Part One: Islam’s View on War
In addressing the issue of universal peace, the author in this discourse begins with tackling the phenomenon of war by discussing aspects such as the causes of war, as well as the management of war and behaviour during war. The author goes on to present some of the Islamic perspective on war and the measures needed to contain war and its causes. The following is Chapter 4 of Imam Shirazi’s book The New Order for a World of Faith, Freedom, Prosperity, and Peace pp349-402.
Translated by Ali Adam.
War is the worst thing known to mankind
War is the worst thing known to mankind througho ut his long history. It brings about the killing and maiming o f human beings, the loss of their powers and their disfigurement. It also causes the destruction of civilisations, stirs up hatred and resentments amongst people, and passes psychological problems on to future generations.
It also causes the fighters to become prisoners of war. For these reasons, war must be avoided at all costs and if war becomes necessary - because the enemy has forced the situation - it is imp erative that war should be limited to the least degree of necessity. It is also imperative that human ity in general put an end to wars finally so that they do not occur in the future.
War is an illness
War has been a phenomenon from the earliest times. It is said that it is confirmed as a fact in the Holy Qur’an in the verse:
{And had Allah not checked one set of people by means of another, the Earth would indeed be full of corruption.}
Some say that war is one manifestation of the struggle for survival which is a natural attribute of all living things and which will never cease, and that it is one o f the traditio ns of human society. However, the prevention of war by finding another solution is what should be sought.
For illness and disease is also a human reality from the very beginning as is the burning of cities, houses and shops or destruction by flooding and other natural events, which can cause harm to humanity. However, all of this does not make war inevitab le, for war is not a prime reality but rather a secondary phenomenon, which happens because of the malice of certain individuals.
Hence, a group of religious scholars have said that war in itself is bad and ugly because it entails the killing of people and destruction. The Holy Qur’an supports this in the following verse:
{Fighting is prescribed upon you though ye dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing that is good for you and that you love a thing that is bad for you. Allah knoweth and you knoweth not.}
On the surface, this verse shows that if fighting were a natural thing then Allah would not have said:{thoug h ye dislike it.}
. Therefore, war is a social phenomenon brought about by corrupt instincts and not something natural in humanity.
War as the last resort
We find that the Prophet Muhammad (S)
did not instigate a single war, but rather made war only in self-defence. Even then he did not resort to defensive wars until after the exhaustion of a number of alternatives: Firstly neutrality, as this was the case between the Prophet (S) and Abyssinia.
Neutrality is the first phase of non-aggression. After neutrality comes the turn of the treaty of non-aggression as practised by the Prophet (S) when he entered into a treaty with the Jews of Madinah or when he entered into a treaty with the non-believers of Makkah at Hudaibia.
Islam through conviction
After these two possibilities co mes the role of Islam. For if the other party (the enemy) accepts Islam he will have spared his wealth and blood and there will be no enmity other than for the wrongdoers and oppressors. The acceptance of Islam is clearly not a matter for compulsion it rather consists of solid evidences, which promote the conviction of the intellect in the matters of the beginning and the resurrection, the Prophet (S) and the Sacred Law etc.
The Jizyah tax . finally
In the absence o f neutrality, or a treaty, or the acceptance of Islam, then the ‘Jizyah’ tax
comes into play as was practised by the Prophet (S) with the Christians of Najran. The ‘Jizyah’ tax is of two types:
1. The ‘Jizyah’ of the people of the ‘Dhimma’ or protectorate who live under the auspices of Islam. This tax is taken from them in the same way that the ‘Khums’ and ‘Zakat’ taxes are taken from the Muslims.
We have mentioned in our books of jurisprudence that the ‘Jizyah’ tax is taken solely from the unbelievers (contrary to what is widely believed). The money collected from the unbelievers who live under the province of Islam does not come under the heading of ‘Khums’ or ‘Zakat’ but rather under the heading of the ‘Jizyah’ tax. This applies whether the unbelievers are ‘People of the Book’ like J ews or Christians or Zoroastrians, or others like the Idolaters or the Polytheists.
2. The ‘Jizyah’ tax collected from those unbelievers who are not under the auspices o f Islam. This is collected because of the obduracy of those to whom the truth has appeared, as the Prophet (S) did with the Christians of Najran when he discussed with their learned men the truthfulness of Islam but they dismissed it.
The Prophet (S) then disputed further with them but they still resisted. After that there was nothing left but their obstinacy. The obstinate person should become less obstinate in the face of what should return him gradually to the truth.
Allah states in the Qur’an regarding the Christians of Najran:{The similitude of Jesus in the sight of Allah is as that of Adam, He created him from pure earth then said to him ‘Be’, and so he was. This is the truth from your Lord so do not be amongst the doubters.
And if anyone disputes with you in this matter after knowledge has come to you, say: ‘Come let us gather together our sons and your sons, our wives and your wives, ourselves and yourselves, then let us earnestly pray and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars.’ This is the true account: there is no god but Allah, and Allah is indeed The Exalted in Power, The Wise. But if they turn back, Allah has full knowledge of those who cause mischief. Say: ‘ O People of the Book!
Come to a common parlance between us and you: that we wo rship none but Alla h and we associate no partners with Him and we take no lords from amongst ourselves instead of Allah. But if they turn back then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.}
The Prophet’s wars were fought in self defence
When all these aforementioned ways and means have been exhausted, then comes the turn of the defensive war. All the wars of the Prophet (S) were of this nature. For example, the first clash of the Muslims with the Qureish occurred when the raiding party of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh came up against the caravans of the Qureish which were coming from al-Sham (Syria) led by Abu Sufyan.
This was a retort to the aggression of the Polytheists against the Prophet (S) and his companions, which had gone on for ten years. They had killed some of them, banished some to Abyssinia and some to Madinah, and tortured another group of them and destroyed the honour of others as in the account of Sumayyaha the mother of ‘Ammar.
They confiscated their houses and their wealth in Makkah. And if this was not enough, they approached the other Arabian tribes, which surrounded Madinah and bribed them not to let the Prophet’s caravans pass through their lands. This threatened the Muslims with death by starvation.
The defensive economic blockade is one legal method used in wars, and what the Muslims wanted from this raiding party and what followed it (like the battle of Badr) was to place an economic blockade on the people of Makkah who were at war with the Prophet in the same way that they had placed a blockade upon him.
As for the rest of the Prophet’s raids, wars and assaults, they resulted from either a breaking of the treaty by the other side as did the Jews of the clan of Qainaqa’ in Madinah, and the Polytheists of the Qureish in breaking the peace treaty of Hudaibia, or they were to repel the enemy as in the battles of Uhud and al-Khandaq. Otherwise they were for defensive purposes as in the story of Mu’ta when the Persians and the Romans had engaged in aggression towards the Islamic state and Islam was surrounded by enemies who only sought the worst for Islam.
They began to try to attack Islam and tear it out by the roots and kill the Prophet (S) and exterminate the Muslims. They indeed began to do this. Hercules, the leader of the Romans killed a group of his subjects who had become Muslims in Syria. All of this gave the Prophet (S) the religious, common law, and legal right to defence. Likewise with the Persians, Khosrau their leader ordered his governor in Yemen to send some of his henchmen to bring him the blessed head of the Prophet.
However the messengers who came to Madinah refused when they saw the Muslims thronging around the Prophet who reasoned with them in a story much mentioned in the chronicles.
The least amount of casualties
The Prophet (S) used to strive to keep the amount of killing and prisoners in his wars to a bare minimum in a way that the world has not witnessed either prior to or after the advent of Islam. For example, one writer mentions that the number of people killed on both sides (Muslims and Polytheists) in all the battles in which the Prophet fought did not exceed much more than one thousand and this in more than eighty wars.
Another mentions that the number killed in all the wars was 1 018 people. A third mentions that the number of Infidels and Muslims killed in all the wars was no more than 1400 this being the largest number mentioned in this regard. Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah in his book ‘Muhammad’ mentions that the Prophet Muhammad (S), although he gained control of more than one million square miles of territory which is equal to all of Europe excluding Russia, and although millions of people lived in this area, only one-hundred and fifty Muslims were killed in all of his wars. He adds that this number amounts to approximately one death per month. This is only due to the respect that Islam has for blood and its avoidance of killing wherever possible.
Excess of killing and torturing
In contrast to the government of the Prophet (S) we find that most other governments went to excesses in blood spilling. Historians say that the Assyrians were cruel and heartless. They would destroy cities, which they conquered after besieging them, and would go to great lengths in killing, torture, and mutilations.
They would reward the army for every severed head brought from the battlefield. They would set about killing all the prisoners of war on the battlefield when they were great in number so that they would not consume food and drink, or be a danger to the rear of the army. The kings and leaders would lead the carnage and would begin it by putting out the eyes and cutting the throats of prisoners.
The leaders and nobles amongst the prisoners would be tortured before being killed. Their ears and no ses would be amputated, their tongues cut out and their hands and feet severed or they would be skinned alive or roasted over fire or thrown from high towers. The king who ascended the throne of Assyria in the year 745 B.C. used to crucify priso ners on posts while archers would kill them with arrows. In certain wars he would use prisoners to pull carriages laden with wood instead of beasts of burden.
Frightening scenes of the brutality of the Moguls
In the book ‘Prisoners of War’ in the story of the Moguls the writer says:“The Moguls were known for cruelty, brutality and bloodshed. Genghis Khan the founder of their empire was famous for violence, killing, and his love of destruction and annihilation.
Amongst their wars they became embroiled with the Kharazm Shah ‘Ala al-Din. The Moguls burned the city of Bukhara and plundered its wealth and raped the women. The prisoners were marched to the city of Samarqand. When they could not keep up with the horsemen Genghis Khan ordered that anyone who lagged b ehind be killed and Bukhara was razed to the ground.
Samarqand met with the same fate when the city was plundered and the inhabitants killed and 30,000 skilled craftsmen were taken p risoner. Genghis Khan sent them to his sons in the north. A great number were forcibly enlisted into the army and used for military operations and transport.
In Kho rasan, the Moguls gathered the citizens in a wide space and ordered them to manacle one another. They then began to slaughter them killing more than 70,000. When they occupied Merv, they distributed its occupants amongst the Mongol warriors each of whom got a share.
They only spared 400 people who fulfilled the needs of the army and some individuals were taken as slaves. The rest of the cities met with the same fate. When the Moguls heard that some citizens were sleeping amongst the corpses of those killed the order was given that every head should be severed from its body, an order that they carried out in all future battles.
They would pursue tho se who fled like hunters pursuing their prey. They would use all kinds of devices to bring people out from their hiding places. For example they forced a muezzin from amongst the prisoners to give the call to prayer so the Muslims came out from concealment believing that the raiders had left but they were ambushed and wiped out. Before they left the cities they would burn produce and crops so that those who were hiding or had fled would die of hunger.
The policy of Genghis Khan in his wars was to slaughter all of the soldiers in the garrisons and the inhabitants of the cities and to p lunder and pillage and drown the prisoners. If a city resisted the Moguls they would do even worse to it. The city of Nisapur resisted for a few days and its reward was the wholesale slaughter of men, women, and children.
The Moguls did in Russia what they did in the state of Kharazm, destroying and burning. They took a number of Russian leaders prisoners through deception and betrayal and put them in chains. Then carpets were put over them and the Mongol leaders sat upon them to eat the victory banquet while the Russian leaders were dying of suffocation.
The Moguls then returned to Mongolia and destroyed the city of Bulghar, and pillaged all the cities of Bazan and razed their buildings to the ground and burned Mosco w and besieged Tlotir. When the noblemen cut their hair and hid in churches and wore the robes of monks, the Moguls ordered that the church and the city be burnt and all perished. Hulagu continued the advance in western Asia until he reached Tabriz and turned towards Baghdad the seat of the ‘Abbasid leadership.
They laid siege to Baghdad for forty days and set up mangonels around all the castles and fortresses. Then they pelted them with rocks and flaming torches making a large breach in the walls and setting fire to houses.
When the Caliph saw that there was no way out except through peace he requested peace and showed his readiness to surrender on condition that his life and the lives of the citizens be spared. He went out to meet Hulagu with three thousand judges, aides and nobles. But Hulagu betrayed the agreement and double- crossed them and destroyed the city. He ordered that the city be pillaged and the population slaughtered.
The bodies of those pleading for help fell under the hooves of the horses and the women were raped. The blood flowed in the streets for three days until the waters of the Tigris were red for a number of miles. The city became a free for all for six weeks. They slaughtered the population, violated sacred sites, burned houses, palaces were levelled, and mosques and tombs were ruined by fire or pickaxes.
