O you who believe in Allah (swt) and RasulAllah (saw)!

RasulAllah (saw) said in a hadith,

"سيد الشهداء حمزة ورجل قام إلى إمام جائر فنصحه فقتله"

"The prince of martyrs is Hamzah and the man who stood facing a tyrant ruler, gave him the correct advice and the ruler killed him." [Reported by al-Haakim]

O you who account the tyrant rulers of today!

Our master, RasulAllah (saw), compared the man who accounted the tyrant ruler with the prince of martyrs, lion of Allah, beloved uncle of RasulAllah (saw), Hamza (ra).

So who is this Hamza (ra) that we seek to be compared to? It is Hamza (ra) who was a shield for the Muslims in their time of need, due to his princely status amongst the Qur'aysh. It is Hamza (ra) who was the attraction for many to embrace Islam, from the tribes, due to that status. It is Hamza (ra) who embraced Islam and stood so firmly upon it that he angered the enemy to an extent they appointed a slave Wahshiy, bribing him with freedom and urging him to maintain a single focus in Uhud, the martyrdom of Hamza (ra). It is Hamza (ra) about whom, when he (saw) saw his martyred body declared, "I will never have a worse loss in my life than yours. I have never been more outraged than now... if Allah destines me to win over the Qur'aysh, I will cut thirty of them into pieces." And it is upon these words from RasulAllah (saw) about the prince of martyrs, Hamza (ra), that Allah (swt) revealed,

ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ))

وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُوا بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَئِنْ صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِلصَّابِرِينَ

((وَاصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ تَكُ فِي ضَيْقٍ مِمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ

"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them with that which is best. Truly, your Lord best knows who has strayed from His path, and He best knows those who are guided. And if you punish them, then punish them with the like of that with which you were afflicted. But if you have patience with them, then it is better for those who are patient. And be patient, and your patience will not be, but by the help of Allah. And do not grieve over them, and do not be distressed by their plots." [Surah An-Nahl: 125-127]

Indeed, this Ummah does not grieve over its martyrs, nor does it count them, for they are assured by their Lord of Paradise and their faces will be lit with glee at a time when those awaiting for judgment will be steeped in fear. Such is the status of martyrs, so what of their princes?

O you who aspire to be princes of the martyrs!

It is a path that RasulAllah (saw) committed the Ummah to, to hold the tyrant to account. It is the highest of the worships, for which the minds do not slow, the limbs do not tire and the hearts yearn for the sweet rewards from it. Accounting the ruler, who is the origin of the Maroof, if he is good, and the Munkar, if he is evil, is obliged. Enjoining the good and forbidding the munkar, seizing the hand of the Oppressor is commended in the highest terms and neglect of it is condemned with the harshest of warnings. RasulAllah (saw) said,

"وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَأْمُرُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَتَنْهَوُنَّ عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ أَوْ لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عِقَابًا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ تَدْعُونَهُ فَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَكُمْ"

"By the One in Whose Hand lies my soul, you must order the ma'roof and forbid the munkar, or Allah will be about to send a punishment, then you will supplicate to Him and you will not be answered." [Tirmidhi]

"لتأخذنّ على يد الظالم ولتأطرنّه على الحق أطرا ولتقصرنّه على الحق قصرا أو ليضربنّ الله بقلوب بعضكم على بعض ثم ليلعنكم كما لعنهم"

"Seize the hands of the oppressor and hold and restrict him to the Truth exclusively on the right, or Allah will strike your hearts against each other and you will be cursed as they (Bani Israel) were cursed."

O you who tread the path of the princes of the martyrs!

Whilst upon this path of accounting the ruler, the Muslim does not fear any loss at the hand of the evil ones, who harass, imprison and torture, sometimes leading to death, as has been seen throughout the Muslim World. The Muslim does not fear losing the company of the loved ones, or losing the ability to provide Nafaqah for them, or even the loss of life itself, which is the origin of companionship and striving for maintenance for our most beloved. For the one who seeks to be the prince of martyrs is the one who considers the words of Allah (swt) when He (swt) says,

((فَلاَ تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِي))

"so fear them not, but fear Me!" [Surah al-Baqarah: 150]

And he considers the words of RasulAllah (saw) when he (saw) said before a belligerent Quraysh

"... فوالله لا أزال أجاهد عن الذي بعثني الله به حتى يظهره الله أو تنفرد هذه السالفة"

"...By Allah, I will continue to strive for the mission for which Allah sent me, until either this (deen) is victorious, or they sever my neck"

He considers that the best of all provisions is that granted in Jannah and the best of its companionship is that found in its highest levels. He considers that those who love each other will be raised in status in the Akhira through this love. So these considerations propel him to strive more and more, sacrifice more and more, yearning for the highest Jannah, the best of provisions and best of companionships for eternity, so that those whom he loves are raised with him, inshaaAllah.

So, why should the Muslim fear the loss of provision or the loss of the companionship, in this fleeting life? It is this resolve that inspires the loved ones and strengthens them when they falter. It is what is seen in the eyes and felt in the passion of movement towards the obliteration of Kufr and falsehood.  It is this resolve which inspires the loved ones to urge the Carrier of Dawah, "If you falter or are weak before the evil ones, you will not be welcomed on your return. Stand firm until you embrace the martyrdom and we will rejoice with you in the Aakhira"

O you who seek to run along the path of the princes of the martyrs!

Let us plant firm footsteps on this path. Let us not falter even for a single footstep, either through fear of the oppressor or through love of our most cherished. Let us be assured of the reward that we will carry for ourselves and for those whom we love. Let us be assured that the tyrants are falling and weakening before the relentless march of this Ummah. And may we rejoice soon inshaaAllah at the end of the Kufr rule and rise of the rule of Islam. May we live as princes and die as martyrs. Ameen

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ (•) فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آَتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

"Never take those killed in the way of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, well-provided, happy with what Allah has given them of His grace; and they feel pleased with the good news, about those left behind them who could not join them, that there shall be no fear for them nor shall they grieve." [Surah Aal-Imran: 169-170]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Musab ibn Umayr