Monday, November 4, 2013

Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi Refutes Media Reports of "Jihad al-Nikah"






جهاد النكاح هو جهاد كفرة الحكام أفتاهم به الحاخام



  
                     
                     
                     
الكاتب : أبو محمد المقدسي
  تاريخ الإضافة: 2013-11-04
      



  1. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

    س- ما هو قولكم بما نسبه الإعلام إلى
    المجاهدين من فتوى تجيز ما سمي بجهاد النكاح ؟ هل لهذا المسمى أصل أو فتوى
    صدرت عن أحد مرجعيات التيار السلفي الجهادي المعتبرين ؟.



    ج- الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه ومن والاه وبعد ..


    فقد قال تعالى في كتابه الكريم :   (( وقال الذين كفروا لا تسمعوا لهذا القرءان والغوا فيه لعلكم تغلبون ))
     ، فبين سبحانه وتعالى وكشف لنا أسلوبا من أساليب الكفار في الصد عن دين
    الله، وعن شريعته لعلهم يغلبون أنصارها؛ وهو تشويه دين الله والافتراء عليه
     لتقبيحه في أعين الناس ليصدوهم عنه..



    واللغو في الدين وشريعته يتنوع، فلكل زمان وطواغيته وكفاره وسائلهم
    المتنوعه والمطوره في اللغو في الدين والجهاد، ومما ابتدعوه في هذا المجال
    إلصاق الفتاوى الكاذبة المشوهة للمجاهدين ونسبتها إلى أنصار الدين، وهي
    وسيلة قديمه حديثة، فلا زال أعداء أهل السنة في كل زمان ينسبون إليهم أبشع
    التهم والصفات في أبواب العقيدة والفقه وغيرها، ليصدوا الناس عن عقيدة أهل
    السنة والجماعة، وهذا معروف مشهور ...



    وقد اطلعنا مؤخرا على ما ذكره السائل مما نسب زورا وبهتانا إلى التيار
    السلفي الجهادي، وإلى المجاهدين في سوريا تحديدا، مما أسماه أعداء الجهاد
    بنكاح الجهاد، وهي تسمية مخترعة مبتدعه لا أصل لها عند أهل الإسلام عموما،
    وعند أهل التوحيد والجهاد خصوصا، فليس في أبجديات وقاموس التيار السلفي
    الجهادي إلا نوع واحد من أنواع الجهاد ألا وهو (ضرب الرقاب) لأعداء الدين،
    ورديفه ومكمله ونصيره من جهاد اللسان الذي يردف جهاد السنان، أما ما سموه
    بجهاد النكاح فلم يفت أحد من مرجعيات ومشايخ هذا التيار المبارك بشيء من
    هذا المسمى، وإنما هي تسمية من ابتداع علماء الضلالة، واختراع فقهاء
    المارينز، ومفتيي السلاطين، ولاعقي الأحذية، روجت لها أنظمتهم وأبواقهم
    الإعلامية، ألصقوها زورا وبهتانا بالمجاهدين، ولا وجود لفتوى من هذا القبيل
     ...



    بل على العكس، فقد سئلنا من قبل عن مجرد لحاق زوجة المجاهد وأطفاله به إلى
    ساحات القتال كسوريا، فنهينا أشد النهي خشية من وقوع نساء المسلمين في قبضة
     الأعداء المحاربين وتسلطهم عليهم وعلى أعراضهم، فإذا كنا ننهى عن مثل هذا؛
     فكيف يتخيل أو يعقل أن يجيز أحد من مشايخ التيار أو فقهاء المجاهدين أن
    تسافر الفتاة المسلمة إلى مثل هذه الساحات التي يحتدم فيها القتال وتتشابك
    فيها المخاطر وبغير محرم، ثم تزوج نفسها بنفسها لمن تشاء من غير ولي!
    والنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول في الحديث الذي يرويه مسلم في صحيحه (لا
    يحل لامرأة تؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر أن تسافر مسيرة يوم إلا مع ذي محرم)،
    وفي الحديث الذي يرويه ابن ماجه (لا تزوج المرأة المرأة ولا تزوج المرأة
    نفسها ...)، وعند البيهقي (لا نكاح إلا بولي وشاهدي عدل ).



