The Ruling on fighting the Kuffar who attack the Muslim lands

Islam forbids abandonment, and surrendering the lands of Islam to the enemies of the Religion and the descendants of Apes and Swine’s. Islam calls us to fight in the Sake of Allah, and to fight the covenant violators and oppressors. And emphasizes the need to cleanse the Muslim lands from the hands of rapists (occupiers). Allah Subhanahu Wata’aala says:

 انْفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا وَجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.” [9:41]

Allah Subhanahu Wata’aala also says:

وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ لِلَّهِ فَإِنِ انْتَهَوْا فَلَا عُدْوَانَ إِلَّا عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ

“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 ]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.” [8:39]

And the people of Knowledge (Ahlul-’ilm) agreed upon the obligatory to fight the disbelievers who attack/occupy the Muslim countries. If they stop their aggression only then the Obligation will fall for the other Muslims. But if the fighting is still going on, and expelling the disbelieving enemy from the Muslim countries failed, it becomes an obligation for the Muslims from the surrounding countries, that are close to the enemy, to give victory to them (i.e. the oppressed Muslims), by fighting the Kufar to repel their oppression and aggression. Allah Subhanahu Wata’aala says:

 وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا * الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا

“And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the Cause of Allah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: “Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help.” * Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (Satan). So fight you against the friends of Shaitan (Satan). Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaitan (Satan).” [4: 75-76]

This Quranic verse demands (from us) to free the weak from amongst the believers from the hands of the Kufar, Tyrants and criminals. Also the verse demands (from us) to fight the Kufar. And the meaning of ‘al-Qitaal” (fighting) is to make the Word of Allah Supreme, to give victory to His religion, to support the Muslims and to give them victory of the enemy of Allah and their enemy. The person who is killed during this Jihad, is a Shahid (Martyr). De prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: “من قتل في سبيل الله فهو شهيد ومن مات في سبيل الله فهو شهيد..” رواه مسلم

“One who is slain in the way of Allah is a martyr; one who dies in the way of Allah, is a martyr” [Part of Hadith in Sahih Muslim]

There are a lot of narration from the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that show us that Jihad for the Sake of Allah is one of the best deeds, and that the one who takes the responsibility on him, belongs to the best of Allah’s servants. How precious is all that blood and lives that are sacrificed for the Sake of Allah and to protect the Muslims from the oppression of the Kufar. Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala says:

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ * فَرِحِينَ بِمَا ءَاتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ * يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision. * They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty and rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve. * They rejoice in a Grace and a Bounty from Allah, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers.” [3: 169-171]

Published on: 7 / 8 /1421 هـ

Translated by Abu Yahya