Assalamu alaikum
Offensive Jihad
1. Introduction
2. Offensive Jihad in the Qur’an
3. Offensive Jihad in strong Ahadith
4. Offensive Jihad in Islamic lawschools (Fiqh)
5. Offensive Jihad interpreted by acknowledged Islamic authorities
1.Introduction
Offensive jihad is one of Islams core doctrines, and is connected to ‘’itman al-hujjah’’, ‘’completiton of proof’, that indicates that religious truth has been explained by the messenger of Allah, that has made it accessible for the people. The people has therefore no excuse to deny the truth. If they do, they can be punished by Allah or by the people. The latter alternative is valid if the messenger has consolidated his power and has enough of companions to carry through his will. The purpose is to eradicate all resitstance against the messengers message. The prototype is of course Muhammad and his late campaigns against the remaining disbelievers in Arabia.
2.Offensive Jihad in the Quran
Offensive jihad is decreed in several verses in the Quran. The maybe most central is the following vers in the 9th Suran, that also contain the famous ‘’the verse of the sword’’ (9:5), that urge to war against disbelievers and according to the doctrine about nashk (abrogation) revoke all earlier made treaties with the disbelievers.
Quote:
9:29 Fight against such of those who have been given the ******ure as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.
Ibn Kathir (1301-1373 AD) comments this verse in his classical tafsir, that still is counted as one of the most popular tafsir-collections.
Quote:
This honorable Ayah [Koranvers] was revealed with the order to fight the People of the Book, after the pagans were defeated, the people entered Allah's religion in large numbers, and the Arabian Peninsula was secured under the Muslims' control. Allah commanded His Messenger to fight the People of the ******ures, Jews and Christians, on the ninth year of Hijrah, and he prepared his army to fight the Romans and called the people to Jihad announcing his intent and destination. […] Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them above Muslims, for they are miserable, disgraced and humiliated.
3.Offensive Jihad in strong ahadith
The same message is given i the two most honourable ahadith-collections, hadith Sahih Bukhari and hadith Sahih Muslim. These collections constitute one of Islams foundations, together with the Quran and Sira (biography of Muhammad). They are most highly respected ahadith-collections, and is looked upon as sahih, credible, which means that ahadith in them are historically correct and reliable by the majority of all Muslims. It shall be noted that the highest grade of sahih are the ahadith with similar ******* that can be found in both Bukhari and Muslim. Ahadith like those that will now follow, that deals with the three alternative the disbelievers shall be put before, are therefore as strong and highly respected as ahadith ever can be.
Hadith Sahih Bukhari (Volume 1, Book 2, Number 24)
Quote:
Allah's Apostle said: ”I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform that, then they save their lives an property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah.”
Hadith Sahih Muslim (Book 19, Number 4294)
Quote:
[Muhammed] would say: Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war, do not embezzle the spoils; do not break your pledge; and do not mutilate (the dead) bodies; do not kill the children. When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them. […] If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them.
Several other verses in the Quran command armed offensive struggle, for example 9:123, here presented with excerpt from Maariful Tafsir and Ibn Kathir.
Quote:
O ye who believe! Fight the disbelievers who gird you about, and let them find firmness in you: and know that God is with those who fear Him. (9:123)
5.4 MAARIFUL TAFSIR ON 9:123 Page 503
Previous verses carried inducement to Jihad. The first verse from the present ones (123) which opens with the words:
(O those who believe, fight those disbelievers who are near you) gives details, for disbelievers are spread out all over the world and any confrontation with them has to have some sort of functional sequence. The verse says that Jihad should first be waged against those of the disbelievers who were near. "Being near" could be taken in terms of the place, that is, the disbelievers who live closer to home base should be fought against first. And it could also be understood in terms of relationship, that is, those who are near in kinship, parentage and other social bonds should be given precedence. This is because Islamic Jihad is essentially carried out in their interest and for their well being, therefore, when it comes to care and concern, kinsfolk have precedence - similar to the command given to the Holy Prophet (And warn your near relatives against the punishment of Allah - 26:214). He carried out the command by assembling people from his family and conveyed to them the Word of Allah as revealed to him. The circle then became larger.
