Jihad
& Political Matters: These questions have
been posed to Sheikh Omar
Bakri Muhammad - Principal Lecturer of
the School of Shari'ah
The Reality on the Ground!
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- What is your view on the American
Forces in Saudi Arabia?
The presence of the American and British forces in
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq or any part of Muslim countries
is a crime and aggression against the sanctity of Muslims
and Muslim land. Whether the people agree upon it or
not, whether the current rulers sign treaties with them
or not… Therefore they are legitimate targets
for Muslims and Muslims in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey,
Egypt and Iraq are obliged to fight them in order to
kick them out of Muslim land. Allah (SWT) forbids us
to accept non-believers in authority over us let alone
if they become the protectors!!
NB. Any agreement or treaty Islam forbids is not binding
on us even if some Muslims or illegitimate rulers agree
upon them.
It is permissible to seek political asylum as a refugee
in order to protect your life. The messenger Muhammad
(saw) sent some Muslims from Makkah to the Christian
king of Habasha (Abbasinia) in order to seek protection
and refuge.
Q What dose Islam say about violence, terrorism, killing
people, cutting hands, lashing, slavery, polygamy and
jihad?
Islam is indeed a Mercy for Mankind. Muslims do not
usually use the above terminologies because they have
certain negative meanings in the western world. However
I am going to use them because Islam uses such terminology
but with particular divine meanings
There are two types of violence:
1- Violence which is pro-life: e.g. using force by a
divine authority against criminals, burglars or murderers
etc. to save lives, property and the honour of innocent
people. This type of violence is lawful in Islam and
called the penal System in Islam. In addition God terrorises
us with Hell-Fire in order to save our lives from it.
2- Violence against life: e.g. The use of force by
murderers, burglars or criminals against innocent people
and their lives, honour or property. This type of violence
is unlawful in Islam and called crime.
There are two types of Terrorism:
1- Divine Terrorism: e.g. Military preparation, Military
fighting or activities in order to terrorise and defeat
enemies occupying your land or in order to remove obstacles
between people and divine justice i.e. Gods law and
order in society (without any compulsion in religion
i.e. without forcing personal belief or faith). This
type of Divine Terrorism is obligatory in Islam and
called Jihad and the just fighters are called Mujahideen.
2- Man-made Terrorism: e.g. Military preparation, Military
fighting or activities in order to terrorise and kill
innocent people, exploit their properties, land and
to colonise them for personal interest, gain, greed,
leadership or ambition. This type of Terrorism is Prohibited
in Islam and called As-Siyyal and these so-called fighters
are called terrorists or gangsters.
As far as the other topics are concerned i.e. punishing
people, cutting hands of thieves, lashing fornicators
and so on they are part of the violence which is pro-life.
Islam Forbids slavery i.e. Riqq, Islam permits Muslims
to marry four wives and Jihad is the Foreign Policy
of the Islamic State. However, all the above rules are
detailed matters and what is the most important point
is their rational basis i.e. belief.
We must differentiate between mutilating slowly as
an ugly art of torturing until death and between Swift
mutilating as a divine punishment… In fact there
is no contradiction at all if we understand the following
points:
1- Mutilating organs of a living being slowly until
death (Al-Muthlah)
2- Mutilating an organ of a living being swiftly without
death (as a Punishment) e.g. cutting the hand of the
thief because Allah (swt) says: "As for the thief,
male or female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment
by way of example, from God, for their crime: and God
is exalted in power" [EMQ 5:41].
3- Mutilating organ(s) swiftly in order to kill a criminal
(as Capital Punishment) e.g. Cutting off the head of
the Murderer swiftly as a divine punishment. Allah (swt)
says: "The punishment of those who wage war against
God and His messenger, and strive with might and main
for mischief through the land is: execution…..."
[EMQ 5: 36]
In Europe they use to use the guillotine but nowadays
in the west they use machine guns, hanging or the electric
chair in order to kill the criminal as punishment. The
Definition of Mutilation (Al-Muthlah) in Juristic terminology
is 'the slow cutting of the organs of a living being
(human or animal) organ by organ until death.'
Note: This mutilation is Haram (prohibited) in Islam
whether for animals or humans (Muslim or non-Muslim
e.g. enemy or not). The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said:
"Warning, for those who mutilate even a mad dog"
And the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said: "If anyone
of you wish to slaughter an animal e.g. a sheep, let
him sharpen his knife, relax his animal, say Bismillah
and Allahu Akbar and do it swiftly."
Note: Imaam Ali (raa) was in the battlefield when he
cut off someone's head swiftly during fighting. Whereas
the Sahabi who killed swiftly Ka'eb did so as a response
to a special order from the Messenger (as head of the
Islamic state) and this is evidence that political assassination
is the job of the state and not the individual.
