[وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡ تَغۡفُلُونَ عَنۡ أَسۡلِحَتِكُمۡ وَأَمۡتِعَتِكُمۡ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيۡكُم مَّيۡلَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗۚ]
“Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons, and your belongings, so they could attack you in one sudden assault.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa: 102]
(Translated)

https://www.alwaie.org/archives/article/20028
Al Waie Magazine Issue No. 471
Thirty-Ninth Year, Jumada I 1447 AH corresponding to October 2025 CE
Ibrahim Salamah

Allah (swt) said,

[وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمۡ فَأَقَمۡتَ لَهُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَلۡتَقُمۡ طَآئِفَةٞ مِّنۡهُم مَّعَكَ وَلۡيَأۡخُذُوٓاْ أَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۖ فَإِذَا سَجَدُواْ فَلۡيَكُونُواْ مِن وَرَآئِكُمۡ وَلۡتَأۡتِ طَآئِفَةٌ أُخۡرَىٰ لَمۡ يُصَلُّواْ فَلۡيُصَلُّواْ مَعَكَ وَلۡيَأۡخُذُواْ حِذۡرَهُمۡ وَأَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۗ وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡ تَغۡفُلُونَ عَنۡ أَسۡلِحَتِكُمۡ وَأَمۡتِعَتِكُمۡ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيۡكُم مَّيۡلَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِن كَانَ بِكُمۡ أَذٗى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوۡ كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَن تَضَعُوٓاْ أَسۡلِحَتَكُمۡۖ وَخُذُواْ حِذۡرَكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٗا مُّهِينٗا]

“And when you are among them and lead them in Salah, let a group of them stand with you and let them take their weapons. Then when they prostrate, let them be behind you. Let another group who have not made Salah come forward and pray with you, taking their precautions and their weapons. Those who disbelieve wish that you neglect your weapons and your belongings, so they will attack you in one sudden assault. There is no blame upon you if you are troubled by rain or are ill for putting down your weapons, but take your precautions. Indeed, Allah has prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa 102].

This noble verse highlights the importance of Salah and the Shariah obligation to perform it even in times of war and fear. It is the believer’s indispensable weapon, the constant connection with Allah (swt), the pillar of Deen, the soundness of faith, and the proof of contentment with Allah’s decree, submission to His judgment, and adherence to His commands and the Sunnah of His Prophet (saw). Salah is not waived for a Muslim as long as he is of sound mind and body. Instead, he or she is required to perform Salah even in the most perilous situations.

The Quranic verse’s meaning alerts the Muslim to the Shariah obligation of keeping his weapon even while performing Salah. Carrying a weapon outside of Salah is even more obligatory and binding, so that you may be safe from the treachery of your enemy,

[وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡ تَغۡفُلُونَ عَنۡ أَسۡلِحَتِكُمۡ وَأَمۡتِعَتِكُمۡ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيۡكُم مَّيۡلَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗۚ]

“Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons and your belongings so they could attack you in one sudden assault.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisa: 102]. That is, an ambushing assault that would leave nothing standing.

The reality of life testifies to the cunning, deception, and plotting of the disbelievers against the believers. Allah (swt) has permitted those who are harmed or sick to put down their weapons for a time, but He followed this with His words, may His glory be exalted,

[وَخُذُواْ حِذۡرَكُمۡۗ]

“And take your precautions” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa’ 102], meaning: Beware of becoming complacent, or relying on those who have wronged you, so that you put down your weapons, and become negligent of your enemy.

Allah (swt) has prepared a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers, either from Himself through His own forces – [وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ] “And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him” [TMQ Surah al-Mudathir 31] – or at the hands of the believers who fear and obey Him. So, fear Allah, O people of understanding, and obey Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), and stand firm in fighting your enemy, for you are facing a people upon whom Allah (swt) has decreed humiliation and disgrace. So be steadfast, be steadfast, and make reliance (tawakkul) upon Allah (swt), and strive sincerely in His Path. Allah (swt) said,

[وَلَاتَهِنُواْ فِي ٱبۡتِغَآءِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِۖ إِن تَكُونُواْ تَأۡلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمۡ يَأۡلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأۡلَمُونَۖ وَتَرۡجُونَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَرۡجُونَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا]

“And do not falter in pursuit of the enemy. If you are suffering, they are suffering as you are suffering, but you expect from Allah (swt) that which they do not expect. And Allah (swt) is ever Knowing and Wise.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa: 104].

Continue fighting your enemy, and let nothing deter you. Follow the Shariah Law of Allah (swt) and do not transgress. Proceed steadfastly, without weariness or exhaustion, and do not submit or yield, despite the wounds, pain, and sacrifices. You have prepared all the strength you could muster, and Allah (swt) does not disappoint the hopes of His righteous servants. Have good Iman in Allah (swt), for He has promised victory, mercy, pardon, and forgiveness to His believing servants.

