We are a Ummah that doesn't deserve these men. And when the status of the Ummah is low, and they become blind and ignorant to the sacrifices made by these men, Allah honors their deeds and efforts and takes them away from this Dunya, takes them away from us, as they were the shield that defended this Ummah's honor, but we were not grateful to them. And this is something I have noticed recently, only years after these men have gone, is when people start to realize their true value. Many now miss them, many now prefered the times when they used to roam the forests and mountains. But now that time is gone, and these forests and mountains remain empty, and a sadness fills the people as they now indulge in nostalgia. Truly, when you are ungrateful for something, Allah takes it away.

And how much effort do we put in to even read one page, whilst we live in the comfort of our beds? Or to do Dhikr, or to get up to pray Tahajjud. Most of these brothers had to always be on the alert at night time, some couldn't sleep properly due to the cold, or because of a sickness.

This video always makes me emotional, it is the epitome of sincerity. These brothers are in a forest, under constant danger, in the cold, yet they're spending the little time they have to learn the book of Allah. They sold the comfort of this life for the honor of their Deen and nation. Having to live a wild life in the mountains and forests, always vigilant as they are outnumbered. One cannot even explain in words the things these brothers had to face, as some battles they're surrounded by more than 5,000+ soldiers with support of helicopters, jets and drones. It was sufficient for them to just live this life of struggle, and yet, being ignorant from learning the Quran bothered them, and so they spend this little break they get once in a while to do their best.

Focus on avoiding prohibitions and sins and monitor yourself when sinful thoughts come to mind. With prolonged struggle and effort, the "muscle" of suppressing desires will strengthen in you, enabling you to resist.

Prioritize subduing the desires of the soul and not succumbing to sin more than diversifying acts of obedience, and you'll notice the difference. You won't fall easily!

#copied

"How is it that I do daily rituals and acts of obedience that I adhere to, yet I quickly fall into prohibitions and sins?"

- It's because your inner desires are firmly established within you, and the soul is wielding the scepter of power and control!

Acts of obedience, closeness to God, and daily rituals are all righteous deeds, and we hope they are solely for Allah Almighty. However, you're focusing on your rituals but neglecting to fortify the defenses of your inner self. It's like someone who focuses on closing all windows of the house but forgets to close the main door that faces the street.

Your desires have a stronghold because acts of obedience are relatively easy for your soul, but resisting temptations and doubts is incredibly weak. Hence, you fall!

As the Crusaders made their way to Dimashq, Ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله stood in the city's Masjid al-Umawi and delivered a khutbah in which he said the following:

"O people! What's wrong with you? You forgot your din, abandoned your honor, and refrained from aiding Allah's cause, so He didn't aid you. You think that honor belongs to the mushrik. But Allah reserved honor for Himself, His Messenger, and the believers. Woe to you! Aren't you pained and torn apart to see the enemies of both Allah & yourselves appearing in your land that was irrigated with the blood of your forefathers? They humiliate & subjugate you while you were once the rulers of the world! Aren't your hearts shaken, your zeal stoked, as you see your brothers surrounded by the enemy and suffering all types of attack? Will you eat, drink, and enjoy the pleasures of life while your brothers over there wear clothes of flames and sleep on beds of burning coals?"

He continued, saying that "if you aren't knights of war, then clear the way for the women to turn its wheel. Then go perfume yourselves and apply your eyeliner, you bearded & turbaned women! Otherwise, get on your horses! Here are their bridles & reins. O people! Do you know what these bridles & reins are made of? The women crafted them out of their own hair since they have nothing else to offer. I swear by Allah that these are the braids of young virgins so concealed & protected in their homes that their hair has never been touched by sunlight."

He continued, saying that "if you're unable to place them on those horses, then take them and place them on yourselves as locks & braids, because this is the hair of women. Don't you have any feeling left within yourselves?" He then tossed the bridles into the audience and yelled: "O pillars of this masjid, sway! O stones of this building, collapse! O hearts, burn out of pain & sadness! The men have lost their manhood!"

Ichkeria State TV, 1999

Much different from the garbage we see on TV nowadays))