, 'as a safeguard', is the verbal noun from taqiyyatan), that is to
say, [unless] you fear something, in which case you may show patronage to them through
words, but not in your hearts: this was before the hegemony of Islam and [the
dispensation] applies to any individual residing in a land with no say in it. God
warns you, He instills fear in you, of His Self, [warning] that He may be wrathful with
you if you take them as patrons; and to God is the journey's end, the return, and He will
requite you. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn;
source;
bold and capital emphasis ours)
Again:
(Let not the believers take) the believers ought not to take [the hypocrites:]
'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his companions [and] (disbelievers) the Jews (for their friends)
so as to become mighty and honourable (in preference to believers) who are sincere.
(Whoso doeth that) seeking might and honour [by taking the hypocrites and disbelievers as
friends] (hath no connection with Allah) has no honour, mercy or protection from Allah
(unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them) save yourselves from them,
(taking (as it were) security) saving yourselves from them by speaking in a friendly
way towards them with, while your hearts dislikes this. (Allah bideth you beware
(only) of Himself) regarding the shunning of unlawful killing, unlawful sex, unlawful
property, consuming intoxicants, false testimony and associating partners with Allah.
(Unto Allah is the journeying) the return after death. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs;
source;
bold and underline emphasis ours)
Finally:
This verse explains all the verses quoted above which forbid taking the kaafirs as
friends in general terms. What that refers to is in cases where one has a choice, but
in cases of fear and TAQIYAH it is permissible to make friends with them, as much as is
essential to protect oneself against their evil. That is subject to the condition that
one's faith should not be affected by that friendship and the one who is behaves in that
manner out of necessity is not one who behaves in that manner out of choice.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about
the ruling on mixing with the kuffaar and treating them kindly hoping that they will
become Muslim. He replied:
Undoubtedly the Muslim is obliged to HATE the enemies of Allaah and to disavow
them, because this is the way of the Messengers and their followers...
Based on this, it is not permissible for a Muslim to feel any love in his heart towards
the enemies of Allaah who are in fact his enemies too...
But if a Muslim treats them with KINDNESS and gentleness in the hope that they will
become Muslim and will believe, there is nothing wrong with that, because it comes
under the heading of opening their hearts to Islam. But if he despairs of them becoming
Muslim, then he should treat them accordingly. This is something that is discussed in
detail by the scholars, especially in the book Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah by Ibn
al-Qayyim ... (Question #59879: What is meant by taking the kuffar as friends? Ruling
on mixing with the kuffar; source;
bold and capital emphasis ours)
Muslim Scholars on Offensive Jihad: Expanding Islam through Military Expeditions
The following Salafi Muslim source admits that Jihad can be offensive in nature with
the purpose of subjugating people to the rule of Muhammad:
Physical jihad is the pinnacle of Islam, and some scholars regarded it as the sixth
pillar of Islam…
One of the strangest things to note is that we are living in a time when some of the
Muslims are embarrassed to quote the verses and ahaadeeth on jihad in front of their
kaafir friends. Their faces turn red because they are too shy to mention the rulings
on the jizyah, slavery and killing prisoners of war. They wish that they could erase these
verses and ahaadeeth from the Qur’aan and Sunnah so that they would not be criticized
by this world with its backward principles despite its claims to be civilized. If they
cannot erase them then THEY TRY TO MISINTERPRET THEM and distort their meanings so that
they suit the whims and desires of their masters. I will not say so that they suit
their whims and desires, for they are too weak to have their own whims and desires, and
too ignorant. Rather it is the whims and desires of their masters and teachers among the
missionaries and colonialists, the enemies of Islam."
‘Umdat al-Tafseer, 1/46…
Those who proclaim the verses and ahaadeeth of jihad nowadays are subject to a number
of accusations. They are called terrorists, extremists, enemies of peace and bloodthirsty,
and are accused of wanting to destroy twentieth century civilization…
Allaah has commanded us to support His religion and to wage jihad against His enemies.