No matter how fierce the fighting, how dire the calamities, how numerous the trials and tribulations, and how scarce the provisions and support, victory is in the hands of Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise,

[وَمَا ٱلنَّصۡرُ إِلَّا مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ]

“And victory comes only from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise.” [TMQ Surah Aali Imran 126]. Indeed, the disbelievers are in greater pain than you, for they have no hope of victory or mercy from Allah (swt), having disbelieved in Him and disobeyed Him. For them, death is a source of anguish in their hearts, a curse upon their souls, and a blindness to their understanding. As for you, O believers, [وَتَرۡجُونَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَرۡجُونَۗ]“You hope from Allah (swt) what they do not hope for.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa’ 104]. You hope for His mercy and forgiveness, and that He will accept you as righteous martyrs in His cause, and bestow His grace and generosity upon you and your descendants.

Allah (swt) said,

[إِن يَمۡسَسۡكُمۡ قَرۡحٞ فَقَدۡ مَسَّ ٱلۡقَوۡمَ قَرۡحٞ مِّثۡلُهُۥۚ وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعۡلَمَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمۡ شُهَدَآءَۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ]

“If a wound afflicts you, a similar wound has afflicted the opposing people. And such days of varying fortunes We alternate among people so that Allah (swt) may distinguish those who have believed and take from among you martyrs – and God does not love the wrongdoers.” [TMQ Surah Aali Imran: 140]. Allah (swt) honors you with martyrdom, selecting you from among the nation in its entirety, choosing you as martyrs from among His best servants,

[أَحۡيَآءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ يُرۡزَقُونَ]

“Alive, they will be provided for with their Lord.” [TMQ Surah Aali Imran: 169] enjoying His pleasure and mercy. There will be no fear for you, nor will you grieve. And Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said,

[إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَيَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلۡأَشۡهَٰدُ]

“Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during this worldly life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth.” [TMQ Surah Al-Ghafir: 51]. Indeed, Allah’s promise is true and certain, without a doubt. It is a decisive, firm, clear, and evident promise, beyond dispute, as He, Glory be to Him, said,

[إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ]

“Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe.” [TMQ Surah Al-Ghafir: 51].

The Messenger of Allah (saw) was victorious through his obedience to Allah (swt), through conveying His Risaalah message, through Allah’s support and victory for him, and through the strength of his Iman and humanity, and with him were the sincere believers who obeyed Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) and devoted their faces to Allah (swt) Alone.

The Prophet (saw) established the Islamic Deen in the reality of life, organizing and governing people according to the Shariah Law of Allah, and establishing a just Islamic state in Madinah. This state endured for centuries until the Muslims' commitment to their Deen weakened, their unity dispersed, and they fell behind in leading humanity, leading to the collapse of their state. Nevertheless, Allah's promise remains true and will not fail, as long as Muslims are sincere in their Iman, devoted in their reliance (tawwakul) on Him (swt), and dedicated to implementing His commands, governing by His Shariah Law, and adhering to the guidance of His Messenger (saw).

Allah (swt) said,

[يَوۡمَ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ مَعۡذِرَتُهُمۡۖ]

“On the Day when the wrongdoers will not benefit from their excuse.” [TMQ Surah Al-Ghafir 52]. The wrongdoers are the disbelievers, and those who rule by other than what Allah (swt) has revealed, from among the rulers of Muslims of this time, who have allied themselves with the disbelievers and supported them, and abandoned the support of their brothers in Palestine and the rest of the lands of Islam, so they deserve the curse of Allah (swt) and the evil abode. Allah (swt) said,

[وَلَهُمُ ٱللَّعۡنَةُ وَلَهُمۡ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ]

“And for them is the curse, and for them is the evil abode.” [TMQ Surah Al-Ghafir: 52].

These rulers and their assistants from the armies and cowardly henchmen have become agents in the hands of the enemies of Islam, as if they were part of those armies that oppress defenseless Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere. There is no protector for the Muslims except Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, the best of protectors and the best of helpers.

This Crusader-Zionist cancer must be eradicated and eliminated, along with all those who support it and provide it with the means to survive, including the rulers of Muslim lands. Calls to lay down arms in Gaza, or anywhere else in the Muslim world, are suspect and no believer would endorse them, as they contradict the words of Allah (swt),

[وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُم مَّا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن قُوَّةٖ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ ٱلۡخَيۡلِ تُرۡهِبُونَ بِهِۦ عَدُوَّ ٱللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمۡ وَءَاخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُهُمۡۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيۡءٖ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيۡكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تُظۡلَمُونَ]

“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know but whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.” [TMQ Surah Al-Anfaal:60]. So, O Muslims, prepare whatever strength and defense you can muster, keep your weapons, fight your enemy, and do not weaken, submit, or surrender your weapons, for the matter is in the Hands of Allah (swt); to Him belongs the judgment before and after.

