Translated Speech of His Eminence Ameer Muhammad Akram Awan, Shaikh Silsilah Naqshbandiah Owaisiah
Dar ul Irfan (22 December 2001)
All Praise is for Allah, the Lord of the Universe.
Peace and Salutations be on His Beloved Muhammad (S.A.W.), his family and Companions, all.
I seek refuge with Allah, from Shaitan, the Outcast.
With the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
From Thoban (R.A.), the slave of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), he said, ‘The Messenger (S.A.W.) of Allah said, “There are two groups from my Ummah that ALLAH has spared from the Fire, a group that will participate in the Ghazwah-tal Hind and the other that will be with Isa (A.S.), the son of Maryam,” or as said the Messenger (S.A.W.) of Allah.’ Abu Hurairah (R.A.) said, “The Messenger (S.A.W.) of Allah promised Ghazwah-tal Hind for us. Now, if I find it, I shall invest my wealth and life in it. Then, if I am killed, I will be among the most chosen Shuhada (martyrs) and if I return, I would be Abu Hurairah ‘the freed’ (from HellFire).
Nisa’i, Page 63, Volume II, ‘Kitab al Jihad, Ghazwah-tal Hind.
O Allah, Glorified are You, we have no knowledge except that which You have given us. Indeed, You are the Knower, the Wise.
O Rabb, shower Your Choicest Favours and Peace, always and forever, upon Your Beloved (S.A.W.) who illuminated the times. Ameen
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), the most truthful of the Truthful, the Leader of the Prophets, the Seal of the Prophets, the Last of Allah’s Prophets and Messengers, after whom there will be no new Prophet, and no new Ummah will come after his Ummah, analysed many of the incidents and events that were to come about in the future, as they were related to his Ummah. The instructions and the methods of worship instructed by the Holy Prophet-saaws will remain unchanged as long as the sun rises and sets. Nobody, whether living in the West or East, North or South, no nation or person in the world is above these instructions, and the same principles apply to one and all. The wondrous fact is that, since the Injunctions are from the Creator of the Universe, these principles are perfectly balanced, and despite differences in colours, statures, figures, languages, habits, cultures, foods, climates and circumstances, every nation in the world can easily follow them at all times. The proof of this fact is that Muslims are present in every place and race throughout the globe, and in them are present the men of God who duly follow those injunctions. The fact that these injunctions can be universally followed despite innumerable differences between the followers, established that their origin can only be from Allah‑swt.
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) has stated, ‘In the last period, there will be two groups among my Ummah that will enter Jannah without being asked for their account and be protected from Hell. One, that will participate in Ghazwah-tal Hind and the other that will participate in Jihad with Isa (A.S.), son of Maryam, after his descent.’ Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (R.A.) used to pray for this (Jihad) saying, “The Messenger (S.A.W.) of Allah has promised Ghazwah-tal Hind for us.” In his view this saying of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) was not merely information, it was a promise. He used to say, “The Messenger (S.A.W.) of Allah has promised Ghazwah-tal Hind for us. Now, if I find it, I shall invest my wealth and life in it. Then, if I am killed, I will be among the most chosen Shuhada (martyrs) and if I return, I would be known as Abu Hurairah ‘the freed’ (from HellFire).
Nisa’i Shareef is listed among the six most authentic books on Hadith. On the 63rd page of its second volume, is the chapter ‘Kitab ul Jihad’ that contains a sub chapter titled Ghazwah-tal Hind, both of these Ahadith are quoted therein. A short while ago, someone asked me to speak about the current global state of affairs. The current global situation that I perceive and understand, in the light of these two Ahadith, is obvious, clear, and unambiguous.
It is gross ignorance to regard the pursuit of one person as the reason for what befell Afghanistan; it is also blatant absurdity to destroy a whole country to capture a single person and he still remains at large. In my opinion, there are two reasons for the calamity that befell Afghanistan. The first and the major reason is the re-establishment of Khilafat-e Islami (Muslim Caliphate) in the world, which is not acceptable to the West at any cost. The establishment of an Islamic system of justice, the implementation of Shari’ah in the society, the establishment of a society under Islamic principles, whose economic, political, legal, educational and environmental systems are Islamic, is unacceptable to the West because such a society will serve a crushing blow to their own societies. Those who live in their societies are disturbed to such an extent that they have started discarding their clothes and are living in a state of nudity. A human society has degenerated to the level of an animal community. Family identity has been lost and virtues like shame and modesty have vanished. Those in the West have proclaimed, and I myself have heard it on their channels, that ‘They were going to finish our culture around the globe’ and added that with great effort they had brought the world to adopt their civilization.’ What Urdu literature terms as ‘civilization’, we call it ‘Deen’.
