“Allahu Akbar… destroying idols is our hobby”

Teachings From The Kandahar Masjid After the asr prayer, one of the Mulla’s who had routinely taught at the Jami’ Masjid in Kandahar sat down with his back leaning on the wall at one of the corners of the masjid. Then, dozens of youths were seen racing towards him and they all sat down around him. After seeing all his students sat down with discipline, the Mulla began to speak while showing a book that he had brought: “I am bringing the “History Of Kandahar” book, and today we are going to read the story of a Mujahid named Usamah.” Then, he passed the book to one of his students who sat nearest to him while asking the student to read the book and let his voice be heard by all of the fellow students. The man accepted the book politely and enthusiastically. He looked very pleased receiving the task from the Mulla. Then, he began to open the index of the book and chose the title written as “The Story Of Usamah bin Ladin’s Arrival to Afghanistan And His Struggle Along With Amirul Mukmineen Mulla Muhammad Umar Mujahid”. Then he began reading the Basmallah and praised Allah SWT. And he continued by reading the book audibly: “In the month of Muharram in 1417 H, Usamah arrived in the land of Kandahar. His arrival was instigated by his eviction from his people due to his firmness in refusing to join in worshipping an idol named America. He resolved to fight America but he did not receive a good response from his people except for just a few of them, and also a few others hailing from other countries who were willing to join him… but they were all strangers and weak, they did not have any power to defend themselves. Then, Usamah approached the leaders of every Arab tribe, asking them to help him and give him assurance for a secure living place, for him and his followers to prepare themselves in fighting the idol named America. One day, he heard that an Islamic Shari’ah law was going to be implemented in Sudan. Therefore, he sent an envoy to meet the “King” in order to get assurance for secure living place for him and his followers. Mr. King said, “Our door is always open and our land belongs to anyone… please come as an honored guest… bury your wealth here and if you please, join us in our Jihad (fighting the rebels of Sudan led by John Garang).” Usamah was very happy hearing the response and soon he made preparations to do “hijrah” to Sudan. Then, he lived there and established various Mu’askar (camps) and trained the Mujahideen along with the fighters of Mr. King, and they were happy there for a moment while building up the country… roads were repaired, markets were renovated, and the country became more prosperous. One day, the idol: America, barked out at Mr. King and said, “Expel them from your country”. Mr. King answered… “Yes Sir! Your royal command we do esteemed highly, for the sake of seeking your pleasure”. Mr. King went back to Usamah and said to him: “Get out of our country…!!!” Usamah replied, “Didn’t we tie an agreement to do Jihad together?” Mr. King replied, “Yes… but it’s Jihad against John Garang and not America.” Usamah answered, “I have been intending to destroy it and its allies for a long time”. Mr. King replied, “We do not have the strength… please get out of our country.” The Mulla indicated to his student, who was so absorbed in his reading, to stop for a while because he wanted to give a little explanation, the Mulla said: “In the case of Usamah, Sudan was obviously more scared of America than Allah SWT, and at that time Sudan was in a confusion for a while as it had to let go of Usamah’s wealth which had been deposited so much for the commerce of the country, but the fear of the King of Sudan towards America was apparently bigger than the concern for his citizens itself, to the extent that Mr. King chose to expel Usamah for the sake of Mr. Idol’s pleasure, even though America was still not pleased with the King of Sudan as Mr. King refused to step down and be replaced by John Garang.” Then, the Mulla said, “Now… continue your reading, son!” The youth who was immersed in the explanation by the Mulla was startled and he quickly tried to find the last line that he had read… then, he continued his reading, “Usamah had to find the people who would be willing to assure and help him in destroying Mr. Idol. Then, he heard that the Islamic Sha’riah law was again implemented in Kandahar by a community who called themselves the Taliban. They were led by a courageous man named Mulla Muhammad Umar Mujahid who was entitled as an Amir. Then, Usamah sent an envoy to him. The Amir of the Taliban said: “Let’s pick up weapons… and fight the rebels and the thieves in our countries” Usamah replied: “Our aim is to destroy Mr. Idol” The Amir answered: “Allahu Akbar… destroying idols is our hobby” Usamah said: “Not merely a hobby… but for the sake of Jihad Fie Sabilillah” The Amir replied: “We are of course the men of Jihad and we were the children who were born along with the whistles of the bullets. The war is like a mother that suckled and fed us” Usamah said: “Would you be willing to accompany me in fighting the Crusader forces?” The Amir replied: “Fight and make peace with whomever you want, communicate with whomever you wish, take as many as you want from our properties, we will certainly be patient in the fight and we will be bold to move forward, even if you invite us to wade the oceans and cross the continents to fight Mr. Idol, of a surety we will bear it together with you” Usamah said: “But you will all be shot with arrows by the entire Arab people and the Romans from the same bow” The Amir replied: “Have faith, all those would never happen except if the Creator allows it to happen” Usamah said: “But Mr. Idol will come and pay the various tribes to finish you off” The Amir answered: “Allah is our protector… whereas they do not have any protector” Usamah was still not confident, and thus he said: “Do you know that Mr. Idol possesses a huge fighting force and a very sharp sword? They will come and invade your country” The Amir answered: “Yes, we know, but we would not speak the words spoken by the people of Moses AS to their Prophet, “Go thou, and thy Lord, and fight ye two, while we sit here (and watch).” Indeed, O Usamah we will shield you from the right and left, from the front and your behind, with the hope that Allah may show to you what makes your heart happy, indeed this country has never been invaded by any army, they will surely run away helter skelter… except for the forces of Qutaibah” Usamah said: “Mankind would never have anything to do with you and all the populations of the world will forsake you” The Amir said: “Enough for us is the existence of Allah, and if He wills, He would unite us with the dwellers of Firdaus in Heaven” Usamah said: “They would boycott you and let you starve” The Amir replied: “Indeed Allah is the Best Sustainer and the Possessor of the Ultimate Power” Usamah said: “They would only want to capture me” The Amir said: “Calm down… they would never touch you as long as our eyes are still awake” Usamah said: “Would you all protect me as you protect your children and wives?” The Amir replied: “Yes, by Allah, in fact we would let them out from our houses so that you could live in our houses. Blood should be paid by blood, the same goes with destructions. Hit the idol and don’t forget to utter the Basmallah, hit it…!!! We would sacrifice our children and mothers, hit and take shelter behind us, let our necks be strangled as long as your neck is safe. Continue your beatings, may the Rabbul Jabbar be with us” Suddenly, the youth stopped reading as he heard the sobs from the Mulla. He was surprised to see the Mulla covering his face with the turban and his body was shaken as he withheld himself from sobbing while continually shouting the takbeer, all of the youths were silent without a word. The Mulla started to wipe his eyes which had been filled with tears, and then said, “I have read a lot of history books, but I have never come across a people who are more truthful than them when helping someone in the time of need, except for the people of Aus and Khazraj, the Ansar who helped Rasulullah SAW. “Look at their graves by the hillside in the mountains of Tora Bora, Shahikot, Kandahar and Kabul… as testimonies that they were indeed brave people… I have heard that the Crusader forces had managed to capture one of them… then he was offered so that he would tell the whereabouts of Usamah who was in hiding… with the reward that he would be freed and given huge sums of money… but he answered, “By Allah, if Usamah is hiding under my foot, I would never lift it up to show him to you””. Then, the Mulla began to sob again… and this time it was getting louder… apparently the Mulla could not continue his teaching session again… he got up to leave the circles as he kept on crying…. Sour©e: Ashabu Raayati Suud