    وهذه أمور من البديهيات عند أهل الإسلام فضلا عن خواصهم من المجاهدين
    الأتقياء الأنقياء، وما يناقضه من دعوة أو مسمى (جهاد النكاح) من أبطل
    الباطل، ولا يمكن أن يفتي به عامي من المسلمين فضلا عن عالم ينتسب إلى هذا
    التيار المبارك الذي من أهم مهماته التي يجاهد من أجلها ويُقْتَل ويَقتِل
    لأجلها حفظ حرمات المسلمين وحراسة أعراضهم وحماية نسائهم وأبنائهم من عبث
    الطواغيت وأنصارهم وشبيحتهم وبلطجيتهم ...



    ونحن ننكر هذا المسمى (جهاد المناكحة) ونبرأ منه ونكذب ما نسبه إعلام
    الطواغيت زورا وبهتانا لأهل الجهاد، ونعتقد أنه اختراع اخترعوه ليشوهوا
    جهاد المجاهدين الذي أقض مضاجعهم وأرعبهم، ويخشون تجاوزه إلى حدودهم،
    فيسعون إلى صد الناس عنه وتشويهه في أعينهم بكل وسيلة خسيسة أو رخيصة، وقد
    قيل " وكل إناء بما فيه ينضح"، فهؤلاء الطواغيت وأزلامهم وإعلامهم الفاسد
    معتادين على الفساد الأخلاقي والعهر والدعارة، ينامون ويصحون في صالات
    القمار والنوادي الليلية ومواخير الزنا وشواطئ العراة وغيرها...



    فهم حين يجالدون مخالفيهم تراهم يرمونهم بدائهم وبما فيهم وبما اعتادوه،
    كما قيل في المثل "رمتني بدائها وانسلت" وهي سفالات اعتادوها واستساغوها
    أفتاهم بها أمثال جميل حين قال :


      
    يقولون جاهد يا جميل بغزوة     أقول وهل لي غيرهن جهاد


    لابل أفتاهم بجوازه أسيادهم ومشايخهم وحاخاماتهم الذين أفتوا تسبي لفني
    وزيرة خارجية إسرائيل حين كانت عميلة للموساد بجواز الزنا مع من تشاء خدمة
    لإسرائيل كما ذكرت في مذكراتها، وذكرت أنها طبقت هذه الفتوى على قادة
    ومفاوضين عرب، فهذا هو جهاد النكاح الحقيقي عند الطواغيت وأنصارهم
    وأوليائهم يتعاطونه، وهؤلاء هم مفتوه... ولأنه عندهم شيئ عادي (متعودين
    عليه)، صاروا يرمون به الأطهار الأنقياء من المجاهدين الذين ما ينقمون
    عليهم إلا طهرهم وجهادهم، ألم يقل أحبابهم من قوم لوط عن لوط وأهله  (( أخرجوهم من قريتكم إنهم أناس يتطهرون ))
     فكذلك أتباع قوم لوط المعاصرين يتبعون طريقتهم من تجريم الطهر والتقوى
    والعفاف وتشويهه ومحاربته، فيلصقون بأنصار الشريعة كل سوء، ويخترعون ما
    أسموه كذبا وزورا (بجهاد النكاح) تشويها للجهاد وطعنا بالمجاهدين الذين هم
    خلاصة أحرار وشرفاء الأمة  (( وما نقموا منهم إلا أن يؤمنوا بالله العزيز الحميد ))  وهم يعلمون أنه ما صدر مثل هذا عن أحد من أهل الجهاد وهم منه أبرياء أنقياء ...  (( والله غالب على أمره ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون ))  .




