Al-Amr bi-l-Maʿrūf wa-n-Nahy ʿan al-Munkar - Ibn Taimiya - (41)

Al-Amr bi-l-Maʿrūf wa-n-Nahy ʿan al-MunkarIbn Taimiya

“O you who believe! What is the matter with you that, when you are told, ‘March forth in the path of Allah,’ you cling heavily to the earth? Are you content with the life of this world instead of the Hereafter? Yet the enjoyment of this worldly life in comparison with the Hereafter is but little. If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will substitute in your place another people, and you will not harm Him in the least. Allah is powerful over all things.” [Al-Tawbah: 38–39] (Surah al-Tawbah, verses 38, 39).

And He, the Exalted, said:

“Here you are—those who are called to spend in the cause of Allah—yet some of you are stingy. Whoever is stingy is stingy only toward himself. Allah is the Self-Sufficient, whereas you are the needy. If you turn away, He will replace you with another people, and they will not be the likes of you.” [Muhammad: 38] (Surah Muhammad, verse 38).

Through courage and generosity in the path of Allah the early forerunners gained superiority, for He said:

“Those among you who spent and fought before the Conquest are not equal to those who spent and fought afterwards; they are higher in rank than those who spent and fought later. Yet to each Allah has promised the best reward.” [Al-Hadid: 10] (Surah al-Hadid, part of verse 10).

He has spoken of striving with life and wealth in His cause and has praised it in many verses of His Book; that is true courage and open-handedness in obedience to Him, Glorified be He. Thus He said:

“How many a small company has overcome a large company by Allah’s permission; and Allah is with the steadfast.” [Al-Baqarah: 249] (Surah al-Baqarah, part of verse 249).

And He, Most High, said:

“O you who believe! When you meet a force, stand firm and remember Allah much so that you may succeed. Obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute with one another lest you lose heart and your strength depart. Be patient; indeed, Allah is with the patient.” [Al-Anfal: 45–46] (Surah al-Anfal, verses 45, 46).

Courage is not merely physical power. A man may be strong in body yet weak in heart; rather, courage is the strength and steadfastness of the heart, for battle hinges on strength

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انْفِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ أَرَضِيتُمْ بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ - إِلَّا تَنْفِرُوا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ} [التوبة: ٣٨ - ٣٩] (سورة التوبة: الآيتان ٣٨، ٣٩) . وقال تعالى: {هَاأَنْتُمْ هَؤُلَاءِ تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنْفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يَبْخَلُ وَمَنْ يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَاللَّهُ الْغَنِيُّ وَأَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ وَإِنْ تَتَوَلَّوْا يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَكُمْ} [محمد: ٣٨] (سورة محمد: آية ٣٨) . وبالشجاعة والكرم في سبيل الله فضل السابقين، فقال: {لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ أُولَئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى} [الحديد: ١٠] (سورة الحديد: من الآية ١٠) . وقد ذكر الجهاد بالنفوس والمال في سبيله، ومدحه في غير آية من كتابه، وذلك هو الشجاعة والسماحة في طاعته سبحانه، فقال: {كَمْ مِنْ فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ} [البقرة: ٢٤٩] (سورة البقرة: من الآية ٢٤٩) . وقال تعالى: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُوا وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ - وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَاصْبِرُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ} [الأنفال: ٤٥ - ٤٦] (سورة الأنفال: الآيتان ٤٥، ٤٦) . والشجاعة ليست هي قوة البدن، وقد يكون الرجل قوي البدن ضعيف القلب، وإنما هي قوة القلب وثباته، فإن القتال مداره على قوة