There are so many verses that enjoin jihad against the mushrikeen and fighting them
until all submission is for Allaah alone; they clearly state that it is obligatory and is
prescribed and is compulsory. Allaah says [quotes Q. 2:216] …
Rulings on jihad
The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) have mentioned the rulings on jihad and
have stated that jihad is of two types:
1 – Taking the initiative in fighting
This means pursuing the kaafirs in their lands and calling them to Islam and
fighting them if they do not agree to submit to the rule of Islam.
This kind of jihad is fard kifaayah (a communal obligation) upon the Muslims. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning) [quotes Q. 8:39; 9:5, 36, 41] …
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they
bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allaah, and establish regular prayer, and pay zakaah, If they do that then their blood and
wealth is safe from me, except by the laws of Islam, and their reckoning will be with
Allaah."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 24; Muslim, 29.
Muslim (3533) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever dies without having fought or thought to himself
about fighting has died following one of the branches of hypocrisy."
All of these texts – and many others in the Qur’aan and Sunnah – mean
that it is obligatory for the Muslims to wage jihad against the kuffaar and take the
initiative in that. The scholars are unanimously agreed that jihad against the kuffar, and
seeking them in their own lands, and calling them to Islam, and waging jihad against them
if they do not accept Islam or accept paying the jizyah, is obligatory and has not been
abrogated.
Shaykh al-Islam (28/249) said:
Everyone who hears the call of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) to the religion of Allaah with which he was sent and does not respond to it
must be fought so that there will be no fitnah and so that submission will all be for
Allaah…
This is the ruling on physical jihad in Islam, whether that is taking the initiative to
call the kuffaar to enter this religion and subjugate them to the rule of Islam, or jihad
to defend the religion and honour of the Muslims. (Question No. 34830: Is it obligatory
for every Muslim to go out for jihad? Or is jihad mustahabb and not obligatory?;
source;
bold, underline and capital emphasis ours)
And here is how one Muslim tome explains offensive jihad:
o9.0 JIHAD
(O: Jihad means to war against non-Muslims, and is etymologically derived from the word
mujahada, signifying warfare to establish the religion. And it
is the lesser jihad. As for the greater jihad, it is spiritual warfare against the
lower self (nafs), which is why the Prophet said as he was returning from jihad,
"We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad."
The scriptural basis for jihad, prior to scholarly consensus is such Koranic verses as:
(1) "Fighting is prescribed for you" (Koran 2:216);
(2) "Slay them wherever you find them" (4:89);
(3) "Fight the idolaters utterly" (Koran 9:36);
and such Hadiths as the one related by Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet said:
"I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but
Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform the prayer, and pay
zakat. If they say it, they have saved their blood and possessions from me, except
for the rights of Islam over them. And their final reckoning is with Allah.";
and the hadith report by Muslim,
"To go forth in the morning or evening to fight in the path of Allah is better
than the whole world and everything in it."
Details concerning jihad are found in the accounts of the military expeditions
of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), including his own martial forays
and those on which he dispatched others. The former consist of the ones he personally
attended, some twenty-seven (others say twenty-nine) of them. He fought in eight of them,
and killed only one person with his noble hand, Ubbay ibn Khalaf, at the battle of Uhud.
On the latter expeditions he sent others to fight, himself remaining at Medina, and these
were fourty-seven in number.
THE OBLIGATORY CHARACTER OF JIHAD
o9.1 Jihad is communal obligation… When enough people perform it to
successfully accomplish it, it is no longer obligatory upon others…
and Allah Most High having said:
"Those of the believers who are unhurt but sit behind are not equal to those who
fight in Allah’s path with their property and lives. Allah has preferred those
who fight with their property and lives a whole degree above those who sit behind.