The patients in the hospitals were slaughtered, students and professors were killed in the schools. The shrines of saints and Imams were desecrated and the corpses burnt. The bloodbath went on fo r a number of days until Baghd ad became a wasteland of rubble. More than a million and a half citizens had perished.
The Moguls then crossed the Euphrates heading towards the Arabian Peninsula in pursuit of the populace. They killed and pillaged and destroyed all the population of al-Raha, Jaran, and Nasibayn and butchered in Aleppo fifty thousand and abused ten thousand women and children.
They did the same thing in all the lands of Islam. For example when Tamburlaine heard of the killing of a number o f his men and soldiers in Isfahan he became angry and ordered his army to invade the city and that each soldier was to return with the head of one of the citizens who had been killed which the army duly did.
The city became a human bloodbath. By the evening some 70,000 of the victims skulls had piled up so Tamburlaine ordered that towers be built from them in the streets. The same thing happened in other cities they reached, slaughtering the populace and setting fire to the cities.”
Modern wars are no less brutal
We find the situation in modern wars to be the same if not worse than that. America with the atomic bomb killed more than 250,000 people in Japan in the space of hours, and burnt everything.
When the British came to Iraq, they treated the people in the worst possible ways. They would kill the wounded and be merciless towards the prisoners and would extract corpses from the graves desiring the shirts and clothes. In Sudan, the British soldiers would cut off the heads of those killed and send them to London to be made into ashtrays out of hatred for the Muslims.
In Libya, the Italians killed half the populace, which in those days reached a million. They killed half a million in the most horrible ways. They would use corpses as an example to the rest and would torture the living foully.
Likewise the French in Algeria where they killed a million out of nine million people. Some statistics say that the killed two millions. They would use corpses as an example and would torture the living cruelly in a way that has few equals.
In the war between India and East Pakistan (Bangladesh) more than three millions were killed through hunger, torture or plague. The Russians killed five million Muslims in vario us ways like burning, drowning, torturing to death and shooting in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the other Islamic lands which they took control of. They also killed more than one million in Afghanistan and filled their prisons with innocent people and tortured the people in the most disgusting ways. The Americans in Vietnam and elsewhere have killed a vast number of people counted in millions. They also used to torture people and destroy crops.
The world witnesses in the modern age the worst forms of killing, torture, and burning and the degradation of the nobility of the human being. The events of the first and second world wars are well known and to be found documented in books.
The increase of the dangers of war in the modern age
In a previous book of ours“Sociology”
regarding the dangers of war we have written: ‘It is imperative that the nations strive in all earnestness to bring about a comprehensive peace in our time, for the dangers of war have increased in a way unimaginable. This increase has b rought about a number of considerations:
The weapons of mass destruction that science has discovered and the use of these weapons in wars bring about the devastation of civilisation whether that be in limited wars or world wars, for even limited wars cause destruction on their own scale.
For example, in the Lebanese war 150,000 people were killed or injured. In the Iran-Iraq war the number of dead and injured has been estimated at more than 1,500,000 and the losses due to the war at 500 billion dollars. If, God forbid, a world war was to occur, then it is likely that civilisation would end.
A report has mentioned that it was the plan of America to destroy in a nuclear attack 85 per cent of Russia’s manufacturing plants. Each of America and Russia have stockpiled enough weapons of mass destruction to destroy humanity seven times over. There are bombs, which if dropped on a city would annihilate everything in an area of 250 square miles.
There are other fearsome weapons of mass destruction which when compared with the weapons of the second world war are like the cannon and tank in comparison with primitive weapons like the sword and the spear.
The other effects of war
War, in addition to the death and destruction has other effects: 1. It leaves behind war wounded and disabled p eople who will suffer from their complaints for the rest of their lives. The weapons of mass destruction cause many different diseases and d isfigurements in humanity, animals, and to the land itself.
There is a report that Russia bought 25 million prosthetic limbs and organs like hands, legs, and eyes for the maimed after the end of the Second World War. This in addition to the fact that atomic warfare irradiates houses and causes plants not to grow in the earth for lo ng periods of time.
2. War eats into the economy on a great scale. States change their apparatus during time of war to the apparatus of war which gobbles up money and brings about poverty for many years. Gustav Le Bon has mentioned that Spain has not yet recovered from the Crusades against the Muslims and this is after nearly 1000 years. Another historian has said that Iraq has not recovered from its destructio n at the hands of the Moguls seven centuries ago.
America spent 7 .4% of its GNP on the cold war in the year 1953. If this were the case for the cold war what would be the case for the hot war? In addition to the warring nations, war eats into the economy of all the other nations, for these days the economy is not confined to one place on earth but the economy of all nations has become interconnected and goods are imported and exported to and from all states.
Even the nations that are nominally neutral but are not really neutral are affected economically by war. All can remember how the world fell into dire straits during the second world war in both the nations at war and those not at war.
3. War also causes a decline in civilisation for the warring nations and those connected to them and indeed all the nations of the world. For when every nation becomes at war then cultural services, manufacturing, agriculture, and education cease on a large scale which causes the stagnation of the culture and indeed its decline.
great number of different types of scholars who are the axis of the progress of the civilisation can become taken up by the war. Certain newspapers have mentioned that Egypt lost ten thousand engineers, experts and doctors when the Israeli Bar-Levi line was destroyed.
Towards a comprehensive peace
It is then necessary, for the sake of a general and comprehensive peace, to transfer the weapons making factories into those of peaceful motives. It should not be argued that warfare pro vides work for millions of workers for many of these workers could be absorbed by works with peaceful intent.
Projects for the housing, health and the other needs of the people of the world could be put into action as well as projects to conquer space. If it was inevitable that a surplus of workers were left without any work this does not necessitate that they be idle. They can occupy themselves with seeking knowledge or in acts of worship or in recreation after the work had been distributed to them and others.
For example, let us suppose that there are ten million workers each one occupied eight hours per day in the different areas of manufacturing and agriculture and half of them - five million - were working in the arms industry. If they were put to work in works of a peaceful nature there might remain two million without any work the other three million being absorbed by the works of a peaceful motive.
In this case the available work could be distributed amongst the ten million and the length of the working day reduced. So in the example given, rather than having ten million working eight hours per d ay so that five million may work in the arms industry,
each worker would work six and two fifths hours per day and for the rest of the time they could spend it in science and knowledge - teaching or learning or experimenting, or in acts of worship which bring about the good in this life and the next, or with recreation like travelling etc.
It is not right to say that we should manufacture weapons and kill the people just so that there is no unemployment. It is as if there was a family half of whom had work and half of whom did not and we said that the half who did not have work should occup y themselves in killing the other half who do have work just so that the half who did not have work were busy doing something. This kind of logic is neither reaso nable nor lawful; it is nothing but co rrupt.
It is necessary then for us to bring forth peaceful work for the workers in arms factories as well as fo r those who are occupied in military matters like the officers, leaders, and soldiers and others. Naturally, there should remain a small number for possible emergencies, and the others if trained should be trained to an extent and will fo rm a reserve army rather than a full time one.
We have already mentioned in other books that Iran, in the days of the reformer al-Shirazi and the story of the prohibition of tobacco, had around ten million reserve soldiers - all of the population - and ten thousand men at arms for the times of peace. In any case, it is imperative that the problem of war be solved in this way or in another way. This is as regards the amount of weapons.
As regards to the type of weapons, it is imperative that weapons be reduced. That is, there should be committees to change the advanced weapons into light weapons like the rifle, then to substitute these light weapons for primitive weapons like the sword and the spear for it is a grave error for humanity to prepare weapons which will annihilate both the fighter and his enemy.
This is possible if we enable a general mobilisation for peace. Then the arms factories will become obsolete and the workers can be employed in other fields. Large armies will be demobilised and complicated weapons will be destroyed and there will b e a return to light weapo ns.
It is likely that the world will end with the sword as a weapon for it is found in certain traditions about the Imam al-Mahdi
(May Allah hasten his appearance) that he will carry a sword and in some accounts it will be the sword ‘Dhulfiqar’ the same as was carried by Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Imam ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (A)
in the battles of Islam. It is related in some hadith that this sword descended from the heavens upon the Messenger of Allah (S).
He then gave it to Imam ‘Ali (A) after which it became part of the sacred inheritance of the impeccable Imams peace be upon them until it ended up with the Imam al-Mahdi (A). It is also found in the hadith that the area of the battle of the Imam and his companions will be between Makkah and al-Kufa, a very small area indeed. As for the rest of the lands, they will unite under the flag of the Imam without warfare.
Cutting the roots of war
In our book ‘al-Fiqh series: Sociology’ we have said that the maintenance of peace is no t possible through only the media and peace organisations, for peace is not merely a superficial issue just as war is not a superficial issue. The roots of war must be cut so that peace reigns. The roots of war are human deprivation, which brings about revolution against the group causing this deprivation. The causes of this deprivation are colonialism, exploitation, and despotism in government, in economics, or in science and education. It is necessary for one seeking to sever the roots of war to prevent those who stir up war from attaining their goals and this through spreading political, economic, and social awareness. Political awareness brings about the non-surrender and defiance of people to dictators whether the dictatorship be open like inherited and coupe de tat governments or disguised like the governments who claim to Democracy but are in fact in the claws of Cap italism or of the single party like America, Britain, France, Russia, and China.
Economic awareness prevents the capital from being in the hands of a certain group whether that group has control of government as well - as in the former Soviet Union, or not - as in America.
Social awareness brings abo ut the knowledge of the equality of society regarding education, power, and wealth. Indeed:
{Every person is responsible for what he has earned.}
{Man will get o nly that for which he has strived.}
It also brings about the knowledge that there is no ‘chosen’ class. If it is seen that education is particular to a certain group because th ey are wealthy or have power or are the ruling political party then it will be known that the society is corrupt and that it must be realigned until education is general to everyone. The same should be said for power and wealth.
The world has begun to head gradually toward s this kind of awareness. The world power was held for a time in the hands of Britain, then America, then between the two powers America and Russia. However, the power now is distributed amongst a larger number of states - America, Russia, Europe, and China. It is true that in the area of military strength there are only two powers but there are numerous other centres of po wer in the political arena each of which has a treaty organisation.
In the economic arena there are the two main states as well as Western Europe, China and Japan. In the nuclear field there is India and other states which has caused the world to come out gradually from being under a monopoly.
Communism began to break up because of the splitting of China and the attempted split of Poland and the unrest of other states under the banner of Communism. It has also brought great ignominy upon itself, particularly when it invaded Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Afghanistan.
Capitalism has begun to break up bit by bit. Bo th Jap an and France have lost their empires, and British and American colonialism have here and there started tottering, especially in the Middle East, with the advent of the dirty policies of the state of Israel.
To continue, it has become an easier matter to increase the awareness of humanity. It is true that neutrality is not possible nor would it be correct, as a person should not stay silent in front of the oppressor. However, uneasy awareness has begun to work to bring about the proper kind of neutrality.
As for the neutrality of twenty years ago, it was in reality a camouflage for agents of other regimes. For was Castro the agent of the east non-aligned? Or was Nasser the agent of America non-aligned?
In any case, an increase in awareness is required so that the roots of war may be extirpated; the roots being the confinement of knowledge and education, power, and wealth in the hands of a minority in the face of a deprived majority. This awareness as well as putting these three things in the hands of all will also bring people closer together and will create more relationships.
Then corrupt partisans may not exploit the rest of humanity for their own personal goals. It is our opinio n that whenever awareness increases nationalisms and corrupt group lo yalties decrease in importance and matters of race, colour and geographical area are buried.
Exposing ‘War by proxy’
It is also imperative before reaching the final result of a comprehensive peace to expose ‘wars by proxy’ and prevent them from occurring by a number of means:
a. Changing the relationships between the smaller states and the larger states so that the larger cannot make the smaller proxy in wars as is the custom now.
b. Exposing the military bases of the large states on the land of the smaller states.
c. Exposing the military pacts amongst the small states, which are under the sp here of influence of the large state, and making it clear that the small states in the pact only want the services of the larger states.
d. Strengthening the relations b etween neighbouring states so that the large states may not cause a war to occur between them.
e. (Most importantly) Bringing about the awareness of the people of the smaller nations so that they do not become as puppets in the hands of their governments which execute the orders of their masters.
It is indeed imperative that awareness is brought about for the people of nations in general so that they do not fall victim to the greed of Cap italists and Dictatorial rulers be they open Dictators like the former Soviet Union, or Dictators clothed in the flimsy robe of Democracy like Britain, France and America. It is these two groups - Dictators and Capitalists - who ignite wars always, backed up by corrupt religious scholars, or civilian experts.