Keeping the same principle of near and far, confronted first, as compared to other, were disbelievers who lived in the vicinity of Madinah, such as
Banu Qurayzah, Banu Nadir, and the people of Khaibar. After that came the fight against the rest within the Arabian Peninsula. And after things were settled there came the last command to fight the disbelievers of Byzantium that resulted in the expedition of Tabuk.
5.5 IBN KATHIR ON 9:123
The Order for Jihad against the Disbelievers, the Closest, then the Farthest Areas
Allah commands the believers to fight the disbelievers, the closest in area to the Islamic state, then the farthest. This is why the Messenger of Allah
started fighting the idolators in the Arabian Peninsula. When he finished with them and Allah gave him control over Makkah, Al-Madinah, At-Ta'if, Yemen, Yamamah, Hajr, Khaybar, Hadramawt and other Arab provinces, and the various Arab tribes entered Islam in large crowds, he then started fighting the People of the ******ures.
He began preparations to fight the Romans who were the closest in area to the Arabian Peninsula, and as such, had the most right to be called to Islam, especially since they were from the People of the ******ures. The Prophet marched until he reached Tabuk and went back because of the extreme hardship, little rain and little supplies. This battle occurred on the ninth year after his Hijrah. In the tenth year, the Messenger of Allah was busy with the Farewell Hajj. The Messenger died eighty-one days after he returned from that Hajj, Allah chose him for what He had prepared for him [in Paradise].
After his death, his executor, friend, and Khalifah, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, became the leader. At that time, the religion came under attack and would have been defeated, if it had not been for the fact that Allah gave the religion firmness through Abu Bakr, who established its basis and made its foundations firm. He brought those who strayed from the religion back to it, and made those who reverted from Islam return. He took the Zakah from the evil people who did not want to pay it, and explained the truth to those who were unaware of it. On behalf of the Prophet , Abu Bakr delivered what he was entrusted with. Then, he started preparing the Islamic armies to fight the Roman cross worshippers, and the Persian fire worshippers. By the blessing of his mission, Allah opened the lands for him and brought down Caesar and Kisra and those who obeyed them among the servants.
Abu Bakr spent their treasures in the cause of Allah, just as the Messenger of Allah had foretold would happen. This mission continued after Abu Bakr at the hands of he whom Abu Bakr chose to be his successor, Al-Faruq, the Martyr of the Mihrab, Abu Hafs, `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. With `Umar, Allah humiliated the disbelievers, suppressed the tyrants and hypocrites, and opened the eastern and western parts of the world. The treasures of various countries were brought to `Umar from near and far provinces, and he divided them according to the legitimate and accepted method. `Umar then died as a martyr after he lived a praise worthy life. Then, the Companions among the Muhajirin and Ansar agreed to chose after `Umar, `Uthman bin `Affan, Leader of the faithful and Martyr of the House, may Allah be pleased with him. During `Uthman's reign, Islam wore its widest garment and Allah's unequivocal proof was established in various parts of the world over the necks of the servants. Islam appeared in the eastern and western parts of the world and Allah's Word was elevated and His religion apparent. The pure religion reached its deepest aims against Allah's enemies, and whenever Muslims overcame an Ummah, they moved to the next one, and then the next one, crushing the tyrannical evil doers. They did this in reverence to Allah's statement,
(O you who believe! (O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you,)
4.Offensive Jihad in the Islamic schools of Fiqh
All of the four schools of law undersign these three alternatives. The ****s that is quoted here are from influnencial ****s from different representatives for the different schools.
Maliki:
Quote:
”Jihad is a precept of Divine institution. Its performance by certain individuals may dispense others from it. We Malikis maintain that it is preferable not to begin hostilities with the enemy before having invited the latter to embrace the religion of Allah except where the enemy attacks first. They have the alternative of either converting to Islam or paying the poll tax (jizya), short of which war will be declared against them.”
-Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (922-996 AD), La risala, p. 65, quoted in The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam (Cranston, NJ, 1996, p. 295).
Shafi’i:
Quote:
"The mushrikun [infidels] of Dar al-Harb (the arena of battle) are of two types: First, those whom the call of Islam has reached, but they have refused it and have taken up arms. The amir of the army has the option of fighting them […] in accordance with what he judges to be in the best interest of the Muslims and most harmful to the mushrikun […] Second, those whom the invitation to Islam has not reached, although such persons are few nowadays since Allah has made manifest the call of his Messenger […] it is forbidden to […] begin an attack before explaining the invitation to Islam to them, informing them of the miracles of the Prophet and making plain the proofs so as to encourage acceptance on their part; if they still refuse to accept after this, war is waged against them and they are treated as those whom the call has reached"
-Abu’l Hasan Al-Mawardi (972-1058 AD) The Laws of Islamic Governance [al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah], (London, 1996, p. 60)
Hanbali:
Quote:
"Since lawful warfare is essentially jihad and since its aim is that the religion is God's entirely and God's word is uppermost, therefore according to all Muslims, those who stand in the way of this aim must be fought. As for those who cannot offer resistance or cannot fight, such as women, children, monks, old people, the blind, handicapped and their likes, they shall not be killed unless they actually fight with words (e.g. by propaganda) and acts (e.g. by spying or otherwise assisting in the warfare)."
-Ibn Taymiya (1263-1328 AD), quoted in Rudolph Peters, Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam (Princeton, NJ., 1996, p. 49)
Hanafi:
Quote:
"It is not lawful to make war upon any people who have never before been called to the faith, without previously requiring them to embrace it, because the Prophet so instructed his commanders, directing them to call the infidels to the faith, and also because the people will hence perceive that they are attacked for the sake of religion, and not for the sake of taking their property, or making slaves of their children, and on this consideration it is possible that they may be induced to agree to the call, in order to save themselves from the troubles of war […] If the infidels, upon receiving the call, neither consent to it nor agree to pay capitation tax, it is then incumbent on the Muslims to call upon God for assistance, and to make war upon them, because God is the assistant of those who serve Him, and the destroyer of His enemies, the infidels, and it is necessary to implore His aid upon every occasion; the Prophet, moreover, commands us so to do."
-Shaikh Burhanuddin Ali av Marghinan (1135-1196 AD), Hiddayah vol. 2, p. 140, quoted in A Dictionary of Islam, p. 243-248
5.Offensive Jihad interpreted by acknowledged Islamic authorities
Offensive jihad is legitimized by known authors like Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406 AD) by many seen as the most respected historians among the historians:
Quote:
"In the Muslim community, the holy war is a religious duty, because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and the obligation to convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force […] The other religious groups did not have a universal mission, and the holy war was not a religious duty for them, save only for purposes of defense […] Islam is under obligation to gain power over other nations.”
This is a result of the same intolerance against dissidents that is given in the following diatrib against Christians:
Quote:
”We do not think that we should blacken the pages of this book with discussion of their dogmas of unbelief. In general, they are well known. All of them are unbelief. This is clearly stated in the noble Koran. To discuss or argue those things with them is not up to us. It is for them to choose between conversion to Islam, payment of the poll tax, or death."
-Ibn Khaldun, The Muqudimmah. An Introduction to History, translated by Franz Rosenthal (New York, N.Y., 1958, vol. 1, p. 473; reference to page is missing in the second quote)
An other famous historian that thinks more or less alike is Ibn Rushd, more known as Averroes (1126-1198 AD) who writes:
Quote:
"According to all scholars the prerequisite for warfare is that the enemy must have heard the summons to to islam. This implies that it is not allowed to attack them before the summons have reached them. All moslems are agreed about this because of (Koran 17:15) ’We have not been accustomed to punish until we have sent a messenger’.”
