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We continue with our
examination of material available on-line put out by the Islamic Circle
of North America (Canada)
In this article, we
will deal with jihad, and the advisements put forward by the
Hadith.
ICNA (Islamic Circle of
North America) Canada is an Islamic nationalwide organization striving “to
build an Exemplary Canadian Muslim Community” by “total submission to Him
[Allah] and through the propagation of true and universal message of
Islam.”
ICNA Canada is located
at 391 Burnhamthorpe Rd., East, Oakville, Ontario, with Dr. Iqbal Massod
Al-Nadvi serving as Amir (President).
On its official website
ICNA Canada shares with
its members, followers and supporters the book The
Gardens of the Righteous (Arabic: Riyadh
as-Salihin) compiled by Imam Zakaruya Yahya Bin Sharaf
An-Nawawi, a Sunni Shafi’ite jurist and hadith scholar who
lived in 13th century. This book contains a total
of 1905 hadith divided across 372 chapters, many of which are introduced
by verses of the Quran.
The Gardens of Righteousness
This book adds
modern commentary to the verses from the Qur’an and hadith.
The following are
excerpts from the book which deal with the duty of jihad and and its offensive role
in fighting heresy in the world in order to bring about an Islamic global
dominance.
[Hadith 3]. A`ishah
(May Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “There
is no emigration after the conquest (of Makkah) but only Jihad
[(striving and fighting in the cause of Allah) will continue] and good
intention.* So if you are summoned to fight, go forth.”
[Al-Bukhari and
Muslim].
“*. Intention according
to An-Nawawi: It means that goodness which ceased to continue by the
cessation of emigration can still be obtained by Jihad and by intending
accomplishing good deeds.
“Commentary.
When a country or a region is regarded as Dar-ul-Islam (land of Islam),
it is not necessary to migrate from it to some other place. It is,
however, obligatory to emigrate
from such regions which are Dar-ul-Kufr (land of infidels) and where it
is difficult to adhere to Islamic injunctions.
It is also evident from this Hadith that when it is not necessary to
migrate from one Islamic country to another then it is also not permitted
by the Shari`ah to leave an Islamic country to settle permanently in
Dar-ul-Kufr (non Islamic countries) only for the reason that the latter
has plenty of wealth and social welfare. Unfortunately, Muslims today are
afflicted with this disease. The
transfer of their capital and talent to Dar-ul-Kufr is indeed very
disturbing because on one side these two factors are lending support to
the economy of Bilad-ul-Kufr (countries of infidels) and
on the other, obscenity and indecency that are common in such countries,
are becoming increasingly common among the Muslims too.
“Another highly
important reason for the prohibition
of migration of Muslims to Dar-ul-Kufr is that it goes against the spirit
as well as their readiness for Jihad fi sabilillah (striving
and fighting in the way of Allah). This
spirit and readiness must be kept always alive so that the Muslims may
respond at once to the call of Jihad whenever the need for it arises
anywhere.
“[Hadith]:
175. Sahl bin Sa`d (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) said on the day of the Hhaibar Battle, “I will give this
banner to a person at whose hands Allah will grant victory; a man who
loves Allah and His Messenger (PBUH), and Allah and His Messenger love
him also.” The people spent the night thinking as to whom it would be
given. When it was morning, the people hastened to Messenger of Allah
(PBUH). Every one of them was hoping that the banner would be given to
him. He (the Prophet (PBUH)) asked, “Where is `Ali bin Abu Talib?” They
said: “O Messenger of Allah! His eyes are sore.” He (PBUH) then sent for
him and when he came, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) applied his saliva to his
eyes and supplicated. `Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) recovered as
if he had no ailment at all. He (PBUH) conferred upon him the banner.
`Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Messenger of Allah, shall I
fight against them until they are like us?” Thereupon he (the Prophet
(PBUH)) said, “Advance cautiously until you reach their open places;
thereafter, invite them to Islam and inform them what is obligatory for
them from the Rights of Allah, for, by Allah, if Allah guides even one
person through you that is better for you than possessing a whole lot of
red camels”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
“Commentary:
Besides mentioning the excellence of `Ali (May Allah be pleased with him)
and the miracle of the Prophet (PBUH), this Hadith tells about the
procedure of Jihad. According to procedure, first of all, polytheists
and infidels should be invited to Islam, and if they reject the
invitation, then Jihad be made against them.