And to each Allah has promised great good." (Koran 4:95)…
o9.3 Jihad is also obligatory for everyone able to perform it, male or female,
old or young when the enemy has surrounded the Muslims…
o9.8 The caliph makes war upon the Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians (N: provided
he has first invited them to enter Islam in faith and practice, and if they will not, then
invited them to enter the social order of Islam by paying the non-Muslim poll tax
(jizya, def: o11.4)… until they become Muslim or else pay the non-Muslim poll tax (O:
in accordance with the word of Allah Most High,
"Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and who forbid not what
Allah and His messenger have forbidden – who do not practice the religion of truth,
being of those who have been given the Book – until they pay the poll tax out of hand
and are humbled." (Koran 9:29),
… The caliph fights all other peoples until they become Muslim…" (Ahmad
ibn Naqib al-Misri, Reliance of the Traveler: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law,
In Arabic with Facing English text, Commentary and Appendices Edited and Translated by Nuh
Ha Mim Keller [Amana Publications, Beltsville, Maryland, Revised Edition 1994], p. 599-603;
bold and underline emphasis ours)
Verses Commonly Used to Prove Islam is Peaceful
In this section w will examine some of the common texts which Muslims quote to prove
that Islam teaches peace and tolerance.
1. Q. 2:256 – "No compulsion is there in religion…"
Response – The apologists fail to inform their audience that some scholars
believe that this verse has been abrogated. Other scholars believed that this passage only
applies to the people of the Book, that they cannot be forced to convert provided they pay
Jizya as a sign of their humiliation and subjugation:
The scholars explained that these two verses, and other similar verses, have to do
with those from whom the jizyah may be taken, such as Jews, Christians and Magians
(Zoroastrians). They are not to be forced, rather they are to be given the choice
between becoming Muslim or paying the jizyah.
Other scholars said that this applied in the beginning, BUT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY
ABROGATED by Allaah’s command to fight and wage jihad. So whoever refuses to
enter Islam should be fought WHEN THE MUSLIMS ARE ABLE TO FIGHT, until they either enter
Islam or pay the jizyah if they are among the people who may pay jizyah. The kuffaar
should be compelled to enter Islam if they are not people from whom the jizyah may be
taken, because that will lead to their happiness and salvation in this world and in the
Hereafter. Obliging a person to adhere to the truth in which is guidance and
happiness is better for him than falsehood. Just as a person may be forced to do the duty
that he owes to other people even if that is by means of imprisonment or beating, so
forcing the kaafirs to believe in Allaah alone and enter into the religion of Islam is
more important and more essential, because this will lead to their happiness in this world
and in the Hereafter. This applies unless they are People of the Book, i.e., Jews and
Christians, or Magians, because Islam says that these three groups may be given the
choice: they may enter Islam or they may pay the jizyah and feel themselves subdued.
Some of the scholars are of the view that others may also be given the choice
between Islam and jizyah, but the most correct view is that no others should be
given this choice, rather these three groups are the only ones who may be given the choice,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fought the kuffaar in the
Arabian Peninsula and he only accepted their becoming Muslim. And Allaah says [quotes Q.
9:5] …
He did not say, "if they pay the jizyah". The Jews, Christians and Magians
are to be asked to enter Islam; if they refuse then they should be asked to pay the
jizyah. If they refuse to pay the jizyah then the Muslims must fight them IF THEY
ARE ABLE TO DO SO. Allaah says [quotes Q. 9:29] …
And it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) accepted
the jizyah from the Magians, but it was not proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) or his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) accepted the
jizyah from anyone except the three groups mentioned above.
The basic principle concerning that is the words of Allaah [quotes Q. 8:39; 9:5] …
This verse is known as Ayat al-Sayf (the verse of the sword).
