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[The books published by our organization are all translated from the books of famous "Ahl as-sunnat scholars". These books do not contain any of our own thoughts. In all of our books, we are striving to relate to the youngsters about the greatness of the "Ahl as-sunnat scholars". We are communicating them that the only way to reach the happiness of the next world (Akhirat) is the way taught by the "Ahl as-sunnat scholars". We are striving to introduce this way of happiness and salvation to humanity and we are not expecting any worldly benefits for these actions from anyone. Those who deviated from the right path, or "la-madhhabiyya" or all other types of enemies of Islam might not like our striving to distribute these books and therefore invent extraordinary lies and slanders about our books. Since they do not possess the necessary Islamic knowledge, they cannot challenge us in this regard. They cannot also claim that we are making profit by selling these books because we are not. Everyone knows that. Most of the time, we send these books free of charge to anyone who asks for them. We hear that some people are telling others that these books contain unsound knowledge but when we challenge them to show what part is unsound they say, Oh! We just heard that from others. That is the way they told us. Alhamdulillah, conscious youngsters do not believe these lies and slanders and the number of people who read our books are increasing day by day.]

One should not love these destructive people who try to divide Muslims. One should also ponder how his life will end and how Allahu ta'ala has decreed in eternal past about his end. One cannot know definitely, while living here, who will have higher degrees in the hereafter. Many of those who held religious posts died in a state of disbelief. Many disbelievers ended their lives in a state of belief. Considering all of the things said above, one who says that a disbeliever will be in hell and he himself will be in heaven would be claiming to have knowledge of the hidden (Gayb) and such a claim would put him into state of disbelief. Therefore, it is not permissible to be conceited toward any person.

A person might argue the following: it is necessary to advise others, i.e., disbelievers and persons who deviated from the right path, not to perform prohibited actions but obviously one cannot advise them if one sees himself lower than them. Besides, the way our Lord performs His actions are such that a person will die in a state which represents the way of his living. In some instances the opposite of this also occurs but these instances are rare. Furthermore, Allahu ta'ala praises believers and says that they are superior to disbelievers. We would answer the argument as follows: it is necessary not to love them because Allahu ta'ala ordered us "Not to love them" not because we are superior to them. The following example will clarify this point further. While a ruler (Sultan) is sending his young son along with a servant to some distant location, he instructs the servant to beat his son if he does not behave himself. Later on, when the son misbehaves the servant beats him according to the instruction of the ruler. While he is beating the son, the servant knows that he is not superior to him. Therefore, he cannot treat him with conceit. Similarly, a believer's not loving disbelievers resembles to this example. Allahu ta'ala informed us that believers are superior but this is not due to their selves being superior but instead its due to their superior belief. Pssessessors of belief will be superior. Infinite superiority will show itself at the last breath.

Worship's being a valuable worship depends on some conditions. A Muslim does not waste his time with non-beneficial things (Malayani). The first caliph Hadrat Abu Baqr, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, said that they were not performing seventy permissible (Halal) actions lest they would do one prohibited (Haram) action. Therefore, no one should depend on his worships and become conceited. Acceptance of a worship depends on its proper intention. It should only be performed for the sake of Allahu ta'ala. It is not easy to obtain such pure intention. Purifying or cleansing one's soul (Nafs) could only be achieved through piety (Taqwa). "Taqwa" means one's not performing forbidden deeds. It is very difficult for anyone who does not have a cleansed soul to perform worship only for the sake of Allahu ta'ala.

Bragging with one's ancestry and showing conceit is a sign of ignorance and stupidity. Cain (Kabil) was the son of "Adam", peace be upon him. Canan (Kan'an, Yam) was the son of Noah (Nuh), peace be upon him. Their fathers' being prophets did not save them from disbelief. Those who brag with their ancestry should observe the state of their ancestors now. Didn't they become a piece of soil now? Is it reasonable to brag about a piece of soil? One also should not brag with their piousness but instead should try to be a pious person like them.