Civilization means the lifestyle, the manners of interaction, the principles governing such interactions and the ways of life. That, which is known as civilization or culture by the English, is in fact Deen. While, they are the developers of their own civilization, our civilization has been defined for us by Allah’s Quran and Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W.). It is obvious that when an original item is brought in, its counterfeit vanishes. When human beings get a chance to live, with dignity, with security of life and honour, with peace and justice, they will discard the Western culture. The Americans never considered that Afghans would invade and conquer the US, but they feared that Islam would spread in the US, so much so, that it would become an Islamic state: they had to contain this threat. The second reason is material. After some time, the oil resources of the Mideast will be reduced to half, while the oil demands of the US and Europe will double. The resources will be halved while the requirements will be doubled. A huge reserve of gas and oil is present in Northern Afghanistan and in the newly independent Muslim States of the former USSR. It is for this reason that the US has taken pains to spend billions of dollars on a daily bombardment, destroying this nation. Coupled with that is the situation that Pakistan faces; even the US knows that Osama Bin Laden cannot hide in Tora Bora. Tora Bora is a famous mountain range and its caves were designed and built by American engineers for use against the USSR, and their designs have been shown on the US television on my occasions. If Osama were to run from the US, would he hide in the caves built by the USA? Then, why is the US pretending to search for him so frantically? It is because, under this pretext, it wants to move into the Northern Mountains of Pakistan. Osama’s search will lead it to the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Unless it establishes a base on the Himalayan heights, it can neither control the Northern Area of Pakistan nor the Central Asian Republics.
In order to establish herself there, the USA requires a bulwark; a strategic location against Russia, China and Asia, , and it wants to reach the Northern Mountains to secure that position. Seen in this perspective, the war between India and Pakistan becomes inevitable. Whether it takes place after ten days, or a month or a year, is a different issue, but it is inevitable in order to enable an American intervention. India will certainly attack Kashmir, sooner or later; war is unavoidable there. Anyone who thinks it can be averted is like a pigeon that shuts its eyes considering itself safe from the cat. This war is inevitable because if there is no war between India and Pakistan, this American intrusion will not be as easy as it could otherwise have been in the event of a war between the two countries. It is the USA that is inflaming a war on both sides. It is the US, which is instigating India, while Pakistan has already turned into one of her client states. But this does not mean that the citizens of this country should neglect her defence. National security takes precedence over everything else, and this Jihad is obligatory for everyone, young or old Muslim, who breathes on the soil of Pakistan. It is necessary for everyone related to Pakistan to participate in its defence with their utmost sincerity and loyalty … differences with the Government notwithstanding. Al-Ikhwan has only one difference with the Government, and that is about the system of governance.
We have no discord with any political figure, politician, political party or political leader; we have a disagreement about the system of governance. This country was obtained after sacrificing hundreds of thousands of lives in the Name of Islam, therefore it should be ruled according to the Islamic system of governance. And this is not a disagreement; it is our right, for which we have been striving throughout our lives and, Insha Allah (Allah Willing), will continue to strive till our last breath. However, if our national security is threatened, every member of al-Ikhwan will consider it a great honour to sacrifice his life and blood alongside his national army. If someone assumes that the US has conquered Afghanistan, his assumption is based on total ignorance. No doubt, the US has brutally slaughtered countless people; it has destroyed numerous families, razed many villages to the ground, subjected young and old, men and women to the showers of gunpowder and bullets. If the US was attacked and a few hundred Americans were killed, we also feel sorry for them. Islam does not allow the killing of innocent people and ordinary citizens who do not take part in a war, and considers such killing as terrorism. But, if a few hundred Americans died, it doesn’t grant her the license to ignore international accords, including the Geneva Accord, and wickedly slay hundreds of thousands of Muslims, who don’t even know its name, those who have no concept of the US. Does the Geneva Accord allow Prisoners of War to be crammed into large shipping containers so that they die of suffocation? Does the Geneva Accord permit the killing of Prisoners of War by means of air raids? There is no moral principle or consideration in this war. But, despite all this, America hasn’t gained any victory, because even now, no American and no member of this new Afghan government can roam about freely outside of Kabul City. The entire strength of the American and British forces is concentrated in that one city, which they keep showing on their TV, again and again. This vast country is free and within it is breeding, Insha Allah, the reaction to this carnage, the inner calling for Jihad and the longing for the re-establishment of the Islamic Khilafat. The American and British soldiers have yet to confront this challenge that is already beginning to show.