The Messenger of Allah (S) spoke truly when he says:
‘There are two groups from my nation who if righteous, my nation will be righteous and if corrupt, my nation will be corrupt.’ He was asked: Who are they? O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘The scholars and the commanders.’
The Messenger of Allah (S) did not mention wealth in this hadith as it had a very small role in the past before the appearance of the corrupt capitalistic practices that play no part in Islam in the least. Those who ignited wars then were corrupt commanders and counterfeiting scholars who used to collaborate in oppressing the populace. Hence the Prophet (S) was alerted to the dangers of these two groups.
It should also be made clear that the Prophet (S) was alerted in Islam to the danger of wealth only“revolving amongst the rich.”
We have discussed this topic in the chapter on wealth.
War is an extraordinary situation
Islam calls to peace and considers peace to be normal and war to be extraordinary and exceptional emergency entered into only out of desperation and as a last resort. Allah Almighty says:
{O ye who have faith, enter into peace all of you, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan.}
{And if they incline to peace then incline to peace and put yo ur trust in Allah.}
{They will not cease fro m fighting you until they cause you to turn away from your religion if they are able.}
{There was in them indeed an excellent example for you to follow of one who seeks Allah and the last day. But if any turn away, then know that Allah is Free of all wants, Worthy of all praise. It may be that Allah will establish friendship between you and those whom ye hold as your enemies. Allah has power, and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and justly with those who do not fight you for your religion or drive you from your homes. Allah loveth those who are just. Allah only forbids you from taking as allies tho se who fight you for your religion and turn you out from your homes and aid others in turning you o ut from your homes. Whoever takes them as allies, they are the wrongdoers.}
So we can see that Islam orders that those who persist in fighting the Muslims and seek enmity be fought back, and prohibits making friends with these types of people. As for those people who do not fight the believers or expel them from their homes, Allah indicates that they should be treated kindly and with fairness even though they may be infidels.
There are many other Qur’anic verses which if collected would show that jihad and war are secondary and extraordinary and that peace is the primary ruling as we have already indicated.
In a hadith, Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Imam ‘Ali (A) spoke to his troops before meeting the enemy at the battle of Siffin:
“Do not fight them until they begin to fight, for you by the grace of Allah have the just cause, and by leaving them until they start on you, you will have another just cause over them.”
In a letter, Imam Ali (A) relates what took place in the battle of Siffin:“Initially, it was that we and the group from the people of Syria (the army of Mu’awiyah) faced one oth er on the battlefield. It is obvious (for both sides) that our Lord is One and our Prophet is one and our call to Islam is one and we do not seek to increase their faith in Allah and belief in His Prophet nor do they seek to increase ours.
Everything is common between us except for our difference over the blood of ‘Uthman in which we are innocent.
So we said: Come let us solve what may not be achieved today by extinguishing the uprising and calming the general populace so that the rule may become firm and consolidated. Then we will become stronger in putting the truth in its rightful place.
They said: ‘No, we will solve it by seeing who will have the upper hand in battle and they refused all but war. When both them and us had been torn by war and it had put its claws in them and us, then they responded to that which we had called them to previously.
We accepted this and hurried to meet their requests so that they might have no complaint or cause against us.”
He also said to his son al-Hassan:“Do not call to combat.”
Look also at this hadith related by Imam al-Saadiq (A) who said:
“The Messenger of Allah when he wanted to send out a troop he called them and bid them sit before him. He then said to them: Go out in the name of Allah and by Allah and in the way of Allah and according to the religion of the Messenger of Allah. Do not handcuff or tie up (the prisoners of war), do not mutilate (even the dead), and do not betray people.
Do not kill the old man, the child or the woman, and do not cut down a single tree except when you are forced to do so. And if any Muslim be he lofty or lowly gives a man of the Polytheists sanctuary, then his safety must be secured so that he hears the word of Allah. If he follows you then he is your brother in religion. If he refuses then give him his sanctuary and seek the help of Allah regarding him.”
In an account on the occasion of war, Imam Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) advised the Muslims saying:
‘Commit yourselves to prayer and guard your prayers and pray much. Seek nearness to Allah through it for it is a duty of the Muslims at prescribed times.’ He also used to say: ‘Do not fight them until they begin to fight you.’
Islam’s Guidance on War
War is something resorted to only in dire emergency, and whether or not it is resorted to come from an evaluation, which in the case of war is particularly important as it involves d estruction, annihilation and the termination of life.
Hence, Islam has laid down conditions and terms for war despite it having made either offensive or defensive jihad obligatory, as is well known in the books of jurisprudence. These many terms and cond itions have been laid down so that war only o ccurs in cases of dire emergency. Then if the war ends, Islam grants a general amnesty and grants the freedom of the wrongdoers wherever possible, as we shall see in the following sections.
The condition of parental permission
Related by Imam Ja’far al-Saadiq (A) who said:
‘A man approached the Messenger of Allah (S) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I wish to take part in the jihad
.’ The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Then strive in the way of Allah and if you are killed you will find yourself with Allah and be given sustenance
, and if you die then your reward will be with Allah, and if you return then you will be as free from sin as the day you were born.’ The man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have two aged parents who wish that I spend my time in their company and would not like me to go out to battle.’ The Messenger o f Allah (S) said:
‘Then stay with your parents, for by He in whose hands my soul lies, spending a day and a night in their company is better than one year’s jihad.” Related by Jabir who said: ‘A man approached the Messenger of Allah (S) and said: ‘I am a strong man and I wish to fight jihad but my mother does not like this.’ The Prophet (S) said: ‘Return and be with your mother, for by He who sent me with the truth, you spending one night in her company is better than one year’s jihad in the way of Allah.’
Ibn ‘Abbas relates that the Prophet (S) was approached by a man who said: ‘O Messenger of Allah shall I do jihad?’ (Meaning going into battle). The Prophet said: ‘Do you have parents?’ The man said: ‘Yes.’ So the Prophet said: ‘Then do jihad
for them.’ Related by Abu Sa’id al-Khudari:
‘A man emigrated from Yemen to the Messenger of Allah (S) who said to him: ‘Have you anyone in Yemen?’ The man replied that he had two parents there. The Prophet (S) asked: ‘Have they given permission to you?’ The man replied: ‘No.’ The Prophet (S) said: ‘Then return and seek their permission and if they give you their permission then fight jihad, and if not then obey them and be kind to them.’
Jihad is not incumbent upon certain groups
In a hadith related by al-Hassan ibn Mahboub, from some of his companions who said:
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A) in his letter to one of the Umayyad Caliphs wrote rebuking those Caliphs who had tasked people with things that had not been enjoined by Allah Almighty saying:
‘ . the blind and the lame have been wrongly obligated as well as those who do not have the funds to spend on jihad, and this after Allah has granted them exemption.’ This is according to what is to be found in the Holy Qur’an regarding this matter where the Almighty has said:
{Those of the believers who sit (do not go to fight), other than those who have injuries, are not equal to the mujahidin who fight in the way of Allah with their wealth and their selves.
Allah favours those mujahidin who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and their selves, a degree over those who sit it out. Allah has promised both parties a goodly reward but Allah has favoured those mujahidin over those who sit it out with a great reward and by degrees. From Him is a forgiveness and mercy. Allah is Oft Forgiving Most Merciful.}
{Say to those Bedouin Arabs who lag behind: You will be called to a people of might who you will fight or they will enter Islam. If you obey, then Allah will give you a goodly reward and if you turn away as you turned away before then,
Allah will torment yo u with a painful torment. There is no blame upon the blind man nor upon the cripple nor upon the sick. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be given entry to gardens below which rivers flow, but whoever turns away will be tormented a painful torment.}
In our book ‘al-Fiqh series: volume 48, Jihad’ We have mentioned that six groups are exempt from the duty o f jihad: The blind, the cripple, the sick, the person who cannot cover his expenses, the person to whom jihad would be injurious, and the person impeded from jihad in general. The duty of jihad is not incumb ent upon the insane, the slave, or the elderly person.
The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘The pen
is lifted from the youngster until he reaches maturity and from the insane until he regains his mind.’ Related from Imam ‘Ali (A) that he said: ‘Jihad is not incumbent upon the slave.’
There are many other traditions in this regard.
Jihad is not incumbent upon women
Related from al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah who said: ‘Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) said:
‘Allah has prescribed jihad for both men and women. The jihad of the man is to spend of his wealth and of his self until he is killed in the way of Allah. The jihad of the woman is to remain patient in the face of problem from her husband.”
In another hadith: ‘The jihad of the woman is to make a good wife for her husband.’
Related from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said: ‘The duty of jihad does not fall upon the slave when they can be dispensed with, nor upon the woman, nor upon he who has not reached maturity.’
Also from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said:
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Allah has prescribed jihad for the men of my nation (Islam) and jealousy upon the women of my nation. And whoever of the women is patient and seeks a reward, Allah will give her the reward of a martyr.’
Related by Sayyid ‘Ali ibn Tawous who said: ‘I saw a hadith which said that Wahab was a Christian . until it mentioned his death and that his mother entered the battle. Then Imam al-Hussein (A) said to them both: ‘Go back O mother of Wahab, you and your son are with the Messenger of Allah (S) for the duty of jihad has been lifted from women.’ Imam Saadiq (A) was asked about how it came to be that the burden of the Jizyah tax has been lifted from women. He (A) said:
‘Because the Messen ger of Allah (S) proh ibited the killing of women and children in dar al-harb
except when they take part in the fighting and even when they take part in the fighting then one should restrain oneself from fighting them as far as is possible. Because this is the case in dar al-harb then this is even more appropriate in dar al-Islam
. If they were to refuse to pay the Jizyah tax then killing them is not possible and this being the case, th en th e Jizyah is lifted from them. If the men were to refuse to pay the Jizyah tax then they would be breaking the treaty and therefore killing th em would b e allowed because the killing of men is allowed in the lands of polytheism. The crippled, the blind, the old man, the women and children of the lands of war are not to be killed and because of this the burden of the Jizyah tax has been lifted from them.
War is not permitted in the absence of the just Imam
Related from Yunis who said: ‘I was with Imam al-Kaadhem (A) when a man asked the Imam (A): ‘One of your followers has heard that a man is giving out swords and bo ws in the way of Allah so he went to him and took a sword and a bow from him (not knowing the proper way in this matter). He then met some of his companions who told him that this was not allowed and ordered him to return them (the sword and the bow). Imam al-Kaadhem (A) said: ‘Then let him do so.’
But he replied that he had sought the man but was unable to fin d him and he was told that the man had died.
Imam al-Kaadhem (A) said: ‘Then let him defend but not to fight.’ The man said: ‘and in places like Qazwin, or Ashkelon, or al-Daylam or other citad els?’
Imam al-Kaadhem (A) said: ‘Yes.’
The man said: ‘And if the enemy comes to where he is attached, what should he do?’
Imam al-Kaadhem said: ‘He should defend the territory of Islam.’
The man asked: ‘Should he fight jihad?’
Imam al-Kaadhem (A) said: ‘No, unless he fears for the safety of the territory of Islam.’
The man said: ‘Are you saying that if the Romans should enter upon the Muslims, they should not prevent them from doing so.’
Imam al-Kaadhem (A) said:“He should defend and if he should fear for the safety of Islam and the Muslims then he should fight and his fighting would be for himself (to protect his life, and those of other Muslims) and not for the government (of the time) for if Islam were to be obliterated then the reminder of Muhammad (S) would be obliterated.”
Also related that Imam Saadiq (A) was asked his opinion about a man who entered the land of war safely and then deluded a people who were subject to another people. He (A) said:
‘The Muslim should defend himself and fight to establish the rule of Allah and His Prophet. It is not allowed that he fight the unbelievers under the authority of a tyrannical rule (in a Muslim country) or their traditions.’
Related by Abu ‘Urwah al-Sulami, from Imam Saadiq (A) who was asked by a man who said: ‘I used to go on frequent military excursions and would travel far in seeking reward and would be absent for long periods of time. This began to be hard on me. Then I was told that there is to be no military campaigns in the absence of the just Imam. What is your opinion?’ He (A) said: ‘Shall I be brief or in detail?’ He said:
‘Why, in detail.’ He (A) said: ‘Alla h will bring the people before him on the Day of Resurrection according to their intentions . .’ (as if man wished the Imam to be brief.) The man said: ‘Tell me in brief.’ He (A) said: ‘Ask your question.’ The man said: ‘If I went on a raid and battled the Polytheists is it necessary to call them to Islam before I fight them?’