Most women are conceited about their beauty. But, beauty does not endure. It goes away fast. It does not become a permanent property of a person. Bragging about something which is temporarily given to her would be stupidity. Physical beauty, accompanied with a beautiful heart, i.e., spiritual beauty, is very precious. Cleanliness of the heart would be apparent by the person's adherence to the Sunnat of our Prophet, peace be upon him. If the heart, spirit and ethics of human beings are not held as superior, they become no more than animals. They become even lower than the animals. They will be like a machinery which is filled with dirt and needs cleaning up and maintenance. They will resemble to a worn out machinery which always requires fueling, cleaning up and repair. Would it be fitting for such a person to be conceited and see himself superior to others? It is more fitting for him to be a humble person.

Being conceited about one's youth and strength would also be ignorance. In general, strength of muscles and sense organs exists in greater amounts in animals than in man. Thus, the animals should be conceited toward human beings, shouldn't they? Moreover, who can ever claim that he will always stay young and strong, or will never be ill, or will never have an accident? Is there anyone in the recorded history of mankind who never lost his youth and strength or breath? Therefore, would it be reasonable for anyone to brag or to be conceited about something which one possesses temporarily for a short period of time and which also exists in animals.

It is also not befitting for a human being to brag and to be conceited about one's property, children, rank, and position because, these are not inherent superior properties of him. They are temporal and transitory things that leave human beings very quickly. Besides, they even exist in unethical and lowly persons. Actually, they exist amongst those persons most of the time. If these were things that cause superiority, people who do not have these or who had them but later on lost them would necessarily be very lowly persons. If having property is a cause of honor then a thief would be considered an honored man because he possesses stolen property even if it is for a short period of time.

Hatred (Hiqd) should also not a cause of conceit. The dictionary meaning of hatred is to have hate or to keep a grudge. One hates someone with his heart. He will be angry at somebody who is equal or superior to him. Since he cannot do anything about it, he would become conceited toward that person. This kind of person cannot be humble toward those who deserve humility, and cannot accept their righteous words and advice. He tries to show everybody that he is better than that person. Even when he wrongfully hurts someone, he does not apologize.

Jealousy (Hasad) also causes conceit. One wants things possessed by others for himself. He wants others not to have them. He also refuses to listen to the righteous words of those whom he is jealous of. He does not want to ask and learn anything from them. Even though he knows their superiority, he still treats them with conceit.

Hypocrisy (Riya) also causes conceit. A person who has this habit treats strangers with conceit in the presence of his friends. But when he is alone with the stranger, he does not treat him with conceit. Islamic scholars should use dresses which would be fitting to their honor and should act with dignity in order to protect themselves from the conceited people. For this reason, the great Islamic scholar, Imam al-azam Abu Hanifa, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, said that scholars should have a larger head cover and have large sleeves in their gowns. The preachers will get rewards of worshiping if they beatify themselves with new and clean dresses. If they are not respected, then their words will not have any effect on others because ignorants judge people by their dress and by their looks. They don't understand the value of his knowledge or virtues.

Most people are not aware of their conceited behavior. Therefore, it is necessary for one to know the signs of conceit. When a conceited person enters a new place, he wants everyone there to stand up. This does not apply to a scholar who goes some place to preach and knows that people there respect him. If he wishes for those people to stand, that would not be conceit. In general, if one himself wants to sit but requires others to stand, that would be conceit. Hadrat Ali, may Allahu ta'ala be well pleased with him, said, "Anyone who wants to see what a person of hell looks like should look at the person who himself sits but requires others to stand." The companions may Allahu ta'ala, be well pleased with them, loved Rasulullah, peace be upon him, more than anything else in the world but they would not get up when he comes along to join them because, they knew that Rasulullah, peace be upon him, would not want them to get up for him. But, besides all these, when an Islamic scholar (Alim) comes along, one should stand up in order to show respect for his knowledge. Yahya bin Kattan, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, after completing the late afternoon (Asr) "salat" prayer, was sitting by the "minaret" and leaning against its wall. Some of the famous scholars of his time came along. One of them was Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him. They asked him questions about knowledge of hadith. He answered all of their questions. They were all standing while he was sitting. He did not tell any of them to sit down, and none of them dared to sit down. Their conversation continued until the time of sunset. The general custom is that a younger scholar will be seated in a higher seat than an older, ignorant man. A student should not start to speak before his teacher, should not sit in his seat in his absence, and should not walk ahead of him on the street. If a person loves others to get up and stand up for him but knows that this love and desire is not proper and wants to get rid of this love, then his love is considered a natural tendency or it is generated through the instigation of the devil. In both cases, it is not a sin because the control is not in his hands. It happens out of his own will.