These and similar verses ABROGATE the verses which say that there is no
compulsion to become Muslim.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
(Question No. 34770 : There is no compulsion to accept Islam;
source;
bold, underline and capital emphasis ours)
And:
The reason for the revelation of this verse was that the women of Ansar used to make
a vow to convert their sons to Judaism if the latter lived. And when the tribe of Bani
an-Nadhir was expelled from Madinah, some children of Ansar were among them, so their
parents could not abandon them; hence Allah revealed: <There is no compulsion in
religion...> narrated by Ibn Jarir, on the authority of Ibn Abbas, Abu Dawud and
an-Nasa’i, on the authority of Bandar, Abu Hatim, and Ibn Hiban from the Hadith of
Shu‘bah, Mujahid and others. However Muhammad Ibn Ishaq narrated that Ibn Abbas said:
it was revealed with regard to a man from the tribe of Bani Salim Ibn Awf called
al-Husayni whose two sons converted to Christianity but he was himself a Muslim. He told
the Prophet: "Shall I force them to embrace Islam, they insist on Christianity",
hence Allah revealed this verse. BUT, THIS VERSE IS ABROGATED BY THE VERSE OF
"FIGHTING": "You shall be called to fight against a people given to
great warfare, then you shall fight them, or they shall surrender" (sura 48:16).
Allah also says: "O Prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites,
and be harsh against them" (9:73), and He says, "O you who believe! Fight those
of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know
that Allah is with those who are the Pious, (9:123). (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah
Al-Baqarah, ayat 253 to 286 Surah Al-Imran, ayat 1 to 92, Abridged by Sheikh Muhammad
Nasib Ar-Rifa‘i [Al-Firdous Ltd, London: 1999: First Edition], Part 3, pp. 37-38;
capital and underline emphasis ours)
Finally:
Scholars disagree and hold various positions regarding the legal status and meaning of
this ayat.
- It is said that it is ABROGATED because the Prophet forced the Arabs to adopt
the din of Islam and fought them and was only pleased with Islam for them.
Sulayman ibn Musa took the view, saying, "It is abrogated by ‘O Prophet!
Do jihad against the unbelievers and the hypocrites.’ (9:73)" That is
related from Ibn Mas‘ud and many commentators.
- It is not abrogated and was sent down about the people of the Book in particular and
means that they are not forced to adopt Islam when they pay jizya. THOSE WHO ARE
FORCED ARE THE IDOLATERS. Only Islam is accepted from them, and they are the ones about
whom ‘O Prophet! Do Jihad against the unbelievers and the hypocrites.’
(9:73) was revealed. This is the position of ash-Sha‘bi, Qatada, al-Hasan
and ad-Dahhak. The evidence for this position is related by Zayd ibn Aslam from his
father, "I heard ‘Umar in al-Khattab say to an old Christian woman, ‘Become
Muslim, old woman, become Muslim. Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth.’ She replied,
‘I am an old woman and close to death.’ ‘Umar said, ‘O Allah, witness!’
and he recited, ‘There is no compulsion where the din is concerned.’"
- Abu Dawud reported from Ibn ‘Abbas that this was revealed about the Ansar.
There was a woman, all of whose children had died. She made a vow that if she had a child
who lived she would become a Jew. When the Banu’n-Nadir were exiled, among them were
many of the children of the Ansar. They said, "We will not leave our
sons!" Then Allah revealed this. One variant has, "We did what we did and we
think that their din is better than what we have." When Allah brought Islam,
they denied it and this was revealed. Whoever wished remained with them and whoever
wished, entered Islam. This is the position of Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, ash-Sha‘bi and
Mujahid, but he added that the reason that they were with the Banu’n-Nadir was
through suckling. An-Nahhas said, "The position of Ibn ‘Abbas regarding this
ayat is the best position since its isnad is sound."
- As-Suddi said that the ayat was revealed about a man of the Ansar called
Abu Husayn who had two sons. Some merchants came from Syria to Madina with oil and when
they wanted to leave, his sons went to them. They invited the two sons to become
Christians and they did so and went back with them to Syria. Their father went to the
Messenger of Allah to complain about this and asked the Messenger of Allah to send someone
to bring them back. Then, "There is no compulsion where the din is concerned "
was revealed. He had not been commanded to fight the People of the Book. He said,
"Allah has put them far. They are the first to disbelieve." Abu’l-Husayn
felt annoyed that the Prophet did not send someone after them. Then Allah revealed, "No,
by your Lord, they are not believers until they make you their judge in the disputes that
break out between them " (4:65). Then "No compulsion " WAS
ABROGATED and he was commanded to fight the People of the Book in Surat at-Tawba .