-Averroës, Bidayat al-mudjtahid, translated by Peters (Leiden, 1977, p. 9-25)
The authors that has been quoted so far lived during the Middle Ages, but their ****s has in no way been made theological invalibe, instead these sources are still being read and is still being seen as normative. Offensive jihad is still today seen as legitimate. Abdullah Yusuf Azzam did impose in his fatwah Defense of the Muslim Lands; the First Obligation after Faith (1979) after the invasion of the Sovjetunion on Afghanistan. The fatwah was supported by the mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abd al-Aziz bin Bazz. Azzam legitimize both defensive and offensive jihad.
Quote:
”Jihad Against the Kuffar is of two Types: Offensive Jihad (where the enemy is attacked in his own territory) ... [and] Defensive Jihad. […] Where the Kuffar [infidels] are not gathering to fight the Muslims, the fighting becomes Fard Kifaya [religious obligation on Muslim society] with the minimum requirement of appointing believers to guard borders, and the sending of an army at least once a year to terrorise the enemies of Allah. It is a duty of the Imam to assemble and send out an army unit into the land of war once or twice every year. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the Muslim population to assist him, and if he does not send an army he is in sin. - And the Ulama have mentioned that this type of jihad is for maintaining the payment of Jizya. The scholars of the principles of religion have also said: ’Jihad is Daw’ah with a force, and is obligatory to perform with all available capabilities, until there remains only Muslims or people who submit to Islam.”
http://www.religioscope.com/info/doc ... _chap1.htm
One can state on very influencial Islamic lawbook beloning to school of Shafi’i that was approved by University of Al-Azhar in Cairo in 1991, Sunni Islams highest authority, who wrote it was in accordance with ”the practice and faith of the orthodox Sunni community.” The Manual, ‘Umdat al-Salik (translated into English as Reliance of the Traveller), define ’’the great jihad’’ as ’’spiritual war against the lower self’’ and then devote eleven pages to ‘’the smaller jihad’’ as ‘’war against non Muslims’’. The word is said to derive from mujahada, which is explained as ‘’war that establishes the religion’’. How this was is to be done is clarified in the following: ”the caliph makes war upon Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians […] until they become Muslim or pay the non-Muslim poll tax.” The manual add an comment from a Jordanian lawyer who do sign to Muhammads decree to invite the disbelievers to Islam before war is started: the caliph only goes to war ”provided that he has first invited [Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians] to enter Islam in faith and practice, and if they will not, then invited them to enter the social order of Islam by paying the non-Muslim poll tax (jizya) […] while remaining in their ancestral religions.” Finally it should be noted that Muslims still have to fight jihad, even if there is no caliph.
The Muslim Brotherhoods creator, Hasan al-Banna, writes in his **** ‘Jihad’ that offensive jihad was decreed by Muhammad, and that these decrees are still legitimized.
Quote :
The verses of the Qur'an and the Sunnah […] summon people in general […] to jihad, to warfare, to the armed forces, and all means of land and sea fighting.
All Muslims Must Make Jihad
Jihad is an obligation from Allah on every Muslim and cannot be ignored nor evaded. Allah has ascribed great importance to jihad and has made the reward of the martyrs and the fighters in His way a splendid one. Only those who have acted similarly and who have modeled themselves upon the martyrs in their performance of jihad can join them in this reward. Furthermore, Allah has specifically honoured the Mujahideen {those who wage jihad} with certain exceptional qualities, both spiritual and practical, to benefit them in this world and the next. Their pure blood is a symbol of victory in this world and the mark of success and felicity in the world to come.
Those who can only find excuses, however, have been warned of extremely dreadful punishments and Allah has described them with the most unfortunate of names. He has reprimanded them for their cowardice and lack of spirit, and castigated them for their weakness and truancy. In this world, they will be surrounded by dishonour and in the next they will be surrounded by the fire from which they shall not escape though they may possess much wealth. The weaknesses of abstention and evasion of jihad are regarded by Allah as one of the major sins, and one of the seven sins that guarantee failure.