Another sign of conceit (Kibr) is desiring not to walk alone but desiring that someone should walk behind himself or loving to ride an animal while his students walk alongside the animal. Rasulullah, peace be upon him, was going toward the "Baki" cemetery of the city of Madina. Some people saw him and started to walk behind him. Rasulullah, peace be upon him, stopped walking and commanded them to walk ahead of him and he followed them. When he was asked for the reason for his behavior he said, "I heard the sound of their steps. I required them to walk ahead of me in order to prevent an atom's weight of conceit coming into my heart." It is obvious that he would not have any conceit in his heart but this was a way of communication or teaching to his companions. According to Abuddarda, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, when the number of persons who walk behind a conceited man increase in number, the conceited man's spiritual distance from Allahu ta'ala also increases.

The following actions also indicate conceit: not visiting acquaintances or friends, not wanting someone to sit alongside him, not to sit together with sick or ill persons, not to perform the necessary housework, not to purchase and bring the necessary items that one's household requires, not wanting to dress in one's used dresses, not wanting to dress in work clothes at the workplace. Accepting the invitations of persons who are lower than himself indicates humility but not accepting the invitations of the poor while attending invitations of the rich indicates conceit. The following actions are considered hypocrisy when done in front of others and conceit when done alone or in front of others: not providing necessities of his relatives and family members, not accepting the righteous warnings and arguing with those who advise him, and not thanking those who point out his shortcomings.

Being a humble person requires knowing one's origins, e.g., where he came from and where he is going. He did not exist before. Later, he became a weakling infant who could not move. He is now a person who is always in fear of becoming sick or dying. At the end, he will die, rot away and become soil. He will become livestock for the insects. His sufferings are similar to a prisoner's suffering, e.g., one who is waiting for execution by hanging, i.e., in the jail of the world. He waits every minute for news of his punishment. He will die. His body will become a carcass and will be food-stock for the insects. He will suffer punishment in the grave. After all of this, he will be raised from death and will be punished with the sufferings of the last Judgement day. Which one of the following would be better fitting for a person, a person who is living with the fear of being punished eternally in hell or a person having humility or a person with conceit? Allahu ta'ala, who is the Creator, the Raiser, the Protector of human beings, the all-Powerfull who has no likeness and who is the only Ruler and the Almighty says, "I don't like conceited persons," and "I like humble persons." Hence, which one would be more befitting for weakling human creatures? Could a sensible person who recognizes the greatness of Allahu ta'ala ever be conceited? Human beings must show and demonstrate their weaknesses and lowliness to Allahu ta'ala at all times. Therefore, at all times and at any and every occasion they must show their weakness and humility to Him. Abu Sulaiman Darani, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, says, "If anyone tries to reduce me down to a lower state than I am in now or insults me in order to lower my position, none would be able to do it because I know that I am in a position lower than anyone could ever think as the lowest of all degradations and insults." Is that ever, be possible? Can anyone ever think of himself as the lowliest of all? Even, lower than the devil and Pharaoh? Because, these two [and Stalin, Mao and their followers who are the greatest enemies of Islam and humanity] are the worst of all of the disbelievers. One should reason with himself by thinking in the following manner: obviously, people who introduce themselves as gods and kill and torture millions of people in order to satisfy their egos are the worst of all of the disbelievers. Allahu ta'ala cursed them and therefore punished them by giving them the worst kind of disbelief and pitied me and gave me belief. If He had desired, He could have done the opposite also. Alhamdulillah, thanks be to Allahu ta'ala! Since He did not do so, and since I did sin so much up to this time and since I do not know how will I be at my last breath, I must be a humble person.

In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said: "Allahu ta'ala ordered me to be a humble person. None of you should behave with conceit toward none of the others!" According to this hadith we should be humble toward non-Muslim citizens (Zimmi) and those who come to visit our country with permission (passport) as well as visiting businessmen and tourists. Since it is necessary to be humble toward everybody, it is a necessary conclusion of this hadith that it would not be permissible to hurt them in any way.

