“…those who strive for Our sake, We shall surely guide them to Our paths; and Allah is certainly with the doers of good.” (Al-‘Ankabut 29:69)

As for striving against others, it is divided into two categories: one carried out through knowledge and clarification, and another carried out with weaponry.

Those whom we combat by means of knowledge and clarification are people who take the name of Islam while not truly being Muslims—such as the hypocrites and the innovators whose beliefs amount to unbelief, and the like. These cannot be fought with arms, because they outwardly profess Islam and claim to stand with us; rather, we strive against them through knowledge and clear proof. Allah the Exalted says: “O Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be stern with them. Their abode is Hell—what an evil destination!” (At-Tawbah 9:73). Thus, striving against the disbelievers is undertaken with weapons, whereas striving against the hypocrites is undertaken with knowledge and clarification.

For this reason the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was aware that there were hypocrites among his Companions and even knew them by name, yet he did not kill any of them. Permission was sought to do so, but he replied, “I do not want people saying that Muhammad kills his Companions.” In the same way, those who gather under the banner of Islam from among the people of bid‘ah are not fought with weapons; we confront them with knowledge and clarification.

Accordingly, it is obligatory for the youth of the Muslim ummah to acquire knowledge in a manner that is firm and deeply rooted, not superficial as occurs in many educational institutions, where they learn a shallow sort of knowledge that does not take root in the mind—a knowledge sought only