What Should a Muslim's Stance Be During Trials?

What is the Muslim's stance toward the fitan sweeping Muslim lands today?

There is no doubt: one who looks at Muslims today sees rampant fitna.

Its evil has grown immense, and its harm disastrous.

It has caused Muslims hardship and fear.

And the loss of benefits.

Seeing these fitan increases certainty in the truth of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah.

It is built on the Book of Allah ﷻ and the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger ﷺ.

He knows that, due to limited vision, a person may not endure his state.

And seeks something else, so he loses what he has and gains no good.

Rather, from that comes immense evil and great harm.

First: the Muslim's stance toward fitan.

When a Muslim sees the trials striking the Muslims.

And the evil that has befallen them he should not gloat over them.

Nor should he rejoice at what befalls them.

Rather, the believers are brothers. We should feel our brothers' pain.

And we should grieve for the harm that befell them.

And we should pray to Allah ﷻ to lift the affliction from them.

And unite them upon goodness and guidance.

And ward off from them the evil of these trials.

The believer does not rejoice at a calamity that befalls his brother.

Rather, he asks Allah ﷻ to ward off this affliction from his Muslim brothers.

The second matter is to take it as a lesson.

The wise person takes lessons from others.

So he looks at these trials that befell the Muslims.

And the harm they caused, and the evil they caused.

And the good it has taken away, and the fear it has caused.

And how, when matters break apart, they cannot be put back in order.

And restoring order becomes hard, whatever people imagine.

For reality is unlike expectation.

Some people say, "We want to remove evil, and we can preserve good."

So they removed what they thought was evil, but the good did not remain.

Rather, people became like a herd, attacking each other—Allah ﷻ save us.

We must take heed and thank Allah ﷻ for unity and leadership.

We do not claim perfection for our rulers, nor for ourselves.

But unity is better, and having leadership is better.

So we rejoice in it and ask Allah ﷻ to preserve it.

And we strive in sincere counsel by sound, approved Sharia means.

Part of a Muslim's stance in fitnah is to remember Allah ﷻ.

and recite the Quran often. By it, Allah ﷻ wards fitnah from hearts.

Part of a Muslim's stance in fitnah is to keep to senior scholars.

and beware innovators and people of whims.

And people with sweet tongues but little knowledge.

Rather, keep to scholars known for knowledge.

From them you hear only: Allah said; His Messenger ﷺ said.

The salaf understood it thus. The Companions did too, and lived by it.

Part of a Muslim's stance in fitnah is to beware haste and be deliberate.

For haste at any time is loved by Satan.

But in times of fitnah, it is a greater evil.

So in times of fitnah, a Muslim should keep away from haste.

And be deliberate.

In any case, I have a full lecture called Fiqh of Fitan.

It is available online.

It has also now been printed and is available in print.

And one can benefit from it, if Allah ﷻ wills.

I ask Allah ﷻ by His beautiful Names and lofty attributes.

that He lift the affliction from the Muslims and grant them security.

and unite them upon goodness, and preserve Muslim lands from fitnah.

and preserve the Muslims' community and their imam in every land.

and unite them upon guidance and piety.

and set everyone's affairs aright. And Allah knows best.