The sound view for the reason behind the words, "No, by your Lord, they are not
believers …" is the hadith of az-Zubayr with his Christian neighbour
about water as will be dealt with in Surat at-Tawba, Allah willing.
- It is said that it means "do not call those who have submitted through the sword
compelled and forced".
- It is said that it was related about the captives who were People of the Book. They are
not compelled when they are adults. If they are Magians, young or old, or idolaters,
they are COMPELLED to adopt Islam because their captivity does not help them when they are
idolaters. Do you not see that their sacrifices are not eaten nor their women married.
That is what Ibn al-Qasim reported from Malik. Ashhab said that children are considered to
have the din of those who captured them. If they refuse that, they are compelled
to become Muslim. Children have no din and that is why they are COMPELLED to
enter Islam so that they do not go to a false din. When other types of
unbelievers pay the jizya, they are forced to become Muslim, whether they are Arabs
or non-Arabs, Quraysh or otherwise. This will be dealt with in Surat at-Tawba.
(Tafsir Al-Qurtubi – Classical Commentary of the Holy Qur’an,
translated by Aisha Bewley [Dar Al-Taqwa Ltd., 2003], pp. 659-661)
And here is Q. 9:29:
Fight those who believe not in God and the Last Day and do not forbid what God and His
Messenger have forbidden -- such men as practise not the religion of truth, being of those
who have been given the Book -- until they pay the tribute out of hand and have been
humbled.
Sunni commentator Ibn Kathir wrote in reference to Q. 9:29 that:
The Order to fight People of the Scriptures until They give the Jizyah
Allah said …
<Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid
that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not
the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with
willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.>
Therefore, when People of the Scriptures disbelieved in Muhammad, they had no
beneficial faith in any Messenger or what the Messengers brought. Rather, they followed
their religions because this conformed with their ideas, lusts and the ways of their
forefathers, not because they are Allah's Law and religion. Had they been true believers
in their religions, that faith would have directed them to believe in Muhammad, because
all Prophets gave the good news of Muhammad's advent and commanded them to obey and follow
him. Yet when he was sent, they disbelieved in him, even though he is the mightiest of all
Messengers. Therefore, they do not follow the religion of earlier Prophets because these
religions came from Allah, but because these suit their desires and lusts. Therefore,
their claimed faith in an earlier Prophet will not benefit them because they disbelieved
in the master, the mightiest, the last and most perfect of all Prophets . Hence Allah's
statement …
<Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid
that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not
the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture,>
This honorable Ayah was revealed with the order to fight the People of the
Book, after the pagans were defeated, the people entered Allah's religion in large
numbers, and the Arabian Peninsula was secured under the Muslims' control. Allah
commanded His Messenger to fight the People of the Scriptures, Jews and Christians, on the
ninth year of Hijrah, and he prepared his army to fight the Romans and called the people
to Jihad announcing his intent and destination. The Messenger sent his intent to various
Arab areas around Al-Madinah to gather forces, and he collected an army of thirty
thousand. Some people from Al-Madinah and some hypocrites, in and around it, lagged
behind, for that year was a year of drought and intense heat. The Messenger of Allah
marched, heading towards Ash-Sham to fight the Romans until he reached Tabuk, where he set
camp for about twenty days next to its water resources. He then prayed to Allah for a
decision and went back to Al-Madinah because it was a hard year and the people were weak,
as we will mention, Allah willing. (Source;
underline emphasis ours)
And:
Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr AND DISGRACE
Allah said …
<until they pay the Jizyah>, if they do not choose to embrace Islam …
<with willing submission>, in defeat and subservience …
<and feel themselves subdued.>, DISGRACED, HUMILIATED AND BELITTLED.
