The Book of Jihad

Continuation from The

Book of Jihad

كِتاَبُ اْلجِهَادِ

The Book of Dhihar

Glossary


Continuation from The Book of Jihad

[Soldiers’ Code of Conduct]

Jihad is not permissible except with the permission of the emir (commander), unless a feared enemy takes them by surprise or they come across an opportunity they are afraid to miss. After entering the abode of war, no one is permitted to leave the camp – to obtain fodder, firewood, or anything else – without the permission of the emir. If one takes anything of value from the abode of war, 1671 he may not keep it for himself, except for food and fodder, from which he may take what he needs only. If he sells it, he must return the price to the common booty. If he has anything left of it when he returns to his hometown, he must return it unless it is of little value, in which case he may eat it or give it away. 1672

وَلاَ يَجُوْزُ اْلجِهَادُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اْلأَمِيْرِ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَفْجَأَهُمْ عَدُوٌّ يَخَافُوْنَ كَلَبَهُ، أَوْ تَعْرِضَ فُرْصَةٌ يَخَافُوْنَ فَوْتَهَا. وَإِذَا دَخَلُوْا أَرْضَ اْلحَرْبِ، لَمْ يَجُزْ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنَ اْلعَسْكَرِ لِتَعَلُّفٍ، أَوِ احْتِطَابٍ، أَوْ غَيْرِهِ، إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اْلأَمِيْرِ. وَمَنْ أَخَذَ مِنْ دَارِ اْلحَرْبِ مَالَهُ قِيْمَةٌ، لَمْ يَجُزْ لَهُ أَنْ يَخْتَصَّ بِهِ، إِلاَّ الطَّعَامَ وَاْلعَلَفَ، فَلَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْهُ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنْ بَاعَهُ، رَدَّ ثَمَنَهُ فِيْ اْلمَغْنَمِ، وَإِنْ فَضَلَ مَعَهُ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ بَعْدَ رُجُوْعِهِ إِلىٰ بَلَدِهِ، لَزِمَهُ رَدُّهُ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُوْنَ يَسِيْرًا، فَلَهُ أَكْلُهُ وَهَدِيَّتُهُ

1671. The Abodes of War, Peace and Treaty
Classical jurists classified the world into the abodes of peace, war, and treaty, giving them descriptive names according to the conditions of their times. The treaties signed by Muslim countries, as members of the United Nations and signatories to other covenants such as the Geneva Conventions, make the default classification for the whole world Dar al-‘Ahd (“abode of treaty”), which could also be referred to as Dar aṣ-Ṣulḥ (“abode of conciliation”). Wherever Muslims have the right to practice their religion, the suggested term would be Dar al-Amn (“abode of security”).

1672.(A/SM & Iqnâ‘): Even if it is of little value, he must still return it to the common booty.

[Rulings of Engagement]

It is permissible to attack the unbelievers at night, to use the catapult against them,1673 and to start fighting them before calling them (to Islam). This is because the Prophet (SA) took Bani al-Muṣṭaliq by surprise while they were unsuspecting, when their cattle were being taken to the bodies of water for drinking; he killed their fighters and took their offspring into captivity. 1674 Among the unbelievers, it is not allowed to kill a child, insane person, woman, monk, or senile older person, or an infirm, blind, or feeble-minded person – unless they fight. 1675

وَيَجُوْزُ تَبْيِيْتُ اْلكُفَّارِ وَرَمْيُهُمْ بِالْمَنْجَنِيْقِ، وَقِتَالُهُمْ قَبْلَ دُعَائِهِمْ؛ لِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ أَغَارَ عَلَى بَنِيَّ اَلْمُصْطَلِقِ، وَهُمْ غَارُّونَ، وَأَنْعَامُهُمْ تُسْقَى عَلَى الْمَاءِ، فَقَتَلَ مُقَاتِلَتَهُمْ، وَسَبَى ذَرَارِيَّهُمْ. وَلاَ يُقْتَلُ مِنْهُمْ صَبِيٌّ، وَلاَ مَجْنُوْنٌ، وَلاَ امْرَأَةٌ، وَلاَ رَاهِبٌ، وَلاَ شَيْخٌ فَانٍ، وَلاَ زَمِنٌ، وَلاَ أَعْمَى، وَلاَ مَنْ لاَ رَأْيَ لَهُمْ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يُقَاتِلُوْا