However, even this event is awaiting a greater accident, and that is the threat of an Indian attack hovering over our heads. Rest assured, India will certainly attack, and this will mark the beginning of the Ghazwah-tal Hind or you can say that the massacre committed by the Americans has, in a way, already initiated this event. There is some time in between, which may be of some weeks or some months, only the Lord of the universe knows. After this interval, India will attack prompting a reaction from Afghanistan that, at its climax, will reveal itself to be the Ghazwah-tal Hind. There will, Insha Allah, be a general awakening among the Muslims who will participate in it, and while the US is talking about Afghanistan only, the Prophet-saaws of Mercy mentioned the whole sub-continent, because Hind doesn’t denote only India or Pakistan or Kashmir; the whole subcontinent is known as Hind, and the prediction by, the most truthful of the Truthful, is about Ghazwah-tal Hind. It is a strange fact that the word Ghazwah is literally used only for that Jihad in which the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) personally participated, i.e., entering the battlefield with a drawn sword. Only that battle is defined as a Ghazwah. Even during the life of the Holy Prophet‑saws; the battles in which he didn’t participate personally but therefore deputed some of his servants to lead the expeditions are known as Saraya (the plural of Saryah) even though he (S.A.W.) retained the command and directed the battle operations while stationed at Madinah.
It is indeed strange that he (S.A.W.) called a Jihad that was to take place after hundreds of years, after many centuries, as a Ghazwah. This Ghazwah was described as a Ghazwah … once, this question came up during a conference of religious scholars at Lahore. Some of the religious scholars opined that it was a custom during those days, to call a battle as a Ghazwah, and for that reason, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) had also described this Jihad as a Ghazwah. I said that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) was not a follower of any custom; he (S.A.W.) was the Messenger of ALLAH, someone who called people to the Deen. Whatever he (S.A.W.) said was Deen. Therefore, Prophetic expressions cannot be classified as adherence to the customs, nor should anyone dare say that. If he-saaws called it a Ghazwah, it is surely a Ghazwah! As regards the fact that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) is not personally participating in it because he (S.A.W.) has left this temporary abode for the permanent abode, (it should be understood that) even today it is his Risalat (Messengership) and Deen that are effective, and during this Jihad the same Tawajjuh (Attention) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) will be available, which was present during Badr and Uhud or the Ghazwah in which the He (S.A.W.) personally participated. The Mujahideen of this Jihad-e Hind will, Insha Allah, receive the same Tawajjuh! For this reason, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)described this Jihad as a Ghazwah: this Ghazwah, Ghazwah-tal Hind is knocking on our doors.
We have neither to win it nor lose it, because the news of its victory has already been conveyed by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). Ghazwah-tal Hind is the landmark, it will neither be defined as the conquest of Kashmir nor of Delhi, it will mark the implementation of Allah’s Deen throughout the sub-continent. Islam will not be implemented in Pakistan only, nor will it be implemented in Afghanistan only, but, as a result of this Jihad, it will be implemented over the whole sub-continent. Those who are killed in this Jihad will enter Jannah without any reckoning and those who return alive from it will also be from the ‘People of Paradise’ (Ahl-e Jannah), living on this earth. They too, will enter Jannah without any reckoning and will be living on this earth as Ahl-e Jannah. They will be like the participants of Badr (Ahl-e Badr) about whom the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, “Ahl-e Badr may do anything from today onwards; they are destined for Jannah.” The scholars of Hadith were concerned about the fact that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) had laid down no restrictions for them (the Ahl-e Badr); they could have stolen, sinned, indulged in evil or even committed murder; would they still be of Ahl-e Jannah? In reply, the same scholars of Hadith answered these concerns that the people, whom the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) has declared as Ahl-e Jannah, even if they live for centuries, will only do that which befits the ‘People of Paradise.’ Allah declares them as protected and therefore He protects them from sins. For that reason, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said that ‘If after me there arises some difference of opinion and only one person from the ‘People of Badr’ is alive, you should follow his opinion even though the opinion of the rest of Ummah is different, because his opinion will be correct since he is from the ‘People of Paradise’ and ALLAH won’t let him say something wrong!’
