QUESTION:
What is the objective of waging an offensive Jihaad in Islam, and under what conditions would an offensive Jihaad be waged?
ANSWER:
Islam does not promote the shedding of human blood; in fact, we are commanded to preserve human life. Hence, in offensive Jihaad, the Mujaahideen are required to invite the Kuffar to Islam. If they embrace Islam, then they will enjoy the same benefits as the Muslims. If they are not willing to embrace Islam, then they will be commanded to pay Jizya (taxes) to the Muslim government. If they agree to pay taxes to the Muslim government, then their lives, property, etc. will be protected by the Muslim government. If they refuse to pay taxes to the Muslim government, then as a last and final resort, the Muslims will wage war against them so that these evil elements of society may be eradicated. This was the advice provided by Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam to the Ameer when despatching an army.
عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَمَّرَ أَمِيرًا عَلَى جَيْشٍ أَوْ سَرِيَّةٍ أَوْصَاهُ فِي خَاصَّتِهِ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ خَيْرًا ثُمَّ قَالَ“ اغْزُوا بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَاتِلُوا مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ اغْزُوا وَ لاَ تَغُلُّوا وَلاَ تَغْدِرُوا وَلاَ تَمْثُلُوا وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا وَلِيدًا وَإِذَا لَقِيتَ عَدُوَّكَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى ثَلاَثِ خِصَالٍ – أَوْ خِلاَلٍ – فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ مَا أَجَابُوكَ فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ فَإِنْ أَجَابُوكَ فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى التَّحَوُّلِ مِنْ دَارِهِمْ إِلَى دَارِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ إِنْ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَلَهُمْ مَا لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَعَلَيْهِمْ مَا عَلَى الْمُهَاجِرِينَ فَإِنْ أَبَوْا أَنْ يَتَحَوَّلُوا مِنْهَا فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ يَكُونُونَ كَأَعْرَابِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِمْ حُكْمُ اللَّهِ الَّذِي يَجْرِي عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ يَكُونُ لَهُمْ فِي الْغَنِيمَةِ وَالْفَىْءِ شَىْءٌ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُجَاهِدُوا مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَبَوْا فَسَلْهُمُ الْجِزْيَةَ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَجَابُوكَ فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَبَوْا فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَقَاتِلْهُمْ . وَإِذَا حَاصَرْتَ أَهْلَ حِصْنٍ فَأَرَادُوكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لَهُمْ ذِمَّةَ اللَّهِ وَذِمَّةَ نَبِيِّهِ فَلاَ تَجْعَلْ لَهُمْ ذِمَّةَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ ذِمَّةَ نَبِيِّهِ وَلَكِنِ اجْعَلْ لَهُمْ ذِمَّتَكَ وَذِمَّةَ أَصْحَابِكَ فَإِنَّكُمْ أَنْ تُخْفِرُوا ذِمَمَكُمْ وَذِمَمَ أَصْحَابِكُمْ أَهْوَنُ مِنْ أَنْ تُخْفِرُوا ذِمَّةَ اللَّهِ وَذِمَّةَ رَسُولِهِ . وَإِذَا حَاصَرْتَ أَهْلَ حِصْنٍ فَأَرَادُوكَ أَنْ تُنْزِلَهُمْ عَلَى حُكْمِ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تُنْزِلْهُمْ عَلَى حُكْمِ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنْ أَنْزِلْهُمْ عَلَى حُكْمِكَ فَإِنَّكَ لاَ تَدْرِي أَتُصِيبُ حُكْمَ اللَّهِ فِيهِمْ أَمْ لاَ(صحيح مسلم#4294)
It is reported from Hadhrat Sulaiman bin Buraida Radiallahu Anhu who narrates from his father, when Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam appointed anyone as the Ameer of an army or detachment he would especially exhort him to fear Allah and to be good to the Muslims who were with him. He would then say: Fight with the name of Allah in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah, wage war and do not be treacherous (in the spoils of war), do not betray, and do not mutilate (the bodies), do not kill a small child. When you meet your enemies from the polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, accept it from them and refrain from doing any harm to them. Invite them to (accept) Islam, if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting them. Then invite them to migrate from their lands to the land of the Muhajireen and inform them that if they do so, they shall enjoy the privileges that the Muhajireen enjoy, and upon them will be the obligations that are upon the Muhajireen. If they refuse to migrate, tell them that they will enjoy the status of the Bedouin Muslims and will be subjected to the Commands of Allah like other Muslims, and they will not receive any share from the spoils of war, except when they fight with the Muslims (against the disbelievers). If they refuse to accept Islam, demand Jizyah from them. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold back your hands from them. If they refuse to pay the Jizyah, seek Allah’s help and fight them. When you lay siege to a fort and the besieged appeal to you for protection in the name of Allah and His Prophet, do not accord to them the guarantee of Allah and His Nabi, but accord to them your own guarantee and the guarantee of your companions, for it is a lesser sin that the security given by you or your companions be disregarded than that the security granted in the name of Allah and His Prophet be violated. When you besiege a fort and the besieged want you to let them out in accordance with Allah’s Command, do not let them come out in accordance with His Command, but do so at your (own) command, for you do not know whether you will be able to carry out Allah’s command regarding them or not.
Secondly, the objective of Jihaad is not to cause bloodshed and havoc on earth, but rather, Jihaad has been prescribed to elevate the name of Allah, assist His Deen and repel evil from the servants.
فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ [التوبة: 5] وَلِقَوْلِهِ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ الْجِهَادُ مَاضٍ إلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ أَرَادَ بِهِ فَرْضًا بَاقِيًا، وَهُوَ عَلَى الْكِفَايَةِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مَا فُرِضَ لِعَيْنِهِ إذْ هُوَ فَسَادٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَإِنَّمَا فُرِضَ لِإِعْلَاءِ كَلِمَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَإِعْزَازِ دِينِهِ وَدَفْعِ الشَّرِّ عَنْ الْعِبَادِ(مجمع الانهر1/632)
Thirdly, the Fuqaha have mentioned that the condition of waging Jihaad is that a person must have the ability of using a weapon. If he knows that by fighting he will be killed, and by not waging war he will be taken as a captive, then it will not be necessary for him to fight. In conclusion, having the manpower and ability to combat the disbelievers is a requisite to wage war against the Kuffar.
وفي السراج وشرط لوجوبه: القدرة على السلاح لا أمن الطريق، فإن علم أنه إذا حارب قتل وإن لم يحارب أسر لم يلزمه القتال(الدر المختار و حاشية ابن عابدين4/127)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: – 12 Rabi ul Awwal 1444 / 28 September 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