    وكتب أبو محمد المقدسي

    سجن ام اللولو 1434هـ



Saturday, July 27, 2013

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-'Uthaymin on Ramadan





Remarks by the late Saudi Salafi jurist Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin (1925-2001) on the month of Ramadan.

The Importance of the Month of Ramadan: Lecture by Grand Ayatullah Husayn Vahid Khurasani





Lecture by Grand Ayatullah Husayn Vahid Khurasani (b. 1921), who studied in the Twelver Shi'i seminaries of Najaf in Iraq, and who currently lives and teaches in the seminary and shrine city of Qum in Iran.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

My New Article: "Zaynab's Guardians: The Emergence of Shi'a Militias in Syria"



I have a new article, "Zaynab's Guardians: The Emergence of Shi'a Militias in Syria," in this month's issue of the CTC Sentinel.  The article focuses on 5 main issues: (1) the politics of sectarianism, (2) sectarianization as a gradual, parallel and mutually reinforcing process between communities in conflict, (3) overview of the composition of the militias, (4) ways in which historical memory & idioms are tapped in formulating mobilization frames for social movement creation/mobilization of social movements, & (5) why these frames resonate with the target audience(s).  These are issues which will be a part of my doctoral dissertation and I will be starting to draft more traditionally academic article drafts on some of these issues in relation to these militias and their conceptions and narratives of self-sacrifice and martyrdom (which is a social practice promoted by every community around the globe, most of all the nation-state), funery and commemorative practices, and comparing and contrasting contemporary Sunni and Shi'i Muslim conceptions and narratives of martyrdom.

INTRODUCTION:

"The public emergence of Twelver Shi`a foreign fighter militias operating with Syrian government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, together with the recent public admission by Lebanese Hizb Allah that it is also operating alongside them, is the latest in the increasing sectarianization of Syria’s civil war. Sectarianism has long been a tool used for social and political mobilization by a variety of actors, and has historically been employed as much in struggles within the same community as in struggles between different communities. Historically, sectarianism has been driven by politics and competition over group identity, and has been a part of social processes to mobilize large numbers of people against other groups. This remains true today. As conflicts break down along sectarian or ethnic lines, identifiers (differentiating one group from another)—such as religious affiliation, nationality, or tribe—become increasingly salient. Mobilization frames, which draw upon cultural idioms, are created and utilized to drive social mobilization.

This article examines the gradual sectarianization of the Syrian civil war with a particular focus on the emergence, composition, mobilization frames and media campaigns of pro-Assad Shi`a militias. Close attention is paid to the historical and cultural significance of the mobilization frames and idioms used to inspire support from a broad public, particularly Shi`a, for these groups’ participation. Understanding these frames and their historical and cultural resonance, referred to as “frame resonance” in social movement theory literature, is vital to comprehending the drivers of the mobilization and recruitment of Shi`a foreign fighters in Syria. It finds that these frames, in turn, are the central element at play in the formulation of a sectarian counter-narrative aimed at delegitimizing the Syrian opposition and Sunni rebel groups as well as attracting Shi`a foreign fighters from abroad to fight for al-Assad."

 Read the rest HERE.

There is a typo in this sentence: "For their part, pro-Assad, Sunni rebel groups have drawn upon historical narratives and polemics to counter the information operations and messaging of the al-Abbas Brigade, Hizb Allah, and other Shi`a actors in Syria."

I unfortunately missed this typo during the editing process.  The article went through numerous drafts and edits.  Clearly I did not intend to describe the rebels as pro-Assad, mea culpa. I've contacted the publication's editor-in-chief to see if it can b e fixed in the online version.


