THE PREPARATION OF MEN.

You have seen in the previous talk that The Muslim Brotherhood organization had been in the lead of dynamic organizations in the area of public oriented projects and establishments that carry out social and beneficial services, such as building of mosques and schools, social and relief services committees, clubs, organising seminars, lectures, speeches, and admonitions that are done from time to time in theory that motivates practice. Having said that, the struggling nations that seek to bring about a new order, to shoulder the great responsibility and build its future on the strong footing that guarantees for its upcoming generation a good and honourable life; these nations that also seek to take back its confiscated rights and stolen honour, without doubt, need to build some other stronger assets beside all these. No doubt, it is in a dire need of human resources trained on noble character and sound manly qualities that would make them withstand any persecutions or trials on their path. Verily, human resource is the secret of life of nations and source of its reawakening. In the history of nations, it has been the heroes among men who possessed strong minds and determination that made these nations great. Therefore, for a nation to be powerful or weak, it is a factor of its effectiveness at producing men who possessed qualities of sound manliness. I believe- and history can bear me witness- that definitely one man with all his inherent capabilities can build a nation if his manliness is sound, and in like manner, he can destroy it if he directs these capabilities towards destruction and not construction. Nations, like the individuals, in the same manners go through the circle of activities of life. An individual can be so fortunate to be borne and nurtured by affluent parents; he would not be bothered by any suffering or go after any burden or difficult task. On the other hand, another individual might grow up in a harsh condition and from weak and poor parents. From the outset of his life, his head has been full of demands and obligations from different directions. May He be praised, who had apportioned the lots of everyone; no blame and no complain! No qualms, it has been willed that we would live in this generation which is being attacked by nations with all sorts of catastrophe and greatest of all struggles. And in most cases it is the powerful and leading that triumph. Again, time has imposed on us that we face and taste the bitter consequences of the mistakes of the past. We are also to rectify the cracks and mend the fracture; as well as saving ourselves and our children. Not only that we are obliged to restore our lost honour and greatness and revive our civilization and the teachings of our religion. It is also wished that we would live in this time of turbulent waves, wherein ideological storms, emotional trends and personal views and opinions direct individuals, nations, governments, organisations and even the world at large. It is a time of ideological clashes and psychological and emotional disturbance that forced the captain to stand still amidst such turbulent water trying to find a way forward for he cannot read the compass, as it appears in his front different confusing directions. More so, there is a caller at the opening of each direction inviting to it in this turbid situation wherein darkness thickens. In fact, there is no more proper expression to describe the situation than “anarchism”. Also we are obliged to face all that and work doggedly and persistently to save the ummah from this looming danger gathering from all directions. Invariably, any nation that is in the situations as we find ourselves, or to discharge the responsibility and obligations that weigh heavily on our shoulders cannot afford to be complacent or resort to day-dreaming or shadow-chasing. Rather, the reasonable thing for it to do is to prepare itself for a long strenuous struggle and a fierce battle between the truth and falsehood, between the good and the bad, between the proponents of the truth and its opponents, between the workers on the path and those who criticize it, between the sincere, enthusiastic workers and the false ones. It should know that Jihad is a word derived from continuous effort; and effort (juhd) means burden and task. There is no rest from Jihad until the battle ends. And in the morning the people who have been traveling through the night would have cause to thank and praise Allah. There is no option for this nation in this difficult path than to be populated with true, strong, determined and believing soul; the soul that is ready to endure and sacrifice in the face of trials. Definitely without that the nation would suffer defeat and failure shall be the lot of its citizens. Now that you have known our precarious situations, yet our souls are still very much reveling in complacence, comfort and opulence that suggest that our body can hardly go through or endure for long any slight trial or persecutions. Our youth, male and female, who are the tools of change and hope of tomorrow, are themselves mainly concerned about elegant appearance or sumptuous meals or choosy attire or flashy cars or high and proud positions. Unfortunately, he careless about how he acquires that: even if he has to drag his honour into the mud, or negligent of the obligations to himself and to his ummah. Or haven’t you seen those youth that every look on them reveals all the qualities of a youth and are bubbling with life activities but unfortunately go cap in hand parading the doors of