Therefore, Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them
above Muslims, FOR THEY ARE MISERABLE, DISGRACED AND HUMILIATED. Muslim recorded from Abu
Hurayrah that the Prophet said …
<<Do not initiate the Salam to the Jews and Christians, and if you meet any of
them in a road, FORCE THEM TO ITS NARROWEST ALLEY.>>
This is why the Leader of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased
with him, demanded his well-known conditions be met by the Christians, THESE CONDITIONS
THAT ENSURED THEIR CONTINUED HUMILIATION, DEGRADATION AND DISGRACE. The scholars of Hadith
narrated from `Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm Al-Ash`ari that he said, "I recorded for `Umar
bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, the terms of the treaty of peace he
conducted with the Christians of Ash-Sham:
‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the
servant of Allah `Umar, the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such
city. When you (Muslims) came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property
and followers of our religion.
We made a condition on ourselves that we will neither erect in our areas a
monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk, nor restore any place of worship that needs
restoration nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims.
We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or
night, and we will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and
passerby.
Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days.
We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit [or
betrayal] against Muslims.
We will not teach our children the Qur'an, publicize practices of Shirk,
invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they
choose to do so.
We will respect Muslims, MOVE FROM THE PLACES WE SIT IN IF THEY CHOOSE TO SIT IN
THEM.
We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech,
nicknames and title names, or ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect
weapons of any kind or carry these weapons.
We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic, or sell liquor.
We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are,
wear belts around our waist, refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our
churches and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets.
We will not sound the bells in our churches, except discretely, or raise our voices
while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims, nor raise
our voices [with prayer] at our funerals, or light torches in funeral processions in the
fairways of Muslims, or their markets.
We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by
Muslims. We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching their privacy in their
homes.’
When I gave this document to `Umar, he added to it, `We will not beat any Muslim. These
are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of our religion IN RETURN
FOR SAFETY AND PROTECTION. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit
against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are
allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion.’"
(Source;
capital and underline emphasis ours)
As if Islam’s disdain towards Jews and Christians couldn’t be any clearer
note what the following narratives say:
512. When a dhimmi writes and gives the greeting, he is answered
1101. Abu 'Uthman an-Nahdi said, "Abu Musa wrote to a Persian grandee and
greeted him in his letter. He was asked, 'Do you greet him when he is an unbeliever?' He
replied, 'He wrote to me and greeted me, so I have answered him.'"
1102. Abu Basra l-Ghifari reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, said, "I will ride to the Jews tomorrow. Do not give them the greeting
first. If they greet you, then say, 'and on you.'"
1103. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
said, "Do not give the People of the Book the greeting first. FORCE THEM TO THE
NARROWEST PART OF THE ROAD."
519. The People of the Book are forced to the narrowest part of the road
1111. See 1103.
521. When someone greets a Christian whom he does not recognise
1115. 'Abdu'r-Rahman said, "Ibn 'Umar passed by a Christian who greeted him
and Ibn 'Umar returned the greeting. He was told that the man was a Christian. When he
learned that, he went back to him and said, 'Give me back my greeting.'"
(Al-Adab al-Mufrad by Al-Bukhari, translated by Aisha Bewley, chapter XDIII.
The People of the Book; source;
underline, capital and italic emphasis ours)
Muslims are permitted to greet Jews and Christians first, and can allow them to walk on the road
alongside of them, only when they are in the minority and/or are under the rule of disbelievers.
However, they are not do so when they are uppermost and have control of an area.
As the following Muslim source admits:
Chapter 41. What Has Been Related About Greeting The People Of The Book With Salam
1602. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not precede the Jews
and Christians with the Salam. And if one of you meets one of them in the path, then force him
to its narrow portion.” (Sahih)
[He said:] These are narrations on this topic from Ibn ‘Umar, Anas, and Abu Basrah al-Ghifari
the Companion of the Prophet.
[Abu ‘Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. And regarding the meaning of
the Hadith: “Do not precede the Jews and Christians”: Some of the people of knowledge said
that it only means that it is disliked because it would be honoring them, AND THE MUSLIMS WERE
ONLY ORDERED TO HUMILIATE THEM. For this reason, when one of them is met on the path,
then the path is not yielded for him, because doing so would amount to honoring them.