Palestine is Daar ul-Ghasib (i.e. Muslim land under
occupation) it is not Daar ul-Holiday!! Therefore it
is prohibited to visit Kashmir or Palestine etc. without
the intention (Niyyah) of Jihad i.e. to fight physically
or to support the Jihad financially or verbally.
- Am I allowed to answer these questions
for US Citizenship?
In general you are not allowed to lie which includes
the answering of questions. Regarding the Question "Have
you ever advocated or practiced polygamy?" the
Answer is subjective to the words "advocated"
or practiced" but remember that the Qur'an advocates
the practicing of polygamy.
For "Do you believe in the Constitution and form
of government of the U.S?" the answer must be NO.
For "Are you willing to take full Oath of Allegiance
to the U.S.?" the answer must be that an Oath of
Allegiance to the US government or to its constitution
is haram and therefore NO.
For "If the law requires it, are you willing to
bear arms on behalf of the U.S.?" the answer must
be NO. For "If the law requires it, are you willing
to perform non-combatant services in the Armed forces
of the U.S.?" the answer must be NO.
For "If the law requires it, are you willing to
perform work of national importance under civilian direction?"
The answer must be NO.
- Is it allowed for Muslims to join
the British Police?
For your information it is prohibited (haram) and a
sin to be part of the British police regardless of your
intention… and remember a good aim does not justify
a prohibited means.
Of course you don't mean USA or UK as a country e.g.
roads, trees, building, animal or people etc... I think
what you mean is the British Authority and its army
(e.g. fighters)... Hence, Allah (swt) did not permit
us to fight people because of their nationality (e.g.
British or American citizenships), colour (e.g. black
or white) or place of origin (e.g. Braitin or USA).
Allah (swt) ordered us to fight those who fight against
us as a defensive Jihad) and to fight (in offensive
Jihad) as a foreign Policy of the Islamic State to remove
man-made law in order to spread the Islamic Authority
and that Allah (swt)'s Deen will be dominated. Without
to force people to embrace Islam, rather to force the
Islamic law and order.
Further, our war against Kufr and the Kuffar are divided
into two types:
1- Ideological war or struggle (Islam against Kufr)
2- Physical or military war or struggle (Muslims against
non-Muslims: Occupiers or aggressors)
As For the non-Muslims e.g. British or American, we
are engage in Ideological struggle but definitely not
a military or physical struggle. As for the British
Authority and its Soldiers they are a legitimate target
for those Muslims who has no Visa-treaty with them.
However, for those Muslims who are under a Visa-treaty
with Kuffar they must cancel their Visa-treaty in order
to declare war against them. Moreover Muslims are obliged
to support their Muslims brothers and sisters abroad
regardless if they have visa-treaty or not. There is
no obedience any person but to Allah (swt) and His messenger
Muhammad (swt) and to whoever Islam ordered us to Obey
as long as we did not disobey Allah (swt) or His Messenger.
The Subject of the Visa-Contract is Halaal but you must
not abide with any Haram terms.
It is prohibited upon us to forgive oppressors or occupiers....
as long as they continue to oppress and occupy. However,
it is permissible for us not to chase them after they
stop their occupation or oppression.
Its Haraam for us as an UMMAH to accept the help from
the enemies who are at war with us such as the Kufr
states of USA, Britain etc. and those whom they control
in the UN. As for individual Muslim who are under duress
nobody can blame them (if they do so) but we Muslims
who are not under Duress will be accounted and blamed
since we did not rise to help, nor did we do work to
establish Khilafah which would come to their aid in
the times of oppression.
- Do we need our parent's permission
to go to Jihad?
We must understand that Jihad as fighting (Qitaal)
for the sake of Allah (swt) is two types:
1-Qitaal Mubaadaha: Initiative fighting (Gazou)
2-Qitaal Mudafa'ah: Defensive fighting (Qitaal-ud-Dafi')
For the First type of Qitaal it is required the presence
and the permission of the Khaleefah (regardless of the
permission of your mother with certain conditions).
The Messenger as leader of the First Islamic State in
Madinah did not grant permission for a person who is
lonely for his mother or she is depend on him rather
he said to him: "'Do you have a mother' he said:
'Yes', the Messenger reply: 'Go and perform your Jihad
with her'". Whereas the second type of Qitaal i.e.
Defensive fighting (Qitaal-ud-Dafi') does not required
the presence nor the permission of the Khaleefah or
your mother with certain exceptions.
However, the permission of mother is subjective to
the reality e.g.: - Do you live in an area under attack
by non-Muslims?- Do you live in an area under occupation
by non-Muslims? - Is your mother living in Dar-u-Islam
or not?- Is your mother dependant on you or not? - Does
your mother have a Mahram or not? If you explain your
detailed reality in a new question, Insha-Allah I will
be to answer it for you.
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