A Message To the Truthful Who Have Hastened To The

Land of Jihad In Syria||Sheikh Abu Muhammed Al Maqdisi

(may Allah protect him)
O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and
deeds)
A Message To the Truthful Who Have
Hastened To The Land of Jihad In Syria
Sheikh Abu Muhammed Al Maqdisi (may Allah protect him)



Bismillah-hir rahman-nir rahim
(O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true.)
Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be on the Messenger of Allah...
My truthful brother... o you who have departed from your family, and have migrated from your
country, and who have subjected yourself to difficulties and who have plunged into risks, spurred
by the dream of darul Islam and yearning for its state and its Khilafa, and it has driven you to go
through the difficulties and Fitnah that the houses of Kufr are afflicting, and the oppression of
the Tawagheet and the darkness of their rule, and you have come hastening to fulfil the most
beloved Ibadah to Allah.
As salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa bara katuhu
And after... I ask Allah Taala to protect us and you and guard us from the Fitnah the apparent
and hidden of it...
Do you know my truthful brother why I have singled you out for this letter?
Because Allah has described the true people of Jihad with a precious quality that is not being
fulfilled by those claiming the Jihad today. And know, it is truthfulness (Sidq) and Allah has said
in the conclusion of His words regarding the difficult battle (Tabook) and what He has told us
about those who remained behind O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those
who are true (in words and deeds) (Taubah, 119).
And Allah has said regarding the true believing Mujahideen: Only those are the believers who
have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their
wealth and their lives for the course of Allah. Those! They are the truthful. (Hujaraat, 15)
And Allah says: and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the
time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are the
Mutaqoon (the pious) (Baqarah, 117).
And Allah says describing those who give victory to Allah and His Messenger: Those! They
are the truthful.
And for that reason I have singled you out with this letter for it is for the truthful alone; I do not
address herein other than them during this complicated darkness and blind Fitan (trials). Because
through truthfulness (Sidq) Hidayah is expected which leads to Bir (righteousness). Like the
hadeeth Nabi (S.A.W.) said, Always be truthful, for verily truthfulness (Sidq) leads to
righteousness (Bir), and righteousness (Al Bir) leads to Jannah. A man will keep speaking
the truth and striving to speak the truth until he will be recorded with Allah as a Sideeq
(speaker of the truth). And beware of lying, for verily lying leads to wickedness (Fujoor)
and wickedness leads to the Fire. A man will keep telling lies and striving to tell lies until he
is recorded with Allah as a liar.
And for that reason I have chosen you for this letter and what it contains of advice and counsel
without looking to the faction that you have joined and given Bayah (allegiance) to. Because the
Fitnah (trials) and the Balaa (tribulations) have been overwhelming and widespread, and the one
who remains silent without giving advice to Islam and its people, to the Jihad and the
Mujahideen out of fear of criticism or ostracism has become a silent Shaytaan (devil)... while the
distorter, deceiver and misrepresentor is worse than him, since he is the Shaytaan (devil)
attracting others to disseminate falsehood with his own army.
And what compelled me to giving this advice is firstly my concern for you borne out of our
brotherhood in Deen. And my concern before that for Islam and the Jihad not to be distorted, and
the Amaanah (trust) that I have carried on my shoulders also prompts me, for certainly you and
those like you have been brought up on a Manhaj (methodology) of which I am among the
prominent callers to. And you are learning books of which the most renowned are my books, and
reading publications, the most prominent being my publications, no one is able to deny or reject
that except the arrogant (mukaabir), and from there I will not betray the Amanaat (trust) of Allah,
Who has said: O you who believe! Betray not Allah and His Messenger, nor betray
knowingly your Amanaat (things entrusted to you, and all the duties Allah has ordained for
you).
My precious brother when you have entered the field of Jihad and if you are destined to be
among the extremists then beware of being heedless of the sanctity of the blood of the
Muslimeen, all the Muslimeen even the disobedient among them, for Rasoolullah (S.A.W)
addressed the Muslimeen altogether despite the different levels of Imaan during Hajil Widaa
(the Farewell Hajj) saying: O people, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as
Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust.
