Jihād Becomes Fardh ‘Ayn In 3 Cases

Ibn Qudhāmah said:

“And jihād becomes an individual obligation in three situations:

The First: When the two groups meet and both sides face one another. It is forbidden for those present to flee and that situation is an individual obligation to him, due to Allāh’s statement, “O you who believe, when you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them and remember Allāh much…” until His statement, “… and be patient, surely Allāh is with those who are patient.” [8:45-46] And His statement, “O you who believe, when you meet those who disbelieve in battle, never turn your backs to them. and whoever turns his back to them on such a day – unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own) – he indeed has drawn upon himself wrath from Allāh.” [8:15-16]

The Second: If the disbelievers enter a country then it is an individual obligation upon its people to fight them and repel them.

The Third: If the leader (Imām) calls upon a people, it is upon them to go out with him, due to Allāh’s statement, “O you who believe, what is the matter with you that when you are asked to march forth in the path of Allāh (i.e. jihād) you cling heavily to the earth?” [9:38] as well as the verse which follows it. And the Prophet (saw) said, “If you are called out, then go out.” [Agreed upon]”

[Al-Mughnī Wa Al-Sharh al-Kabīr, 10/365]

 

Note: As an extension to the second case, it remains as such until that land is returned to the domination of Islāmic Law, irrespective of how many years have passed since we lost that specific land. And it is precisely this which lead many leading scholars to state that jihād remains fardh ‘ayn until as far west as Spain and until far east as the borders of China and the borders of Russia are returned to Islāmic Law.

 

Takfīr Of The Mushrikīn Is From The Asl Of The Religion

Kufr bit-tāghūt is achieved with five points. Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhāb mentions these aspects:

1) Believing in the falseness of worshiping others besides Allāh.

2) Leaving these (tawāghīt) for those who are mixed in it.

3) Hating it (the tawāghīt).

4) Making Takfīr of those who worship it.

5) Showing enmity towards those who worship it based on the ability and capacity.

These five points are included in kufr bit-tāghūt and are derived from the following verse, “Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrāhīm and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allāh, we have rejected / disbelieved in you, and there has appeared between us and you, hostility and hatred forever, until you believe in Allāh Alone.’…” [60:4]

All five points are considered from the meaning of kufr bit-tāghūt, hence anyone who tries to differentiate between them, or claims that some are fundamental aspects (asl) of kufr bit-tāghūt and others are not has indeed gone far astray and has invented a lie against Allāh.

Hence doing takfīr of the person is part and parcel of kufr bit-tāghūt (as are the other four points). This is taken from the statement of Ibrāhīm when he said, as quoted above, “We have rejected / disbelieved in you (مكب انرفك)” [60:4]. This phrase of Prophet Ibrāhīm proves that takfīr of the Mushrikīn is from kufr bit-tāghūt, and hence whoever does not do so is not considered a Muslim, as he has not accepted kufr bit- tāghūt. As I quoted previously, Shaykh ‘Abdul Latīf Ibn ‘Abdul Rahmān said, “Kufr bit- tāghūt is a condition that Islām cannot be fulfilled without.” [Misbah Al-Dhalam]

Learn this point as it is vital in this day and age: refraining from doing takfīr of the Mushrikīn (those who fall in to major kufr or major shirk) tantamounts to a rejection of  kufr bit-tāghūt, as the person is denying one of the five fundamental principles of kufr bit-tāghūt (and a denial of one is a denial of the whole) – for no doubt this is a pillar of kufr bit-tāghūt. And a rejection of kufr bit-tāghūt is nothing but a rejection of the first part of the shahādah, “lā ilāha” (there is none worthy of worship). As such the one who refrains from doing takfīr of the Mushrikīn has nullified his shahādah.

This is what lead Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhāb to say the third nullifier of Islām is, “Whoever does not declare takfīr upon the Mushrikīn or doubts regarding their kufr or describes their way as being correct has committed kufr.” [Nawāqidh Al-Islām,by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhāb.]