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) also gave glad tidings to the conqueror of Constantinople; the army, that would conquer Constantinople, would enter Jannah without Reckoning. Then he (S.A.W.) said, ‘Those people who participate in Ghazwah-tal Hind will enter Jannah without Reckoning, as well as those who join Prophet Isa (A.S.) in Jihad after his descent.’ In light of these Prophetic quotes and the current situation, it is clear that India will jump into war and will impose war on the Muslims. The Mujahideen of Islam will repel them, so will the Armed Forces of Pakistan and the Mujahideen from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and those who have decided to trust the words of Muhammad (S.A.W.) the Messenger of ALLAH and lay down their lives for entering Jannah. During the battle of Uhud, when the Kuffar re-attacked from the rear and the fighters confusingly mingled one with another, a Companion from Madinah called out to his friend, “Come back!” he said, “The Kuffar are shouting that they have (Allah forbid) killed the Messenger (S.A.W.) of ALLAH, the battle is over, why are we still fighting? Let them say it. Come with me, I smell the fragrance of Jannah from this valley. Come with me, here lies Jannah.” And while fighting in that valley, he laid down his life. The way Jannah was put up ‘to be taken’, so will it be put up again, this time.
It is neither within the power of the government, nor in my hands nor in yours to stop this event, nor it is within the power of the Indians, because it will become Ghazwah-tal Hind only when India jumps into it … and India is fully prepared for it. Any incident can provide the excuse, be it the attack on their Assembly or on the Shahi Qila or an even bigger incident occurring later. These two events were planned by India herself, they were not carried out by the Mujahideen. Had the Mujahideen been involved they wouldn’t have fought only the soldiers, but would have killed some Hindu leader as well. But the killers were their own people and so were the killed. They selected four or five persons shot them and started crying foul that their Assembly had been attacked it is because they wanted some excuse; the flaws in their planning are surfacing now. It is quite possible that someday they may stage another drama and kill one of their leaders.
Be it any excuse, India will then attack the Northern Areas and Kashmir while, the US has already attacked Afghanistan. As a result, not only the Armed Forces of Pakistan, but also the Muslims of Pakistan and Afghanistan will rise. Muslims all over will join to participate in this Ghazwah-tal Hind, which they will win after many sacrifices; it will not be an easy victory. Countless people will become Shaheed; Allah Kareem will grant them the Robes of Shahadat. Muslims won’t be defeated, they will be victorious and, Insha Allah, Islam will be implemented on the sub-continent. And remember, individual states within the United States of America will secede after a while. The cost of this war will drive various states within America towards secession. They are still hopeful that they will be able to dig out the underground treasures of Afghanistan. They are still hopeful that they will be able to annex the wealth of the Central Asian Republics. However, when the beginning of this war dashes their hopes of any income from there, the states will secede and, Insha Allah, the name of the United States of America will exist only as an historical fact. The time will come and people will read that there was some, ‘United States of America’. Insha Allah, our children will read in their history books that there used to be some ‘United States of America’ on this earth. Its every state will secede and the US will cease to exist. It is rising for its final fall; this is its last gasp. Its blatant hostility and aggression is similar to that of a dying beast.
The information about these events doesn’t need to be called a prophecy, nor should it be called Kashf (spiritual observation) or Karamah. Anyone who has been blessed by ALLAH with the ability to analyse the situation, can envision all of this in the light of his analysis; this is as clear as a sunny day. But, (the question is) where do we stand in this scenario, what is our contribution and what is within our control…only one thing: the decision of who do we want to be with! We have the choice of making only this decision. Victory or defeat is in His‑swt Hand, it is His discretion to bless or deprive someone, but He-swt has granted humanity the choice to make this decision. And it is this decision that will be made known on the Day of Qiyamah: ALLAH will make no decisions. HE has already said, ‘Today, you are sufficient as a judge over yourself.’ ‘Today, the decision that you made in the world will be put into effect. If you had decided to be with the people of Truth, you will be with them today and if you had chosen to be with the false ones, you will have to stand with the Kuffar and Ahl-e Batil (the people of Falsehood) this day and you will go where they will be going. And the one who was with the Ahl-e Haqq (the people of Truth), will go where Ahl-e Haqq will be going.’ It is the moment of decision for us; we have to decide which group, host or people we are going to join. To get this blessing by Allah’s Grace and to get the ability of making the right decision, my dear brothers, hold fast to Allah’s-swt worship. Perform obligatory worship and, for Allah’s sake, stop devouring Haraam. The flesh nourished by Haraam will not enter Jannah and as a consequence, ALLAH might not grant this blessing of Shahadat to those who devour Haraam. The ‘truest of the Warners’, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) has said, that ‘Hell Fire is most appropriate for the flesh raised on Haraam.’
