Unraveling the Jihadists’ Judicial Errors & Sophisms —Pt 3
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Jihadists and terrorists groups use verses from the Quran and Hadith to mislead youth. In this series I will mention some of their judicial errors and the sophisms they use advantageously in their favor for corruption. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Umar Bazmoul authored a book, ” Al-Muhkamu wal Mutashabih fee At-Takfir wal Jihad ” that critically discusses sophisms for Jihad and Takfir.
انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً وَجَاهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.[At-Taubah 41]
Jihadists use the apparent meaning from this verse to say Jihad is obligatory on every Muslim.
Shaykh Muhammad Bazmou said: There is no proof in this verse that Jihad is compulsory for every Muslim, however this verse explains the verdicts for Jihad when people are sent from the leader.There is proof that this verse refers to that meaning from the ayah about the Sahabah who were sent out in the Battle of Tabuk.
Allah said in Surah At-Tawbah 38-51
38 O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter.
- If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people, and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allah is Able to do all things.
- If you help him (Muhammad) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muhammad and Abu Bakr ) were in the cave, and he () said to his companion (Abu Bakr ): “Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us.” Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace, etc.) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
- March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.
- Had it been a near gain (booty in front of them) and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance (Tabuk expedition) was long for them, and they would swear by Allah, “If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you.” They destroy their ownselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.
- May Allah forgive you (O Muhammad). Why did you grant them leave (for remaining behind, you should have persisted as regards your order to them to proceed on Jihad), until those who told the truth were seen by you in a clear light, and you had known the liars?
- Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask your leave to be exempted from fighting with their properties and their lives, and Allah is the All-Knower ofAl-Muttaqun (the pious – see V.2:2).
- It is only those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are in doubt that ask your leave (to be exempted fromJihad). So in their doubts they waver.
- And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it, but Allah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them), “Sit you among those who sit (at home).”
- Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of theZalimun(polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).
- Verily, they had plotted sedition before, and had upset matters for you, – until the truth (victory) came and the Decree of Allah (His Religion, Islam) became manifest though they hated it.
- And among them is he who says:”Grant me leave (to be exempted fromJihad) and put me not into trial.” Surely, they have fallen into trial. And verily, Hell is surrounding the disbelievers.
- If good befalls you (O Muhammad), it grieves them, but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: “We took our precaution beforehand,” and they turn away rejoicing.
- Say: “Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is ourMaula (Lord, Helper and Protector).” And in Allah let the believers put their trust.
The verse is a proof for Jihad when people are called to participate from the Ruler and therefore it’s not unrestricted and general in its meaning.
Moreover the verse doesn’t show that Jihad is a duty in other than the time the Ruler request Muslims to fight.
The evidence that Jihad and Dawah aren’t obligatory for every individual and if some people fulfill this obligation then others aren’t blameworthy.
Allah said:
And it is not (proper) for the believers to go out to fight (Jihad) all together. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may get instructions in (Islamic) religion, and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware (of evil).[At-Tawbah 122]
This verse means that it’s not appropriate for every Muslim to go out and fight, nor is it correct for all of them sit around and do nothing. In fact, a small group from a community should go to learn the religion then warn their residents after they return back. So, if Jihad and giving Dawah was compulsory for everyone Allah wouldn’t have allowed some to remain behind. He would have ordered all the Muslim to march forth. This verse proves that Jihad is Fard Kee-fiyah. When some fulfill its rights the burden is lifted from others.
Allah said: Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame, etc.), and those who strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives above those who sit (at home). Unto each, Allah has promised good (Paradise), but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home) by a huge reward.[ An-Nisa 95]
If Jihad was obligatory on every single Muslim why would Allah compare those who stay at home with those who fight?
Sometimes the Prophet (ﷺ ) would go out and fight and other times he wouldn’t.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “By Him in Whose Hands my life is! Were it not for some men amongst the believers who dislike to be left behind me and whom I cannot provide with means of conveyance, I would certainly never remain behind any Sariya’ (army-unit) setting out in Allah’s Cause.[ Al-Bukhari 2797]
If Jihad was compulsory on every Muslim the Prophet (ﷺ) would have never remain battle and missed a single battle for Allah’s cause.
Pages 344-347
Translated by
Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle
Doha, Qatar 1437©