[This hadith and its explanation by "Ahl as-sunnat scholars" clearly indicate that it is not permissible for those Muslims who live in non-Muslim countries (Dar-ul-harb) to attack and violate the rights, properties and honor of the citizens of that country. Stealing, rioting, hurting others, violating the laws of the land, insulting the governing persons, violating tax-laws, avoiding payments of tolls or fares, and all similar behaviors which are not compatible with the honor of Islam and Islamic ethics are not permissible. In the disbelievers' countries, not violating the Christian laws does not mean recognizing them as "Ulul-amr." No one's orders causing rebellion to Allahu ta'ala will be carried out. This type of orders of the "Ulul-amr" or this type of order of the other disbelievers who are in position to harm others will not be fought back. Fighting back against the government or violating the laws will cause instigation (Fitna). Causing instigation is forbidden (Haram) and is a grave sin. "Fiqh" books or in other words "Islamic law books" at their chapters which covers the subject of force or coercion (Ikrah) and third volume, 55th letter of Muhammad Ma'sum's Maktubat include explanation of this matter. Anyone living in Muslim countries (Dar-ul-Islam) or in non-Muslim countries (Dar-ul-harb), despite the above-mentioned hadith of our Prophet, causes distress to disbelievers or interferes with their government or disciplines or violates their laws would be committing sin. Moreover his actions will might make an impression on all peoples of the world that Muslims and Islam are evil, barbaric and unattractive. He will be making a great disservice and treason to Islam.

"Jihad" means ordering others to do good (Amr al-maruf) and ordering Muslims not to do the prohibited actions (Nahy al-anil al-munkar.) Amr al-maruf, means introducing Islam to disbelievers in order to save them from the disaster of disbelief. Nahy al-anil al-munkar, means teaching necessary religious information (Ilm al-hal) to Muslims as well as stopping them from doing evil deeds (Haram actions). Both of these can be done in three ways, by utilizing one's body, by utilizing mass media, and by praying. The first one is carried out against the imperialist forces and dictators who obstruct the communication of good news, i.e., Islam to their poor citizens who are in disbelief (Kufr) because they were not aware of Islam and thus they imitated other disbelievers or they were forced, tortured or pressured by the imperialists and oppressive dictators into disbelief. By using the most modern weaponry and techniques, these evil forces will be fought and destroyed and thus the nations who live miserably under their rule will be freed from slavery and then Islam will be introduced and taught to them and they will be offered to become Muslims willingly and lovingly. If they elect not to become Muslims, they will be allowed to live and practice their religion of choice alongside with Muslims under the Islamic state which provides freedom, equality and justice to all. This type of fight (Jihad) is done only by Islamic states or by the army of the Islamic states. It is never permissible for any individual Muslim to attack and rob any other disbeliever without the prior order, permission and knowledge of an Islamic state. Islamic religion punishes severely those Muslims who murder any citizen of another state with whom the Islamic state has a peace accord. As can be seen clearly from the foregoing, in the Islamic religion, fighting does not mean destroying other countries or killing other people. What it really means is striving for the introduction of Islam to others so that they might become Muslims willingly and lovingly and save themselves from the eternal disasters. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, the companions may Allahu ta’ala, be well pleased with them, and real Islamic states, for example Ottomans, all performed this type of fighting. They never attacked people who were weak and unable to defend themselves. They fought against the enemies of Islam, disbeliever dictators, imperialists and deviated and separatist people who carried Muslim names, who were becoming a shield over these people to whom Islam wanted to reach and communicate its message. They fought against them and destroyed their imperialist power and freed enslaved people who were living miserably under their torturous power. They, taught them Islam and thus provided opportunity for them to become Muslims of their own free will and thus helped them to find the eternal happiness.

The second duty of the Islamic army of the Islamic state is the protection of the Muslims and Islam and warring (making Jihad) against the disbelivers and deviated separatist people who attack Islamic countries in order to destroy and annihilate Muslims and Islam. Allahu ta'ala orders in the Anfal surah that the Islamic state during the time of peace should investigate and learn and produce the new weapons manufactured at the disbelivers countries. The government officials who does not carry out and produce this weapons would be disobeying the Shari'at and also would be responsible for the death of millions of Muslims and weakining of Islam because of not being able to counter the attacks of their enemies.