And remember from among the most severe warnings reported in the Book of Allah that you
have gone forth to give victory to and rule by. Is the warning of intentionally killing a believer,
when Allah said: And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide
therein; and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah is upon him, and a great punishment is
prepared for him.
And from the Sunnah, Rasoolullah (S.A.W) : If the inhabitants of the heavens and the
inhabitants of the earth all took part in shedding the blood of a believer, then Allah would
cast them (all) in the Fire.
And by Allah I am concerned for you to become kindle for battles between Muslimeen,
participating in the slaughter of the Masoomeen ( those that are protected) and cutting of the
necks of the Muslimeen in the name of the Dawlah (state) and Khilafah (Caliphate) or in the
name of Jihad and seeking martyrdom or the claim of fighting the Sahawaat without proof or
clarification, and through this you become the kindle of Jahanam, May Allah protect you and us
from it, and certainly you have left your house searching for Jannah and striving for salvation
from the Fire. So reckon each of your steps that you take before you are taken into account with
a difficult reckoning. And weigh each of your actions with the scale of the Sharia'h before
neither wealth nor sons will avail, except he who comes to Allah with a clean heart. And know
the direction of each of your bullets that you fire, it is not fired during a wedding or out of
happiness where bullets are scattered in the sky, but in a field where the Muslim and Kaafir, the
Bir (righteous) and Fajir (immoral) are mixed and you, or your group are not the only ones
seeking to give victory to the Shariah and ruling by it.
And in Sahih Muslim reported from Abu Hurairah (R.A) Nabi (S.A.W) said: ... One who
fights under the banner of a people who are blind (to the cause of which they are fighting.
i.e. do not know whether their cause is just or otherwise), who gets flared up with
Asabiyah (loyalty to a group), calls (people) to fight for their groups honour, supports kith
and kin (i.e. fights not for the cause of Allah but for the sake of this group or tribe) if he is
killed (in this fight), he dies as one belonging to the days of Jahiliyyah. Who so attacks my
Ummah (indiscriminately) killing the righteous and the wicked of them, sparing not (even)
those staunch in faith and fulfilling not his promise made with those who have been given a
pledge of security- he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him.
So beware of believing everything that is told to you such as describing some of the Muslimeen
with titles that make their blood and wealth Halaal like the tiles of Sahawaat and Sulooliyah and
apostasy (Ridah) etc. But confirm and do not be a blind follower, as a precaution for your Deen,
do not be deceived or listen to everyone and his brother (Tom, Dick and Harry),because lying is
a popular commodity between most of those disputing without any measure or weight. And the
biased are not distinguished, and the sickness of Asabiyah (loyalty to a group) corrupts the sense
of understanding and perceptivity. And beware of following the videos propagated these days its
people boasting with the severed heads of the Muslimeen. And remember the bold display of sin
is either due to the lack of Hayaa (modesty) for the Gaze of The Rabb (Allah) or the denial that
he is being watched and will be reckoned. And remember the Sahih Hadeeth, Nabi (S.A.W) said:
Whoever kills a believer and delights in his killing, Allah will not accept from any action
or duty of his (Fard or Nafl)
Abdullah Ibn Masood (R.A) reports Rasoolullah (S.A.W) said: A man will come, holding
another mans hand, and will say; O Lord, this man killed me. Allah will say to him:
Why did you kill him? He will say: I killed him so that the glory would be to you. He
will say: It is to Me. Then (another) man will come holding another mans hand, and will
say: This man killed me. Allah will say to him: Why did you kill him? He will say: So
that the glory would be to so and so. He will say: It is not to so and so, and the burden of
sin will be upon him.
