Muslim Martyrs & Jihad

Compiled by Jennifer King 

2005/08/02

Islamic law is based on the Koran and the Sunnah, the life of Muhammad, which is recorded in the hadiths, traditions, the stories of Ibn Ishaq, Tabari, Bukhari and Muslim, and enforced in the Islamic fiqh, sharia law. Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, inspired a religious ideal of killing non-Muslims and death in Allah’s Cause, Holy War, Jihad. All Muslims who fight and kill infidels are obeying this obligatory religious law, copying the ‘perfect example’ of Muhammad, who was a professional bandit and warlord, the first and most successful of all Muslim terrorists.  

ISLAMIC LAW: ISLAM Q&A

Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)  

These laws for all Muslims today explain that Jihad, holy war, is the highest virtue for Muslims ‘the pinnacle of Islam’. Martyrdom - fighting, killing infidels and dying for Islam is the very highest goal for all Muslims, the ‘perfect example’ of their prophet, Muhammad. Muslims who fight non-Muslims and die are the very best of all Muslims, the holy martyrs, shaheed, the only Muslims to attain Allah’s highest paradise. The Hypocrites are peaceful, tolerant Muslims who join or support non-Muslims in any way. They are the very worst Muslims, doomed to Allah’s hell.  

RULINGS ON JIHAD: 

Questions #8961, 

Is jihad considered obligatory?

Answer: 

Jihaad to make the word of Allaah supreme, to protect the religion of Islam, to enable spreading the faith and to protect the things it holds sacred, is an obligation upon everyone who is able to do it. If jihaad begins and the Muslims are mobilized, then everyone who is able should answer the call, sincerely for the sake of Allaah, hoping for truth to prevail and to protect Islam. Whoever holds back from that when the call has been made, with no valid excuse, is a sinner.

Can we really participate in Jihaad when we don't have any khalifa to organise us, or we don't have the strength to fight them? 

Jihaad for the sake of Allaah is the pinnacle of Islam, and is one of the principles of the religion. It does not depend on there being an imaam (khaleefah or ruler)… But obviously jihaad requires preparation and organization, and the existence of a leader of the army who can weigh up the pros and cons. 

Question #26125  

What is the difference between "Jihad" and "Qitaal" ?.

The word jihad is more general than the word qitaal (fighting). Jihaad may be with the tongue (by speaking out), or with weapons (which is qitaal or fighting) or with money. Each of these categories includes numerous subcategories. 

Qitaal may only be done with weapons; it includes fighting the kaafirs, fighting the wrongdoers and fighting the Khawaarij. 

The greatest kind of fighting is fighting those who disbelieve, for Allaah has commanded us to fight them. Allaah says: 

“Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allaah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger  (Muhammad), (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued”  9:29 

“O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you” 9:123 

Jihaad against the kuffaar with weapons is of two types: jihad talab (offensive jihad) and jihad daf’ (defensive jihad). 

Jihad talab means attacking the kuffaar in their own lands until they become Muslim or pay the jizyah with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to fight the people until they bear witness that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, and establish regular prayer, and pay zakaah. If they do that, then they have protected their blood and their wealth from me, except in cases decreed by Islamic law, and their reckoning with be with Allaah.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 25; Muslim, 20. 

The second type is jihad al-daf’ (defensive jihad). If the enemy attacks a Muslim country or fights a Muslim country, then jihad is obligatory in that case. If the people of that country are able to undertake this obligation, then all well and good, and the others should support them. 

See also questions no. 20214 and 34830.

Question  #20214  

In this day and Age is Jihad Fard (obligatory) on every able bodied Man?

Answer :

Firstly: 

Jihaad is of various kinds... Jihad al-nafs (jihad against one’s self) and jihad al-Shaytaan (jihad against the Shaytaan) are obligatory upon everyone who is accountable. Jihad against the munaafiqeen (hypocrites), kaafirs (disbelievers) and leaders of oppression and innovation is obligatory upon the community as a whole. Physical jihad (i.e. fighting) against the kaafirs may become an individual obligation upon everyone who is able to do it in certain circumstances, which will be described below. 

Secondly: 

The idea of waging physical jihad against the kaafirs went through a number of stages, depending on the state in which the Muslim ummah was. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

“The first thing which his Lord revealed to him was to read in the name of his Lord who had created. That was the beginning of his Prophethood, where Allaah commanded him to recite to himself but He did not yet command him to convey that. Then He revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning: 

‘O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments!

Arise and warn!’ 74:1-2 

So he became a Prophet with the word ‘Iqra (Read!) and he became a Messenger with the words, ‘O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments…’ Then Allaah commanded him to warn his closest kinsmen, then to warn his people, then to warn the Arabs around them, then to warn all the Arabs, then to warn all of mankind. He continued to call them for over ten years from the beginning of his Prophethood, without fighting or imposing the jizyah; he was commanded to refrain, to be patient and to be forbearing. 

Then permission was given to him to migrate, and permission was given to him to fight. 

Then he was commanded to fight those who fought him, and to refrain from fighting those who left him alone and did not fight him. 

Then Allaah commanded him to fight the mushrikeen so that the religion would all be for Allaah. 

Thirdly: 

The ruling on physical jihad against the kaafirs is that this is an obligation on the community as a whole (fard kafaayah). 

What fard kafaayah means is that if it is not undertaken by enough people, then all the people are guilty of sin, but if enough people undertakes it, the rest will be relieved of blame. Jihad is a fard kafaayah, according to the majority of scholars.” (al-Mughni, 9/163) 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz said:  

“We have previously explained on more than one occasion that jihad is fard kafaayah, not fard ‘ayn. All Muslims are enjoined to support their brothers with their selves (i.e., physically, by joining them), or with money, weapons, da’wah and advice. If enough of them go out (to fight), the rest are freed from sin, but if none of them do that then all of them are sinners. (Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 7/335) 

Fourthly: 

Physical jihad against the kaafirs becomes obligatory in four cases, which are: 

1 – When the Muslim is present in a jihad situation.

2 – When the enemy has come and attacked a Muslim land

3 – When the ruler mobilizes the people, they must respond.

4 – When a person is needed and no one else can do the task except him. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: 

Jihad is obligatory and becomes fard ‘ayn if a person is present where fighting is going on. This is the first of the situations in which jihad becomes an individual obligation, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield, 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 Allaah. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination!”  8:16 

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