The Unbreakable Mandate
"When earthly power betrays the covenant of justice, the soul’s duty is not to the throne but to the Throne—to uphold divine law over human error, sacred resistance over silent compliance, and eternal truth over temporary authority."
–Whalid Safodien
The Feather Pen
The Unbreakable Covenant: A
Timeless Mandate for Unity, Justice, and Sacred Resistance in an Age of
Misguided Authority
When the fabric of
society frays under the weight of misguided leaders—when justice is perverted,
trust is broken, and the sacred covenant of governance is betrayed—the human
soul cries out for a compass. It is in these moments of profound
disillusionment, when earthly authority fails its divine purpose, that the
believer’s heart must turn not to despair, but to the eternal, unbreakable
guidance of the Lord of the worlds.
This document is not merely a commentary on verses of war; it is
a timeless constitutional framework for
a community navigating the treacherous waters of oppression, both from external
aggressors and, more painfully, from within. It answers the urgent question
that echoes in the hearts of the concerned citizen and the faithful believer
alike: What is our
duty when those in power deviate from the path of justice?
The verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (190-193), often isolated and
misunderstood, are here masterfully restored to their original context—as part
of a cohesive divine system that prioritizes justice
over blind obedience, sacred
resistance over passive acceptance, and principled
unity over fractured silence. This interpretation reminds
us that the first command concerning conflict was not a call to unchecked
warfare, but a profound prohibition against transgression (la taʿtadū),
establishing a sacred limit that applies equally to how we treat an enemy on
the battlefield and how we hold our own leaders accountable in the public
square.
It clarifies that the true enemy is not defined by a label of
faith, but by actions of oppression (ẓulm)—a
definition that rightly encompasses a tyrant who bears a Muslim name. It
resurrects the ultimate hierarchy of obedience: that loyalty to Allah and His
Messenger transcends all earthly allegiances, and that when authority commands
injustice, the duty of the people is to “refer it to Allah and the
Messenger”—to return to the Quran as the ultimate arbiter.
This is a call to remember our celestial connection, from Makkah
to Al-Quds, binding us to a reality beyond the failings of any single ruler or
era. It is a summons to hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah—a rope of
justice, resistance, and unity that He has lowered into our temporal world as
our eternal lifeline.
As you read, remember: this is a covenant for the patient
resister, the righteous critic, and the hopeful citizen. It is for those who
seek not anarchy, but accountability; not chaos, but the divine order that
misguided leaders have abandoned. Herein lies the mandate for a community
destined to be defined not by the errors of its rulers, but by its unwavering
commitment to the timeless commands of its Lord.
Throughout Islamic
history, the verses of the Quran have served as a beacon, guiding the Ummah
through periods of immense trial and profound triumph. The deepest
interpretations are those that transcend sectarian divides, returning to the
essence of the Divine message: a call to absolute monotheism (Tawhid),
unwavering justice, and unified brotherhood. This interpretation seeks to weave
together the commandments of Surah Al-Baqarah with the foundational principles
of Surah Ali 'Imran and An-Nisa, presenting a cohesive framework for the Ummah in
every era.
The Foundational Principle: Justice and the Prohibition of
Transgression (Surah 2:190 & 4:135)
The document establishes that the very first verse revealed in
Medina concerning combat is Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 190:
"Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not
transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors."
This is not merely a verse of war; it is the constitutional
limit for all conflict. The command to fight is exclusively
defensive—against active aggressors. The prohibition of transgression (la taʿtadū) is
absolute. As Ibn Kathir's tafsir elucidates, this includes prohibitions against
mutilating the dead, killing non-combatants, destroying trees, and harming
those in worship.
This principle of non-transgression is inextricably linked to
the command of absolute justice in Surah An-Nisa (4:135):
"O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in
justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and
relatives... And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then
indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted."
