01 October 2010

The Misleading "Reflection On Aceh Jihad" (Part 1) Baseless Vicious Allegations

By Al-Ikhwah Al-Mujahidun

Here we are again questioning the author, what is the basis for this division? According to us, jihad today is a faridoh (prescription) which is made obligatory for us for the purpose of raising high the kalimah of Allah on this earth, with the capitals that we can use, just as Allah says, which means "Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies…" (QS Al-Anfal 60) Here, the meant strength is the strength of iman and the physical strength. This is based on the stage when jihad is prescribed where the phases are already complete i.e. we are obligated to fight the mushrik people even if they are not fighting us, until they convert to Islam or pay the jizya - for some groups debated by the ulama's. The daleel is there in surah At-Tauba which means "When the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war)" At-Tauba 5. And there are still many other nas (texts) but due to limited space we cannot mention them all here. As for the division of jihad according to us today it is either the tholab (offensive) jihad and difa'i (defensive) jihad, and we believe that in today's situation it is the the difa'i (defensive) jihad. Not dividing it into the jihad of goal or means. So, whatever our present condition is, we must conduct jihad to fight them as a form of self-defense, of course with tactics and strategies which are accurate in order to combat them, unlike what had been alleged by the author that the people who conduct jihad today are having "THE MAIN THING IS JIHAD" as their principle, this allegation is not true.

Then in page 13 the author mentioned:

Therefore, we must interpret jihad with 'war', not 'battle'. It was also differentiated in the Arabic language. 'Battle' is called 'qital', 'harb' or 'ma'rakah'. As for 'war', the term 'jihad' is used.

So we are asking, from where did the author of the "Reflection On Aceh Jihad" get the source that he could differentiate between the words "jihad" and "qital"?

The author said that the word jihad is a war which is long-term in nature while qital is a short-term clash, whereas what we understand about the meaning of jihad is that it is qital just like what are said in the Qur'an, the terms jihad and qital are often mentioned in the Qur'an, and what is meant by jihad there is qital, like what ALLAH says:

In surah At-Tauba verse 41, which means:

"Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and conduct jihad (strive and struggle), with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew."

Also in At-Tauba verses 86-88, which means:

"When a Surah comes down, enjoining them to believe in Allah and to conduct jihad (strive and fight) along with His Messenger, those with wealth and influence among them ask thee for exemption, and say: "Leave us (behind): we would be with those who sit (at home)." They prefer to be with (the women), who remain behind (at home): their hearts are sealed and so they understand not. But the Messenger, and those who believe with him, conduct jihad (strive and fight) with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper."

The two verses above are interpreted in such a way that the meaning of jihad in those verses is qital. In another verse of ALLAH i.e. in surah As-Saff 4, which means:

"Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure."

Here ALLAH have the word "qital" to interpret the previous 2 verses which used the word jihad.

Then, in the hadith of Rasulullah, he also interpreted the meaning of jihad to be the same as qital, which means:

From Amru bin ‘abasa RA. He said "I was sitting with Rasulullah when a man said, 'O Rasulullah what is Islam?' He asnwered 'Your heart feel safe, and the Muslims also feel safe from feel safe from your tongue and hands.' The man asked, 'So how is the most excellent Islam like?' He asnwered 'Iman.' The mans asked again 'What is iman?' He answered 'You have faith in ALLAH, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Resurrection after death.' That man asked again 'So how is the most excellent iman like?' He answered 'Hijrah.' That man asked again 'What is hijrah?' He answered 'You leave the bad deeds.' That man asked again 'So how is the most excellent hijrah like?' He answered 'Jihad.' That man asked again 'What is jihad?' He answered 'You fight the kafirs if you meet them.'" (HR Ahmad with a saheeh sanad)

In the above hadith, the one who asked about jihad was answered by Rasulullah with the term "qital".

Then, if the author is saying that jihad is long-term in nature while qital is only momentary, this is contradicts the Shar'ie daleels, amongst them:

ALLAH says, which means:

"And fight them on until there is no more Fitnah, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah. but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression." (Al-Baqara 193)

In the above verse, ALLAH uses the word qital for fighting the kafir until there is no more fitnah. And in the tafseer of Ibnu Kathir, the meaning of fitnah was mentioned as kufr and shirk. While kufr and shirk will always be present until the day of judgement.

And then in the hadiths about the Thaifah Mansurah, almost all of them are using the word qital, amongst them:

Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated:

The Prophet (saw) said: 'There will continue in my Ummah a group that will fight for the haq, you will know them until the day of judgement, and then 'isa ibn Maryam will come down, and the people will say "O Isa, lead the Jama'ah (prayer)" he will say 'no, you lead each other, Allah honoured this Ummah that nobody will lead them except the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and their own people.'" (HR.Muslim)

Then in a hadith from Salamah bin Nufail Al-Kindi, which means:

From Salamah bin Nufail Al-Kindi he said: I was sitting with Rasulullah when a man said: "Oh Rasulullah! The people have held on to the horses and laid down their weapons and said: ‘there is no Jihad for the war has laid down its burdens.'" So the Rasulullah turned his face away and said: ‘they have lied. Now the time for fighting has come. There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah that fights upon the truth. Allah will deviate the hearts of some by way of them, and provide for them from them until the establishment of the hour and until the promise of Allah comes. Good shall remain in the manes of horses until the Day of Judgment. It has been revealed to me that I will die and not remain and that you all will follow up after me, some striking the necks of others, and the base of the abode of the believers is in Sham.'" [Saheeh hadith narrated by An-Nasa'i]

In this hadith Rasulullah used the term "qital" for the war that is ever-present until the judgment day, this is just a small part of the nas (texts) that disputes the definition by the author.

