A: There is no doubt that disagreement on some issues arose between audience and some preachers

due to good intention or lack of knowledge. It is obligatory on all Muslims to resort to the Book of Allah and to the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him). It is also obligatory on preachers and their audience to ascertain things and not to hasten until they feel comfortable that they have grasped the truth and have been guided by proofs from Shari`ah. There should be no haste to issue a fatwa without discernment.

Knowledge seekers, symposium participants, lecturers, Friday preachers, and others have to be sure of everything and not to judge anything as Haram (prohibited), obligatory, recommended, lawful or Makruh (reprehensible) except with good discernment in order not to lead people astray.

As for the issue of seeking help of non-Muslim states, some Muslim brothers think this action is not permissible and Saudi Arabia was mistaken when it did so. In fact, this is a mistake. Saudi Arabia was in need to do this; it was rather, in a state of compulsion because of the powerful force that the ruler of Iraq had and his sudden invasion of Kuwait. Therefore, Saudi Arabia was in need of the help of some Muslim and non-Muslim countries, because the situation was serious, time was pressing, and there was no room for leniency.

It did well in this regard and did what was necessary to deter the oppressor and confine him so that he would not advance more and cause much damage. As a result, he withdrew his army from the oppressed countries.

In other words, seeking the help of non-Muslims in the time of need or necessity when no Muslim can help is imperative in order to ward off evil, which is more dangerous than seeking the help of foreign troops. A general Shari`ah rule provides for pushing away the more harmful damage with the minor one in order to obtain a greater benefit. If the ruler or any other official is lenient until evil worsens, this is not permissible. We must be ready for anything and take the chance to deter and eliminate oppression and protect Muslims from the dangers that may befall them and which may cause worse danger.

The Council of Senior Scholars studied this issue of seeking the help of non-Muslims if necessary to fight polytheists and atheists and gave a fatwa to the permissibility of doing so for the aforementioned reasons.