He (A) said: ‘If they raid and fight and are fought then you can fight them. If they are however, a people who have not raided or fought then you may not fig ht them until you call them to Islam.’
The man said: ‘I called them and one answered and entered Islam in his heart. When he was in the Muslim country, he was treated unjustly, his dignity was violated and his possession was taken from him, and his rights abused. Am I responsible for this, as I had called him to Islam?
Imam Saadiq (A) said:“You are both rewarded for what has happened.
It is better that he is with you defending you, your family, your Qiblah and your Book, rather than being against you, fighting you, violating your dignity, spilling your blood and burning book.”
The invitation to Islam firstly
Related by al-Sukuni, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said:
‘Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali said: ‘The Messenger of Allah sent me to Yemen and said: ‘O ‘Ali, do not fight anyone until you have invited him to Islam for if Allah should give his guidance to one man through your hands it would be better for you than the whole Earth and you would have his loyalty O ‘Ali.’
Related in the book Da’aim al-Islam from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said: ‘A people should not be fought until they have been invited to Islam.’
If the call to Islam has not reached them then you may not fight them, and if even they have been invited to Islam before, to reconfirm the invitation once more is even better.
Related in the book Ghawali al-Layali from the Prophet (S) who said: ‘The infidels should not be fought until after the invitation to Islam.’ Also from the book Da’aim al-Islam: Related from Imam al-Saadiq (A), from his forefathers, from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) that whenever the Messenger of Allah (S) sent an army or a raiding party, would enjoin God fearing piety up on its leader personally and then upon the rest of the troops in general and would say: ‘Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah and according to the creed of the Messenger of Allah (S).
Do not figh t the people until you have the justifica tion by inviting them to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger and to confirm what he (Muhammad) has brought from Allah.
If they respond then they are your brothers in faith and you should then invite them to move from their territory to the town s of the Mu slims . .’ (This is so that they can learn more about Islam in Muslim populated cities where there are centres of learning of Islamic sciences.)
Limiting (fighting) to the least amount necessary
Related by Imam Saadiq (A) who said:
“The Messenger of Allah (S), when he wanted to send a troop, he would summon them and bid them sit by him. Then he would say: ‘Go in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah and according to the creed of the Messenger of Allah. Do not handcuff or tie up (prisoners) and do not mutilate (even the dead) and do not use treacherous means and do not kill old men or children women. Do not cut down trees unless you are forced to do so.
If any Muslim man be he lowly or lofty should look towards one of the Polytheists then he should be given sanctuary so that he might hear the words of Allah. If he follows you then he is your brother in faith and if he refuses then grant him sanctuary and seek succour in Allah.”
Also related from Imam Saadiq (A) who said:
“When the Prophet (S) assigned a leader to an expedition squadron, he would enjoin upon him God fearing piety for his own person and for his companions generally. He would then say: ‘Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Do not use treacherous means, do not plunder and do not mutilate. Do not kill children or hermits and do not set fire to date palms or drown them with water.
Do not cut down a fruit-bearing tree and do not burn crops for you never know when you might be in need of them. Do not slay animals whose meat is edible except what is necessary for you to eat.
If you should meet an enemy to the Muslims then invite them to one of three things. If they respond to you accordingly then accept them and refrain from any action. Call them to Islam and if they enter Islam then accept them and refrain from any action.
Having accepted Islam, then invite them to emigrate to the lands of Islam24 and if they do this then accept them and refrain from any action. If they refuse to emigrate and favour their own homes and refuse to enter into the land of the hijra (i.e. the land of Muslim emigrant) then they will have the station of the Bedouin Muslims and have the same rights afforded to them as the Bedouin Muslims. They will not have rights of a share of booty until they emig rate in the way of Allah.
If they refuse these two things then call them to pay the Jizyah from their wealth and in a state of humiliation (to contribute to their protection by the Islamic state). If they pay the Jizyah then accept it from them and refrain from any action. If they refuse then seek succour from Allah Almighty against them and fight them in the way of Allah to the utmost.
If you lay siege to a fortress and the people therein wish you to let them surrender on the basis of the rule of Allah then do not accept that. But rather let them surrender according to your terms and condition, then judge what you will regarding them according to the criteria you know best.
For if you let them surrender according to the rule of Allah you will not know whether you will be able to fulfil the rule of Allah regarding them or not. If you lay siege to a fortress and the people wish you to let them surrender on the basis of the covenant and assurance of Allah then do not agree to this. Rather let them surrender on the basis of your own covenant and guarantee and that of your fathers and your brothers. For if you break your covenant and the covenant of your fathers and your brothers it will be easier for you on the Day of Resurrection than if you had broken the covenant of Allah and His messenger.”
Related from Imam Saadiq (A) from his father, from his forefathers, from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) who said:
“The Messenger of Allah (S), when he sent out an army or a raiding party would enjoin God fearing piety upon its leader personally and on the rest of the Muslims who were with him. He (S) would say: ‘Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah . and do not kill children or the elderly or women (meaning as long as they do not fight you), and do not mutilate and do not tie up or handcuff, and do not use perfidious means.”
Related by al-Sukuni, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said :
‘Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) forbade the letting loose or deploying of poison in the lands of the Polytheists.’
Related from Ja’far ibn Muhammad , from his father, from his grandfather ‘Ali ibn al-Hussein, fro m his father from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said:
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘In battle do not kill (anyone) except those who have exposed themselves to the blades. (i.e. those who have come to fight with you.)
Related in the book Da’aim al-Islam that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Do not kill children or the elderly or women.’
Related in a hadith is that Sa’d ibn Mu’adh judged regarding the clan of Qureidah“that their fighters be killed and that their children be captured. He ordered that the male amongst the captured to have their garments removed. Whoever’s had grown was considered to be a fighter and whoever’s had not gro wn then he was considered to be one of the children”
The Prophet (S) accepted this.
No war when sanctuary is given
Related from Imam Saadiq (A) who was asked: ‘What is the meanin g of the Prophet’s saying: ‘The lowliest of them strives for their protectorate.’ He (A) answered:“If a Muslim army were to lay siege to a group of Polytheists and a man looked out from the fortress and said: ‘Give me sanctuary so that I may meet your leader and discuss with him.’ If then the lowliest of the Muslims gives the pledge of sanctuary then it is binding also upon the most high-ranking of them.”
Related from Imam Saadiq (A) who said:
‘If a group laid siege to a city and the people ask for sanctuary but they are told ‘No’, but they thought that they have been told ‘Yes’ and come down to them then they have sanctuary.’
Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) said:
‘If someone promises another a truce on his blood then betrays th at truce then I disa ssociate myself from the killer even thou gh the o ne killed may be destined for the fire.’ In the covenant of Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, Imam ‘Ali (A), to al-Ashtar (May Allah have mercy upon him) states:
“Do not reject outright a truce called for by your enemy and in it is the pleasure of Allah. For the truce is an occasion of respite for your troops and a rest for you from your worries and concerns and a security for your lands. But remember be on your guard to the utmost after making a truce, for it may be that the enemy seeks to draw close to you in order to take you unawares. Therefore be judicious and do not give them the benefit of the doubt.
If you should form a treaty between you and your enemy which gives him your protectorate and word of honour, then honour this treaty, proclaim your word of honour and make yourself as a shield guarding what you have given, for there is no commandment of Allah (Almighty is He) more acknowledged in the eyes of the people despite the difference of their ideas and opinions than the honouring of pledges. Even the Polytheists have practised this amongst themselves because they realise the evil consequences of treachery.
Do not betray your covenant and do not break your contract and do not double cross your enemy for Allah has made His covenant and protectorate a sanctuary for his servants through His mercy and none but the ignorant wretch would go against Allah in this way. Therefore there should be no interpolation, forgery or betrayal in this matter.
Do not formulate a treaty in which there is room for ambiguity. When the treaty has been ratified and concluded do not try to take advantage of any grammatical errors that may be in it.
Do not let a critical situatio n arising from the treaty of Allah cause you to rescind it without just cause, for your patience in this situation seeking relief from it and the best outcome is better than treachery the dire consequences of which you fear and that you will be overcome by, and liable to that (treachery) and therefore be called upon by Allah to account for it and hence you will not be able to seek forgiveness for it in this world or in the hereafter.”
Related from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said:
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) gave a sermon in the mosque of al- Hanif saying: ‘May Allah have mercy on the person who hears this speech and remembers it and then passes it on to one who has not heard it. For many a person who bears knowledge is not a scholar but may transmit that knowledge to one more knowledgeable than him. The heart of the Muslim will never cheat after the knowledge of three thing s: Dedicating one’s actions to Allah only, giving good counsel to the leaders of the Muslims, and being bound to the fact that the Muslims are a brotherhood. For with unity, the call of the Muslims will be overwhelming (on the non-Muslims).
The blood of Muslims is equal, the lowliest of them may offer their protectorate, for if any of the Muslims should give sanctuary to any of the heathens then this is binding.’
Also related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) who said:
‘If a Muslim should make a gesture of truce or sanctuary to any of the Polytheists and he descends (from a fortress) accordingly then he has the truce.’ Related from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: ‘Truce is allowed in whatever language it may be in.’
Related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) who said: ‘Fulfil your promises if you make a promise.’ He (A) also said: ‘If any Muslim makes a gesture of truce to any of the enemy then he has a truce.’
Related from Imam Saadiq (A) who was asked about two towns in enemy territory each with their o wn king. These towns fight one another and then make peace. Then one of the kings betrays the other and comes to the Muslims and makes a truce with them on the condition that they raid the other city. Imam Saadiq (A) said:
‘It is not fitting for the Muslims to use treachery or to order others to be treacherous, nor to fight alongside those who are treacherous. They should fight the Polytheists whenever possible (according to the specified conditions), provided there are no binding peace treaties between them and the Infidels.’ Also related from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Each traitor will come on the Day of Judgement mouth-twisted until he enters the fire.”
Related by al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah who said: ‘Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) one day when he was giving a sermon on the pulpit of Kufa said: ‘O people. Were it not for the vileness of treachery, you would find me to be the craftiest of people. But with each act of treason there is an depraved act and with each depraved act there is an act of infidelity and indeed treason, depravity, and betrayal are for the fire.’
Related from Imam ‘Ali (A) that the Messenger of Allah (S) said regarding a treaty of his:
‘Beware of breaking the treaty of Allah and His protectorate. For Allah has made His treaty and protectorate a sanctuary for all His servants by His mercy. Having patience in a time of strife in which you seek relief is better than any treachery in which you fear its repercussions and evil consequences.’ Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) said in a hadith:
‘The fulfilment of promises is a concomitant of sincerity and I do not know of a shield more efficient than it (fulfilment). No one who is aware of the return (to Allah) would ever commit treachery. But we now live in a time when most of the people have taken up treachery as the clever and crafty way of conduct. The ignorant people would attribute this as a good conduct. What is the matter with them? May Allah curse them.
The truly intelligent one knows the ways and has the means to attain whatever he wishes, but the thing that prevents him from doing so, is the order of Allah. He refrains from committing (anything which is against the pleasure of Allah) even though he is able to do it. Whereas the one who has no fear of Allah or no bound to religion would not loose the opportunity to grab it.”
He (A) also said: ‘Fulfilling promises to the people of treachery is treachery in the sight of Allah. Likewise treachery towards the people of treachery is as the fulfilment of promises in the sigh t of Allah.’ Author’s note: Here Imam ‘Ali (A) alludes to the principle of degrees of importance, and the meaning here is not treachery but rather that the command of Allah is more important than being trustworthy towards the treacherous by excusing oneself from being on the side of the treacherous for one’s own protection.
Related from the Prophet (S) who said:
There are four things which if found in a person then he is a hypocrite . (and one of them is that) if he makes a promise he breaks it.’ Related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) who said:
‘The swiftest of things in th eir consequences is when you make a contract with a person and you intend to keep it but he intends to break it.’
Cease fire during the Sacred Months
Related fro m ‘Ala’ ibn al-Fudail who said: ‘I asked him Imam Saadiq (A) about whether the Muslims should initiate fighting with the Polytheists during the Sacred Months. He (A) said:
‘If the Polytheists initiate things by considering fightin g allowed during these months and the Muslims see that they are being vanquished then they should fight and this because of Allah Almig hty’s words:{The Sacred Month for the Sacred Month and the law of equality applies for the sacred things}
.
