- The Prince Naif And His Stance Against Them
By Imam Murtada Gusau
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Alhamdulillah. Indeed, all praise is due to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our wrongdoings. He whom Allah guides, no one can misguide; and he whom He misguides, no one can guide.
I bear witness that there is no (true) god except Allah alone without a partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (SAW) is His ‘abd (servant) and messenger.
“O you who believe! Revere Allah the right reverence, and do not die except as Muslims.” (Al-Imran, 3:102)
“O people! Revere your Lord who has created you from a single soul, created from it its mate, and dispersed from both of them many men and women. Revere Allah through whom you demand things from one another; and (cherish the ties of) the wombs. Indeed, Allah is ever watchful over you.” (Al-Nisa’, 4:1)
“O you who believe! Revere Allah and say fair words. He will then rectify your deeds and forgive your sins. He who obeys Allah and His Messenger have certainly achieved a great victory.” (Al-Ahzaab, 33:70-71)
Indeed, the best speech is Allah’s (SWT) Book and the best guidance is Muhammad’s (SAW) guidance. The worst affairs (of religion) are those innovated (by people), for every such innovation is an act of misguidance leading to the Fire.
To proceed:
O servants of Allah! Allah the Most High said in His Noble Qur’an:
“Say! “Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Maula (Lord, Helper and Protector).” And in Allah let the believers put their trust.” (At-Taubah, 9:51)
He the Most High also said:
“No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz) before we bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.” (Al-Hadid, 57:22)
Narrated ibn ‘Abbas (Radiallahu Anhu) he said; “once I was behind the Prophet (SAW) and he said: “O boy, I will teach you a few words:
- Be loyal and obedient to Allah [worship Him Alone], remember Him always, and obey His orders. He will save you from every evil and will take care of you in all the spheres of life.
- Be loyal and obedient to Allah, you will find Him near (in front of you) i.e. He will respond to your requests.
- If you ask, ask Allah.
- If you seek help, seek help from Allah.
- Know that if all the people get together in order to benefit you with something, they will not be able to benefit you in anything except what Allah has decreed for you. And if they all get together in order to harm you with something; they will not be able to harm you in anything except what Allah has decreed for you.
The pens have stopped writings {Divine (Allah’s) preordainments}. And (the ink over) the papers (Book of Decrees) have dried.” (Sahih at-Tirmidhi)
Allah the Most High also said:
“Those (i.e. believers) to whom the people (hypocrites) said, “verily, the people have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them.” But it (only) increased them in faith, and they said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us) (i.e. Hasbunallahu Wani’mal Wakeel).” (Al-‘Imraan, 3:173)
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas (Radiallahu Anhu) that: (the saying:) “Hasbunallahu Wani’mal Wakeel” “Allah (alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)”, was said by prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (A.S) When he was thrown into the fire; and it was said by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) when they (i.e. hypocrites) said, “verily, the people (enemies) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them, “but it (only) increased them in faith and they said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us).” (Sahih Al-Bukhaari)
He the All mighty and Majestic also said:
“… And whosoever puts his trust In Allah, and then He will suffice him…” (At-Talaaq, 65:3)
It is also reported on the authority of ‘Ubaadah ibn As-Saamit (Radiallahu anhu) that he said to his son: “Oh, son! You will never taste true faith until you know that whatever afflicts you would not have missed you, and whatever has missed you would never have come to you.”
My Respected people,
One of the main episodes which took place during his position as the minister of the interior was the occupation of the Al-Masjid Al-Haraam, Makkah. This is what happened as translated and reported in the Saudi Gazette from the daily newspaper, Al-watan (1979): “No one can open the file on Juhaiman bin saif Al-Otaibi and his Khawaarij group without mentioning the late Crown Prince Naif who was the interior minister at the time. When the group occupied the Grand Mosque, Prince Naif faced the challenge of liberating it. He insisted on overseeing the operation by himself without any outside help. When Juhaiman and Muhammad Al-Qahtani, who would later become his brother-in-law, joined hands, their collective ideologies began spreading poisonous ideas in small mosques in Madinah. In 1965, Juhaiman established a group called Al-Jamaa’a Al-Salafiyyah Al-Muhtasiba, which was an extension of the Ikhwaan ideology. Soon Juhaiman took control of the group and diverted its tasks to political activities. As the group expanded, he recruited youth from all over the kingdom. Prince Naif interfered at the time and called for the group’s activities to be supervised. As a result, Juhaiman isolated the group and himself from society. The Al-Watan newspaper carried the details of the operation in a report on Monday. In late 1978, Al-Qahtani told Juhaiman that he had had a dream in which he was the Mahdi, or redeemer of Islam, and said he wanted to liberate the Arabian Peninsula and the entire world from wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny. On November 20, 1979, 270 people from Juhaiman’s group entered the Grand Mosque under the pretext of attending the Fajr prayer. They were carrying several caskets with them and mosque guards were told they contained bodies. In reality, the caskets contained dozens of weapons that the group would later use to take over the Mosque.
Servants of Allah,
During the Fajr prayer, the group chained all of the Mosque’s doors and placed two guards at each door; several other militants stormed the microphone room and took control of the Mosque’s loudspeakers. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Subayyel, who was leading the prayer, said as soon as the prayer concluded, the group announced the appearance of the Mahdi. They said he had escaped from his enemies and was taking refuge inside the Grand Mosque. Juhaiman then introduced Al-Qahtani as “the awaited Mahdi and the redeemer of Islam.”
