Assalamu alaykum warahmatuAllahi taala wabarakatuh
All praise is due to Allah. May his peace and blessings be upon the last and final
messenger Muhammad Ibn Abdullah.
As some of you are aware, we are desperately trying to raise money for Udhiya (Qurbani) to feed poor families who have been affected by war and oppression. We would like to raise money to do Udhiya which will feed families that are in dire need. We will be providing (By Allah's permission) for those who have lost the breadwinner of their families and others who simply have no means of earning due to on-going conflict and negligence by the authorities. The bulk of our attention will be faced towards families who are experiencing all of the above, but in addition to this, have members of their families incarcerated unjustly. In the latter stages of my message I shall expound upon the reason for focusing our attention on prisoners and their families' inshallah.
There is far too much daleel (proof/evidences) from Ahadith and the works of noble scholars from both past and more contemporary ones, clarifying the obligation of assisting Muslim prisoners and aiding their families. By Allah, they are not in need of us - for they have Allah azza wa jal as their protector and he does not test a believer with more than they can bear. Rather we are in need of aiding them, so that on the day of reckoning, we may say that we came to the aid of a fellow Muslim and would consequently have an ounce of an excuse to present to Allah on the day when the angels will be in fright upon witnessing the wrath of the all mighty. Think about it dear brothers and sisters. The angels are sinless. They were created with the soul purpose of worshiping Allah azza wa jal. Yet if they will be in terror on this day, what will our state be? We seek refuge in Allah!
To witness what has been raised thus far is deplorable to say the least! By Allah, we are able to raise far more!
Please do not give excuses that you have donated elsewhere. The companions (ra) would give and when they were asked to give more they would do so without a shadow of an excuse or delay. Uthman Bin Afaan (ra) would give continuously. After spending vast amounts of his wealth in the path of Allah. The prophet (SallaaAllaahu 3layhi wa Sallaam) asked for men to come forward and finance a battle and Uthman (ra) immediately responded. Upon seeing this generosity the prophet SallaAllaahu 3layhi wassalam exclaimed; "No harm shall afflict Uthman after this day. No harm shall afflict Uthman after this day!" Uthman gave generously. Prior to Islam he was tremendously wealthy, yet following his conversation to Islam and the endless boycotts and wars against Islam and Muslims, his wealth was ever decreasing and unstable. Though his fortune dwindled with his continual financial support for the deen of Allah, he did not cease giving, making claims that "he gave" previously.
By Allah, how many of us indulge in luxury without even knowing it? Billahi alykum, how many of you need the things you buy? How many, must taste the things they spend vast amounts on tasting? How many, need to travel to places of entertainment to entertain the eye? Do we not feel for our brothers and sisters while we are engaged in this attachment to this dunya?
Allah says: "You prefer (pleasures) of the worldly life, but the hereafter is more enduring (everlasting)" Surah A'la verse 15-16.
We have a culture particularly in the west, where we religiously dine out as a form of socialising. Whether it be on a weekly basis, fortnightly etc. If we do not engage in such things our lives for some reason feel incomplete. Take this as an example - If a group of brothers/sisters intended to dine out during the week. If 6 brothers/sisters proposed dining out but simply decided to sacrifice this luxury in order to feed those, (for whom dining at restaurants is beyond imagination) on average, you could save roughly £15 depending on the type of places you are dining at. If you save £15 that's £90 raised by a small group of friends overnight! We are not asking you to sacrifice your entire wealth. This one instance of sacrificing will raise enough to feed many people who will make dua for you with their empty stomachs from the bottom of their hearts. As for you, you can continue going to your restaurant. Simply postpone it till the following week or the week after that!
Words do not justify how I feel. We plan to dress our children for Eid while others are buying a kafaan to bury their dead. We go through endless recipes spending huge amounts of money to eat on this day of celebration while others are preoccupied with the thought of how they'll safeguard their lives. The families of prisoners who wish to help are in a horrifying state. Many are being approached by missionaries carrying a loaf of bread on one hand and a Bible in the other. How humiliated are we? While this is happening we do not come to their aid, rather we are engrossed in pleasing our own naffs in this dunya. In Surah 6:32 Allah says; And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the house in the Hereafter for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious). So will you not then understand?
Upon witnessing the state of the Muslims during the genocide in Bosnia Sheikh Anwar Asha'ban rahimahu Allah once said; "I cannot stress enough on the importance of freeing our prisoners. The one who is dead has been given Shahada if Allah accepts them, and that's the end of his hayat. But as for the one who is in captivity, he is facing torture methods previously unheard of. Often these methods destroy them mentally and drive them to apostasy. That is why the prophet salla Allahu alayhi wassalam and our scholars placed so much emphasis on the importance of freeing Muslim captives. If believers are apostating in torture cells and we are still motionless, then I see no khair (goodness) left in this Ummah"
Ibn Qudamah Al-Hanbali said (Al-Mughni 9/228):
"It is obligatory upon the believers to pay the ransom money for the Muslim prisoners"
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said (Al-Fatawa 28/635):
Freeing the prisoners is one of the greatest compulsory deeds and spending ransom money and other means towards that, is one of the greatest ways to come close to Allah.
Abu Dawud mentions the hadith narrated by Abu Talha Al-Ansari and Jabir Bin Abdullah, that the Prophet Muhammad salla Allahu alayhi wassalam said, "No man forsakes a Muslim when his rights are being violated or his honour is being belittled except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help. And no man helps a Muslim at a time when his honour is being belittled or his rights violated except that Allah will help him at a place in which he loves to have His help".
If we are unable to free the prisoners, we should at the very least create awareness and look after their families!
Please, I urge you again to give generously and if you are sincerely able to give no more than £1, please do give this as even £1 will make a huge difference to these people. We are working with brothers who will do the udhyia and distribute the meat cost-free. They have witnessed the situation of Muslim families in these areas first hand and confirmed the terrible state they are in.
You can donate using this link : www.youcaring.com/yateem
Please forward to others.
Wa jazakumallahykhairan
May Allah hasten the release of our prisoners. May he remove the oppression from our lands and return the glory to the blessed Ummah of Muhammad salla Allahu alayhi wassalam
Wasalaamu alaykum wa rahmutullahi wa barakatuh