Photographic and visual primary sources referenced in the article may be viewed here:
http://occidentblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/24/visual-references/

Friday, July 19, 2013

Ramadan Lecture: Ramadan, Fasting, & the Qur'anic and Hadith Traditions (Sayyid Mahdi al-Modarresi)





Al-Sayyid Mahdi al-Modarresi is a graduate of the al-Qa'im theological seminary in the Sayyida Zaynab district near Damascus, Syria and the seminaries of Qum in Iran.  He is a member of a famous juridical family.  His father is Ayatullah Hadi al-Modarresi and his uncle is the Iraqi grand ayatullah Muhammad Taqi al-Modarresi.  The al-Modarresi family is connected through marriage and scholarship to the transnationally-influential Shirazi family of Twelver Shi'i religious jurists (fuqaha').

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Lecture: Misquoting Muhammad




Tuesday, June 4, 2013

My Middle East Week Podcast Discussion on Conceptions of Military Jihad & Martyrdom among Contemporary Sunni and Shi'i Militants



Last week I appeared on the Middle East Week podcast hosted by Karl Morand.  We discussed conceptions of military jihad and battlefield martyrdom among contemporary Sunni and Shi'i militants, the different and often competing Sadrist groups in Iraq, Twelver Shi'i Islam, and Shi'i foreign fighters in Syria.

You can listen and download the podcast at the Middle East Week SITE.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Abu Basir al-Tartusi Lecture: Method of Establishing an Islamic State









Abu Basir al-Tartusi (Abu al-Mun'im Mustafa Halima), a prominent Salafi Sunni jihadi religious scholar and ideologue, discusses the process of establishing an Islamic state and why it is necessary.  He speaks in Arabic but a translator then translates into English.  Al-Tartusi is currently in Syria fighting alongside Syrian rebels, including a number of British citizens whom he is alleged to have recruited.

Friday, March 8, 2013

'Abdullah 'Azzam: "Join the Caravan", Part 3: Clarifications about the Issue of Jihad Today



CLARIFICATIONS ABOUT THE ISSUE OF JIHAD TODAY

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the noblest of Messengers, Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.
1. We have spoken at length about the status of jihad today in Afghanistan, Palestine, and other usurped Muslim lands of the like. We have confirmed what has been agreed upon by the earlier (salaf) and latter (khalaf) generations of hadith scholars, exegetes, jurists, and scholars of religious principles (usul), namely that : "When a span of Muslim land is occupied jihad becomes individually obligatory (fard `ayn) on the inhabitants of that piece of land. The woman may go out without her husband's permission with a mahram, the one in debt without the permission of the one to whom he owes, the child without his father's permission. If the inhabitants of that area are not sufficient in number, fall short, or are lazy, the individually obligatory nature of jihad extends to those around them, and so on and so on until it covers the entire Earth, being individually obligatory (fard `ayn) just like salah, fasting, and the like so that nobody may abandon it."
2. The obligation of jihad today remains fard `ayn until the liberation of the last piece of land which was in the hands of Muslims but has been occupied by the Disbelievers.
3. Some scholars consider jihad today in Afghanistan and Palestine to be fard kifayah. We agree with them in that jihad in Afghanistan for the Arabs was initially fard kifayah. But the jihad is in need of men and the inhabitants of Afghanistan have not met the requirement which is to expel the Disbelievers from Afghanistan. In this case, the communal obligation (fard kifayah) is overturned. It becomes individually obligatory (fard `ayn) in Afghanistan, and remains so until enough Mujahideen have gathered to expel the communists in which case it again becomes fard kifayah.
4. There is no permission needed from anybody in the case of an individual obligation (fard `ayn), according to the principle,"there is no permission necessary for an individual obligation (fard `ayn)".
5. A person who discourages people from jihad is like the one who discourages people from fasting. Whoever advises an able Muslim not to go for jihad is just like the one who advises him to eat in Ramadan while he is healthy and in residence.
6. It is best to shun the company of those who hold back from jihad and not to enter into arguments with them, for this would lead to idle disputation and hardening of the heart. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah says, "And avoidance comprises: avoiding evil and evil people, and similarly shunning those who call for innovation in religion, and sinful people and those who associate with such people or assist them in those endeavours. Similar is the case of the person who abandons jihad and from whom there is no benefit in associating with, for in this case we are liable to punishment for not having helped him by co-operating in matters of righteousness and piety.
The adulterers, homosexuals, those who abandon jihad, the innovators and the alcoholics, as well as those who associate with them are a source of harm to the religion of Islam. They will not cooperate in matters of righteousness and piety. So whoever does not shun their company is, in fact, abandoning what he has been commanded to do and is committing a despicable deed."

IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING APPLICATION OF THE ORDINANCE

1. When we call people for jihad and explain to them its ordinance, it does not mean that we are in a position to take care of them, advise them, and look after their families. The concern of the scholars is to clarify the Islamic legal ruling. It is neither to bring people to jihad nor to borrow money from people to take care of the families of Mujahideen. When Ibn Taymiyyah or Al-`Izz Ibn `Abd As- Salam explained the ruling concerning fighting against the Tartars they did not become obliged to equip the army.
2. Carrying out religious obligations is necessary according to one's capability. Pilgrimage, for example, is compulsory on those who are able to perform it.
"And it is an obligation on mankind towards Allah to perform the Pilgrimage of the House for whoever is able to do so."
Similarly, jihad must be performed according to one's ability, as mentioned in the Qur'an,
"There is no blame on the weak, nor on the ill, nor on those who cannot find anything to spend, when they have shown goodwill toward Allah and His Messenger. There is no censure upon the righteous. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Nor (is there any blame) on those who, when they came to you to be mounted, you said to them,
" I cannot find anything on which to mount you.' They turned away, their eyes flowing with tears, out of grief that they did not have anything to spend (in the path of Allah)."
Ibn al-`Arabi said,
"This second verse is the strongest of evidence for the acceptability of the excuse of one who is in poverty or has a valid need which holds him back from jihad, provided goodwill has been identified in his conduct while claiming the inability."
Qurtubi said in his tafsir,
"The verse is a basis for the dismissal of obligation from the incapable, so that whoever is incapable of performing a deed is exempted from it, sometimes by doing something else in its place, and sometimes by merely having the resolution and will to do it. There is no difference in this respect between a person who is incapable physically, and one who is financially unable. This verse is explained by the words of Allah, (translated) 'Allah does not impose upon any soul a burden beyond its capability' "
In Sahih Muslim, it is reported that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"In Madinah are people who are with you whenever you travel any distance or traverse a valley. They were held back by (valid) excuses."
According to another narration, "they were held back by illness."
Qurtubi said,
"The majority of scholars are of the view that anybody who cannot find anything to spend in jihad is not obliged to spend."
Tabari inferred,
"There is no blame (i.e. sin) on those with chronic diseases, who are incapable of travelling and fighting, nor on the ill, nor on those who do not find anything to spend to take them to jihad."
Ibn Taymiyyah said,
"The commands, retributions, expiations and so on of the Islamic law are intended to be implemented according to capability."

ADDING TO THE TEXTS OF SCHOLARS ALREADY MENTIONED:

1. Those with valid excuses are absolved of the sin of sitting back from jihad. Those validly excused include:
a) somebody with a wife and children who do not have income from any other source nor have anybody besides him who could support and maintain them. But if he is able to allocate provision for them for the duration of his absence, then he is sinful if he sits back. Every Muslim should reduce his spending and be frugal with his earnings until he is able to go out for jihad.
b) somebody who was unable, after much effort, to obtain a visa to come to Pakistan.
c) somebody whose government denied him a passport or prevented him from leaving from the airport.
d) somebody who has parents who do not have anybody besides him to support and maintain them.