Explaining this Hadith, the Muhaditheen (scholars of Hadith) write that (on the Day of Qiyamah) ALLAH will forgive a man and he would be destined for Jannah, but since at some time in the past he had eaten Haraam, and that flesh would still be present in his body, it would be burnt out in Jahannam first, because Haraam flesh will not go to Jannah. Such flesh, of even those people who would have been granted salvation, will be burnt in Jahannam. Afterwards, ALLAH will grant them new flesh with which they will enter Jannah, because the part of the body fed by Haraam, will not go to Jannah. Therefore, if the government hasn’t discontinued usury, you should voluntarily stop taking interest and stop eating Haraam; don’t covet the riches of others. Work hard and earn that which is Halaal; eat less and not extravagant but eat Halaal. Leave alone telling lies, even stop listening to falsehood. Our time-wasting gossip in public places and the false discussions in which we tell lies, are like the gatherings of a clan of Bani Israel that was destroyed. ALLAH said that the reason for their destruction, and sending them punishment from the heavens was because of two of their undesirable activities: they devoured usury and told lies. The Holy Quran has mentioned that they used to eat Haraam and tell lies…they used to LISTEN to lies: Devourers of the Haraam and the listeners of falsehood. They didn’t tell lies, but only listened to them. The Holy Quran has mentioned two qualities; they used to unlawfully devour the property of others and liked to listen to falsehood. Telling lies is a far dangerous vice. Therefore, someone who wants Allah-swt to shower His Mercy upon him and include him in the ‘Best of Shuhada’ or to grant him a life with those ‘saved from Jahannam’ should, for the sake of ALLAH, stop even listening to falsehood, not speaking the truth is a far greater sin. Avoid listening to lies, avoid telling lies, discharge one’s obligations enjoined by ALLAH and adopt the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet-saaws as your way of life. Allah-swt is not going to send any other creatures from the heavens, HE is going to select those fortunate ones from among this present creation who will participate in this Jihad and be rewarded with eternal bliss. Don’t stretch yourself too thin by engaging in unnecessary activities because the war is certainly coming. Prepare yourself for Jihad and (remember that) obedience to ALLAH is the pre-requisite for Jihad, so is compliance with the injunctions of the Shari’ah and the adherence to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). An easy solution is to recite Darood Shareef as much as possible because you will develop a true love for the Prophet (S.A.W.) of ALLAH. This is a destination, which cannot be reached by any other path.
Take to reciting Darood Shareef while going about one’s life, walking, sitting or standing. This is a moment of Qiyamah; it is a moment of revolution. When the ‘Wheel of Revolution’ spins, millions of people are crushed and millions are elevated to great heights. May ALLAH Kareem protect us from being crushed and bless us to be raised to a height of bliss. Purify your life and property so much so that ALLAH accepts it. Try … and our goal should be that our hearts decide that we will be with Allah-swt, His Messenger (S.A.W.) and His slaves. Don’t be bothered that a lot of people have been killed in Afghanistan. Those whom ALLAH wanted to grant Shahadah have thus been blessed, while it is the murderers who will be killed and that will happen very soon: just don’t worry. It will be a conflict so great that people will forget about wars for many centuries. The blessing of Shahadat and the blood of the Shuhada will bring about such peace that people will exclaim, ‘This is how human society should be!’ It will usher in that peace where, ALLAH willing, the ‘People of Paradise’ will live. But, to bring that peace, it is we who will have to make sacrifices, we will have to lay down our lives for a blessed environment in which our coming generations can live with peace, in the shadow of ALLAH’s blessings, with ALLAH’s Zikr. For that, we will have to shed our blood, have our bodies crushed under tanks, have our chests sprayed with bombs and bullets from above and across the land. May ALLAH Kareem grant us this courage and, Insha ALLAH, we will make this sacrifice!
Reference: Ghazwa-e-Hind Article