the managers of government offices and institutions with their credentials looking for jobs? Didn’t you see them using all means of lobbying and people from the young and old, the low and the high, even the messenger and the watch man. They are desperately concerned to be employed at all cost. My dear reader, do you think that after this desperation at getting this official job and realization of the dream by this youth, he would ever think of leaving or be relieved of this dream career in the cause of protecting the honour and dignity of his ummah whatever be the degree of the persecutions and trials? In these conditions therefore, our souls are greatly in need of treatment, comprehensive change, and a reformation that must remove feeling of inferiority, moral degeneration and persistent stinginess. The great hopes that occupy the heads of the reformers among men of this ummah and the precarious situations envelope it demand earnestly that we renew our souls and develop our spirits to move away from the present condition of inertia to return to the past when were formidable and unsurpassable. Without this soul renewal and spiritual power, it is practically impossible that we take any step forward. If you know all this and you agree with me that these issues raised are the most basic and fundamental in reawakening the ummah and people, then you should know that the primary aim that pushes the Muslim Brotherhood is “sound training”(terbiyyah sahihah): training and orientation of the ummah on noble soul, highly dignified character and revival of the feelings that will be alive to driving the ummah to recall its honour and seriousness to win back its glory and to endure any hardship and difficulty in the cause of realizing the goal. Perhaps you would want to ask after all these that: what are the means the Muslim Brotherhood would use to renew the souls and reform the characters? Has the Muslim brotherhood experienced or tested these means? And what degree of success has it been able to achieve? In shaa Allah we promise you of answers in the following statement of ours; IDENTIFICATION OF THE MEANS AND FORMULATING THE PRINCIPLES: You indeed have known my dear reader that the Muslim Brotherhood’s basic aims is to train the souls on renewal of spirits, strengthening of good characters and development of manliness in the mind of the ummah; and the belief that that is the basic foundation on which the awakening of the ummah and nations should be built. The muslim brotherhood has examined the means to that end and the methods to get there but has not found any one closer and more effective than the religious ideology and adherence to the religion. The religion that enlivens the soul, arouses the feelings and alerts the mind. By that it leaves with the soul a reminder so that it would not be heedless, and a guard that it would not be negligent, and a witness that it would not go extreme or be complacent or stray from the path or forget; it is with it all the time watching over it in private and in public. Moreover, it strongly directs the soul to good acts and dutifully places it away from sins, as well as moving it far from errors and illuminating its to recognise the good and the bad. أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لَا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُم بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ “Or deem they that We cannot hear their secret thoughts and private confidences? Nay, but Our envoys, present with them, do record.” {}43:80 The religion that gathers for us all means of acquiring virtues and all sides of praise-worthy characters, and as well as earmarking rewards for every virtue and for every good character and also calls to purification and development of the soul and to be in high sense of spiritual state. قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا {9} وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا {10} “He is indeed successful he who purifies it, And he is indeed a failure who stunteth it.” (shams 9-10) The religion calls to sacrifice in the cause of the truth and to die in the path of leading men to salvation. For those who do that they are guaranteed of abundant compensation and those who tread this path, they would have good recompense. The religion gives value to goodness even if it is a bit and it measures the evil even if it is disregarded. Religion changes death in the cause of the truth to eternal life and death in jihad earns the status of life of everlasting bliss. وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَمْوَاتاً بَلْ أَحْيَاء عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ “Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision”. {3:169} وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئاً وَإِن كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا وَكَفَى بِنَا حَاسِبِينَ “And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners.” 21:47}{ The religion that purchases from man the worldly materials and the physical goods in exchange for success that soul rejoices on and for the blessing, favour, mercy, pleasure and love from Allah for which the soul is satisfied. مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ اللّهِ بَاقٍ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ {16:96} “That which ye have wasteth away, and that which Allah hath remaineth. And verily We shall pay those who are steadfast a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do.” The religion encompasses all that and in addition it aligns with nature and unites with the souls and minds and