COMMENTARY: Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, "The Taliban’s Line of Reasoning"

 The Taliban’s Line of Reasoning

The self-appointed warriors of God known to the world as the Taliban have killed countless innocent people in the last ten years. They insist that they are doing all this for God and in submission to His directives. They have restated this stance of after their cowardly attack on Malalah Yusufsai. In support of this stance, they present the Qur’an and Hadith and certain incidents that occurred in the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (sws). Since people are generally unaware of religion and religious disciplines, they may be influenced by this line of reasoning. We, therefore, would like to present some facts in the following paragraphs in consideration of this scenario.

1. No doubt jihad is a directive of Islam. The Qur’an requires of its followers that if they have the strength, they should wage war against oppression and injustice. The primary reason for which this directive is to curb persecution which is the use of oppression and coercion to make people give up their religion. Those having insight know that Muslims are not given this directive of jihad in their individual capacity; they are addressed in their collective capacity regarding this directive. They are not individually addressed in the verses of jihad which occur in the Qur’an. Thus in this matter only the collectivity has the right to launch any such armed offensive. No individual or group of Muslims has the right to take this decision on their behalf. It is for this reason that the Prophet (sws) is reported to have said: A Muslim ruler is a shield; war can only waged under him.1 Even a little deliberation is enough for a person to conclude whether the Taliban are following this principle or blatantly violating it.

2. The directive of jihad given by Islam is war for the cause of God; therefore, it cannot be waged while disregarding moral restrictions. Ethics and morality supersede everything in all circumstances and even in matters of war and armed offensives, the Almighty has not allowed Muslims to deviate from moral principles. Hence, it is absolutely certain that jihad can only be waged against combatants. It is the law of Islam that if a person attacks through his tongue, then this attack shall be countered through the tongue and if he financially supports the warriors then he will be stopped from this support; however, unless a person picks up arms to wage war, his life cannot be taken. So much so, if right in the battle field the enemy throws down his arms and surrenders, he shall be taken a prisoner; he cannot be executed after this. The words of the verse which mention the directive of jihad are: “and fight in the way of Allah with those who fight against you and do not transgress bounds [in this fighting]. Indeed, God does not like the transgressors,” (2:190). The Prophet (sws) forbade the killing of women and children during war.2 The reason for this is also that if they have embarked upon jihad with the army, it is not in the capacity of combatants. At best, they can boost the morale of the combatants and urge them through the tongue to fight.

This then is the shari‘ah of God. But what are the Taliban doing? Men of learning like Mawlana Hasan Jan, Mawlana Sarfaraz Na‘imi and Dr Muhammad Faruq Khan never undertook to wage war against them. Malalah Yusufza’i is an innocent girl. She never took up arms against them. In spite of this, the Taliban insist that all these people deserve death. Is this merely because they had dared to differ with them? There is no doubt that in the presence of political authority in a place that authority has the right to punish criminals; it also is true that in this regard there cannot be any difference between a man and a woman. The Qur’an very explicitly states that whether a woman or a man is guilty of theft both will be punished and both have the same punishment. The same is true for an adulterer and an adulteress. However, when did the Taliban have political authority on the persons just mentioned and when did these persons commit crimes which are punishable by death as per the Islamic shari‘ah? The Qur’an very explicitly states that the death punishment can be meted out only in cases of murder and spreading anarchy in the land and not in any other crime. Who among the people pointed out above is guilty of murdering someone or was guilty of spreading anarchy by threatening the life, wealth or honour of someone? In reality, the Taliban themselves are guilty of these crimes and testify to their confessions every day.

3. Polytheism, disbelief and apostasy are indeed grave crimes; however, no human being can punish another human being for these crimes. This is the right of God alone. In the Hereafter too, He will punish them for these crimes and in this world it is He Who does so if He intends to do so. The matter of the Hereafter is not under discussion here. In this world, this punishment takes place in the following manner: when the Almighty decides to reward and punish people in this very world on the basis of their deeds, He sends His messenger towards them. This messenger conclusively communicates the truth to these people such that they are left with no excuse before God to deny it. After that the verdict of God is passed and those people who even after the conclusive communication of the truth insist on disbelief and polytheism are punished in this world. This is an established practice of God which the Qur’an describes in the following words: “And for each community, there is a messenger. Then when their messenger comes, their fate is decided with full justice and they are not wronged.” (10:47)