Comments:
IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, WHEN MUSLIMS ARE IN POWER AND THEY ARE NOT LIVING
AS A MINORITY, AND THEY ARE NOT UNDER ANY COMPULSION OR SUBJUGATION, IT IS AN ORDER
for Muslims that they should not give such leeway to the non-Muslims and they should
not greet them first nor yield the way for them. Some of the people of knowledge said
that it only means that it is disliked because it would amount to honoring them,
AND THE MUSLIMS WERE ONLY TO HUMILIATE THEM. FOR THIS REASON, when one of them is met
on the path a Muslim is not to yield for him because doing so would amount to honoring them.
In a country where Muslims are living as a minority, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GIVE SUCH LEEWAY
TO NON-MUSLIM RULERS FOR THE GREATER INTEREST OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
(Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi v.2, p.397.) (English Translation of Jami‘ At-Tirmidhi,
Compiled by Imam Hafiz Abu ‘Eisa Mohammad Ibn ‘Eisa At-Tirmidhi, translated by
Abu Khaliyl (USA), ahadith edited and referenced by Hafiz Tahir Zubair ‘Ali Za’i
[Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, First Edition: November 2007], Volume 3,
19. The Chapters On Military Expeditions From The Messenger of Allah, pp. 365-366;
capital emphasis ours)
2. Q. 60:8-9 – "God forbids you not, as regards those who have not fought you
in religion's cause, nor expelled you from your habitations, that you should be kindly to
them, and act justly towards them; surely God loves the just. God only forbids you as to
those who have fought you in religion's cause, and expelled you from your habitations, and
have supported in your expulsion, that you should take them for friends. And whosoever
takes them for friends, those -- they are the evildoers."
Response – Again, the apologist is forgetting to inform his audience that
criticizing Muhammad or his religion is considered fighting and is punishable by death:
But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion with
disapproval and criticism then fight (you) the leaders of disbelief (chiefs of
Quraish - pagans of Makkah) - for surely their oaths are nothing to them - so that they
may stop (evil actions). S. 9:12 Hilali-Khan
The very immediate context of surah 60 itself substantiates this interpretation since
we read there that:
If they come on you, they will be enemies to you, and stretch against you their hands
AND THEIR TONGUES, to do you evil, and they wish that you may disbelieve. S. 60:2
The reference to "THEIR TONGUES" clearly alludes to the criticisms directed
against Muhammad by the unbelievers, i.e. that the unbelievers challenged his prophetic
claims as well insulted him for trying to foist this scam on them. Those who would dare
challenge Muhammad and critique his religion are enemies that must be vanquished.
One renowned Muslim scholar stated:
"As for those who cannot offer resistance or cannot fight, such as women,
children, monks, old people, the blind, handicapped and their likes, they shall not be
killed, unless they actually fight with words [e.g. by propaganda] and acts [e.g. by
spying or otherwise assisting in the warfare]. Some [jurists] are of the opinion
that all of them may be killed, on the mere ground that they are unbelievers, but they
make an exception for woman and children and they constitute property for Muslims."
(Sheikh Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah, The Religious and Moral Doctrine of Jihad, p. 28;
source;
bold and underline emphasis ours)
This explains why Muhammad murdered or permitted people to be killed in cold blood
simply for criticizing him for his atrocious acts, examples of which include:
SALIM B. ‘UMAYR'S EXPEDITION TO KILL ABU ‘AFAK
Abu ‘Afak was one of the B. ‘Amr b. ‘Auf of the B. ‘Ubayda clan.
He showed his disaffection when the apostle killed al-Harith b. Suwayd b. Samit and said:
Long have I lived but never have I seen
An assembly or collection of people
More faithful to their undertaking
And their allies when called upon
Than the sons of Qayla when they assembled,
Men who overthrew mountains and never submitted,
A rider who came to them split them in two (saying)
‘Permitted’, ‘Forbidden’, of all sorts of things.
Had you believed in glory or kingship
You would have followed Tubba‘.
