horses by which you may terrify the enemy of Allāh and your enemy" (al-Anfāl, 60). Neglecting this, despite the ability, is a characteristic of the hypocrites. Therefore, the Lord of the worlds said about them: "But if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it" (al-Tawbah, 46). I firmly believe that this material preparation cannot today be undertaken by a group of believers without the knowledge of their rulers—as is well known. Therefore, fighting the enemies of Allāh by any group is premature, just as it was during the Meccan period. Hence, they were not commanded to do so until the Medinan period, and this is in accordance with the divine text: "Allāh does not burden a soul beyond its capacity" (al-Baqarah, 286). Therefore, I advise the enthusiastic youth eager for jihād, and truly sincere to the Lord of the servants, to focus on internal reform and postpone concern with the external, which is beyond their control. This requires diligent work and a long time to achieve what I call "purification and education." This task can only be undertaken by a group of pure scholars and pious educators, who are few in this time, especially among the groups that rebel against the rulers! Some may deny the necessity of this purification, as is the case with some Islamic parties. Some may claim that its role has ended, thus deviating towards political work or jihād, and turning away from focusing on purification and education. They are all deluded in this, for how many sharīʿah violations occur among them all due to neglecting the duty of purification and their reliance on imitation and patchwork, by which they permit much of what Allāh has forbidden! This is the example: rebelling against the rulers, even if they have not committed blatant disbelief. In conclusion, I say: We do not deny that there are some rulers who must be rebelled against, like the one who denied the legitimacy of fasting in Ramaḍān and the sacrifices during Eid al-Aḍḥā, and others..