Islam is concerned with the question of jihad and the drafting and the mobilisation of the entire Umma {the global Muslim community} into one body to defend the right cause with all its strength than any other ancient or modern system of living, whether religious or civil. The verses of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Muhammad (PBUH) are overflowing with all these noble ideals and they summon people in general (with the most eloquent expression and the clearest exposition) to jihad, to warfare, to the armed forces, and all means of land and sea fighting.
[…]
The Scholars on Jihad
I have just presented to you some verses from the Qur'an and the Noble Ahadith concerning the importance of jihad. Now I would like to present to you some of the opinions from jurisprudence of the Islamic Schools of Thought including some latter day authorities regarding the rules of jihad and the necessity for preparedness. From this we will come to realise how far the ummah has deviated in its practice of Islam as can be seen from the consensus of its scholars on the question of jihad.
The author of the 'Majma' al-Anhar fi Sharh Multaqal-Abhar', in describing the rules of jihad according to the Hanafi School, said: 'Jihad linguistically means to exert one's utmost effort in word and action; in the Sharee'ah {Sharia -- Islamic law} it is the fighting of the unbelievers, and involves all possible efforts that are necessary to dismantle the power of the enemies of Islam including beating them, plundering their wealth, destroying their places of worship and smashing their idols. This means that jihad is to strive to the utmost to ensure the strength of Islam by such means as fighting those who fight you and the dhimmies {non-Muslims living under Islamic rule} (if they violate any of the terms of the treaty) and the apostates (who are the worst of unbelievers, for they disbelieved after they have affirmed their belief).
It is fard (obligatory) on us to fight with the enemies. The Imam must send a military expedition to the Dar-al-Harb {House of War -- the non-Muslim world} every year at least once or twice, and the people must support him in this. If some of the people fulfill the obligation, the remainder are released from the obligation. If this fard kifayah (communal obligation) cannot be fulfilled by that group, then the responsibility lies with the closest adjacent group, and then the closest after that etc., and if the fard kifayah cannot be fulfilled except by all the people, it then becomes a fard 'ayn (individual obligation), like prayer on everyone of the people.
[…]
The scholarly people are of one opinion on this matter as should be evident and this is irrespective of whether these scholars were Mujtahideen or Muqalideen and it is irrespective of whether these scholars were salaf (early) or khalaf (late). They all agreed unanimously that jihad is a fard kifayah imposed upon the Islamic ummah in order to spread the Da'wah of Islam, and that jihad is a fard 'ayn if an enemy attacks Muslim lands. Today, my brother, the Muslims as you know are forced to be subservient before others and are ruled by disbelievers. Our lands have been besieged, and our hurruma'at (personal possessions, respect, honour, dignity and privacy) violated. Our enemies are overlooking our affairs, and the rites of our din are under their jurisdiction. Yet still the Muslims fail to fulfill the responsibility of Da'wah that is on their shoulders. Hence in this situation it becomes the duty of each and every Muslim to make jihad. He should prepare himself mentally and physically such that when comes the decision of Allah, he will be ready.
I should not finish this discussion without mentioning to you that the Muslims, throughout every period of their history (before the present period of oppression in which their dignity has been lost) have never abandoned jihad nor did they ever become negligent in its performance, not even their religious authorities, mystics, craftsmen, etc. They were all always ready and prepared. For example, Abdullah ibn al Mubarak, a very learned and pious man, was a volunteer in jihad for most of his life, and 'Abdulwahid bin Zayd, a sufi and a devout man, was the same. And in his time, Shaqiq al Balkhi, the shaykh of the sufis encouraged his pupils towards jihad. …
Associated Matters Concerning Jihad
Many Muslims today mistakenly believe that fighting the enemy is jihad asghar (a lesser jihad) and that fighting one's ego is jihad akbar (a greater jihad). The following narration [athar] is quoted as proof: "We have returned from the lesser jihad to embark on the greater jihad." They said: "What is the greater jihad?" He said: "The jihad of the heart, or the jihad against one's ego."