His grandson, Shaykh ‘Abdul Latīf Ibn Abdul Rahmān even declared takfīr of the Mushrikīn as, “the most important of what is obligatory from kufr bit-tāghūt.” [Al-Itihaf Fī Al-Radd ‘Alā Al-Sahaf] The reason for this aspect being the most important of all five, is that from this do all the other four aspects branch out, and if one has this, then by default it means one should have the other four aspects. The primary aspect of ‘disbelieving’ in tāghūt is to declare them as ‘disbelievers’. It’s that simple.

To give an example of this, whoever does not declare as disbelievers those who worship the dead, prostrate to other than Allāh, call upon other than Allāh, or claim the Qurān is not complete, then such a person has nullified his kufr bit-tāghūt, and hence nullified his shahādah, as the first of that which is obligatory upon the slave, prior to believing in Allāh, is kufr bit-tāghūt.

Hence, it can safely be said that takfīr of the Mushrikīn is from the asl (foundation) of this religion, and anyone who denies this, knowing the implication of his words, is a disbeliever, whose blood, wealth and honour are no longer sanctified.

Giving Someone Credit (Tazkiyah)

A man bore witness to ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab so ‘Umar said to him: “I do not know you, but it does not matter that I do not know you. Bring me someone who does know you.”

A man among the peole said: “I know him.” ‘Umar asked: “What do you know about him?” He said: “He is of good character and is virtuous.”

‘Umar asked: “Is he your neighbour who you know by night and by day, and you know when he comes in and goes out?” The man said: “No.”

‘Umar asked: “Did h have any financial dealings with you which is the way to know whether he is God-fearing or not?” The man said: “No.”

‘Umar then asked: “Has he been your companion on a journey, which is the best way to know whether he is of noble character and attitude?” The man said: “No.”

So ‘Umar said: “Then you do not know him.”

[Sunan Al-Bayhaqi, 10/125 & Mawsoo’ah Fiqh ‘Umar, p. 731]

A Few Requirements Of Faith Which We All Should Know

Ibn Taymiyyah said:

“The declaration of faith, ‘There is none worthy of worship except Allaah’, requires you to love  only for the sake of Allaah, to hate only for the sake of Allaah, to ally yourself only for the sake of Allaah, to declare enmity only for the sake of Allaah. It requires you to love what Allaah loves and to hate what Allaah hates.

It also requires you to ally yourself to the Muslims wherever you find them and to oppose the disbelievers, even if they are your closest kin.”

[Al-Ihtijaj Bil-Qadr, p.62]

The Ruling Of Our Salaf On The Shi’ah

Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhāb said, “As for these twelvers, they have left the Sunnah, nay they have left the Millah!” [Risālah Al-Radd ‘Alā Al-Rāfidhah]

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Whoever claims that some āyāt of the Qur’ān were deleted or hidden… then there is no difference of opinion on making takfīr of him. Also, whoever claims that the Sahābah apostatized after Rasūlullāh except a very few who didn’t exceed a dozen, or that they mostly became fussāq (major sinners), then there is no doubt on making takfīr of him, because he has denied the praises of them that the Qur’ān dictated in several places. Rather, whoever doubts the kufr of such a person, then takfīr of him is obligatory. This is because the meaning of this statement is that the transmitters of the Qur’ān and the Sunnah were kuffār or fussāq. It also means that those indicated by this verse {You are the best nation produced for mankind} [Āl ‘Imrān: 110], whose best generation was the first, were mostly kuffār or fussāq. It also means that this Ummah was the worst of nations and the predecessors of this Ummah were the most evil of its people! The kufr of such a person is known by necessity from the religion of Islam.” [As-Sārim al-Maslūl]

Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdil-Wahhāb said, “The verses of the Qur’ān about the virtues of the Sahābah are numerous and the ahādīth on this are altogether mutawātir explicitly stating their righteousness. Thus whoever believes that the Sahābah or majority of them became fāsiqīn or murtaddīn or believes in the right or legality of cursing them has thereby disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, denying the virtues of the Sahābah that Allah and His Messenger related.” [Ar-Radd ‘Alar-Rāfidah].

