Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Offensive Jihad: Difference between revisions

Known by some scholars as the "sword verse" in Surah at-Tawbah of the Qur'an, verse 9:29 has been interpreted by many Islamic scholars throughout history as a never-ending call for jihad against the [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar-al-Harb]], abrogating a large number of earlier verses. This was not a universal view, however, and is also contested by Islamic modernist scholars today, who argue that the Quran does not sanction expansionist warfare but rather emphasises defensive fighting against aggression and religious persecution, with the expansionist-abrogationist view being linked to the early imperial-political situation (see discussion in the main article).

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.}}

This honorable Ayah 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 Scriptures, 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. The Messenger sent his intent to various Arab areas around Al-Madinah to gather forces, and he collected an army of thirty thousand. Some people from Al-Madinah and some hypocrites, in and around it, lagged behind, for that year was a year of drought and intense heat. The Messenger of Allah marched, heading towards Ash-Sham to fight the Romans until he reached Tabuk, where he set camp for about twenty days next to its water resources. He then prayed to Allah for a decision and went back to Al-Madinah because it was a hard year and the people were weak, as we will mention, Allah willing.}}

The following verse defines fighting in the cause of Allah as killing and being killed.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|111}}|Indeed, Allāh has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. '''They fight in the cause of Allāh, so they kill and are killed.''' [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’ān. And who is truer to his covenant than Allāh? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.}}

Quran 9:5 is another verse known as ''the verse of the sword'' (like 9:29 discussed above) and considered by many classical scholars to abrogate earlier defensive verses.

How (can there be any treaty for the others) when, if they have the upper hand of you, they regard not pact nor honour in respect of you? They satisfy you with their mouths the while their hearts refuse. And most of them are wrongdoers.}}

Another verse in the same surah is the following:

Quran 8:39 can also be interpreted as calling for offensive jihad.

Ibn Kathir explains this verse as follows:

(I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight the people until they proclaim, `None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'. Whoever said it, then he will save his life and property from me, except for cases of the law, and their account will be with Allah.) }}

Then there is Quran 2:193.

{{Quote|[http://quran.com/2/193 Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:193]<BR>Tafsir al-Jalalayn|Fight them till there is no sedition, no idolatry, and the religion, all worship, is for God, alone and none are worshipped apart from Him; then if they desist, from idolatry, do not aggress against them. This is indicated by the following words, there shall be no enmity, no aggression through slaying or otherwise, save against evildoers. Those that desist, however, are not evildoers and should not be shown any enmity.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|387}}, See also: {{Bukhari|1|2|24}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:  

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|435}}|

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|190}}|Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.}}

This is among the peaceful/defensive verses that have been [[Abrogation|abrogated]] by verses from chapter nine according to classical scholars of the abrogationist view such as the commentators of Tafsir al-Jalalayn, as discussed above.

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|58}}|If thou fearest treachery from any group, throw back (their covenant) to them, (so as to be) on equal terms: for Allah loveth not the treacherous.}}

As an ideological leader of the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets, 'Abdallah Yusuf 'Azzam (d. 1989) argued the importance of not relinquishing the right to Muslim lands as part of a peace treaty:

{{Quote|1=Abdallah Yusuf 'Azzam (1979) [https://islam.worldofislam.info/index.php/online-books/118-defense-of-muslim-lands/490-chapter-4-important-questions Defence of the Muslim Land, Chapter 4]|2=The scholars of Fiqh are divided as to whether or not it is permitted to make peace treaties with the Kuffar. Among them are some who permit it based on the pact of Hudaybia. Others permit it if the Muslims are extremely weak. Others still, say that we are no longer permitted to make peace treaties with the Kuffar because they say that all pacts with the Kuffar are cancelled by the Verse of the Sword. We say, it is permitted to make peace treaties, if in the treaty there is good for the Muslims, but under the condition that there is no clause within the treaty that nullifies or corrupts it.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. }}

<span class="plainlinks">[[w:Al-Suyuti|Imam Al-Suyuti]]</span> (c. 1445-1505 AD) was a famous Egyptian writer, religious scholar, juristic expert and teacher.

For further information, see: [[Qur'an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Scholars_on_Jihad|Scholars on Jihad]]

Some of the expeditions which Muhammad and his men reportedly undertook involved sieges against enemy strongholds (such as the siege of Taif, in which catapults were reportedly used), or night raids, either of which put at risk the lives of women and children and not just male combatants as in a pitched battle. According to the hadith, Muhammad allowed the unintentional killing of women and children during nocturnal attacks (night raids) after some were trampled by horses.

{{Quote|Al-Ghazali, Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi'i|...[O]ne must go on jihad (i.e. razzias or raids) at least once a year ... one may use a catapult against them when they are in a fortress, even if among them are women and children. One may set fire to them and/or drown them. ... If a person of the ''ahl al-kitab'' [i.e. People of the Book] is enslaved, his marriage is revoked. ... One may cut down their trees. ... One must destroy their useless books. Jihadists may take as booty whatever they decide ... they may steal as much food as they need...<BR><BR><ref name="Al-Ghazali">Excerpted form ''[http://www.irfi.org/articles3/articles_4701_4800/why%20christians%20accepted%20greek%20natural%20philosophy,%20but%20muslims%20did%20nothtml.htm Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi'i]'' (Beirut, 1979), pp. 186, 190-91, 199-200, 202-203. English translation by Dr. Michael Schub.</ref>}}

'''Verse 2:217'''