This narration is used by some to lessen the importance of fighting, to discourage any preparation for combat, and to deter any offering of jihad in Allah's way. This narration is not a saheeh (sound) tradition: The prominent muhaddith Al Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said in the Tasdid al-Qaws:
'It is well known and often repeated, and was a saying of Ibrahim ibn 'Abla.'
Al Hafiz Al Iraqi said in the Takhrij Ahadith al-Ahya':
’Al Bayhaqi transmitted it with a weak chain of narrators on the authority of Jabir, and Al Khatib transmitted it in his history on the authority of Jabir.'
Nevertheless, even if it were a sound tradition, it would never warrant abandoning jihad or preparing for it in order to rescue the territories of the Muslims and repel the attacks of the disbelievers. Let it be known that this narration simply emphasises the importance of struggling against one's ego so that Allah will be the sole purpose of everyone of our actions.
Other associated matters concerning jihad include commanding the good and forbidding the evil. It is said in the Hadeeth: "One of the greatest forms of jihad is to utter a word of truth in the presence of a tyrannical ruler." But nothing compares to the honour of shahadah kubra (the supreme martyrdom) or the reward that is waiting for the Mujahideen.
Epilogue
My brothers! The ummah that knows how to die a noble and honourable death is granted an exalted life in this world and eternal felicity in the next. Degradation and dishonour are the results of the love of this world and the fear of death. Therefore prepare for jihad and be the lovers of death. Life itself shall come searching after you.
My brothers, you should know that one day you will face death and this ominous event can only occur once. If you suffer on this occasion in the way of Allah, it will be to your benefit in this world and your reward in the next. And remember brother that nothing can happen without the Will of Allah: ponder well what Allah, the Blessed, the Almighty, has said:
'Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you, while another party was thinking about themselves (as to how to save themselves, ignoring the others and the Prophet) and thought wrongly of Allah - the thought of ignorance. They said, "Have we any part in the affair?" Say you (O Muhammad): "Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah." They hide within themselves what they dare not reveal to you, saying: "If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here." Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death: but that Allah might test what is in your hearts; and to purify that which was in your hearts (sins), and Allah is All-Knower of what is in (your) hearts."' {Sura 3:154}
Muhammad Taqi Partovi Samzevari summarizes in Future of the Islamic Movement (1986) the Islamic view of war.
Quote:
Our own Prophet […] was a general, a statesman, an administrator, an economist, a jurist and a first-class manager all in one. […] In the Qur’an’s historic vision Allah’s support and the revolutionary struggle of the people must come together, so that Satanic rulers are brought down and put to death. A people that is not prepared to kill and to die in order to create a just society cannot expect any support from Allah. The Almighty has promised us that the day will come when the whole of mankind will live united under the banner of Islam, when the sign of the Crescent, the symbol of Muhammad, will be supreme everywhere. […] But that day must be hastened through our Jihad, through our readiness to offer our lives and to shed the unclean blood of those who do not see the light brought from the Heavens by Muhammad in his mi’raj {“nocturnal voyages to the ‘court’ of Allah”}. […] It is Allah who puts the gun in our hand. But we cannot expect Him to pull the trigger as well simply because we are faint-hearted.
That offensive jihad still is taught within Islam can be read on following pages.
http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?re ... amp;ln=eng
Quote:
Fourthly:
Physical jihad against the kaafirs becomes obligatory in four cases, which are:
1 – When the Muslim is present in a jihad situation.
2 – When the enemy has come and attacked a Muslim land
3 – When the ruler mobilizes the people, they must respond.
4 – When a person is needed and no one else can do the task except him.
http://www.islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=12128
Quote:
You should understand that we as Muslims firmly believe that the person who doesn't believe in Allah as he is required to, is a disbeliever who would be doomed to Hell eternally. Thus one of the primary responsibilities of the Muslim ruler is to spread Islam throughout the world, thus saving people from eternal damnation.