The Romans were in this regard in the same position as that of the Polytheists because they did not recognise sanctity for the Sacred Months and would initiate fighting during these months.
The Polytheists did however know about the sanctity of the Sacred Months but th ey considered fighting to be allowed as d id the unjust who used to initiate fighting.
Related from ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim in his exegesis: ‘The Sacred Months are the months of Rajab on its own and then Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram consecutively in which Allah has prohibited fighting and the effects of sins are multiplied and also good deeds.’
Prisoners of war are not to be killed
Related from al-Zuhri, from Imam ‘Ali ib n al-Hussein (A) who said (in a hadith):
‘If you take a prisoner and he is incapable of walking and you do not have a carriage then send him on his way (set him free) and do not kill him for you do no t know what the Imam will rule regarding him.’ He also said:
‘The prisoner, if he enters Islam will be spared his life and he will become part of the group.’
Related from ‘Abdullah ibn Maymo un who said:“Imam ‘Ali (A) was brought a prisoner on the day of the battle of Siffin and the prisoner pledged allegiance to him. Imam ‘Ali (A) said: ‘I will not kill you for I fear Allah Lord of the worlds.’ So he sent him on his way and returned to him the booty that he had come with.”
Related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Imam ‘Ali (A) who said:
“The Messenger of Allah (S) took some prisoners on the day of the battle of Badr and took ransom in exchange for their freedom. (similarly there were exchanges of prisoners of war.) For the Imam has the choice, if Allah grants him victory over the Polyth eists, to kill the warriors from them or to take them as prisoners and count them amongst the spoils of war and to divide them up. And if the Imam see it to be in the general interest, he could set them free.”
Related from Bashir, who said to Imam Saadiq (A): ‘I had a dream in which I said to yo u: ‘Fighting without an Imam to whom ob edience is mandatory is prohibited in the same way that eating the flesh of animals not slaughtered (according to the Islamic law), or blood, or swine flesh is prohibited.’ Then you said to me (in the dream): ‘Yes, this is the case.’ Imam Saadiq (A) said: ‘Yes this is indeed the case.’
Related from Sama’ah, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: ‘Abbad al- Basri met Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) on the road to Makkah and said to him: ‘O Ali son of al-Hussein, you have left jihad and its difficulties and turned to the Hajj and its easiness for indeed Allah Almighty and Exalted is He has said:
{Surely Allah has bought from the Believers their own selves a nd their wealth in return for Paradise, that they fight in the way of Allah . .}
Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) said: ‘Read on.’ He said:{Those who turn in repentance and do acts of worship . .}
Then Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) said:
“If we see those people who are described thus, then jihad with them is better then the Hajj.”
Related from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Samandari who said: ‘I said to Imam Saadiq (A): ‘If I was by the gate (meaning the main gate) and there was a call to arms should I go with them?’ He (A) said:
“Do you think that if you went out with them and you took a man prisoner then granted him sanctuary and gave him the same treaty that the Messenger of Allah (S) used to give to the Polytheists, would they fulfil the covenant?”
I said: ‘No they would not fulfil it.’ He (A) said:“Then do not go out with them.”
Related form Abu Basir, from Imam Saadiq (A), from his forefathers (A) who said:
“The Muslim should not go out for jihad if he does not safeguard the rule or implement the command of Allah Almighty. If he were to die in that place he would be an aide to our enemy in limiting our right and putting our blood in danger. His death would be a death as of the days of ignorance.”
Related from Ja’far ibn Muhammad (A) in the hadith of the sharai’a al- din who said: ‘Jihad is mandatory with the just Imam, and whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr.’ Related from Bashshara al-Mustapha, from Komeil, from Amir-ul- Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) who said: ‘O Komeil, there is to be no military raids without a just Imam.”
Related from Sayyid ‘Ali ibn Tawous in the book Kashf al-Yaqin with the chain of narration to the Prophet (S) regarding the blessed night ascension to Heaven: Allah Almighty revealed to the Prophet (S): ‘Walking on foot to jihad is only with you or with the Imams from your progeny.”
Related from al-Sha’bi who said: ‘When Imam ‘Ali (A) took prisoners on the day of Siffin he set them free. ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas had said (to Mu’awiyah):“Kill the prisoners you have taken.”
In the mean time the freed prisoners started to arrive at Mu’awiyah’s camp. Mu’awiyah then said to ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas: ‘O ‘Amr, if we were to follow what you say then we would indeed fall into a foul state o f affairs and our reputation would be worsened. Do you not see that our prisoners have been released? Then he ordered that the prisoners from Imam ‘Ali’s men be released. When Imam Ali (a) had taken a prisoner from the Syrian camp, he would released him except when one of his own men had been killed in which case he would kill him for that.
Also if Imam Ali (A) released a prisoner and he returned once more to fight, he would kill him then. Author’s note: The killing of the prisoners was o nly in extraordinary cases because the Imam release of prisoners is well recorded in the chronicles. The account of Asbagh ibn Darar, presented later, is one example of this.
Those who were forced to fight should not be killed
In the book Da’aim al-Islam, related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said on the day of the battle of Badr: ‘Whoever you capture of the Clan of ‘Abd al-Muttalib, then do not kill them for they have been forced to fight against their wills.’
Tolerance in the treatment of the enemy
Related from Hafs ibn Ghayyath, who said: ‘I asked Imam Saadiq (A) about the case of two groups of Believers, one of them unjust and the other just. What if the unjust were to defeat the just in battle?’
He (A) replied: ‘It is not the way of those who are just to pursue one retreating or to kill prisoners, or to finish off the wounded . .’ Related in a hadith from Abu Hamzah al-Thumali, from Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) who said:
‘Imam Ali (A) wrote to Malik, who was in the avant-guard on the da y of al-Basrah (the Battle of Jamal), that he was only to lan ce those who were charging and he was not to kill men who were retreating or to kill the wounded and whoever bolts his door will be safe.
Related from ‘Abdullah ibn Sharik, from his father who said: ‘When the people were defeated on the day of the battle of the Camel (Jamal), Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) said: ‘Do not pursue one retreating and do not kill the wounded and whoever bolts his door will be spared.’
Related from Imam Ridha (A) that“Imam ‘Ali (A) on the day of the battle of the Jamal did not pursue anyone retreating, nor did he finish off the wounded, and anyone who threw down his weapons would be spared as would anyone who entered his own house.”
In one account it is said:
“If the unjust were defeated and they had a troop and a base which they could resort to, they would be sought and their wounded finished off, and they would be pursued and killed as far as possible
. Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) did the same with the people of Siffin because Mu’awiya was behind them. If they had not had a troop to return to, they would not be sought and their wounded would not be finished off, because if they retreated they would split up and scatter.”
We have also related that“During the battle of the Jamal when Talhah and al-Zubeir were killed and ‘Aishah was arrested and the People of the Jamal were defeated, the order was proclaimed by the herald of Amir-ul- Mu’mineen (A): ‘Do not kill the wounded, do not pursue anyone retreating and whoever throws down his weapon will be spared.”
Then Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) called for the mule of the Prophet (S), which he mounted. Then he said ‘Come you, and Come you until he had gathered around him almost sixty elders all of them from the Hamdan (tribe) who had taken up sword, shield and helm. Then he went with them still around him until they reached a magnificent house where he asked to be admitted and he was admitted.
He then found himself amongst a group of women all bewailing in the courtyard of the house, and when they saw him they began to shriek and say: ‘He is the killer of our beloveds.’ However he did not say anything to them. He asked the whereabouts of the chamber of ‘Aishah. The door was opened and he was admitted. Then it was heard that in their conversation ‘Aishah was apologetic -“No by Allah”
,“Yes by Allah”
. Then he exited and looked towards a woman and said: ‘Come here O Saffiyah.’ She hurried towards him and he said to her: ‘Do you not dismiss those who say that I am the killer of beloveds.
For if I was the killer of beloveds I would h ave killed those who are in th at chamber, and in this one, and in this one.’ He indicated three rooms. The woman went to the other women and those in the house who were wailing fell silent and those standing sat down.’
Al-Asbagh (The narrator of the hadith) said: ‘In one of the rooms was ‘Aishah
and her confidantes. In another room were Marwan ibn al Hakam and some young men of the Qureish. In another were ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubeir and his folk.
‘ Al-Asbagh was asked: ‘So why did you not raise your hands against those people. Were they not the cause of the sore? Why did you let them live?’ He said: ‘We took hold of our swords and narrowed our eyes towards Imam ‘Ali (A) waiting for his command to kill them but he did not do so and instead chose to grant a general amnesty.”
Sheikh al-Mufid has said in the book“al-Kafi’a fi Ibtal taubat al- Khati’a”
, from Abu Mukhnaf Lut ibn Yahya, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Asim, from Muhammad ibn Bashir al-Hamdani who said: ‘The letter of Amir- ul-Mu’mineen (A) came with ‘Umar ibn Salma al-Awha to the People of Kufa. He saluted the people so that all the people could hear it and gathered in the Mosque. The call to congregational prayer was announced and not one person tarried. Then the letter was read:
‘In the Name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful. From ‘Abdullah Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) to Qarzah ibn Ka’b and the Muslims; Peace be upon you, I praise Allah there is no deity but He. Now, we h ave met with the treachero us people . (until he said) and when Allah had defeated them, I ordered that no-one retreating should be pursued, nor should the wounded be killed, nor should the nakedness of anyone be exposed nor clothing torn. No house should be entered without permission and the people ha ve safety.”
Related from Habba al-’Arani in a hadith saying: ‘On the day of the Jamal, the people came out to face each other . (until he relates) the (rebellious) peo ple retreated defeated then the herald of Amir-ul- Mu’mineen (A) called that“the wounded were not to be killed, those retreating were not to be pursued, that whoever locks his door will be spared and whoever throws down his weapon will be spared.”
Related from Muhammad al-Hanafiyyah son of Imam ‘Ali (A) who said:
‘I had the standard (flag) on the day of the Jamal . (until he said) then he ordered his herald to proclaim that: ‘No wounded person should be attacked, nor should any retreating person be pursued. Whoever locks his door will be safe.’
It is related that amongst the people of al-Sham (The army of Mu’awiya from Damascus) was a man named al-Asbagh ibn Darar and that he formed an armed vanguard. Imam ‘Ali charged al-Ashtar with him and he took him prisoner without a fight. Imam ‘Ali (A) used to forbid the killing o f prisoners. Al-Ashtar came with him at night and made fast his bonds and put him with his guests to await the morning.
This man al- Asbagh was an eloquent poet and he felt sure that he would be killed while his companions slept. So he raised his voice and let al-Ashtar hear some verses of poetry describing his condition and seeking to evoke his emotions.
In the mo rning al-Ashtar came to Imam ‘Ali (A) and said: ‘O Commander o f The Faithful! This is a man from the army who I met yesterday. By Allah if I knew it was right to kill him I would kill him. He spent the night with us last night and moved us.
If it is to be that we kill him then I will kill him. If we are angry at him or we have a choice then give him to me. Imam ‘Ali (A) said: ‘He is yours O Malik. For if you take a prisoner from the people-of-the-Kiblah (i.e. Muslims) you should not kill him. The prisoners from the people of the Kiblah are neither ransomed nor killed.’ So al-Ashtar returned with him to his house and said: ‘Yours is what we took from you and nothing more than that.’
Related from Salam who said: ‘I witnessed the battle of the Jamal . (until he said) When the people of Basrah were defeated, the herald of Imam ‘Ali (A) proclaimed:
‘Do not pursue those retreating, nor one who throws down his weapon, and do not kill the wounded. For these people are retreating and they have no troop to resort to. This is what the Sunnah commended when fighting the trespassers.”
In the book Da’aim al-Islam, relating that Imam ‘Ali (A) was asked by ‘Ammar when he entered Basrah: ‘O Commander of the Believers! How shall we treat these people? He (A) answered: ‘With open-handedness and kindness just as the Prophet (S) did with the people of Makkah.” Related from Musa ibn Talha ibn ‘Ubeidullah (who was amongst those taken prisoner on the day of the Jamal) who said: ‘I was in the prison of ‘Ali (A) in Basrah when I heard a herald calling: ‘Where is Musa son of Talha son of ‘Ubeidullah?
‘I invoked the words: ‘Verily we belong to Allah and verily we shall to him return.’ This also did the people of the prison saying: ‘He will kill you.’ They brought me out and when I was in front of him he said to me: ‘O Musa!’