This verse, revealed when a companion tried to intercede for a
nobleman, establishes that justice is paramount, overriding all tribal,
familial, or social loyalties. The "self" mentioned is the greatest
enemy of justice; to conquer one's own biases (hawā) is the greater jihad. Therefore, a
Muslim cannot transgress against an enemy in war, just as they cannot
transgress against the truth in a court of law. Both are acts of worship for
Allah alone.
The Conditional Directive and Its Cessation (Surah 2:191-193)
Verse 191 must be read strictly within the limits set by verse
190. It is a specific application of
the right to self-defense for a community that had been expelled from their
homes (Makkah) and was facing active persecution (fitnah).
"And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them
from wherever they have expelled you, for fitnah is worse than killing..."
·
"Fitnah is worse than
killing": As the tafsir of Ibn Kathir and the scholars
explain, Fitnah here
refers to Shirk—polytheism—and the active persecution
and oppression of faith that prevents people from worshipping Allah. This
spiritual corruption is deemed a greater evil than physical killing.
·
The Sacred Precinct: The
immediate prohibition against initiating fighting in Al-Masjid al-Haram
underscores the sanctity of all spaces dedicated to Allah. This sanctity
extends to every Masjid, including Masjid Al-Aqsa,
the first Qibla and the third holiest site in Islam. Its protection is a duty
upon the Ummah, for every stone of it is a witness to the legacy of the
Prophets.
Verses 192-193 immediately negate any notion of perpetual war:
"But if they cease, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah and the religion is for
Allah alone. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except
against the oppressors."
The objective is clear: the cessation of aggression and the
establishment of a space where Tawhid can flourish. The moment the enemy ceases
hostility and oppression, the reason for fighting evaporates. The war is not
against people based on their identity, but against the condition
of active, oppressive transgression (ẓulm).
The Enemies of Islam: Defined by Action, Not Creed
The document powerfully clarifies who the
"disbelievers" (kāfirīn)
in these verses are through Surah Al-Mumtahanah
(60:8-9). Allah explicitly commands:
"Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you
because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous
toward them and acting justly toward them... He only forbids you from those who
fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your
expulsion."
Therefore, the "enemy" is not defined by a label of
faith, but by their aggressive actions:
1. Those
who fight you because of your faith.
2. Those
who expel you from your homes.
3. Those
who aid in your expulsion.
A peaceful Jewish, Christian, or Hindu neighbor is not an enemy.
A Muslim head of state who oppresses his people, expels them, and suspends the
rule of law is. The enemy is the transgressor (muʿtadī) and
the oppressor (ẓālim),
irrespective of the name they bear.
Unity: The Non-Negotiable Condition for Victory
The document's analysis of the verses makes it clear that the
Ummah can only succeed when it is united upon the core principles of its faith.
This is the essence of Surah Ali 'Imran (3:103):
"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do
not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were
enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor,
brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire and He saved you from
it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided."
The "rope of Allah" is the Quran and the authentic
Sunnah. Victory is impossible if the Ummah is fractured into sects and parties,
each holding onto a piece of the rope while letting go of the rest. The
historical context of the revelation of the verses of jihad was a small,
persecuted community that, through unity and unwavering faith, overcame immense
odds. Their strength was in their brotherhood, a divine gift that must be
actively protected and cherished.
When Authority Corrupts: Turning to the Ultimate Authority
(Surah 4:59)
A major trial for the Ummah is when those in authority betray
the trust of Allah and the people. The document's emphasis on justice over all
else provides the answer. Surah An-Nisa (4:59) states:
"O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger
and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it
to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day.
That is the best [way] and best in result."
This verse establishes a hierarchy of obedience:
1. Allah
2. The
Messenger
3. Those in
authority
Obedience to earthly authority is conditional upon
their obedience to Allah and His Messenger. When a government, a ruler, or a
scholarly class commands that which is a clear transgression against the Quran
and Sunnah—whether it is injustice, oppression, or suspending the sacred
limits—the command is clear: "refer it to Allah and
the Messenger." The Quran becomes the ultimate
arbiter. This is not a call to anarchy, but to a principled, scripture-based
resistance against corruption, demanding that authority realign itself with
Divine law.