This punishment is generally given in the manner it was given to the people of Noah (sws), the people of Hud (sws), the people of Salih (sws), the people of Lot (sws), the people of Shu‘ayb (sws) and to some other nations. However, if a messenger has a substantial number of companions and after migrating from their people, they are also able to gain political authority at some place, then this punishment is implemented through the swords of the messenger and his companions. It is this second situation which arose in the case of Muhammad (sws). Thus the active adversaries among his opponents first met their fate; after this a general order of killing the rest of the adversaries was given. For them the declaration of this punishment came in 9th hijrah on the day of hajj-i akbar. Following are the words of this directive mentioned in the Qur’an: “Then when the sacred months [after the hajj-i akbar] have passed, kill these Idolaters wherever you find them, and [for this objective] capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush. But if they repent and are diligent in the prayer, and give zakāh, then leave them alone.” (9:5)

This is the punishment of God which was meted out to the Idolaters of Arabia. When such a punishment descends on the perpetrators, no exception is given to women and children and they are destroyed the way the nations of Noah (sws) Hud (sws), Salih, Lot (sws) and Shu‘ayb (sws) were destroyed. It is thus mentioned in various narratives that when troops were sent to implement this punishment, he was asked what to do about the women and children of the Idolaters who would also be there; at this, the Prophet (sws) replied that they were from among them.3 It was these people about whom he had directed that if they embraced faith at that time and then became apostates and later adopted disbelief they would deserve this same punishment of death.4

In spite of conclusive communication of the truth, the punishment of these people was deferred till 9 AH because they were not active adversaries and there was a chance that they might repent and hence be saved from punishment. On the other hand, people who besides their rejection of the truth became open and active adversaries were not given this respite. They were killed whenever it became possible. Abu Rafi‘, Ka‘b ibn Ashraf, ‘Abdullah ibn Khattal, his slave-girls and from among the prisoners of the battles of Badr and Uhud ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘it, Nadr ibn al-Harith and Abu ‘Izzah et al. were killed for this very reason.

This was the verdict of God which is necessarily implemented after conclusive communication of the truth by His messengers. It is about this verdict that the Qur’n has said: “You shall never see any change in this practice of God,” (17:77). Its nature is the same as of the sacrifice of Ishmael (sws) and the incident of Khidr. It is not related to us human beings. Just as we cannot drill a hole in the boat of a poor person to help him and cannot kill a disobedient boy nor embark upon slaughtering any of our sons on the basis of a dream as Abraham (sws) did, similarly, we cannot undertake this task except if a revelation comes from God or if He directly gives an order. Everyone knows that the door to this has permanently been closed.
The incidents which the Taliban are presenting to support their measures are of the nature just described. This is nothing but audacity to generalize for themselves what specifically rests in the hands of God. There can be no greater a crime than this on God’s earth. Every believer should seek God’s refuge from this.


1. Abū ‘Abdullāh Muhammad ibn Ismā‘īl al-Bukhārī, Al-Jāmi‘ al-sahīh, 2nd ed. (Riyād: Dār al-salām, 1999), 489, (no. 2957).
2. Al-Bukhārī, Al-Jāmi‘ al-sahīh, 498, (no. 3015); Abū al-Husayn ibn Hajjāj Muslim al-Nīsabūrī, Al-Jāmi‘ al-sahīh, 2nd ed. (Riyād: Dār al-salām, 2000), 303, (no. 1744).
3. Al-Bukhārī, Al-Jāmi‘ al-sahīh, 497, (no. 3012); Muslim, Al-Jāmi‘ al-sahīh, 303, (no. 1745).
4. Al-Bukhārī, Al-Jāmi‘ al-sahīh, 498, (no. 3017).

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