I said: ‘At your service O Commander of the Faithful.’ He said: ‘Say ‘I seek the forgiveness of Allah’. I said: ‘I seek the forgiveness of Allah and I turn towards Him in repentance’ three times.’ He said to his messengers: ‘Release him.’ Then he said to me: ‘Go wherever you wish and whatever you find among our soldiers in the way of arms then take them and fear Allah in the future and sit in your house.’
So I expressed my gratitud e and left. The companions of Imam ‘Ali (A) had taken as spoils what the opposing army had brought to the battle to fight him with (i.e. weapons), but nothing other than that.’
Related from ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far al-Humeiri, with a chain of narration from Ja’far al-Saadiq (A), from his father (A) that Imam ‘Ali (A) did not attribute the crime of shirk
to anyone he made war with nor that of hypocrisy, but he used to say: ‘They are our brothers who have trespassed against us.’
Justification to the enemy, and not initiating attack
Related from al-’Ayyashi, with a chain of narration from Imam Saadiq (A) that Imam ‘Ali (A) said to his companions on the day of Basrah: ‘Do not hastily attack them until we have a justification in the sight of Allah Almighty and them.’ He stood up and addressed the people of Basrah
saying: ‘Do you find any injustice from me in my ruling?’ They said: ‘No.’
In the book Da’aim al-Islam, of Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) who gave a sermon in Kufah when a man from the Kharijites stood up and said: ‘There is no rule except that of Allah.’ Amir-ul-Mu’mineen fell silent. Then another stood up and another and another and when their number became great he (A) said:
‘This is a word of truth but its objective is falsehood. With us, you have three rights: we would not prevent you from praying in the Mosques of Allah, nor would we prevent you from spoils of war as long as your hands are with our hands (i.e. you take part in war along side us), and we would not initiate war against you until you initiate it.’
Related from ‘Abdullah ibn Jondab, from his father that Amir-ul- Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) used to give orders about every land in which we found the enemy saying:
‘Do not fight the people until they initiate fighting for then by the grace of Allah you will have the justification, and leaving them until they initiate fighting is yet another justification. Then if you defeat them, do not kill one who is fleeing, and do not finish off the wounded or expose nakedness or mutilate the dead.’
Al-Kulaini said in another speech of Imam ‘Ali’s (A): ‘If you meet tho se people tomorrow, then do not fight them until they fight you, but if they start on you then fall upon them.’
Sheikh al-Mufid has related in The Book of Irshad in the context of the death of Imam al-Hussein (A) and his arrival at Nineveh saying: Zuheir ibn al-Qayn said to al-Hussein (A): ‘By Allah, I can only believe that after those who you see now (i.e. Hurr and his army) will come a force stronger than those you see. O Son of the Messenger of Allah! To fight them now would be easier than to fight those who come after them.
Upon my life, we will not be able to kill those who will come after them .’ Al-Hussein (A) said: ‘It is not for me to begin the fighting .’ Then he dismounted.
(The hadith continues and gives an account of the day of ‘Ashura).
Then, on the day of ‘Ashura, Shimr ibn Dhil-Jawshan (May the curse of Allah be upon him) called at the top of his voice: ‘O Hussein, Do you seek the fire before the Day of Resurrection?’
Al-Hussein (A) said: ‘Who is this? It seems like Shimr Son of Dhil- Jawshan.’ They said : ‘Yes it is.’ He (A) said: ‘O Son of a Goatherd, you are more worthy of (being cast into) the fire!’
Then Muslim ibn ‘Ausijah made to fire an arrow at him but al-Hussein (A) prevented him. He said let me shoot him for he is a criminal and enemy of Allah and great tyrant.’ Al-Hussein (A) said to him: ‘No, do not shoot him for I would hate to begin the fighting against them.’
Women not to be harmed
The book al-Kafi of Kuleini relates in the hadith of Malik ibn A’yun, from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) that he said:
‘Do not mutilate the dead, and if you reach the caravan of the people then do not tear any veils. Do not enter any houses and do not take anything of their belongings except that which you find in their military camp. Do not harm any women even if they insult your honour or curse your leaders and notables for they are weaker in physical strength, numbers and intellect. We have been ordered not to harm them even if they are Polytheists and if a man was to harm a woman he will be rebuked for it and he will suffer the consequences.”
Author’s note: In the beginning of the Book of Marriage in Sharh al- ‘Urwah we have dealt with Imam ‘Ali’s saying that women are lacking in intellect, share of wealth and faith.
Messengers not to be killed
‘Ab d Allah ibn Ja’far al-Humeiri, from Ja’far al-Saadiq (A), from his father (A), from his forefathers (A), from the Messenger of Allah (S) who said: ‘The messenger is not to be killed.’ In the book Da’aim al-Islam, related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) who said: ‘If you capture a man from your enemy and he claims that he is a messenger sent to you then if he brings proof supporting his claim then you have no way against him until he delivers the message and returns to his companions. However if you do not find any proof of his claim then it will not be accepted from him.’
Prohibition of fighting not in accordance with the Sunnah
Related from Zayd ibn ‘Ali, from his forefathers (A) who said:
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘If two Muslims meet with their swords not in accordance with the Sunnah, then both the killer and the one killed will be in the fire.’ He was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah We understand about the killer but why the one killed also?’ He (S) said: ‘Because he wanted to fight.’
In the book Da’aim al-Islam, related from Imam ‘Ali (A) that the Messenger of Allah (S) said to him: ‘Woe betide you if you make haste to spill blood illicitly, for there is nothing worse in consequences than this.’
Cowards are not to go to war
The Ja’faris relate with a chain of narration going back to the Messenger of Allah (S) that he said : ‘He who feels in himself cowardice then he should not do battle.’
The Covenanter (Dhimmi) not to be killed
Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Qummi relates fro m al-Muttalib that the Prophet (S) said:
‘He who kills a man from the People of th e Dhimma
will be forbidden Paradise the perfume of which can be smelled at a distance of twelve years travelling.’
The noblemen of the Infidels to be respected
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabarri relates: ‘When the Persian prisoners reached al-Madinah, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab wanted to sell the women, and to enslave the men, but Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Honour the nobles of every people.’ ‘Umar said: ‘I heard him saying: ‘If a nobleman of a people comes to you then honour him even if he goes against you.’ Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) said:
‘These people have made peace with you and wish to enter Islam and they are bound to have children. Hence I testify to Allah and to you that I have set free my share of them for the sake of Allah.’ The Muhajiroun and the Ansar said: ‘We give up our right to you O Brother of the Messenger of Allah (S).
He (A) said: ‘Allah, I testify that they have given up to me their right and I have accepted it and I testify to You that I have set them free for Your sake.’ Then ‘Umar said: ‘Why did you contradict my decision regarding the Persians?, and what was it that made you go against my opinion regarding them.?’
Then Imam ‘Ali (A) repeated for him what the Messenger of Allah had said regarding the honouring of nobles.’
Then ‘Umar said: ‘I give up to Allah and to you O Abu al-Hassan my share and the rest of that which has not been given to you.’ Then Amir-ul-Mu’mineen said: ‘O Allah, I testify to what h e has said and the responsibility is now upon my head.’
But a group of the Qureish wanted to marry the women. Amir-ul- Mu’mineen (A) said: ‘They are not to be forced to do this but let them have the choice in the matter and what they choose let it be done . .’
Not taking booty is a desirable act
‘Ali ibn Asbat relates, from Ibn Faddal, from Ja’far al-Saadiq (A), from his father (A), from his forefathers (A), that Imam ‘Ali (A) used to partake in the fighting himself but did not use to take booty.”
Children are not to be killed
This can b e found in the account of when the Messenger of Allah ratified the ruling of Sa’d who had ordered that those amongst the Jews who had not reached maturity should not be killed.
Trees are not to be felled, nor the supply of water cut off
It is related from the Messenger of Allah (S) that he forbade the cutting down or burning of fruiting trees in enemy territory and elsewhere except when this might be to the advantage of the Muslims. For Allah Almighty has said:
{ . and what you cut of the date palms or what you leave standing on their trunks is by the leave of Allah and to punish the evildoers}
.
It is also reported that d uring the battle of Khaibar, the Messenger of Allah (S) was shown by a certain Jew a water source that flowed towards the Khaibar fortress. The Jew said to the Prophet (S): ‘If you cut off this water supp ly then those inside the fortress will surely surrender.’ The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘I will not do this.’ He d id not cut the water supply off from them. Nor did Imam ‘Ali (A) cut off the water supply from the company of Mu’awiya.
Islam’s View on Killing
Islam only sanctio ns killing in the most grave degree of necess ity. Hence it takes a very serious view of the killing of people unjustly. What follows is an overview of some texts relating to this subject.
Islam takes a serious view of the unjust killing of people
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A) was asked about Allah’s words:
{ . Whoso ever kills a person except for the murder of a nother or because of spreading corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the people in their entirety.}
He said:
‘He will have a seat in the fire. If he has killed all the people then he will only get that seat.’ Author’s no te: It is clear that his torment will be worse as will be mentioned later. This is because the killing of even a single person is not a small matter. Related from Hamran who said: ‘I asked Muhammad al-Baqir (A) about Allah’s words:
{ . and because of this We prescribed for the So ns of Israel that whoever kills a person except for the murder of another or for spreading corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the people in their entirety.}
I said: ‘How is it as if he has killed the people in their entirety when he may only have killed one?’
He (A) said: ‘He will be put into a place in Hell where the worst punishment is found.’ I said: ‘And if he kills another?’ He (A) said: ‘The punishment will be doubled for him.’
Related from Abu Usamah Zayd al-Shahham, from Imam Saadiq (A), that the Messenger of Allah (S) stopped at Mina when he performed the prayers there during the farewell pilgrimage when he said to his companions: ‘What day is the most sacred?’
They said: ‘This day.’
He (S) said: ‘And what month is most sacred?’
They said: ‘This month.’
He (S) said: ‘And what land is the most sacred?’
They said: ‘This land.’
Then he (S) said:
‘Then your blood and your wealth are sacred just as is this day and this month and this land are sacred until the day you will meet Him and he will ask you about your actions. Have I delivered the message?’
They said: ‘Yes’ He (S) said: ‘Allah is a better witness to that. Whoever has been entrusted with something then he must return it to its owner; that the blood of a Muslim shall not be spilt nor his wealth taken except that which he gives out of the goodness of himself. Do not do injustice to yourselves and do not return to disbelief after I have gone.’ Related from Abu Hamza al-Thumali, from Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) who said:
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Do not take pride in a masterful warrior, for with Allah there is a killer (waiting for him) who has not died yet.”
Related from Jabir ibn Yazid, from Muhammad al-Baqir (A) who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘The first thing that Allah will pass judgement upon on the Day of Resurrection will be blood.
The killer and the one he killed will be brought before him, then the blood relatives, then the people, until the one killed will come with his killer and will say: ‘He killed me.’ He will be asked: Did you kill him?, and he will not be able to conceal from Allah anything.’
Related from Abu Jaroud, from Muhammad al-Baqir (A) who said: ‘No soul will be killed excep t that it will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection attached to its killer by its right hand and to its head by the left hand with his veins pouring out blood. He will say to Allah: ‘O Lord, ask him why he killed me.
‘ If he killed him in obedience to Allah then the killer will be rewarded with Paradise and the one killed will be sent to the fire. If the killing was in obedience to another, the one killed will be told: ‘Kill him a s he killed you.
‘ After that, Allah will do with him as He wishes.’ Related from Hisham ibn Salim, from Ja’far al-Saadiq (A) who said: ‘The believer remains within his religion as long as he does not spill sacred blood.’
He also said: ‘The one who kills a believer deliberately will not have his repentance accepted.’
Author’s note: That is he deserves not to have it accepted. Related from ‘Abdullah ibn Sanan, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: ‘Neither the shedder of blood, the drinker of wine, nor the ba ckbiter will enter Paradise.’ Related from Hanan ibn Sudeir, from Imam Saadiq (A) regarding Allah’s words:
{ . Whoso ever kills a person except for the murder of another or because of spreading corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the people in their entirety.}
He (A) said: ‘It is a valley in Hell which he will be in if he killed all the people and even if he killed one person he will be in it.’
Related from Muhammad ibn Sanan from the answer Imam al-Ridha (A) gave to some of his questions: ‘Allah ha s forbidden killing, for the reason that if the killing of people was allowed then the whole of creation would become corrupted and the people would be destroyed . .’ Related from Iban, from a source, who asked Imam Saadiq (A) about one who kills a person deliberately. He said: ‘His reward is Hell.’