The Celestial Connection: The Night Journey and the Shadowless
Prophet
The unity of the Ummah is connected to its spiritual center:
Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa. The Night Journey (Al-Isra
wal-Mi'raj) was not merely a physical journey but a transcendent
event that defies the laws of physics, demonstrating the
supremacy of Divine power over all creation.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was taken from
the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) to the Farthest Mosque (Al-Masjid
Al-Aqsa) in a single night. This miracle signifies that the heart of the
believer must hold both sanctuaries as one. He was then taken through the
heavens, beyond the constraints of time and space, into the direct presence of
Allah. The scholars state that a light that travels is not overshadowed by
itself. The Prophet, transported by the command of Allah "faster than the
speed of light," was a being of pure, transcendent light on that journey—he cast
no shadow, a profound metaphor for his complete absorption in and
connection to the Divine, beyond the limitations of the material world.
This event binds the Ummah to a reality beyond the physical: our
struggle is spiritual, our unity is metaphysical, and our victory is assured by
Allah if we hold to the rope He has sent down.
The Essence of the Covenant
The interpretation of these verses throughout Islamic history
leads us back to the immutable covenant:
We are commanded to establish Justice,
even against our own selves.
We are permitted to defend ourselves against Transgressors, but
we are never to transgress.
We are obligated to Unite upon
the Quran and Sunnah, for divided we will surely fall.
We are to be righteous and just to all who
are peaceful with us, and to resist all who oppress us, regardless of their
name.
We must hold our authorities accountable to
the Divine law, and return to the Quran when they deviate.
We are connected by a sacred spiritual heritage from
Makkah to Al-Quds, and beyond to the Throne of Allah.
Therefore, let the Ummah return to the essence of Surah Ali
'Imran, Verse 103. Let us hold fast, all together, to the
rope of Allah. Let us remember the favor He bestowed upon us when He made us
brothers and sisters. For in that unity, grounded in justice and devoid of
transgression, lies our strength, our guidance, and our ultimate victory—by the
will of the Lord of the worlds.
"The
Divine Imperative: Truth Beyond Tradition, Wisdom Beyond Dogma"
"The sanctity of truth transcends the shackles of
tradition—when knowledge evolves beyond the guardians of dogma, the Divine
manifests not in the echoes of the past, but in the unyielding pursuit of
wisdom through reason, science, and the eternal revolution of the
intellect."
— Whalid Safodien
The Feather Pen
Tafsir by Ibn Kathir - Surah Al-Baqara -
190 to 193
١٩٠. وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟
فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ
ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
١٩١. وَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ
حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ ۚ
وَٱلْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلْقَتْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ
ٱلْحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ ۖ فَإِن قَـٰتَلُوكُمْ فَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ ۗ
كَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
١٩٢. فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوْا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ
غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
١٩٣. وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ
فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ ٱلدِّينُ لِلَّهِ ۖ فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوْا۟ فَلَا عُدْوَٰنَ إِلَّا
عَلَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
190. And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but
transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors. 191. And
kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned
you out. And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid
Al-Haram (the sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if
they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the
disbelievers. 192. But if they cease, then Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 193. And fight them until there
is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and
the religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone). But if they
cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimin (the polytheists
and wrongdoers).
The Command to fight
Those Who fight Muslims and killing Them wherever They are found
Abu Ja`far Ar-Razi said that Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that Abu
Al-`Aliyah commented on what Allah said:
﴿وَقَـتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ
يُقَـتِلُونَكُمْ﴾
(And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you,)
Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "This was the first Ayah about fighting
that was revealed in Al-Madinah. Ever since it was revealed, Allah's Messenger
used to fight only those who fought him and avoid non-combatants. Later, Surat
Bara'ah (chapter 9 in the Qur'an) was revealed.'' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin
Aslam said similarly, then he said that this was later abrogated by the Ayah:
﴿فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ
وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ﴾
(then kill them wherever you find them) (9:5).
