allah (swt) will hold you to account for this strength, when you are presented before Him (swt). Remembering your brother-in-arms who preceded you in establishing Islam as a state and a rule in Madinah, grant the Nussrah for the re-establishment of the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of the Prophethood now. In doing so, remember well, dear brothers in Islam, the Ansari companion Saad bin Muadh (ra). He was from those who gave the Material Support (Nussrah) to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When Sa’ad (ra) died, his mother wept and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told her,

«لِيَرْقَأْ لينقطع دَمْعُكِ وَيَذْهَبْ حُزْنُكِ لِأَنَّ ابْنَكِ أَوَّلُ مَنْ ضَحِكَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَاهْتَزَّ لَهُ الْعَرْشُ»

“Your tears would recede and your sorrow be lessened if you know that your son is the first person for whom Allah smiled and His Throne trembled.” [At-Tabarani]. This alone is how you will rescue your people from destruction, whilst earning the good pleasure of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) said,

[وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِى نَفْسَهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ مَرْضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ رَءُوفٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ]

“And there is the type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of Allah: And Allah is full of kindness to (His) devotees.” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah 2:207].

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Muhammad Akmal – Wilayah Pakistan