Jihad is such an action that if at its initial stage, that is to say at
the stage of invitation, some people accept the guidance, then the people
who will participate in Jihad will get the reward of good deeds done by
those who would join the fold of Islam.
“[Hadith]:
208. Mu`adh (May Allah bepleased with him) reported that Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) sent me (as a governor of Yemen) and instructed me thus:
“You will go to the people of the Book. First call them to testify that
`there is no true god except Allah, that I am (Muhammad (PBUH)) the
Messenger of Allah.’ If they obey you, tell them that Allah has enjoined
upon them five Salat (prayers) during the day and night; and if they obey
you, inform them that Allah has made Zakat obligatory upon them; that it
should be collected from their rich and distributed among their poor; and
if they obey you refrain from picking up (as a share of Zakat) the best
of their wealth. Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there
is no barrier between it and Allah”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
“Commentary:
"1. If it
comes to Jihad against infidels, polytheists and the people of the Book
(Ahl-ul-Hitab) then before waging war against them,
they should be invited to Islam and told about the prescribed Salat
(prayers), Zakat and other teachings of Islam.
“2. The Zakat collected
from the rich of a locality must be spent on the poor of that place. If
some amount is left unspent only then it should be distributed among the deserving
people of other areas.
“3. The collectors of
Zakat should refrain from aggression in its collection as in that case
they will be invoking the curse of the people concerned and thereby
invite the Wrath of Allah.
“[Hadith]:
321. `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`as (May Allah be pleased with them)
reported: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) of Allah and said, “I swear
allegiance to you for emigration and Jihad, seeking reward from Allah.”
He (PBUH) said, “Is any of your parents alive?” He said, “Yes, both of
them are alive.” He (PBUH) then asked, “Do you want to seek reward from
Allah?” He replied in the affirmative. Thereupon Messenger of Allah
(PBUH) said, “Go back to your parents and keep good company with them”.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
“In another narration
it is reported that a person came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and sought
his permission to participate in Jihad. The Prophet (PBUH) asked, “Are
your parents alive?” He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet a(PBUH)
said, “(You should) consider their service as Jihad.”
“Commentary:
Under normal circumstances, Jihad is Fard Kifayah (collective duty —
which means that if some people observe it, the rest of the Muslims will
be exempted from its obligation). In such circumstances permission of
parents to participate in Jihad is necessary because their service is
Fard-ul-`ain , and the former cannot be preferred to the latter. This
Hadith explains such a situation. In certain circumstances,
however, Jihad becomes
Fard-ul-`ain (individual duty — an injunction or ordinance, the
obligation of which extends to every Muslim in person) and in that case
permission of the parents to take part in Jihad is not essential because
then every Muslim is duty-bound to take part in it.
“[Hadith]:
390. `Abdullah bin `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “I have been commanded (by Allah) to
fight people until they testify that there is no true god except Allah,
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform Salat and pay
Zakat. If they do so, they will have protection of their blood and
property from me except when justified by Islam, and then account is left
to Allah”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
“Commentary:
This Hadith brings out the following three points:
“l. The
objective of Jihad. This objective warrants that one must struggle
against Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism) and the worship of
falsehood in all its forms. Jihad has to continue until this objective is
achieved. This contention is supported by a
Hadith, to the effect thatJihad will
continue till the Day of Resurrection.
“In this Hadith the
word (An-Nas) translated above as “people” stands for the polytheists and
idolaters. The reason being that other Nasus (pl. of Nass, meaning
`text’) confirm the exemption of
Ahl-ul-Kitab (people of the Scriptures) from
it subject to the condition that they
agree to pay Jizyah (dues imposed by
Islam on the people of the Book living under the protection of an Islamic
state) and submit to the Muslim rule. The Arab pagans have only the
choice to either embrace Islam or face war. In the latter case, it
is incumbent on the Mulsims to wage Jihad against them to wipe out Kufr
and Shirk and raise the banner of Tauhid everywhere.