Al-Awzā’ī (died 157AH) said, “Whoever curses Abū Bakr as-Siddīq has apostatized” [Al-Ibānah as-Sughrā – Ibn Battah].

Al-Firyābī (died 212AH) was asked about one who curses Abū Bakr. He replied, “He is a kāfir” [As-Sunnah – al-Khallāl].

Ibn Hazm said, ‘The Rāfidah are not from the Muslims’ [Al-Fisal].

Imām Ahmad was asked about one who curses Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, or ‘Ā’ishah. He replied, ‘I don’t consider him to be upon Islam’ [As-Sunnah – Al-Khallāl].

He also said, ‘I fear kufr for those who – like the Rāfidah – curse the Sahābah. We can safely say that one who curses the Sahābah of the Prophet has left the religion’ [As-Sunnah – Al-Khallāl].

He also said, ‘The Rāfidah are those who declare barā’ah from the Sahābah of Muhammad, curse them, degrade them, and curse the leaders of the Sahābah except for four: ‘Alī, ‘Ammār, al-Miqdād, and Salmān. The Rāfidah have nothing to do with Islam at all’ [As-Sunnah].

Imām Al-Bukhārī said, ‘It makes no difference to me whether I were to pray behind a Jahmī or Rāfidī or behind a Jew or Christian. They are not to be greeted with salām. Their ill are not to be paid a sick visit. They are not to be married. Their funerals are not to be attended. The meat they slaughter is not to be eaten’ [Khalq Af’āl al-‘Ibād].

Ahmad Ibn Yūnus (died 227AH) said, ‘If a Jew were to slaughter a sheep and a Rāfidī were to slaughter one, I would eat from the sheep slaughtered by the Jew and not eat from the one slaughtered by the Rāfidī, because the Rāfidī is a murtadd’ [As-Sārim al-Maslūl – Ibn Taymiyyah]

So my dear readers, the quotes of our Salaf are clear on this regard, they are all disbelievers, and whoever denies their disbelief has himself landed into disbelief. And how grave this is indeed.

The Ruling On He Who Says The Qurān Is Created

The ‘aqīdah of Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamā’ah is that the Qurān is the speech of Allāh and that it is uncreated. But what is the ruling on the one who claims it is created? Below I shall present some quotes from our Salaf in this regard:

1) Sufyān Ath-Thawrī said, “The Qurān is the speech of Allāh (azza wa jall) and he who says that it is created then he is a kāfir, and he who doubts in his kufr then he is a kāfir.” [Abdullāh Ibn Al-Imām Ahmad in Kitāb As-Sunnaah, 20]

The likes of this statement has also been narrated from Abū Khuthaymah as is found in Sharh Usūl Iqtiqād Ahl As-Sunnah Wal-Jamā’ah, 265/2 the famous book of Al-Lālikāī.

2) Abū Bakr Ibn Ayyāsh Al-Muqri’ (died 194h) the trustworthy worshipper, was asked about he who says the Qurān is created so he said “A kāfir, and he who does not say that he is kāfir then he is also a kāfir.” Its chain is authentic and is found in As-Sunnah of Al-Lālikāī.

3) Ibn Hajr said in At-Tahthīb [303/2]: From Dāwūd Ibn Al-Hasan Al-Bayhaqī: It has reached me that Al-Halwānī* said, “I do not make takfīr of he who hesistates with regards to the Qurān.” Dāwūd said: So I asked Salmah Ibn Shabīb (died 247h) about Al-Halwānī so he said: “He is to be thrown in Al-Hush. He who does not bear witness to the kufr of a kāfir then he is kāfir.” Salmah Ibn Shabīb An-Naysābūrī (died 247h) was the Muhaddith of the people of Makkah.

Khatīb Al-Baghdādī also mentioned this in Tārīkh Al-Baghdād.