Practical reality testifies to the invalidity of the claim of laying down arms in the face of the usurping occupier. Britain, for example, occupied Egypt for about eighty years, and did not leave until America forced it out to take its place. Britain had stripped Turkey of its history and religion, dominated the Arabian Peninsula with the help of Sharif Hussein and Ibn Saud, then occupied ash-Sham and Iraq, shaped them to its liking, established the Jewish entity, and brought the Arab countries into a sham war with the Zionist gangs, to enable them to establish their state.

Since then, the Arab world has been under the indirect influence of Western colonialism, with its kings and presidents. Remember the massacres committed by the Jews in Palestine under the protection of the British, who prevented the Palestinians from acquiring any weapons, or forming any meaningful organization.

Remember Deir Yassin, Sabra and Shatila, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan, and the massacres that took place there despite the alleged Western guarantees!

O Arab rulers, if you cannot expel the occupier from Gaza — a legitimate right even according to international law — then do not align yourselves with the Americans and the Jews and demand the surrender of weapons! May Allah (swt) punish you! Some Western newspapers have reported that six Arab countries cooperated intellectually, in security, militarily, and commercially with the Zionist entity throughout the war on Gaza. So, where must the people stand?!

Allah (swt) says,

[وَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَٰفِلًا عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَۚ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ لِيَوۡمٖ تَشۡخَصُ فِيهِ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ ٤٢ مُهۡطِعِينَ مُقۡنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمۡ لَا يَرۡتَدُّ إِلَيۡهِمۡ طَرۡفُهُمۡۖ وَأَفۡ‍ِٔدَتُهُمۡ هَوَآءٞ ٤٣ وَأَنذِرِ ٱلنَّاسَ يَوۡمَ يَأۡتِيهِمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ فَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ رَبَّنَآ أَخِّرۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ قَرِيبٖ نُّجِبۡ دَعۡوَتَكَ وَنَتَّبِعِ ٱلرُّسُلَۗ أَوَ لَمۡ تَكُونُوٓاْ أَقۡسَمۡتُم مِّن قَبۡلُ مَا لَكُم مِّن زَوَالٖ ٤٤ وَسَكَنتُمۡ فِي مَسَٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ فَعَلۡنَا بِهِمۡ وَضَرَبۡنَا لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَ ٤٥ وَقَدۡ مَكَرُواْ مَكۡرَهُمۡ وَعِندَ ٱللَّهِ مَكۡرُهُمۡ وَإِن كَانَ مَكۡرُهُمۡ لِتَزُولَ مِنۡهُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ ٤٦ فَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِفَ وَعۡدِهِۦ رُسُلَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٞ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٖ٤٧]

“And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare in horror, (42) racing ahead, their heads raised up, their gaze never returning to them, and their hearts empty. (43) And warn the people of the Day when the punishment will come to them and He will say…” Those who wronged themselves said, “Our Lord, delay us for a short time so that we may answer Your call and follow the messengers.” Did you not swear before that you would never be destroyed? (44) And you dwelt in the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it became clear to you how We dealt with them, and We set forth examples for you. (45) And they plotted Their plotting is with Allah, even if their plotting were such that the mountains would be moved by it. (46) So do not think that Allah will fail in His promise to His Messengers (as). Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might, Owner of Retribution.” [TMQ Surah Ibrahim 42-47]. So let no one think that Allah (swt) is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He gives respite but does not neglect. He gives them respite for a Day when eyes will stare in terror, a Day when hearts will tremble with fear, [مُهۡطِعِينَ مُقۡنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمۡ]“racing ahead, their heads raised up,” meaning hastening, bewildered, and humiliated, [لَا يَرۡتَدُّ إِلَيۡهِمۡ طَرۡفُهُمۡۖ]“their gaze never returning to them,” means their eyes will be frozen from the horror of the situation and [وَأَفۡ‍ِٔدَتُهُمۡ هَوَآءٞ]“and their hearts empty,” devoid of both tranquility and Iman.

Even if the plotting of the kafiroon and their allies is great, Allah is All-Encompassing, and their plotting will come to an end, even if it is so severe as to remove mountains.

Allah (swt) says,

[فَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِفَ وَعۡدِهِۦ رُسُلَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٞ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٖ]

“So do not think that Allah will fail in His promise to His Messengers (as). Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might, the Possessor of Retribution.” [TMQ Surah Ibrahim: 47]. No matter how great the plots of the oppressors and the sacrifices of the believers, Allah’s victory will not be delayed for His allies. Allah’s victory is inevitable, for He has made Islam manifest and empowered the Muslims on the day they were sincere in their struggle and obedience to Him.

O Allah, make our feet firm, forgive us our sins and our excesses in our affairs, and grant us victory over the disbelieving people. O Allah, forgive me, my parents, those who have a right upon me, and all believers on the Day of Reckoning. And send Your blessings, peace, and grace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family (ra) and all his Companions (ra).

Allah (swt) said,

[وَٱللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرِهِۦ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ]

“And Allah is dominant over His affairs, but most of the people do not know.” [TMQ Surah Yusuf: 21].