“This
Hadith strongly refutes the people who distort the Islamic concept of
Jihad and hold that Islam preaches defensive war only.
It is an apologetic approach because defensive war has to be fought in
any case by every nation and country. Thus, it is a compulsion and needs
no justification.
“The
real distinction of Islam lies in its enjoining Muslims to wage war for
upholding the truth beside fighting for their own defense.
“The
domination of Kufr, Shirk and falsehood is darkness, heresy and tyranny,
and the objective of Islam is to purge the world of all these evils.
“It
aims at liberating man from the worship of man, set them on the path of
worship of Allah, and to provide a just and equitable society to mankind.
“Wherever
in the world there is tyranny, ignorance and heresy, Muslims are bound to
fight such evils and finish them by means of Jihad.
“There
is also a third form of Jihad which is waged against countries where
Muslims are victims of aggression, suppression and cruelties of the
non-Muslims. It is incumbent upon Muslims to liberate their brethren in
Faith from the clutches of the non-Muslims by means of Jihad.
“So long Muslims
performed this obligation with a sense of duty, Islam and its followers
were dominant in the world and ever since they have ignored this
obligation, both are in subjugation and disgrace. In other words, the
secret of power and stability of Muslims lies in Jihad. Muslims need to
understand this secret like their ancestors.
“2. Life and property
of every person is secured after his joining the fold of Islam. He will,
however, be subject to the law of Islam, one of which is payment of
Zakat. If he murders any Muslim, he will also be killed in return, unless
the heirs of the victim pardon the murderer or accept blood-money (Diyah)
for it.
“3. When a person
embraces Islam, the laws of Shari`ah apply to him according to his
apparent condition only. His heart will not be probed for this purpose.
In case, he is not sincere or he has some design in joining the fold of
Islam, no action will be taken against him until guilt is fully proved.
What he has in his heart will be left to Allah Who will pass judgement on
his intention on the Day of Resurrection. This Hadith is related to this
chapter for its third point. In their debate on this point, some
`Ulama’ have contended
that such people who believe in Tauhid and obey the injunctions of
Shari`ah are not to be declared as infidels.
“[Hadith]:
1209. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger
of Allah (PBUH) said, “I have been commanded to fight people till they
testify `La ilaha illallah’ (there is no true god except Allah) that
Muhammad (PBUH) is his slave and Messenger, and they establish Salat, and
pay Zakat; and if they do this, their blood (life) and property are
secured except when justified by law, and it is for Allah to call them to
account.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
“Commentary:
“Except when justified by law” means that after the acceptance of Islam,
if someone commits a crime which is punishable by Hadd this will be
certainly imposed on him, or her, i.e., cutting of hand in case of theft,
one hundred stripes or stoning to death in case of fornication, capital
punishment in retaliation for murdering an innocent person. In this
Hadith the words “it is for Allah to call them to account” means that if
they are not sincere in the acceptance of Islam and would put up an
appearance of Islam like hypocrites, or would commit a crime which is
liable for Hadd but is somehow not detected by the Islamic court or
authorities concerned, they will be taken to account for it by Allah,
that is Allah will decide about them on the Day of Judgement.
“It is evident from
this Hadith that so long as Kufr
[disbelief] is present in this world, it is necessary to wage Jihad
against it to finish it off, and so long as all the disbelievers do not
openly accept Islam and adopt the Islamic way of life, Muslims are duty-
bound to make Jihad against them.
“[Hadith]:
1352. Abu Hurairah and Jabir (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “War is deception.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
“Commentary:
“Khad`ah” means deception,
i.e., employing a strategy which causes misunderstanding to the enemy,
and one’s real intent does not become evident to them. This
is permissible in Islam in the state of war.
“The hadith mentioned
in this chapter make the importance of Jihad and the reason for so much
stress on it abundantly clear. These also show how great a crime it is to
ignore it. It is very unfortunate indeed that present-day Muslims are
guilty of renouncing Jihad in every part of the world. May Allah help us
to overcome this negligence.”
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