Mustaghfir al-Hanafi
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیمِ، اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَیٰ أَشْرَفِ الْمُرْسَلِینَ، مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الصَّادِقِ الْأَمِینِ، وَعَلَیٰ آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ أَجْمَعِینَ، حَامِداً وَمُصَلِّیاً.
أَمَّا بَعْدُ:
Dear and respected Muslim brothers!
Many leaders have come and gone. Each pledged loyalty to his own path and struggle, but very few proved that loyalty through their actions. Firm faith, deep-rooted conviction and a spirit of sacrifice can move people to make extraordinary sacrifices.
When Ibrahim (AS) was commanded in a dream to sacrifice his beloved son for Allah (SWT), he took up the knife without any doubt or hesitation and proceeded to carry out the sacrifice. But Allah (SWT) spared his son. Since then, the tradition of Ibrahim’s sacrifice has remained alive among us. His sacrifice was so beloved to Allah Almighty that He has kept its memory alive until the Day of Judgment.
Today, although we live in an age of trials and Fitna, many people have drifted away from religion and are pursuing material gains. The promises made in Islam may seem far-fetched to some. Yet, praise be to Allah, there are still people who, like Ibrahim (AS), offer their sons in the cause of religion and revive his blessed memory. One of them is the leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), the esteemed Amir al-Mu’minin, Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada (HA).
A Remarkable Sacrifice and the Call to Martyrdom
Abdul Rahman Khalid, the son of Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada (HA), was a beloved piece of his father’s heart. In the fervour of his youth, he left behind the material comforts and golden opportunities of this world and, in Gereshk, Helmand, sacrificed himself as a devoted fida’i in the Istishhadi brigade. He set out to shatter the defensive lines of kufr. This event stands as an unmatched confirmation of the path of truth in contemporary history.
Although Sheikh Sahib held the position of leader of the IEA and Amir of the believers, he did not keep his son hidden away in a life of comfort and pleasure, as worldly rulers often do. Instead, he followed in the footsteps of Ibrahim (AS) and offered his beloved son for sacrifice in the cause of strengthening Allah’s religion and defeating the American occupation. This became a source of inspiration for those who follow the path of Ibrahim-like sacrifice.
The mujahideen saw with their own eyes that their leader’s words and actions matched, and that his family made sacrifices on the front lines of Jihad just like the sons of ordinary people. It was this sincerity that brought the help of Allah (SWT), and in the end, the white Muhammadan banner prevailed across Afghanistan.
From the Pulpit to the Trench: The Overflow of Knowledge and Taqwa
The caravan of the esteemed Amir al-Mu’minin, Sheikh Sahib, stands on a foundation of Taqwa. From the early Jihad against the Soviets to his leadership of the military courts in Nangarhar and Kabul during the time of the late Amir al-Mu’minin Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him), Sheikh Sahib has remained an example of implementing Sharia and delivering just rulings. His years of scholarly work, teaching the six major Hadith collections (Sihah Sitta) and training thousands of religious scholars show that his decisions and rulings are based not merely on the expediencies of the time, but on the deep ocean of Fiqh and firm adherence to the Sunnah of Prophet (PBUH.
He is a pious jurist who will not compromise even by a hair’s breadth when it comes to the commands of Allah (SWT). This exceptional firmness in knowledge and belief helped the ranks of the IEA stand firm as a mountain against a global power that had waged war for twenty years.
The Victory and the Revival of the Prophetic Sunnah of General Amnesty
When, with the help of Allah (SWT), the twenty-year unjust occupation came to an end, and on the sixth of Muharram 1443 AH the whole country, including Kabul, was illuminated by the light of victory, the world expected widespread bloodshed and revenge. The propaganda networks of the West and their puppets had spread fear, claiming that the IEA mujahideen would avenge their martyrs. But here, the faith of the esteemed Amir al-Mu’minin (HA) and his following of the Messenger of Allah’s (PBUH) example during the conquest of Makkah became evident.
On the basis of his vision and understanding of Sharia, the Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh Sahib announced a general amnesty. Through this decree, the enemies and opponents of the previous twenty-year period, including those who had stood in the ranks of the occupation, were pardoned. This decision was a major historic step toward ending the culture of revenge and establishing stability throughout the country.
This Prophetic approach to general amnesty showed the world that the IEA had not come to shed blood, but to bring hearts together, establish brotherhood and build a just system based on Sharia. Through this decision, the lives and property of thousands of Afghans were protected, and the country was spared civil war.
Leadership Written in Golden Letters After the Victory
After the victory, under the wise leadership of the Amir al-Mu’minin (HA), Afghanistan achieved a level of nationwide security unprecedented in its history. From north to south and east to west, centres of power and corruption were dismantled. The centralisation of power and obedience to the leadership’s orders helped establish security and stability throughout the country under a unified command.
Sheikh Sahib’s cautious, steadfast and sincere approach has contributed to the progress now being made in economic reconstruction, the launch of major development projects and the complete elimination of financial corruption.
The present security and stability are the result of the blessed blood of the martyrs and those who carried out Istishhadi operations, as well as the steadfastness of the Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh Sahib (HA) in upholding Sharia. He did not yield to the economic and political pressure of global Kufr. He enforced Sharia and implemented the laws of the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice for the intellectual development of society. He never placed political expediency or engagement with Kufr above the commands of Sharia.
The stability of the IEA and the success of this sacred system are the fruits of the pure blood of the martyrs and those who carried out Istishhadi operations, the hardships endured by the mujahideen and prisoners, the prayers of widows and orphans, the cooperation and sacrifices of ordinary people, and the Ibrahim-like sacrifice of the esteemed Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh Sahib (HA), who placed himself and his family at the forefront of those offered in the path of Allah (SWT).
It is our duty and responsibility to stand firmly behind this Sharia-based rule like a wall of steel, accept the leadership’s orders wholeheartedly and devote all our abilities to keeping the ranks united. This system, written in the ink of blood, is the greatest trust placed in the hands of the believers and mujahideen. Protecting it is an obligation upon us.
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّکَ أَنْتَ السَّمِیعُ الْعَلِیمُ، وَاحْفَظْ أَمِیرَنَا وَأَیِّدْ نِظَامَنَا الإِسْلَامِیَّ بِقُوَّتِکَ وَنَصْرِکَ العَظِیم. وَآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا أَنِ الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ.