However, this statement is not plausible, because Allah's
statement:
﴿الَّذِينَ يُقَـتِلُونَكُمْ﴾
(...those who fight you) applies only to fighting the enemies who
are engaged in fighting Islam and its people. So the Ayah means, `Fight those
who fight you', just as Allah said (in another Ayah):
﴿وَقَاتِلُواْ
الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَـتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً﴾
(...and fight against the Mushrikin collectively as they fight
against you collectively.) (9:36)
This is why Allah said later in the Ayah:
﴿وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُمْ
مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ﴾
(And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from
where they have turned you out.) meaning, `Your energy should be spent on
fighting them, just as their energy is spent on fighting you, and on expelling
them from the areas from which they have expelled you, as a law of equality in
punishment.'
The Prohibition of
mutilating the Dead and stealing from the captured Goods
Allah said:
﴿وَلاَ تَعْتَدُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ
الْمُعْتَدِينَ﴾
(but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the
transgressors.)
This Ayah means, `Fight for the sake of Allah and do not be
transgressors,' such as, by committing prohibitions. Al-Hasan Al-Basri stated
that transgression (indicated by the Ayah), "includes mutilating the dead,
theft (from the captured goods), killing women, children and old people who do
not participate in warfare, killing priests and residents of houses of worship,
burning down trees and killing animals without real benefit.'' This is also the
opinion of Ibn `Abbas, `Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz, Muqatil bin Hayyan and others.
Muslim recorded in his Sahih that Buraydah narrated that Allah's Messenger
said:
«اغْزُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، قَاتِلُوا مَنْ
كَفَرَ بِاللهِ، اغْزُوا وَلَا تَغُلُّوا وَلَا تَغْدِرُوا وَلَا تَمْثُلُوا وَلَا
تَقْتُلُوا وَلِيدًا وَلَا أَصْحَابَ الصَّوَامِع»
(Fight for the sake of Allah and fight those who disbelieve in
Allah. Fight, but do not steal (from the captured goods), commit treachery,
mutilate (the dead), or kill a child, or those who reside in houses of worship.)
It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Ibn `Umar said, "A
woman was found dead during one of the Prophet's battles and the Prophet then
forbade killing women and children. '' There are many other Hadiths on this
subject.
Shirk is worse than
Killing
Since Jihad involves killing and shedding the blood of men, Allah
indicated that these men are committing disbelief in Allah, associating with
Him (in the worship) and hindering from His path, and this is a much greater
evil and more disastrous than killing. Abu Malik commented about what Allah
said:
﴿وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴾
(And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) Meaning what you
(disbelievers) are committing is much worse than killing.'' Abu Al-`Aliyah,
Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi`
bin Anas said that what Allah said:
﴿وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ
مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴾
(And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) "Shirk (polytheism) is
worse than killing.''
Fighting in the Sacred
Area is prohibited, except in Self-Defense
Allah said:
﴿وَلاَ تُقَـتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ
الْحَرَامِ﴾
(And fight not with them at Al-Masjid Al-Haram (the sanctuary at
Makkah))
It is reported in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet said:
«إنَّ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ حَرَّمَهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ
خَلَقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، فَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللهِ إِلى يَوْمِ
الْقِيَامَةِ، وَلَمْ يَحِلَّ لِي إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ، وَإِنَّهَا
سَاعَتِي هذِهِ حَرامٌ بحُرْمَةِ اللهِ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيامَةِ، لا يُعْضَدُ
شَجَرُهُ، وَلَا يُخْتَلىَ خَلَاهُ، فَإِنْ أَحَدٌ تَرَخَّصَ بِقِتَالِ رَسُولِ
اللهِصلى الله عليه وسلّم، فَقُولُوا: إنَّ اللهَ أَذِنَ لِرَسُولِهِ وَلَمْ
يَأْذَنْ لَكُم»
(Allah has made this city a sanctuary since the day He created the
heavens and the earth. So, it is a sanctuary by Allah's decree till the Day of
Resurrection. Fighting in it was made legal for me only for an hour in the
daytime. So, it (i.e., Makkah) is a sanctuary, by Allah's decree, from now on
until the Day of Resurrection. Its trees should not be cut, and its grass
should not be uprooted. If anyone mentions the fighting in it that occurred by
Allah's Messenger, then say that Allah allowed His Messenger, but did not allow
you.)