together they form a synergy. It penetrates the innermost spirits and it is consistent with reasons: it would not desert it or ignore it. The farmer is always happy with religion in his farm and so the worker in the factory. The little boy understands it in his library, while scientist finds succor and heartfelt desires in researches on it; the philosophers grow up in its thoughts in their expectations. Can you find any power that so obsessed the minds of men as religion? Or can you find in the history of man anything that has greater impact on the life of people and nations? Or can you find anyone who has such high influence even on the philosophers and the scientists than the messengers and the prophets? Your father can bear witness that indeed religion is a live coal from the spirit of Allah residing in the innermost part of these souls and its nature. It illuminates it and drives away darkness that it lives with its light and rejoices in it. And when it properly settled with it, every other thing becomes a ransom for it. قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِين{9:24} “Say: If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your tribe, and the wealth ye have acquired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will be no sale, and dwellings ye desire are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah guideth not wrong doing folk” The religion elevates anyone that accepts its holiness and glory above every soul, to be distant from every falsehood, imitation and copy-cat syndrome. And by that it joins the souls and unites the minds, thereby uprooting all form of disputes and conflicts. Hence the souls are further strengthened to focus its minds on Allah alone and redirected from all mundane purpose, desires, lust and enjoyments. It would then achieve growth with intention and actions to the level of the sincere and true servants who desires the pleasure of Allah with their deeds: they do not want to earn any reward or appreciation from the beneficiaries. شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحاً وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ {42:13} “He hath ordained for you that religion which He commended unto Noah, and that which We inspire in thee (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Dreadful for the idolaters is that unto which thou callest them. Allah chooseth for Himself whom He will, and guideth unto Himself him who turneth (toward Him).” The religion elevates whoever keeps to the covenant to the position of martyrdom (shahadah) and removes from him the task of questioning before Allah and grants him the virtue of closeness to Allah for displaying the virtue of complete manliness and sincere determination. مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلاً {23} لِيَجْزِيَ اللَّهُ الصَّادِقِينَ بِصِدْقِهِمْ وَيُعَذِّبَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ إِن شَاء أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً {33:2324} “Of the believers are men who are true to that which they covenanted with Allah. Some of them have paid their vow by death (in battle), and some of them still are waiting; and they have not altered in the least; That Allah may reward the true men for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He will, or relent toward them (if He will). Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” The religion is a meeting of true ideas, a point of harmony for diverse hopes and sign for individual, community, national and universal aspirations and wishes. This is well expressed. الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَكِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ {63:8} “………………….But honor belongs to Allah and His Apostle and to the Believers; but the Hypocrites know not” In the view of some people, they want to reform the morals of the ummah through knowledge and civilization; and some other people think reformation is through literature and art, and another people opined that it is better to adopt political approaches and yet another set of people believe reformation could be achieved through sports. In stating the meaning of these words, these people could be said to be either right or wrong, or hit the target or far from it. But this is not a place for criticism and definition. Rather I wish to say that: the Muslim brother sees in religion a veritable means to reform the soul of the ummah. In this sense the religion of Islam encompasses all the good aspects of all the earlier mentioned means and raises them all to the same level of importance; so the brotherhood members are well satisfied with it and contented with it in their souls. Therefore their first practical means of purifying the souls and renewal of the spirits is;(identication of the means and choosing the principles). It on this that I based the (Aqidah of the muslim brotherhood) which is taken from the book of Allah and the sunnah of His messenger; it doesn’t deviate from these two sources by an hair’s span. The brothers then made it an obligation to commit it to memory, they uphold its rulings and implement its contents and discharge its obligations. I believe that it is a practical means in training the souls and strengthening moral values. In relation to this I remind every muslim brother that it is part of his obligation to memorise his Aqidah, and to work to implement that which it makes obligatory on him as covenants: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ {9:119} “O ye who believe! Be careful of your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful”