Praise be to Allah, Who doesn’t forget those who remember Him. Praise be to Allah, Who
doesn’t disappoint those who pray to Him. Praise be to Allah, Who alone is Trustworthy. Praise
be to Allah, Who rewards good deeds with blessings. Praise be to Allah, Who gives the patience
that overcomes. Praise be to Allah, Who removes the pain of hardship. Praise be to Allah, in
Whom we trust when we distrust our own works. Praise be to Allah, Who is our Hope when
there is no Hope. Prayers and peace be upon our Messenger, our leader and our Imam, as well
as the prayers of our Lord upon his family and his Companions.
While the ten horses neigh waiting for their bit and while the smith blows the bellows and
strikes the white iron and the sparks fly, and while the weaver calls his friend to give him the
thread to finish the remaining saddles, the horseman whispers an important matter in the
blacksmith’s ear and says: “Reinforce the shield and armor.” This whisper deserves its reward
and consideration.
It is the perfection of faith when one uses the means provided as the Exulted One said:
"Against them make ready.” Regarding this verse, Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on
him, said: “The perfection of faith is using the lawful and providential means that Allah has
placed at one’s disposal. The Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace be upon him and his
Companions, said that ‘The best creature is the one who relies completely on Allah, just as the
Praiseworthy Allah said to him that he should proclaim His religion over all religions, to
exalt it so that no one will contradict His command to fight and prepare the equipment,
force, tack for the horses and to do this seriously and cautiously, watching out for his enemy,
whom he should fight with overt and covert war.’” Zad Al-Mi’ad 3/420.
It is further confirmed by what Allah said: “The Unbelievers wish, if ye were negligent of
your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush.” Therefore, take heed and
be cautious. Similarly, true victory is not in equipment and numbers, but in obedience to His word: “If ye
will aid the cause of God…”, then the result is: “He will aid you, and plant your feet
firmly”, as when Constantinople was conquered by praising Allah, as was written in Sahih
Muslim “Kitab Al-Fitan”.
Furthermore, he said: “Blessed are the strangers”, which refers to those who firmly hold to
their religion when suffering the hot coals of misunderstanding and scrutiny with patience.
Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood similarly said that though one is weak, he still has those who affirm
that he is in the right, which is like pouring salve on the deep wounds of loneliness. The
Prophet, prayers and peace be upon him, said: “Promote virtue and prohibit vice even if you
see a stingy person getting what wants, frivolity in action, a titillating world and a self-
satisfied know-it-all, be confident in yourself and don’t worry about what others say.
Patience supports you, and you will be like the worker who grips a hot coal and reaps the
wages of fifty workers, who do his type of work.” If what we are currently going through
doesn’t fit this Hadeeth, what else could fit it? This is especially so with the feeling of being a
stranger. Ibn Al-Qayyim had stated about this: “The loneliness of feeling like a stranger is not
emigrating from country to country. Rather, this loneliness is living with your family and
friends and being a stranger among them.” That is being a stranger in your being and being a
stranger in your senses, manner of living, and devotion to the One Judge. This is being a
stranger with that pining for home as in this Hadeeth when the Prophet, prayers and peace of
Allah be upon him, was asked about the feeling of being a stranger. He said:
“There are some who are full of evil and bankrupt with regard to goodness. There are more
that disobey them than follow them.” Therefore, be steadfast, patient, long-suffering and
forbearing and extinguish the flames of your heart according to the explanation of the Surat
Al-‘Asr.
Pen and paper cannot describe what willpower can accomplish with Allah’s help just as Ibn Al-
Jawzi said:
The shortcomings of the weak are not as bothersome
As the shortcomings of those who are capable.
The fingertips long for the trigger and the ear grows accustomed to the sound of swords
clashing. Likewise, the heart yearns to see the Merciful One and paradise. The breast longs for
the 70 virgins, and the eye for Allah’s waving banners on top of the minaret. The ear hopes for
the blessed sound of “God is Greater!”, so where are those who are rolling up their sleeves for
the Lord of the Kaaba?
Therefore, we are waiting for the ten horses to dash off.
The Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “Send from among them a
vanguard of ten or twelve horses.” Ibn Saud said: “The Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, said: ‘I don’t know their names, their tribes and the color of their horses. They
were in that day the best horsemen on earth. The imposters fought against them, and they
became martyrs.'” This was narrated by Muslim via Ibn ‘Aliyya via Ayoub via Hameed bin
Hilal via Abu Qatada via Yaseer bin Jabir.
Oh, may the Almighty Allah make us like them!
Oh esteemed and honored sheikhs, we now stand before you, especially since your are from the
land that Mustafa, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, talked about in Ibn Hawala’s
Hadeeth: “According to what Ibn Hawala said, the Messenger, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, said: ‘It will turn out that you become recruits; that is soldiers for al-Sham1,
Yemen and Iraq.’ Ibn Hawala said, ‘choose for me, Oh Messenger of Allah, if I were to reach
that stage.’ And he said, ‘Go to Al-Sham, it is the best of Allah’s lands. The best of His
worshippers go there. If you refuse, then go to your Yemen and drink of your mischief
because Allah entrusted me with Al-Sham and its people.’” This was narrated by Ahmad and
Abu Dawoud. According to Ibn Abbas’s Hadeeth, “Abdelrazzaq told us about Al-Mounzer bin
Al-Nouman Al-Aftas, who said, ‘I heard Wahab talking about Ibn Abbas, who said that the
Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, said that from Aden-Abyan are coming 12
thousand soldiers in support of Allah and the Prophet, who e the very best’”. This was
narrated by Ahmad.
Oh sheikhs of ours, victory brings an end to despair, and this applies to whatever our scholars
the messengers meant to say to us. They unanimously tell us to have hope, “Our victory did
reach them.” Saeed, according to Ezzedin during the era of Kathr Khadhluwa and Ezz
Nasruwa, said, ‘We are with you body and soul in Khorasan’ (Afghanistan). Good news from
us; help and victory are coming, with Allah’s permission.
Your Brothers the Riders of the Ten Horses
By Your Brother Abdelsalam Aqeeda on their behalf
8/3/1431H
Written on the slopes of a mountain in Khorasa
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