In this Hadith, Allah's Messenger mentions fighting the people of
Makkah when he conquered it by force, leading to some deaths among the
polytheists in the area of the Khandamah. This occurred after the Prophet
proclaimed:
«مَنْ أَغْلَقَ بَابَهُ فهُوَ آمِنٌ،وَمَنْ
دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَهُو آمِنٌ، ومَنْ دَخَلَ دَارَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَهُوَ آمِن»
(Whoever closed his door is safe. Whoever entered the (Sacred)
Mosque is safe. Whoever entered the house of Abu Sufyan is also safe.)
Allah said:
﴿حَتَّى يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن
قَـتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ كَذَلِكَ جَزَآءُ الْكَـفِرِينَ﴾
(...unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you,
then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.)
Allah states: `Do not fight them in the area of the Sacred Mosque
unless they start fighting you in it. In this case, you are allowed to fight
them and kill them to stop their aggression.' Hence, Allah's Messenger took the
pledge from his Companions under the tree (in the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah) to
fight (the polytheists), after the tribes of Quraysh and their allies, Thaqif
and other groups, collaborated against the Muslims (to stop them from entering
Makkah to visit the Sacred House). Then, Allah stopped the fighting before it
started between them and said:
﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِى كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ
وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُم بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِن بَعْدِ أَنْ أَظْفَرَكُمْ
عَلَيْهِمْ﴾
(And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your hands
from them in the midst of Makkah, after He had made you victors over them.)
(48:24) and:
﴿وَلَوْلاَ رِجَالٌ
مُّؤْمِنُونَ وَنِسَآءٌ مُّؤْمِنَـتٌ لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوهُمْ أَن تَطَئُوهُمْ
فَتُصِيبَكمْ مِّنْهُمْ مَّعَرَّةٌ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ لِّيُدْخِلَ اللَّهُ فِى
رَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ لَوْ تَزَيَّلُواْ لَعَذَّبْنَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ
مِنْهُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً﴾
(Had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did
not know, that you may kill them and on whose account a sin would have been
committed by you without (your) knowledge, that Allah might bring into His
mercy whom He wills ـ if they (the believers and the disbelievers) had been apart,
We verily, would have punished those of them who disbelieved with painful
torment.) (48:25)
Allah's statement:
﴿فَإِنِ انتَهَوْاْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ
رَّحِيمٌ ﴾
(But if they cease, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)
which means, `If they (polytheists) cease fighting you in the Sacred Area, and
come to Islam and repent, then Allah will forgive them their sins, even if they
had before killed Muslims in Allah's Sacred Area.' Indeed, Allah's forgiveness
encompasses every sin, whatever its enormity, when the sinner repents it.
The Order to fight until
there is no more Fitnah
Allah then commanded fighting the disbelievers when He said:
﴿حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ﴾
(...until there is no more Fitnah) meaning, Shirk. This is the
opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi`,
Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and Zayd bin Aslam.
Allah's statement:
﴿وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ للَّهِ﴾
(...and the religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah
(Alone).) means, `So that the religion of Allah becomes dominant above all
other religions.' It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari
said: "The Prophet was asked, `O Allah's Messenger! A man fights out of
bravery, and another fights to show off, which of them fights in the cause of
Allah' The Prophet said:
«مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ
كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ الله»
(He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in
Allah's cause.) In addition, it is reported in the Two Sahihs:
«أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ
النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لَا إِلهَ إلَّا اللهُ، فَإِذَا قَالُوهَا عَصَمُوا
مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُم وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ إلَّا بِحَقِّهَا وَحِسَابُهُمْ عَلَى الله»
(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.)