And remember those that you kill will be your adversary on the Day of Qiyammah, either you
come with your proof for killing him, in the name of Allah or for the sake of Allah, or out of
your own desire, or for worldly benefit or in the assistance of Baatil (falsehood) or out of
Asabiyah ( loyalty to a group), thus destroying you. And know that blood is from the greatest
dilemmas on the Day of Qiyammah and it comes in the Hadeeth: The first matter concerning
which people will be judged on The Day of Qiyammah will be the matter of blood
So first ponder your standing in front of Allah for Judgement, in which matter will you be asked
about first...
And Nabi (S.A.W) said: A Mumin will remain at liberty regarding his religion unless he
kills somebody unlawfully.
Beware of holding onto this liberty and do not loose it or be deprived of it.
And likewise the wealth, beware of dealing in the rights of Muslimeen, declaring them Kufaar to
make Halaal the confiscation of their rights and wealth, certainly you have gone out in the Path
of Allah so beware of taking or looting a dirham from the believers or confiscating a dinar so
your fighting becomes for the sake of wealth or for stealing or looting or confiscating the rights
of the Muslimeen. Allah says: O you who believe! When you go (to fight) in the cause of
Allah, verify (the truth), and say not to anyone who greets you (by embracing Islam): You
are not a believer: seeking the perishable goods of the worldly life. There are much more
profits and booties with Allah. Even as he is now, so were you yourselves before till Allah
conferred on you His Favours (i.e. guided you to Islam), therefore be cautious in
discrimination. Allah is Ever Well Acquainted of what you do.
And Bukhari reported from Khawla Al Ansariyah (R.A): I heard Nabi (S.A.W) saying: Some
people spend Allahs wealth (i.e. Muslims wealth) in an unjust manner, such people will be
put in the Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection
Abi Hurairah (R.A) said: Nabi (S.A.W.) said: Whoever had oppressed another person
concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day
of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has
good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he
has done, if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him.
And in Sahih Muslim, reported from Abi Umamah (R.A) Rasoolullah (S.A.W) said: Allah
decrees the fire and debars Jannah for the one who usurps the rights of a believer by
taking a false oath. One man asked, O Messenger of Allah! Even if it should be for an
insignificant thing? He said even if it be a stick of the Arak tree (the tree from which the
miswaak sticks are taken.)
So beware of transgressing in the wealth of the people or confiscating their rights through simple
minded interpretations and corrupted claims, the asal ( principle) is the protection of the
Muslim and his blood and his property even if he is a sinner, and do not be deceived by the
Ghoulaat (extremists) who make Takfeer (pass the ruling of Kufr) with the smallest of doubts to
make his wealth Halaal through this, and remember the advice Allah has given you twice:
verify (the truth) and His reminder when He said: Allah is Ever Well Acquainted of
what you do. And remember you have left seeking Jannah which is as wide as the heavens and
the earth, so do not loose it for this perishable world.
And remember the words of Rasoolullah (S.A.W): The Muslim is the one from (the harm of)
whose tongue and hand (other) Muslims are safe, and the believer is the one with whom the
people trust their blood and their wealth.
My truthful brother surely you have one Rooh (soul) that is between your sides, so do not gamble
with it in the obedience of the blind, he who you have given your Bayah (allegiance) to , for
verily he will not avail you against Allah at all, the day that you will be asked about the blood
that you have spilt and you will find him calling Myself! Myself, Close friends, that Day, will
be enemies to each other, except the righteous.
And know, today what alot of the zealous are calling martyrdom operations, most of it has
exceeded the bounds that the U'lama who have searched have set, and have deviated from the
path that has been drawn with Shar'ee( Islamic Laws) proofs, infact it has transgressed the limits
of Allah and advancing towards Jahanam through it, and is now tasting the blood that is
protected, and you do not own but one Rooh (soul)m know where you place it, for it shall never
return to the Dunya (world) after that Rooh (soul) has departed and left to seek something other
than that which you have exploded yourself for and there would be no moment of escape, and
then there is no other chance or moment to achieve more reward!! So beware of accepting an
operation among the dwellings of the Mujahideen and the areas of the Muslimeen or their
gatherings and markets for this is not Jihad, nor Istishaad (seeking martyrdom) but infact is
aggression and criminality.