The second kind of Islamic fight is to introduce Islam to all peoples through all kinds of communication means. This type of fight is done only by Islamic scholars with the help and control of Islamic states. In our era, enemies of Islam,i.e., missionaries, communists, freemasons, and people who do not follow any school of thought (la-madhhabiyya) are attacking Islam by using all kinds of communications means. They are trying to deceive human beings and even ignorant Muslims through fabricated lies and slanders and thus trying to destroy Islam. Recently, in 1992, we have heard that Christians made-up eleven questions and distributed them to all Islamic countries. The scholars of the Bangladesh wrote answers to these and thus disgraced these Christian clergy who was behind this plot. The Hakikat book-store located in Istanbul added these answers under the name of "Al-Akazib-ul-jadidatul-hiristyaniyya" to the book Assirat-ul-mustakim and now distributing it throughout the world. Also, another group, i.e., Kadiyanis (Ahmadiyyas), Bahais, followers of Mawdudi, people of Tablig al-Jama'at, people of "Salafiyya" and those people who do not adhere to any school of thought (la-madhhabiyya) and wahhabis are deviating from the correct path of Islam by deriving wrong and corrupt meanings from the Qur'an and hadiths. Some of them who really stretch things are becoming disbelievers. They all spread their corrupt and deviated beliefs by publishing books, magazines and booklets and by way of radios. They spend millions for this purpose. On the one hand, they are destroying Islam from within by deceiving "Ahl as-Sunnat Muslims", i.e., "Sunni Muslims" and on the other hand, they are introducing to all peoples an Islam which is not pure and correct. Among all these various propaganda, people who want to become Muslims are becoming bewildered and they are either giving up the idea of becoming Muslims or entering into a wrong path and presume that they have became Muslims.

Today, the greatest fight (Jihad) is performed by "Ahl as-Sunnat scholars" against the desctructive and cunning propagandas of the internal and external enemies of Islam through spreading the teachings of the knowledge of "Ahl as-sunnat", i.e., the way of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his companions by using all kinds of communications means to all peoples of the world.

The third type of fight is done through prayer. It is "Fard al-ayn" or in other words it is a must duty for every Muslim to perform this type of fight. Not performing this type of fight will be a grave sin. Performing this third type of fight is done by praying for those who perform the first two types of fight. Those who are doing the first two types of fight are in need of the prayers of those who are not actively participating in the first two types of fight. All prayers performed with sincerity will surely be accepted.

Allahu ta'ala without any doubt will help those who trust the help of Allahu ta'ala and comply with the orders of religion and perform the above-mentioned three types of fight (Jihad). Allahu ta'ala would not accept the prayers of those who do not prepare themselves for the fight and who do not prepare the necessary newest war equipment beforehand and who do not establish strong brotherhood and love among themselves but instead assume that they do their duty of fight by just making prayers. There are condition for the acceptance of the prayer (dua.) These conditions requires us sticking to the causes which would provide the results asked by the prayer (dua.) As we have mentioned above, in order to be successful in fight, we have to follow the orders of Islam. Islam orders us to prepare ourselves for fight. The first type of fight requires acquisition of the most modern weaponry and training on how to use them. Moreover, it also requires discipline and obedience to the leaders and military commanders who are in charge as well as avoiding separatist movements. If there are trusts (Waqf) who raise money in order to meet above-mentioned requirements, every Muslim who has the means should help such trusts. Helping "Ahl as-sunnat scholars" or trusts which support such scholars would also constitute fight (Jihad) through property. Allahu ta'ala in the next world (Akhirat) is promising Paradise for those Muslims who do fight (Jihad) through their body, property or money. Ali Muhammad Bahli, in his book Muftiy-yi majahid written in Persian explains Jihad at length.]

The following hadith says, "Congratulations to the people who obtained the blessings and who do the following actions: who practices humility, who knows himself as a deficient servant, who earns his money by permissible (Halal) means and spends on useful and beneficial things, who combines the knowledge of canonical law (Fiqh) and "knowledge of Tasawwuf" (Hikmat), who observes the limits of forbidden (Haram) and permissible (Halal) things, who pities poor people, who performs his business for the sake of Allahu ta'ala, who has good morals, who does not do wrong things to others, who practices according to his knowledge, who distributes extra wealth to others and who limits his speaking."

Humility (Tawazu) could also be practiced by some in order to make a joke of it or by some hypocrites in order to obtain worldly goods and ranks or by some others because they are afraid of something. This type of humility is a vice. Getting rid of this vice requires elimination of the things that cause it. Anyone who gets rid of the things that cause a vice will obtain true humility.