Juhaiman and his group then pledged allegiance of Al-Qahtani who asked the people to also do so while members of the group began firing gunshots in the air. The Mosque’s guards, who are not armed, tried to resist them but were shot and killed. A group of worshippers managed to escape from the Grand Mosque but others who tried to reason with the group and told them they were wrong were also shot dead.
Prince Naif immediately ordered the Grand Mosque to be surrounded and told officers not to engage in any contact with the group until the authorities had a clearer picture. Security forces began moving inside the Mosque complex and some of them managed to position themselves inside and waited for orders to attack. At the same time, Juhaiman’s group was trying to force all worshippers inside to pledge allegiance to the awaited Mahdi.
The then King of Makkah, Khalid met with Muslim scholars and briefed them on the situation. Scholars said surrender should be negotiated with the group and if they refused, then they should be forcibly evicted even if it meant killing them.
Meanwhile, Prince Naif had arrived in Makkah to personally supervise the operation and plans to liberate the Grand Mosque.
People and residents around the Grand Mosque complex were asked to clear the area due to the guns being fired by Juhaiman’s group from the Mosque’s minarets. Saudi security forces managed to identify their positions and the type of weapons they were using. Groups from the National Guard were brought in along with the armed forces in preparation to storm the besieged Mosque. King Khalid’s directives at that time were to give the group time to surrender and to ensure the safety of the innocent people stuck inside the Mosque. Saudi forces used microphones to ask the group to surrender and release the hostages but they refused. There were scattered clashes with the group and Saudi snipers were brought in to take out the snipers inside the mosque. The Saudi troops already positioned inside also began engaging Juhaiman’s group and forced them to release the hostages. Saudi troops forced the group to withdraw to the tunnels in the lower level beneath the mosque and they then took control of the roads leading to the tunnels.
Juhaiman and his group barricaded themselves in several rooms underneath the Grand mosque.
After five days of being surrounded, dozens of members in the group surrendered to the authorities. After the news of Al-Qahtani’s death began to spread, many other members laid down their arms and surrendered. On December 5, 1979, the Saudi Army and the National Guard laid out a plan to put an end to the siege. They started a final push and managed to isolate the group far away from the Ka’aba. Saudi forces then cut electricity and water to them. Some immediately surrendered while others continued to fight.
My Respected people, know that,
The report and the news about French, Jordanian and Egyptian forces participating in the operation to liberate the Grand mosque were not true. At the time, Saudi Arabia received many offers of help but they were all declined. King Khalid addressed the country’s security forces and the National Guard and thanked them for liberating the Grand mosque.
On January 10, 1980, 63 people who carried out the attacks were executed in several different cities while Juhaiman was executed in Makkah. The nationalities of the people that were executed are as follows: 34 Saudis, 9 Egyptians, 3 Kuwaitis, 6 Yemenis, 1 Sudanese and 1 Iraqi. Prince Naif said at a press conference after the incident that 19 people went to jail and 23 women and children were sent to juvenile centers.
Prince Naif also announced that 12 Saudi officers and 115 soldiers died during the operation. In addition, 402 officers and 49 soldiers were injured. Prince Naif said 75 members of Juhaiman’s group were killed during the siege. Fifteen bodies belonging to the group were later found in the tunnels underneath the mosque.”
My Respected Brothers and Sisters,
Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful.
Allah is sufficient for us and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us). And in-shaa-Allah the days of evil-doers and their underground collaborators and sponsors are numbered. Just let’s keep praying sincerely, Allah the one that neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him is with us and He will surely not let the wrong-doers go unpunished.
Allah the Most High said:
“Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the Zaalimuun (killers, murderers, mischief makers, wrong-doers, and evil-doers) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.” (Ibrahim, 14:42)
Servants of Allah,
We seek the ALLAH’S help and protection from their evil deeds. And may He SWT guide them and protect the Muslims and Islam from their misguidance. And we also seek refuge in Allah from the evil of what they are upon of ignorance, misguidance and scum.
All praise belong to Allah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final and beloved Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all those who follow his guidance.
O Allah! Guide us and protect us from the causes of ignorance and destruction! Save us O Allah, from the defects of our selves! Cause the last of our deeds to be the best and most righteous! And forgive all of us. I ask Allah (swt) to bless Nigeria with good leaders, peace, justice, stability, mercy and protectiveness, ameen, Yaa Ar-hamar-raahimina Yaa Rabbal ‘Aalameen.
And lastly, servants of Allah! Anything good I have said in my today’s khutbah (sermon) is from Allah the Al-Mighty, and any mistakes are my own and we seek refuge in Allah from giving wrong advice and from all forms of calamities and fitnah. And I ask Allah’s forgiveness if I stepped beyond bounds in anything I said or I do. With this, my beloved and respected people, I conclude my Khutbah (Sermon) and ask Allah again the Al-mighty and the Sublime to forgive all of our sins and failings. So seek his forgiveness, He is All-Forging, Most Merciful.
May the salutations and peace of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet, his family and his companions.
This Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today Rabi’ al-Awwal 4, 1436 A.H. (December 26, 2014), By Imam Murtada Muhammad Gusau, the chief Imam of Nagazi Uvete Jumu’at Mosque Okene, Kogi state Nigeria. He can be reached via 08038289761 and murtadagusau2@yahoo.com