And remember that the trusted Ulama of Jihad have not made permissible these types of
operations primarily, except out of necessity and to eliminate a real and definite evil that cannot
otherwise be removed besides through this exceptional means, and without using this manner of
defence the harm will be greater to Islam and its people, so how do you permit to transform
yourself into a time bomb whether it be to a necessary or unnecessary objective?? How can you
be pleased to reap the souls of the believers and destroy the dwellings of the Mujahideen and
reap the innocent souls among the Muslimeen through such an act???
Beware of obedience to the blind in that as well as other matters and remember what came in the
Sahihain (Bukhari and Muslim) from the words of Nabi (S.A.W); Obedience is required only
in what is good.
And in Musnad Ahmed reported from Nabi (S.A.W): There is no obedience to the creation in
the disobedience of Allah Aza Wa Jal
And remember you are a precious Mujahid and not a blind follower.. so think about the targets
that you are pushed towards and ponder it and do let the clappers and drummers deceive you if
you desire Allah and the Abode of the Akhirah. That home of the Hereafter We assign to
those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the (best) outcome is
for the righteous.
My dear brother we are all desirous of the Khilafah and the state wherein the Shariah is law, and
for the Jihad with the purpose of establishing it and raising its flag... but the propaganda needs
evidence on the ground to distinguish the truthful from the liars, and that will be made clearly
apparent when a Sharee ruling (an Islamic law) is passed that opposes the whims and desires,
then whoever rejects it is not from the truthful (Sadiqeen) even if it is echoed by hundreds and
thousands clap for them, and the followers are deceived by them, and you have been brought up
upon Tawheed which you have called and strived to establish, it is not appropriate for you to be
obliging to those who refuse to take the ruling of the Shariah in the manner that pleases Allah,
or be deceived no matter how bright or embellished or camouflaged it may be, he should firstly
apply the Shariah to himself, and if he is truthful he should give in to it in every matter big or
small, and if he does not than By Allah he is not of the truthful.
Allah says: And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Word, The Quraan) and His
Messenger, to judge between them, lo! A party of them refuses (to come) and turns away
(*) But if the truth is on their side, they come to him willingly with submission. (*) Is there
a disease in their hearts or do they doubt or fear lest Allah and His Messenger should
wrong them in judgement. Nay, it is they themselves who are the Dhalimoon (polytheists,
hypocrites and wrongdoers). (*) The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are
called to Allah (His Words, The Quraan) and His Messenger, to judge between them, is
that they say; We hear and we obey. And such are the successful (who will live forever in
Paradise)
My truthful brother if your feet have led you to fall into the trap of some of the groups that have
allied themselves to the leaders of apostasy, and have submitted to it, and you proceed in
accordance to their agenda and you obey their directives and raise the flag of ignorance and
strive for an objective that is not legitimate infact is actually shirk, then go back immediately and
do not take a step in this direction, it is better for you to sit in your land among your family than
to fire a single bullet or take one step under this banner and join this group..
And if you have gone out for the Deen of Allah and for Jihad in the Path of Allah, which will be
achieved, when the fighting is to make the Word of Allah the highest and for the religion, all of it
is for Allah not so and so. Allah says: And fight them until there is no Fitnah and (until) the
religion, all of it, is for Allah And in Bukhari, reported from Saeed Bin Jubair (R.A);
Abdullah Ibn Umar came to us and we hoped that he will narrate to us a good Hadeeth.
But before we asked him, a man got up and said to him; Oh Abu Abdurrahman! Narrate
to us about the battles during the times of the afflictions (Fitnah), as Allah says: And fight
them until there is no more afflictions (Fitnah- no more worshipping of others besides
Allah).; Ibn Umar said; Do you know what is meant by afflictions (Fitnah)? Let your
mother bereave you! Muhammed (S.A.W) used to fight against the Mushrikeen (pagans)
for a Muslim was put to trail in his religion (the pagans would either kill him or chain him
as a captive). His fighting was not like your fighting which is carried on for the sake of
ruling.