Thus what is meant by the passage in Tafsir Uthmani, is that if a country doesn't allow the propagation of Islam to its inhabitants in a suitable manner or creates hindrances to this, then the Muslim ruler would be justifying in waging Jihad against this country, so that the message of Islam can reach its inhabitants, thus saving them from the Fire of Jahannum. If the Kuffaar allow us to spread Islam peacefully, then we would not wage Jihad against them.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Islam Question and Answer - www.islam-qa.com, Question No 26125
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The difference between jihad and qitaal, and the types of jihad for the sake of Allaah
Quote:
Question:
What is the difference between "Jihad" and "Qitaal" ?.
Quote:
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The word jihad is more general than the word qitaal (fighting). Jihaad may be with the tongue (by speaking out), or with weapons (which is qitaal or fighting) or with money. Each of these categories includes numerous subcategories.
Jihad with the tongue includes jihad against the kaafirs, as well as jihad against the hypocrites, jihad against the people of bid’ah (innovation), and jihad against the people of misguidance and whims and desires.
Qitaal may only be done with weapons; it includes fighting the kaafirs, fighting the wrongdoers and fighting the Khawaarij.
The greatest kind of fighting is fighting those who disbelieve, for Allaah has commanded us to fight them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
Quote:
“Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allaah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the ******ure (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” [al-Tawbah 9:29]
Quote:
“O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you”
[al-Tawbah 9:123]
Quote:
Jihaad against the kuffaar with weapons is of two types: jihad talab (offensive jihad) and jihad daf’ (defensive jihad).
Jihad talab means attacking the kuffaar in their own lands until they become Muslim or pay the jizyah with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to fight the people until they bear witness that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, and establish regular prayer, and pay zakaah. If they do that, then they have protected their blood and their wealth from me, except in cases decreed by Islamic law, and their reckoning with be with Allaah.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 25; Muslim, 20.
The purpose of this kind of jihad is not to fight the kuffaar and take their wealth, rather jihad is prescribed for a great purpose which is discussed in question no. 34637.
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The second type is jihad al-daf’ (defensive jihad). If the enemy attacks a Muslim country or fights a Muslim country, then jihad is obligatory in that case. If the people of that country are able to undertake this obligation, then all well and good, and the others should support them, both financially and spiritually (by making du’aa’ for them). If the people in that country are not able to undertake this obligation by themselves, then those who are nearby must support them, each according to his ability, whether by giving money, speaking out, or going and fighting. And Allaah knows best.
See also questions no. 20214 and 34830.
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The responses are handled by Sheikh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid, using only authentic, scholarly sources based on the Quran and sunnah, and other reliable contemporary scholarly opinions. References are provided where appropriate in the responses. All requests are held with confidence, and replies are available personally and/or publicly (posted to this site)
For more reading it is recommended to read Silas article on Answering Islam about the verse of the sword, 9:5.
http://www.****************.de/Main/S ... dverse.htm
Compiled by Reinhard
Sources :
Sources:
The Quran, 9:29
Hadith Sahih Bukhari (Volume 1, Book 2, Number 24)
Hadith Sahih Muslim (Book 19, Number 4294)
The Quran, 9:123
-Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (922-996 e.Kr.), La risala, s. 65, citerad i The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam (Cranston, NJ, 1996, s. 295).
-Abu’l Hasan Al-Mawardi (972-1058 e.Kr.) The Laws of Islamic Governance [al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah], (London, 1996, s. 60)
-Ibn Taymiya (1263-1328 e.Kr.), citerad i Rudolph Peters, Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam (Princeton, NJ., 1996, s. 49)
-Shaikh Burhanuddin Ali av Marghinan (1135-1196 e.Kr.), Hiddayah vol. 2, s. 140, citerad i A Dictionary of Islam, s. 243-248
-Ibn Khaldun, The Muqudimmah. An Introduction to History, övers. Franz Rosenthal (New York, N.Y., 1958, vol. 1, s. 473; pagereference is missing to the second quote)
-Averroës, Bidayat al-mudjtahid, övers. Peters (Leiden, 1977, s. 9-25)
Muhammad Taqi Partovi Samzevari summarizes
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