Allah's statement:
﴿فَإِنِ انتَهَواْ فَلاَ عُدْوَنَ إِلاَّ عَلَى
الظَّـلِمِينَ﴾
(But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against
the wrongdoers.) indicates that, `If they stop their Shirk and fighting the
believers, then cease warfare against them. Whoever fights them afterwards will
be committing an injustice. Verily aggression can only be started against the
unjust.' This is the meaning of Mujahid's statement that only combatants should
be fought. Or, the meaning of the Ayah indicates that, `If they abandon their
injustice, which is Shirk in this case, then do not start aggression against
them afterwards.' The aggression here means retaliating and fighting them, just
as Allah said:
﴿فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى
عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُواْ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ﴾
(Then whoever transgresses against you, you transgress likewise
against him.) (2:194)
Similarly, Allah said:
﴿وَجَزَآءُ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِّثْلُهَا﴾
(The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof.) (42:40),
and:
﴿وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ
فَعَاقِبُواْ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُمْ بِهِ﴾
(And if you punish them, then punish them with the like of that
with which you were afflicted. ) (16:126)
`Ikrimah and Qatadah
stated, "The unjust person is he who refuses to proclaim, `There is no God
worthy of worship except Allah'.''
Under Allah's statement:
﴿وَقَـتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ﴾
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah) Al-Bukhari recorded
that Nafi` said that two men came to Ibn `Umar during the conflict of Ibn
Az-Zubayr and said to him, "The people have fallen into shortcomings and
you are the son of `Umar and the Prophet's Companion. Hence, what prevents you
from going out'' He said, "What prevents me is that Allah has for bidden
shedding the blood of my (Muslim) brother.'' They said, "Did not Allah
say:
﴿وَقَـتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى
لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ﴾
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and
worshipping of others along with Allah))'' He said, "We did fight until
there was no more Fitnah and the religion became for Allah Alone. You want to
fight until there is Fitnah and the religion becomes for other than Allah!''
`Uthman bin Salih added
that a man came to Ibn `Umar and asked him, "O Abu `Abdur-Rahman! What
made you perform Hajj one year and `Umrah another year and abandon Jihad in the
cause of Allah, although you know how much He has encouraged performing it'' He
said, "O my nephew! Islam is built on five (pillars): believing in Allah
and His Messenger, the five daily prayers, fasting Ramadan, paying the Zakah
and performing Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House.'' They said, "O Abu `Abdur-Rahman!
Did you not hear what Allah said in His Book:
﴿وَإِن طَآئِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
اقْتَتَلُواْ فَأَصْلِحُواْ بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِن بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى
الأُخْرَى فَقَـتِلُواْ الَّتِى تَبْغِى حَتَّى تَفِىءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ﴾
(And if two parties (or groups) among the believers fall to
fighting, then make peace between them both. But if one of them outrages
against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which outrages
till it complies with the command of Allah.) (49:9) and:
﴿وَقَـتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى
لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ﴾
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief))
He said, "That we did during the time of Allah's Messenger
when Islam was still weak and (the Muslim) man used to face trials in his
religion, such as killing or torture. When Islam became stronger (and
apparent), there was no more Fitnah.'' He asked, "What do you say about
`Ali and `Uthman'' He said, "As for `Uthman, Allah has forgiven him.
However, you hated the fact that Allah had forgiven him! As for `Ali, he is the
cousin of Allah's Messenger and his son-in-law.'' He then pointed with his
hand, saying, "This is where his house is located (meaning, `so close to
the Prophet's house just as `Ali was so close to the Prophet himself').''