Related from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari, from Imam Saadiq (A): ‘A woman was punished for a cat she had tied up until it died of th irst.’ Related from al-Halabi, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said:
‘The most arrogant of people in the sight of Allah is one who kills someone other than is trying to kill him, or to beat someone who has not beaten him.’
Relate from Suleiman ibn Khalid, who said: ‘I heard Imam Saadiq (A) saying:
‘Allah revealed through inspiration to Moses Son of ‘Emran saying: ‘O Moses, Say to the nation of the Children of Israel; Woe betide that you kill the sacred soul (the person) unjustly for whoever kills a person on Earth, I (meaning Allah) will kill him one-hundred thousand times in the same way he has killed his companion.’
Author’s note: This because the single seed can produce thousands of other seeds, for the Hereafter is the result of this worldly life. Related from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Muslim, fro m his father, who said: Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A) said:
‘Whoever kills a believer on purp ose will h ave all his sins confirmed by Allah and the sins of the person he killed will be lifted from him, and this because of the quote in the Qur’an:
{ . I intend that you are covered with my sin as well as yours and you will be of the Companions of the fire.}
Related from Ayyoub ibn ‘Atiyyah al-Hudha who said: ‘I heard Imam Saadiq (A) saying that Imam ‘Ali (A) found a letter in the scabbard of the Messenger of Allah’s sword in which was written: ‘The worst of people in the sight of Allah is th e killer of one who does not fight him, and the one who beats one who does not beat him, and the one who pledges allegiance to other than his rightful allies, for he has committed the crime of Kufr (disbelief) in what Allah has sent down upon Muhammad (S). And whoever commits a crime or gives refuge to a criminal will not have his repentance nor his offer of compensation accepted and it is not allowed that a Muslim be given intercession in the case of a Hadd crime (a crime with a fixed punishment).
Author’s note: What is meant here by kufr is that of actio ns. Al-Sayyid Murtada relates in his treatise The Clear and the Ambiguous (verses of the Qur’an), from the exegesis of al-Nu’mani with the chain of narration from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said in a hadith: ‘As regards those verses whose exp ression is particular but whose meaning is general, for the words of Allah:
{ . and because of this We prescribed for the Sons of Isra’il that whoever kills a person except for the murder of another o r for spreading corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the people in their entirety.}
The expression (form) of the verse was revealed regarding the Children of Israel in particular but applies to all o f creatio n in general to all the servants o f Allah from the Children of Israel and all the other nations. This is a common occurrence in the Qur’an.
Related from Ja’far ibn Muhammad (A), from Zayd ibn Aslam, that the Messenger of Allah (S) was asked about the person who commits a crime or gives refuge to a criminal.’ He said: ‘He is the one who introduces an innovation into Islam, or kills except in Hadd (mandatory punishment), or plunders or steals something regarded as dear by the Muslims, or defends a criminal or aids and abets him.’
Related from Ja’far ibn Muhammad (A), from his forefathers, in the will of the Prophet (S) to Imam ‘Ali (A):
‘He who joins up with those who are not his rightful allies will have the curse of Allah upon him. He who denies the labourer his rightful wage will have the curse of Allah upon him. He who commits a hadath (crime) or aids a criminal will have the curse of Allah upon him.’ He was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what do you mean by this hadath?’ He said: ‘Murder . then he said:
‘O ‘Ali, the worst of people in the sight of Allah is the killer of one who does not fight him, or he who beats one who does not beat him, or he gives allegiance to other than his rightful allies. They have committed disbelief (kufr) in what Allah Almighty is He has sent down.’
Related from Umayyah ibn Yazid, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said:
‘Whoever commits a crime (hadath) or gives refuge to a criminal then the curse of Allah is upon him as well as that of the Angels and the people in general. Neither repentance nor compensation will be accepted from him.’ He was asked: ‘What is this hadath?’
He said: ‘The killing of a person except for the murder of another, or mutilation in other than equal punishment (such as an eye for an eye), or the introduction of an innovation into the religion not part of the tradition (Sunnah), or the plundering or stealing of something regarded as dear.’
Forbidding the taking part in killing
Related from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Muhammad al-Baqir (A) who said:
‘A man will come on the Day of Resurrection with a pot full to the brim of blood. He will say: By Allah I did not kill, nor did I take part in bloodshed. But he will be told: On the contrary, you mentioned (with foul intentions) my servant so-and-so. (That is in front of the one who killed him.)
Related from Abu Hamza, from one of the Imams who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) arrived and he was told: ‘O Messenger of Allah, there is a person murdered in Juheinah. The Messenger of Allah (S) stood up and walked until he reached their mosque (i.e. the people of Juheinah). The people heard about this and came to him. He said: ‘Who has killed this person?’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, We do not know.’ He said:
‘One of the Muslims has been killed and no one knows who killed him! By He who has sent me with the truth, were the people of the Heavens and the Earth to take part in the killing of a Muslim and be content with that, Allah would throw them on their faces in the fire.’
Related from Hamad ibn ‘Uthman, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: ‘A man will come on the Day of Resurrection to another man and splatter his face with blood, when the people are being held to account for (their deeds).’ He says: ‘What have I and you got to do with it?’ He (A) said: ‘You aided (someone) against me on such and such a day with a word and I was killed.’
Related from Ibn Abi ‘Umeir, from others, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said:
‘He who aids in the death of a believer even by a word will come on the Day of Resurrection and written between his eyes will be the words: ‘Despaired of the Mercy of Allah.’
Related from Mas’ada ibn Ziyad, from Ja’far ibn Muhammad (A), from his forefathers (A) that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
‘The worst of people on the Day of Resurrection is the muthallath.’ He was asked: ‘What O Messenger of Allah is the muthallath?’ He (S) said: ‘The man who strives against his brother and kills him for he will destroy himself and his brother and his guardian or leader.’
Legalising the killing of a believer is equal to apostasy
Related from Sa’id al-Azraq, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said regarding a person who has killed a believer: ‘He will be told : ‘Die whatever death you wish to die. If you wish that of a Jew or if you wish that of a Nazarene.’
Related from Muhammad ibn Salim, from Muhammad al-Baq ir (A) who said in a hadith:
‘When Allah gave permission to His Messenger (S) to leave Mecca for Medina, He revealed the statutory punishments (hudud) and the mandatory acts and informed him of the acts of disobedience which Allah has made the Hellfire incumbent upon those who do them. He revealed the following verse regarding the killer:
{ . and as for he who kills a believer deliberately, his reward will be Hell abiding therein forever, and Allah’s anger and curse will be upon him, and He ha s prepared for him a great torment.}
And Allah, Exalted is He, does not curse the believer:{ . surely Allah curses the Infidels and has prepared for them an inferno, abiding therein always, they will neither find a friend nor a helper.}
Related from Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Hussein (A), who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Slandering the believer is a foul act, killing him is unbelief, eating his flesh
is disobeying Allah, and the sanctity of his wealth is as the sanctity of his blood.’
Forbidding beating unjustly
Related from al-Halabi, from Imam Saadiq (A), who said: ‘The worst of people in the sight of Allah is he who kills one who is not fighting him, or he who beats someone who has not beaten him.’
Related from al-Muthanna, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: ‘In the scabbard of the Messenger of Allah’s sword was found a document which said: ‘The worst of men in the sight of Allah is th e killer of one who does not fight him, o r he who strikes someone who has not struck him, or one who claims lineage from someone other than his rightful father, for he does not believe in what has been revealed to Muhammad (S).’
Related from al-Washa who said: ‘I heard Imam al-Ridha (A) saying:
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘Allah has cursed he who kills one who does not fight him, or strikes one who does not strike him.’
Related from al-Thumali who said: The Imam (A) said:
‘If a man beats another with a whip, Allah will beat him with a whip of fire.’ Related from al-Fudeil ibn Sa’dan, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: ‘In the scabbard of the sword of the Messenger of Allah (S) was found a document which read: ‘The curse of Allah and the Angels and the People be upon the killer of one who does not fight him, or one who strikes one who does not strike him, or commits a crime, or gives refuge to a criminal.’
Related from al-Hussein ibn Zayd, from al-Saadiq (A), from his forefathers, from the Prophet (S) in the hadith of the prohibitions that he said:
‘He who strikes the cheek of a Muslim or his fa ce, Allah will scatter his bones on the Day of Resurrection and he will be brought in chains to enter Hell, except if he has repented.’ Related from al-Ridha (A), from his forefathers (A), from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said:
‘I inherited from the Messenger of Allah (S) two books; the book of Allah and a document in the scabbard of my sword.’ He was asked: ‘O Commander of the Faithful, what is this document in the scabbard of your sword?’ He said: ‘He who kills one not killing him, or strikes one not striking him will have the curse of Allah upon him.’
Related from Imam ‘Ali ibn Ja’far al-Ridha (A), from his brother Musa ibn Ja’far (A) who said:
‘The people rushed to the scabbard of the sword of the Messenger of Allah after his death where they found a small document which read: ‘He who gives refuge to a criminal is an unbeliever, and whoever pledges allegiance to other than his rightful allies will have the curse of Allah upon him. The worst of people in the sight of Allah is on e who kills one not killing him or strikes one not striking him.’
No to suicide
Related from Abu Wilad al-Hannat who said: ‘I heard Imam Saadiq (A) saying:
‘He who kills himself on purpose will be in the fire of Hell abiding therein forever.’ Imam al-Saadiq (A) said:
‘He who kills himself on purpose will be in the fire of Hell abiding therein forever, for Allah, Exalted is He has said:{. . and do not kill yourselves, surely Alla h is most merciful to you. Whomsoever does this out of enmity or oppression we will put him in a fire. This is an easy task for Allah.}
Related from Abu Basir, from Muhammad al-Baqir (A) who said:
‘One of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (S) called Qarnan, who used to help his brothers well, was mentioned in front of the Messenger of Allah who said, when his name was mentioned, that he was of the people of the fire. Someone came to the Messenger of Allah and said that Qarnan had been martyred.
He (S) said: ‘Allah will do with him as He wishes.’ Then so meone came and said that he had killed himself. The Messenger of Allah said: ‘I bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah.’
Related from Abu Sa’id al-Khudari who said:
‘We used to go out on military excursions together in groups of twenty. We used to divide up the work; some of us handled the baggage, others doing tasks for our companions, watering the beasts and making food, and another group used to go to the Prophet (S). It so happened that there was a man amongst us who used to do the work of three men; sewing, watering the animals, and making the food. This was mentioned to the Prophet (S) who said: ‘This man is destined for the fire.
‘ We subsequently met with the enemy and fought with them. This man went out and took an arrow and killed himself with it. The Pro phet (S) said: ‘I bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah and His servant.’
Related from Najiah, from Muhammad al-Baqir (A) who said in a hadith: ‘The believer will be tried to the utmost and will die to the utmost but he does not kill himself.’
The parent may not kill his child even if illegitimate
Related from Ibrahim ibn Abi al-Balad, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said:
‘During the time of Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, there was a pious woman called Umm Qanan. One of the companions of ‘Ali came to her and found her aggrieved so he said to her: ‘Why is it I find you aggrieved?’ She said: ‘I recently buried a friend of mine but the earth spat her out twice.’ So the man went to Amir-ul- Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) and related the story to him. He said:
‘The earth will accept the Jew or the Christian so what is up with her other than her being tormented with Allah’s torment?’ Then he said: ‘If she was to take the earth from the grave of a Muslim man and throw it on her grave she will be still.’ So the man went to Umm Qanan and told her what to do so she took some earth from the grave of a Muslim man and threw it on her grave and she was still. The man asked about her and he was told that she had a strong love for men; no sooner would she give birth that she would throw her child in the oven.”
The prohibition of abortion
Related from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who said: ‘I said to Imam ‘Ali (A): ‘What of the woman who fears pregnancy so she drinks some potion which ejects what is in her belly?’ He said: ‘No.’ I said: ‘But it is only a sperm drop.’ He said: ‘The first thing that is created is the sperm drop.’
Killing a believer for his faith is a serious crime
Related from Imam Saadiq (A) who was asked about whether repentance can be accepted from a believer who has killed another believer deliberately. He said:
‘If he killed him for his faith then there is no repentance for him. If he was killed out of anger or for another worldly reason then his repentance is that he pays blood money and he should go to the blood relatives and confess to the killing of their relative. If they choose to forgive him and do not kill him then he should pay the compensation, and set free a slave, and fast two consecutive months, and feed sixty indigents as a repentance to Allah Exalted is He.’
Author’s note: What is meant by ‘there is no repentance for him’ is that the seriousness of the crime is such that it is as if there is no way of repentance for him, whereas as the evidences have shown, repentance may be accepted for all sins.
