| Is Jihad only permitted for the purpose of defense ? |
| The call to Jihad passed through three stages. In the first stage Allah, Exalted be He, permitted the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his followers to fight against disbelievers, but He did not make it obligatory ..... This is obvious in the words of Allah, Glorified be He, in the Chapter (Surah), Al-Hajj: 'Permission to fight (against disbelievers) is given to those who are fought against, because they have been wronged: and surely, Allah is able to give them (believers) victory.' (Al-Hajj: 39) Then came the second stage when Allah, Exalted be He, made Jihad obligatory against all those who fight Muslims, not against those who did not fight them. This was revealed in many verses; Allah, Exalted be He, says: 'There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path' (Al-Baqarah: 256) And says: 'The truth is from your Lord.? Then whoever wills, let him believe; and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.' (Al-Kahf: 29) 'And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors.' (Al-Baqarah: 190) A group of scholars say that verses 89 and 90 in Surah, An-Nisaa convey the same message about Jihad: 'They wish that you reject Faith, as they have rejected (Faith), and thus that you all become equal (like one another). So take not Awliyaa (protectors or friends) from them, till they emigrate in the Way of Allah (to Muhammad). But if they turn back (from Islam), take (hold of) them and kill them wherever you find them, and take neither Awliyaa (protectors or friends) nor helpers from them. Except those who join a group, between you and whom there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with their breasts restraining from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. Had Allah willed, indeed He would have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they withdraw from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace, then Allah has opened no way for you against them.' (An-Nasaa : 89) In the third stage Allah commands waging all-out Jihad against polytheists and fighting them even in their lands 'until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah' (Al-Baqarah: 193). People on earth will then resort to goodness, Islam will spread and its call will not be impeded by protagonists of disbelief and atheism. Allah's bondmen will be favored with the justice inherent in Islamic law (Shari`ah) and the tolerance that goes with the Islamic teachings, which deliver mankind from the limited scope of life in this world to the unlimited domain of Islam. Mankind will also be redeemed from the worship of the created to the worship of the Creator, Glory be to Him, and from the oppression of tyrants to the justice which Islamic and guiding rules afford. This is the final stage which the call to Jihad reached, and practiced by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in his battles against polytheists. This is confirmed by Allah's words in Surah, At-Tawbah verse: 'Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them.' (At-Tawbah: 5) and His words in Surah, Al-Anfal verse: 'And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism, i.e. worshipping others besides Allah), and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone (in the whole of the world.)' (Al-Anf?l: 39) Some scholars believe that the third stage in which Allah revealed the order to the Muslims to fight against all the polytheists as well as against the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) if they do not embrace Islam, abrogated all the preceding rulings which made fighting obligatory against all those who fight Muslims, not against those who did not fight them. So Muslims were not permitted to abandon fighting against them (Pagans, Jews, and Christians), reconcile with them and suspend hostilities against them for an unlimited period, while they are strong and are able to fight against the non-Muslims till they pay the Jizyah (a tax levied on the non-Muslims who do not embrace Islam and are under the protection of Islamic government) with willing submission and thy must fight against disbelievers till religion is all for Allah, or they pay Jizyah so that worship will all be for Allah alone in the whole world. Other group of scholars maintain that the second stage through which the call to Jihad passed through in Islam, has not been completely abrogated; it is to be applied when needed. So when the Muslims are strong and are able to fight against the non-Muslims in Allah's Cause, they must do as they are commanded in Surah At-Tawbah and other verses with the same meaning. But when they are not strong enough to fight against polytheists, they just fight all those who fight against Muslims, not against those who did not fight them, as revealed in Surah, An-Nisaa, and other verses with the same meaning. This is the most reliable opinion, it is preferable to the first one; after all, it is the opinion of Ibn Taymiyah. Taking all these facts into consideration, everyone, even laymen, should realize that contemporary thinkers are wrong in claiming that Jihad has been permitted only for the purpose of defense (counter-attack). This is so clear in the textual evidences stated herein, as all scholars and exegetes agree. And whoever contemplates the biographies of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) finds that their Jihad against polytheists corresponds with what is mentioned in the Qur?an and Hadiths. Allah is the Omnipotent that bestows success. Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him. |