And lastly the one that becomes the focus of our writing is the kalimah of the author in page 7:

Its basic theory; JIHAD SURELY RESULTS IN VICTORY IF DONE THE RIGHT WAY

So we are saying, it is very naïve if success or victory is measured by material, so let us ponder together what becomes the parameters and yardstick of victory?

Sheikh rahimahullah Yusuf Al-Uyairi in his book "Tsawabit ‘alaa darbil jihad" explains clearly the meanings of victory, which includes:

1. The biggest significance of a victory – is achieved for certain by anyone who wants to conduct jihad, whether he be alone or together with the ummah — is when a Mujahid is able to defeat his nafs (carnal desires), defeating the satans that are tempting him, as well as defeating the 'eight things loved by mankind' and the pleasures that represent their branches, defeating the worldly affairs that are attracting him where many Muslims have failed in this matter, in fact it could even be said that almost the entire ummah have failed in defeating these things. Allah mentioned those eight things in His verse:

"Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline: or the dwellings in which ye delight - are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause;- then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the fasiq." (QS 9:24)

2. When a slave goes out to do jihad, he has already achieved victory and he belongs to the people whom Allah mentions in His verse:

"And those who conduct jihad in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right." (QS 29:69)

3. When a Mujahid is firm on the path and principles of jihad, whatever happens to him, whether it be hardships or worries or demoralizing comments, basically that is already a victory. Allah Ta‘ala says:

"Allah will establish in strength those who believe, with the word that stands firm, in this world and in the Hereafter; but Allah will leave, to stray, those who do wrong: Allah doeth what He willeth." (QS 14:27)

Aren't the people who are firm upon the path of jihad and continue to implement it, as well as becoming those who are established like in the verse above, enough to be called as people who are achieving victory?

4. Another form of victory is when jihad becomes the reason that the kafirs are becoming poor and the reason of their dying in their kufr, as well as a deterrence for them from obtaining hidayah. This is amongst the biggest victories.

Their war and hostility towards the religion of Islam and the Mujahideen become the reason for their being astray and their falling into kufr until they die. This was the request of Prophet Musa and Harun AS to Allah for Firaun and his people, Allah says about Prophet Musa:

"Moses prayed: 'Our Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on Pharaoh and his chiefs splendour and wealth in the life of the present, and so, Our Lord, they mislead (men) from Thy Path. Deface our Lord, the features of their wealth, and send hardness to their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous penalty.'" (QS 10:88)

Prophet Musa's request for these things show that if the things that he requested materialize it means that ultimate victory is in hand. What loss is greater than when Allah hardens the hearts of the kafir until they encounter a painful adzab (torment) later when the Mu'mineen are happy with their position related by Allah in the Qur'an, when they say to the leaders of the kafir:

"Taste thou (this punishment of the Fire)! Truly wast thou mighty, full of honour!" (QS 44:49)

5. Included amongst the forms of victory is when Allah takes some of His slaves as Shuhada's.

So, when a slave is fighting for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala and he gets wounded, it is actually a medium for him to obtain a ticket to enter Paradise. Due to that, Allah Ta‘ala says:

"Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns: that Allah may know those that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks Martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And Allah loveth not those that do wrong." (QS 3:140)

Martyrdom is a choice which Allah determines for His slave. Meaning, whoever Allah chooses to able to reach that degree, he has achieved success and victory. Martyrdom is the peak of all ambitions because martyrdom is the choice of Allah, to the extent that Rasulullah wished for martyrdom up to three times in his speech:

(وَلَوَدِدْتُ أَنْ أُقْتَلَ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ ثُمَّ أُحْيَا ثُمَّ أُقْتَلُ ثُمَّ أُحْيَا ثُمَّ أُقْتَلُ)

"Verily, I really wished if could be killed in the way of Allah, then be brought back to life, and be killed again, then be brought back to life, and be killed again."

Allah Ta‘ala says to affirm the meaning of this victory:

"Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord." (QS 3:169)

And He says:

"And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah. "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not." (QS 2:154)

6. Another form of victory is the victory on the battlefield. This is the victory understood by almost the entire human race. Most people only restrict the meaning of victory on this course. That is certainly a lame understanding. Victory on the battlefield is nothing but one of the many forms of victory.

Rasulullah SAW had the chance to rejoice in this victory on the battlefield and Allah showed him this victory before he passed away, and then He says to him to remind him of the favor:

"When comes the Help of Allah, and Victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah's Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and pray for His Forgiveness: For He is Oft-Returning (in Grace and Mercy)." (QS 110:1-3)

There goes some forms of victory.

Actually there are many other forms of victory and it is not enough to discuss them all here. We end it by citing the examples above, all of which are included in the scope of the Allah SWT's promises Who says:

"We will, without doubt, help (give victory to) our Apostles and those who believe, (both) in this world's life and on the Day when the Witnesses will stand forth." (QS 40:51)

Allah further says:

"And it was due from Us to aid (give victory to) those who believed." (QS 30:47)

For people with a narrow understanding of victory, he says: "How could Allah state that it is wajib (certain) for Him to pronounce the Apostles and the Believers as winners, while amongst the Apostles, there are those who were killed, who did not procure power and kingship, in fact there were those who did not procure even a follower to enter Islam along with him?"

May this note be useful and increase our discourse, particularly in Da'wah and Jihad.

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