1673.(t): This is only permissible in obligatory jihad (conducted for self-defense), out of necessity; otherwise, it is not permissible to use the catapult knowing that its missiles (rocks) may kill women and children. (Majmoo‘at al-Fatâwâ, in the chapter on Funerals, Subsection: Using Porcine Fat in Medical Treatment)

1674.It was reported that the chief of Banu al-Muṣṭaliq, al-Ḥârith ibn Abi Ḍirâr, had assembled an army to attack the believers, so the Prophet (SA) proceeded to them in secret and took them by surprise. Hostility had already been established between the believers and Banu al-Muṣṭaliq, who had joined with Quraysh to attack the believers in the Battle of Uḥud. (Ibn Is-ḥâq, as-Seerah; Ibn Sa‘d, aṭ-Ṭabaqât)

1675.When they had to go to war, the Prophet (SA) used to instruct them not to kill “an older man, a child or a woman,” and he would say:

“Do righteousness and show kindness, for Allah loves those who are kind.” (D – from Anas. al-Albâni:W, but accepted by the fuqahâ’)

وَأَصْلِحُوا وَأَحْسِنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِين

[Rulings of the Captives]

As for male captives, the imam is given the choice of killing, enslavement, taking a ransom, or benevolent release. He must do what is in the best interest of the Muslims. 1676

وَيُخَيَّرُ اْلإِمَامُ فِيْ أُسَارَى الرِّجَالِ، بَيْنَ اْلقَتْلِ، وَاْلاِسْتِرْقَاقِ، وَاْلفِدَاءِ، وَالْمَنِّ، وَلاَ يَخْتَارُ إِلاَّ

Ibn Mâjah added the Prophet’s prohibition against killing the ‘aseef, which is best translated as a non-combatant attachment to the army. Abu Bakr would say:

“Do not engage in treachery; do not steal from the booty; do not betray; do not mutilate the dead; do not kill a child, an older man, or a woman; do not cut a palm tree or burn it or any fruitful tree; and do not slaughter a goat, cow, or camel except to eat.” (Târeekh aṭ-Ṭabari)

He would also say, “…And you will pass by monks who devote themselves to solitude in their tents, so leave them alone with what they are dedicated to.” (al-Wâqidi, Târeekh ash-Shâm) ‘Umar would add, “…and fear Allah regarding the farmers.” (Muṣannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah)

1676.No heavenly religion sought to deplete the institution of slavery more than Islam did. Islam would, therefore, welcome the current state of abolishment of slavery worldwide, and it would certainly be keen on all the nations of the world maintaining that. A central credo of Muslims’ conduct is that when they engage in any agreement, they must fulfill their agreement. To this point, Allah said:

{O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts…} (al-Mâ’idah 5: 1)

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَوۡفُواْ بِٱلۡعُقُودِ‌

Refer to the appendix on slavery.

Ibn Rushd reported from al-ḥassan ibn Muhammad al-Tamimi that the consensus of the Companions was to not kill the captives. This was based on the following verse:

So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. [Muĥammad 47:4]

فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَضَرْبَ الرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا الْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَاءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ الْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا

If he enslaves them or takes a ransom, they become part of the common booty.