And Nabi (S.A.W) said, reported from Abi Musa (R.A.) : Nabi (S.A.W) was asked about who
fights in the battle field out of valour, or out of zeal, or showing off, which of this is
considered fighting in the Cause of Allah? He said; He who fight sin order that the word
of Allah remains the supreme, is considered as fighting in The Cause of Allah.
So scrutinize the banner, and ponder the objectives and take precaution from deviance.
And at the same time beware of wounding associates and testimony of an enemy against his own
enemy and spreading accusations recklessly and accusing people of Kufr and Apostasy without
proof, and beware of those who make Takfeer (pass the ruling of Kufr) and kills, following and
relying on his group and thinking good of his brothers, and know that there is alot of whims and
desires in the field, and enmity and rifts have spread within it, and the limitations of Allah have
been exceeded, and the sanctities have been transgressed, and the pure blood has been spilt
without right, and every man will argue for himself, and he will be questioned by Allah
regarding his word and actions, so beware of being from those who say Huh! Huh! I heard the
people saying something so I killed him! Then it is said to you did not know, nor did you read,
nor were you guided. And ask for proof because that is what you were brought up on, and
through it you learnt, and you obtained knowledge from this Pure Prophetic Methodology. So
beware of concluding your life with following (Taqleed) in the greatest of matters and the most
severe in danger and by this I mean Takfeer and what it results in, of making Halaal the blood
and wealth and the cutting of the necks and the burning of the corpses and carnage.
in the Sahih Hadeeth: The extinction of the whole world is less significant before Allah than
killing a Muslim man
And reported from Ibn Umar (R.A.): One of the evil deeds with bad consequence from
which there is no escape for the one who is involved in it is to kill someone unlawfully
So beware of entering these doors and if you have been involved in any part of it then remove
yourself immediately and seek repentance from it and return the rights to those whom it is due to
before it is not dirhams and dinar but it is good and evil deeds, and beware of persistence on a sin,
because there is always a sin that is greater.
Repent and abstain from all of it before repentance and regret will be of no benefit, or even
before departing from the battlefield and relinquishing your weapons to only subsequently gain
clarity of the realities after which you would engage in a bankrupt repentance as termed by some
Ulama since this would be in a condition where you face no trials and have no ability to do
anything.
My truthful brother I have no doubt that there are those like you present among most of the
groups fighting in Syria today despite the defacement and deviation of most of the banners and
inspite of this I will not say to you that there is no true Jihad in Shaam today, Allah Forbid, and I
will not say that there is no pure banner in the fields, nay, but there will always be a group from
this Ummah carrying out this matter, those who oppose them will never harm them, nor those
who abandon them, until the Decision of Allah comes, just as the Saadiq (truthful), the Masdooq
(whose truth has been attested by Allah) (S.A.W) has said.
And Allah said: Say, This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow
me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with him.
But I say to understand the path , and fear Allah regarding the Muslimeen and their blood and
their Jihad and their Deen and search for the group that is carrying out the command of Allah
that does not incline to Ghuloo (extremism) or not to Tafreet (negligence) , and learn, and prove,
and clarify and beware of becoming a blind follower walking fallen on your face, and you kill,
and loot, and slaughter, and disfigure the Deen of Allah and the Jihad of the Muslimeen, as you
should beware of allying those who do not want the Rule of Allah or becoming a soldier for
those who are not concerned with the establishment of the Shariah of Allah let alone those who
plot against its people.
And submit yourself to Allah to guide you so that you may be a soldier for the Shariah guarding
it from aggression and protecting it from frivolity and distortion and so you raise a pure clear
banner in a time where your Deen is targeted and the call is being made by its enemies and alot
of its ignorant sons to distort, fight and hinder it.
Allah says; And those who strive for Us We shall surely guide them to Our ways. And
indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.
And in a Hadeeth Qudsee: Oh my slaves, all of you are liable to err except the one who I
guide to the right path.
ABU MUHAMMED AL MAQDISI
SHAWAAL 1435