*Al-Halwānī is Abū Muhammad Al-Halwānī Al-Husayn ibn ‘Alī Ibn Muhammad Al-Hathli Al-Khilāl.

4) Abū Zara’ah ‘UbaydAllāh Ibn Abdil Karīm Ar-Rāzi (died 264h) said, “Whoever claimed that the Qurān is created then he is a disbeliever in Allāh Al-‘Athīm, a kufr that takes one out of the millah, and he who doubts in his kufr from those that understand then he is also kāfir.”

Abū Hātim Muhammad Ibn Idrīs Ar-Rāzi (died 277h) said exactly the same. Al-Lālikāī narrated all of it in As-Sunnah [2/176)]

5) Imām Ahmad in his reply about the Qurān said, “So it is the speech of Allāh not created, and he who says ‘created’ is a kāfir in Allāh Al-‘Athīm and he who does not make takfeer of him is also kāfir.” [Abū Ya’la in Tabaqāt Al-Hanābilah, 315/1. From Masrud Ibn Masurhad Al-Basrāwī]

How To Disbelieve In Taaghoot

The way of disbelieving in the Taghut is achieved with five things. These were mentioned by ash-Shaykh Muhamad bin ‘Abdul bin Abdul Wahhab – may Allah have mercy on him – in a separate treatise. And they are:

• Believing in the falseness of worshiping others besides Allah.
• Leaving these [Taghuts] for those who are mixed in it.
• Hating it [the Taghuts].
• Making Takfeer of those who worship it.
• Showing enmity towards those who worship it based on the ability and capacity.

One can refer to the books of ‘aqeedah for the proofs for these points.

The Sincerity Of Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhaab In Reaching The Truth

Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhaab said:

“If I give a ruling or perform any deed and you know that I am wrong, it is obligatory upon you to clarify the truth to your Muslim brother.”

[Mu’allifaat, 7/240]

He also said:

“If the truth is with them (his opponents) or if we have some truth and some falsehood or we have gone to an extreme in some matters then it is obligatory upon you to point it out and to advise us and to show us the statements of the people of knowledge. Perhaps, through you, Allaah will guide us back to the truth.”

[Mu’ allifaat, 7/301]

Ibn Taymiyyah’s Stance On The Shi’ah

Ibn Taymiyyah said,

“Whoever curses the companions or one of them or joins with his curse, or claims that ‘Ali is worthy of worship (a god) or a prophet or that Jibreel was mistaken, then there is no doubt in his kufr. Nay, there is no doubt in the kufr of he who stops (hesitates) in takfeer of him.”

[Al-Saarim Al-Maslool’Alaa Shaatim Al-Rasool, p.591]

Who Should A Student Of Knowledge Befriend

Ibn Jamaa’ah said:

“The student of knowledge should not mix except with either those he can benefit, or can benefit from. And if he is offered the friendship of one who will waste his time with him, will not benefit him, will not benefit from him, and will not assist him in reaching his objective, he should politely end the relationship from the start before it progresses to something deeper, as when something becomes established, it becomes more difficult to change it. There is a phrase that is constantly on the tongues of the Fuqahaa’, “Repelling something is easier than removing it.

So, if he requires someone to befriend, let that person be righteous, religious, pious, wary, intelligent, full of benefit, having little evil, good at complying, rarely conflicting, reminding him if he forgets, cooperating with him when he is reminded, helpful if he is in need, and comforting if he is in distress.”

[Tadhkirat As-Saami’ Wal-Mutakallim, p. 83]

Muslim Prisoners Of War

Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami said:

“If the enemy captures a single Muslim, it becomes wajib (obligatory) on everyone who has the ability to rush to their rescue (even without seeking anyone’s permission). It is apparent that it is compulsory on everyone, similar to the situation where the enemy invades our land. Moreover saving our brothers is of a higher priority, as the sanctity of a Muslim is greater (than the sanctity of a State).”

[Tuhfah Al-Muhtaj, 9/237]