اْلأَصْلَحَ لِلْمُسِلِمِيْنَ. وَإِنِ اسْتَرَقَّهُمْ أَوْ فَادَاهُمْ بِمَالٍ، فَهُوَ غَنِيْمَةٌ ا

He must not separate captives who are maḥram relatives unless they are bâligh (adults).1677 If one buys captives on the premise that they are maḥram relatives, and that turns out not to be true, he must return (to the common booty) the difference in their value. 1678

وَلاَ يُفَرَّقُ فِيْ السَّبْيِ بَيْنَ ذَوِيْ رَحِمٍ مَحْرَمٍ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُوْنُوْا بِاْلغِيْنِ. وَمَنِ اشْتَرى مِنْهُمْ عَلىٰ أَنَّهُمْ ذَوُوْ رَحِمٍ، فَبَانَ خِلاَفُهُ، رَدَّ اْلفَضْلُ الَّذِيْ فِيْهِ بِالتَّفْرِيْقِ

[Financial Matters Related to Jihad]

If one is given something to support him during the expedition, he may keep the remaining part of it upon his return. If it was not given to him for this particular expedition only, he will use the rest in other expeditions. 1679 If he is given a horse for the sake of Allah, he may keep it upon his return unless it was designated as a waqf. When something is captured from the enemy and it belongs to one of the Muslims, it should be returned to the owner if (the original Muslim owner) is known before the distribution (of the booty). If it is already distributed before the

وَمَنْ أُعْطِيَ شَيْئًا يَسْتَعِيْنُ بِهِ فِيْ غَزْوِهِ، فَإِذَا رَجَعَ، فَلَهُ مَا فَضَلَ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُوْنَ لَمْ يُعْطَ لِغَزْوَةٍ بِعَيْنِهَا، فَيَرُدُّ اْلفَضْلَ فِيْ اْلغَزْوِ. وَإِنْ حُمِلَ عَلىٰ فَرَسٍ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ، فَهِيَ لَهُ إِذاَ رَجَعَ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يُجْعَلَ حَبِيْسًا. وَمَا أُخِذَ مِنْ أَهْلِ اْلحَرْبِ مِنْ أَمْوَالِ اْلمُسْلِمِيْنَ، رُدَّ إِلَيْهِمْ، إِذَا عُلِمَ صَاحِبُهُ

Two options only were given. The instances when the Prophet commanded the killing of captives are rare and mostly inauthentic. Any authentic incident case can be easily justified by their known war crimes. There were no Nuremberg trials, however, the fairest of all humanity deemed death the fair punishment for their numerous crimes. Abu Al-Waleed ibn Rushd Al-Ḥafeed, Bidayat al-Mujtahid wa Nihayat al-Muqtaṣid, 2nd ed. (Cairo: Dar al-Ḥadeeth, 2004), 2:145.

1677.(A/SM & Iqnâ‘): Even if they are bâligh, they cannot be separated. Refer to the appendix on ‘buloogh’.

1678.If they were related, they would be cheaper for several reasons, one of which is that they could not be separated.

1679.The warriors were volunteers, not salaried members of organized armies. They were supported by the community to serve the noble cause of jihad.

original owner is known, then (the original Muslim owner) may take it for the price estimated for it during the distribution and on which basis its taker got it. If one of the Muslims took it (from the enemy) in return for a price, its (original Muslim owner) may take it from him for that price. If he took it without paying for it, then he should return it to (the original Muslim owner). If one buys a captive from the enemies, the captive must repay him the price he paid.

قَبْلَ القَسْمِهِ. وَإِنْ قُسِمَ قَبْلَ عِلْمِهِ، فَلَهُ أَخْذُهُ بِثَمَنِهِ الَّذِيْ حُسِبَ بِهِ عَلىٰ آخِذِهِ. وَإِنْ أَخَذَهُ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدُ الرَّعِيَّةِ بِثَمَنٍ، فَلِصَاحِبِهِ أَخْذُهُ بِثَمَنِهِ، وَإِنْ أَخَذَهُ بِغَيْرِ شَيْءٍ، رَدَّهُ. وَمَنِ اشْتَرَى أَسِيْرًا مِنَ اْلعَدُوِّ، فَعَلىٰ اْلأَسِيْرِ أَدَاءُ مَا اشْتَرَاهُ بِهِ

Continuation from The Book of Jihad

( Page : no 167)