whatever may befall them, for Allah says: ﴿Such days We alternate among the people﴾ [Āl ʿImrān: 140]. The day will come when the Muslims fight the Jews. A Jew will hide behind a tree, and the tree will call out, “O Muslim, O servant of Allah! There is a Jew behind me.” The Muslim will then come and kill him (1). That is not difficult for Allah.
However, before all else, the Muslims need wise leadership that understands the rulings of the Sharia, for leadership that fails to benefit from the light of the Sharia will ultimately bring calamity. No matter how high it rises—even if it reaches the loftiest summit—it will eventually descend into the deepest abyss. Guidance comes through Islam and the light of Islam—not through nationalism, partisanship, patriotism, or anything else. It comes through Islam alone.
Islam alone can guarantee the honor of the Muslim nation. Yet it needs wise leadership that puts everything in its proper place, proceeds deliberately, and does not act hastily. People cannot be reformed overnight. Whoever seeks to do so is seeking to change Allah’s established way, but Allah Almighty does not change His established way. The Prophet of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—remained in Mecca for thirteen years while revelation came down to him and he called to Allah in the finest manner. Despite this, he ultimately left Mecca in fear and concealment; the call had not become fully established there. Why, then, should we expect to transform overnight a nation that has spent centuries in heedlessness and slumber? This is foolishness in reason and misguidance in religion.
The nation requires gentle and measured treatment, with people being called in the finest manner. In addition to understanding Allah’s religion and exercising wisdom in calling to Allah, the Muslim nation needs knowledge of present realities, discernment, experience, and far-sighted consideration of matters. Results may not become apparent within a month, two months, a year, or two years; but a sensible person is patient