Related from Sama’a, from Imam Saadiq (A) who was asked about Allah Almighty’s words:{ . and as for he who kills a believer deliberately, his reward will be Hell.}
He said: ‘Whoever kills a believer because of his religion is that deliberate killer about whom Allah says:
{ . and He (Allah) has prepared for him a mighty torment.}
I (Sama’a) said: ‘What of the man who has a disagreement with another man such that he strikes him with his sword and kills him?’ He (A) said: ‘This is not the deliberate killer referred to by Allah Exalted and Majestic is He.’
The expiation for the killing of the believer
Related from ‘Isa al-Darir, who said: ‘I said to Imam Saadiq (A): ‘How can the man who has killed another on purpose repent?’ He said: ‘He should give himself up (to the blood relatives).’ I said: ‘He fears that they will kill him.’ He said: ‘Then let him pay them compensation.’ I said:
‘He fears they will kill him.’ He said: ‘Then let him put the compensation money in a purse and wait for the time of prayer then throw the purse into their house.’
Ismail al-Ja’fi relates that he asked Muhammad al-Baqir (A) about the man who kills another on purpose. He (A) said: ‘There are three acts of expiation upon him; to free a slave, to fast two consecutive months, and to feed sixty indigents.’ Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) gave the same ruling.
Related from Abu al-Ma’za, from Imam Saadiq (A) about the man who kills a servant accidentally. He said: ‘He should set free a slave, fast two consecutive months, and give alms to sixty indigents.’ He also said: ‘If he is not able to free a slave then let him fast, and if he is not able to fast then let him pay the alms.’
Related by Sama’a who asked the Imam (A) about whether there is a way to repentance for one who kills another on purpose. He said : ‘No, not until he pays the blood money to the relatives, frees a slave, fasts two consecutive months, asks Allah’s forgiveness and offers voluntary prayers. If he does this then I would hope that his repentance would be accepted.’ I (Sama’a) said: ‘And if he has no money?’ He (A) said: He should ask the Muslims for money so that he can pay the compensation to the blood relatives.’
Related by al-Halabi, from Imam Saadiq (A) in a hadith that he asked about a man who had killed his slave. He said: ‘He should set free a slave, fast two consecutive months, then he shall have repentance.’
The consequences of killing a believer
Related from Ja’far ibn Muhammad (A), from his father, from Imam ‘Ali (A) who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘There is a valley in Hell n amed Sa’ir which if opened the fires will ro ar from it. Alla h has prepared it for the murderers.’ Related from al-Saadiq (A) who said:
‘Allah inspired to Moses Son of ‘Emran to say to the nation of the children of Israel: ‘Woe betide that you kill the sacred person u njustly. Whoever kills a person in this world will be killed in the fire one-hundred thousand times in the same way that he killed his companion.’
Related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) that he said about Allah’s words narrating about the People of the fire:
{ . Lord, show us those of the jinn and men who led us a stray so that we may put them under our feet and they be the lowest.}
He (A) said:
‘This refers to Iblis (the chief Satan) and that son of Adam who killed his brother, for these are the first to sin from the jinn and from men.’
He (A) who said:
‘The shedding of blood unjustly brings about the vengeance of Allah and an end to His blessings.’
Related from the Holy Prophet (S) who said:
‘Never does the Earth cry to its Lord so much as when sacred blood is spilt upon it.’ He (S) said:
‘The killing of a believer is greater in th e sight of Allah than the perishing of the world.’ He (S) said:
‘The victim of murder will come (on th e Day of Resurrection) with his killer pouring blood onto his face and Allah will say: ‘You killed him.’ And the killer will not be able to conceal any speech from Allah so he will be ordered into the fire.’ He (S) said:
‘The first thing that Allah will look at on the Day o f Resurrection will be blood.’ Related from Ibn ‘Abbas who said: ‘I heard the Prophet (S) saying: ‘The victim of killing will come on th e Da y of Resurrection with one of his hands attached to his head and the other attached to his killer and his veins will be pouring with blood. They will be brought before the throne and the victim will say to Allah Bles sed and Exalted is He: ‘O Lord, he killed me.’ Allah Almighty is He will say to the killer: ‘You miserable wretch.’ And he will be ordered into the fire.’
The Prophet (S) said in a hadith:
‘At the time when a killer kills (a believer), he cannot be a believer.”
In another hadith he (S) said:
‘The most detestable of people in the sight of Allah are an apostate in the sacred precinct, one who follows the way of the days of ignorance after Islam, and one who spills blood unjustly.’ He (S) said:
‘The perishing of the world is lesser in the sight of Allah than the killing of a believer.’ He (S) said:
‘The first thing that will be passed judgement upon on the Day of Resurrection will be blood.’ Related from Ayyub ibn Nuh, from Imam al-Ridha (A), from his forefathers who said:
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘There are five types of people whose fires will never be extinguished nor their bodies die (in the fire): A man who commits shirk, a man who displeases his pa rents, a man who takes his brother to the ruler who kills him, a man who kills his brother unjustly, and a man who sins and blames his sin on Allah Almighty.’
Related by Zayd ibn Arqam as saying: ‘We were with the Messenger of Allah (S) on the day of Ghadir Khum when we were holding the branches of trees above his head and he (S) said:
‘May Allah curse one who claims lineage form one other than his rightful father, or who pledges allegiance to other than his rightful allies, after having heard me and seen me. Let he who lies about what I have said deliberately prepare himself a seat in the fire. Your blood and wealth are sacrosanct just as this day and this land and this month are sacred.’
Also related from the Prophet (S) that he gave a sermon when he wanted to go out to Tabuk saying after praising Allah:
‘O people, The most truthful of speech is the book of Allah . (until he said) slandering a believer is a foul act, fighting a believer is tantamount to unbelief, eating the flesh of a believer
is a g rave sin, the sanctity of his wealth is as the sanctity of his blood.’
It is reported that when the Messenger of Allah (S) was brought a victim killed, who had been found in the vicinity of the Ansar, he said: ‘Is he known?’ They said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘If the whole nation were to take part in the killing of a b eliever, Allah would throw them into the fire of Hell.’
Also related from the Prophet (S) who said:
‘Whoever aids the killing of a Muslim even through a single word, will arrive on the Da y of Resurrectio n despairing of the Mercy of Allah.’
Related from Abu Sa’id al-Khudari, who said: ‘During the time o f the Messenger of Allah (S) a man was found dead. He (S) came out angrily and mounted the pulpit. He praised Allah and then he said:
‘A Muslim has been killed and it is not known who killed him? By Him who holds my soul in His hands, were the people of the heavens and the earth to take part in the killing of a believer or to approve of such a killing, Allah would put them in the fire. By Him who holds my soul in His hands, no-one shall whip another but that he will be whipped tomorrow (in the hereafter) in the fire of Hell.’
Related from the Prophet (S) who said:
‘If the people of the seven heavens and the seven earths were to take part in the spilling of a believer’s blood, Allah would throw them all into the fire.’ Related from Muhammad ibn Muslim who said: ‘I heard Muhammad al- Baqir (A) saying:
‘The servant of Allah will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and the blood he has spilled will be given to him and he will be told: ‘This is your share of the blood of so-and-so.’ He will say: ‘O Lord, You took my life I had never spilled any blood.’ He will be told: ‘On the contrary, you heard from so-and-so such and such a thing which you repeated and it was repeated by others until a certain tyrant heard about it who killed him for it so this is your share of his blood.’
In one account it is said that when the Khawarij left al-Hurur they assembled the people and killed the righteo us servant of Allah ‘Abdullah ibn Janab ibn al-Arth, Imam ‘Ali’s governor of Nahrawan. They slaughtered him on the bank of the river above a pig and said: ‘the killing of you and this pig is the same to us.
‘ They also cut open the belly of his pregnant wife and slaughtered her and they killed her suckling child before him. Imam ‘Ali (A) was informed of this, so he returned to Nahrawan and appealed to their better nature but they refused all but to fight him. He asked them about the killing of Ibn Janab and they confessed to it one after another and said we will kill you as we have killed him. Imam ‘Ali (A) said: ‘By Allah, if all the people of the world confessed to killing him and I was able to kill them I would do so.’ Author’s note: What is meant is their taking part in the sin of killing. Related from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar, from Imam Saadiq (A) that he read the following Qur’anic verse:
{ . this because they used to disbelieve in the signs of Allah, and kill the Prophets unjustly, this because they disobeyed and were transgressors.}
He said: ‘By Allah, they did not strike them with their hands nor did they kill them with their swords bu t they listened to their speeches and broadcast them (to their enemies). They were then arrested and killed because of those reporting and therefore the reporting and broadcasting were tantamount to killing, transgressing, and disobedience.’
Related from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (A) who said:
‘One who approves of the action of a people is as one who has taken part in the act with them. There are two sins for he who enters into a wrong act - the sin of approving of it and the sin of actually doing it.’ He (A) said: ‘He who aids and abets in the killing of a believer has taken himself o ut of Islam.’
He (A) said: ‘The most despicable of people in the sight of Allah is he who beats a Muslim unjustly.’
Related from Mas’ada ibn Sadaqah, from Imam Saadiq (A) who said: ‘Amir-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A) said:“O people, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, has sent to you the Messenger (the Prophet Muhammad (S)), and revealed to him the Book in truth while you were in oblivious about the Book and He who sent it, and about the Messenger and He who sent him after a period of absence of messengers, and suffering of the nations, and spread of ignorance . . .”
until he said“ . and the world has turned against its people in anger, turning away from them and not towards them.
Its fruit is commotion, and its food carrion. Its slogan is fear, and its garment is sword. You were torn to pieces. It blinded the eyes of its people, and prolonged its days (of misery) over them. They severed their bonds of kinship, shed each other’s blood, and buried alive their own female infants. They choose their own pleasure and comfort over their children’s (existence). They do not seek any reward from Allah, nor do they fear Allah’s punishment. When they are alive they are blind and ill- mannered, and when they are dead, they are hopeless in Hell.”
Related from Ali ibn Ibrahim regarding Allah’s words:
{ . and when the girl child buried alive will be asked for what sin wa s she killed.}
He said: ‘The Arabs used to kill their girl children out of jealousy so on the Day of Resurrection the girl buried alive will ask for what sin was she killed?’
Related from the Messenger of Allah (S) that he said: ‘The gravest of major sins is to assign partners to Allah when He has himself created them. Then it is to kill your ch ild for fea r that it will eat with you.’
Related from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud who said the Prophet (S) said: ‘The worst of people in the sight of Allah is the killer of one who does not fight him, or one who kills within the sacred precinct, or the killer in revenge for something in the days of ignorance (pre- Islamic era).’
Related in the exegesis of Ali ibn Ibrahim regarding Allah Almighty’s word s:{ . and as for he who kills a believer deliberately, his reward will be Hell abiding therein forever, and Allah’s anger and curse will be upon him, and He has prepared for him a great torment.}
He (A) said: ‘Whoever kills a believer for his faith will not ha ve his repentance accepted. Whoever kills a prophet or the Wasi
of a prophet will not have his repentance accepted for there is no on e similar to him for the retaliatory killing. It may be that a man of the Polytheists, Jews or Christians kills a man for being a Muslim, but if he enters Islam, Allah will erase the sin from h im because of the Messenger of Allah saying: ‘Islam annuls what has gone before it.’
That is, it erases what has gone before because the greatest of sins in the sight of Allah is shirk and if repentance for this sin is accepted upon entering Islam then it follows that repentance fo r all other sins is also accepted.
As for al-Saadiq’s words: ‘He will not have a way to repentance.’ This means that whoever kills a prophet or wasi will not have a way to repentance because there is no one like the prophet or wasi to have the blood retaliation carried out upon him so one who kills a prophet or wasi will not be granted repentance.
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Shahr Ashub relates in the book al-Manaqib saying: ‘Al-Zuhri was an agent of the Umayyad Clan. He punished a man who died of the punishment. Al-Zuhri fled to the desert. He entered a cave where he spent nine years. Then ‘Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) made the Hajj pilgrimage and al-Zuhri approached him.
‘Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) said to him: ‘I fear for you that you despair (the mercy of Allah) more than I fear for your sin. Send a compensation to the family of the man you killed and return to your family and attend to the affairs of your religion and adhere to them.’ He (al-Zuhri) said to him: ‘You have relieved me O Master. Allah knows best where and how to carry His
message.
He returned to his house and became a follower of Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Hussein (A) and was known as one of his companions.
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Author: Ayatullah Seyyed Muhammad Shirazi