The apostle said, ‘Who will deal with this rascal for me?’ whereupon
Salim b. ‘Umayr, brother of B. ‘Amr b. ‘Auf, one of the ‘weepers’,
went forth and killed him. Umama b. Muzayriya said concerning that:
You gave the lie to God's religion and the man Ahmad! [Muhammad]
By him who was your father, evil is the son he produced!
A hanif gave you a thrust in the night saying
‘Take that Abu ‘Afak in spite of your age!’
Though I knew whether it was man or jinn
Who slew you in the dead of night (I would say naught).
(Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasulullah (The Life of Muhammad), translated by Alfred Guillaume
[Oxford University Press, Karachi, tenth impression 1995], p. 675)
And:
When the apostle heard what she had said he said, "Who will rid me of Marwan's
daughter?" Umayr b. Adiy al-Khatmi who was with him heard him, and that very
night he went to her house and killed her. In the morning he came to the apostle and
told him what he had done and he [Muhammad] said, "You have helped God and His
apostle, O Umayr!" When he asked if he would have to bear any evil consequences
the apostle said, "Two goats won't butt their heads about her", so Umayr went
back to his people.
Now there was a great commotion among B. Khatma that day about the affair of bint
[girl] Marwan. She had five sons, and when Umayr went to them from the apostle he
said, "I have killed bint Marwan, O sons of Khatma. Withstand me if you can;
don't keep me waiting." That was the first day Islam became powerful among B.
Khatma; before that those who were Muslims concealed the fact. The first of them to
accept Islam was Umayr b. Adiy who was called the "Reader", and Abdullah b. Aus
and Khuzayma b. Thabit. The day after Bint Marwan was killed the men of B. Khatma
became Muslims because they saw the power of Islam." (Ibid., p. 676)
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas:
A blind man had a slave-mother who used to abuse the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and
disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop. He rebuked her but she did not give up
her habit. One night she began to slander the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and abuse him. So
he took a dagger, placed it on her belly, pressed it, and killed her. A child who came
between her legs was smeared with the blood that was there. When the morning came,
the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) was informed about it.
He assembled the people and said: I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action
and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up. Jumping over the necks of the
people and trembling the man stood up.
He sat before the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and said: Apostle of Allah! I am her
master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and
I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from
her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So
I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.
Thereupon the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Oh be witness, no retaliation is
payable for her blood. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 38,
Number 4348)
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:
A Jewess used to abuse the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and disparage him. A man
strangled her till she died. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) declared
that no recompense was payable for her blood. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 38,
Number 4349)
DEALING WITH SOME MUSLIM MYTHS
Here we will respond to some typical Muslim myths.
Myth 1 – The pagans antagonized and persecuted Muslims.
Fact – Muhammad antagonized and threatened the pagans.
They literally begged him to stop but to no avail:
Ibn Humayd - Salamah - Ibn Ishaq: The Messenger of God proclaimed God’s message
openly and declared Islam publicly to his tribesmen. When he did so, they did not
withdraw from him or reject him in anyway, as far as I had heard, UNTIL he spoke of their
gods and denounced them. When he did this, they took exception to it and united in
opposition and hostility to him, except for those of them whom God had protected from
error by means of Islam. The latter were few in number and practiced their faith in
secret. His uncle Abu Talib was friendly to him, however, and protected him and shielded
him from them. The Messenger of God continued to do God’s work and to proclaim his
message, undeterred by anything. When Quraysh saw that he would not give them any
satisfaction, they objected to his departing from their ways and denouncing their gods,
and seeing that Abu Talib protected him, shielded him from harm, and would not hand him
over to them, a number of the nobles of Quraysh, consisting of such men as ‘Utbah b.
Rabi‘ah, Shaybah b. Rabi‘ah, Abu al-Bakhtari b. Hisham, al-Aswad b. al-Muttalib,
al-Walid b. al-Mughirah, Abu Jahl b. Hisham, al-‘As b. Wa’il and Nubayh and
Munabbih, the sons of al-Hajjaj, went to Abu Talib and said, "Abu Talib, your
nephew has reviled our gods, denounced our religion, derided our traditional values and
told us that our forefathers were misguided. Either curb his attacks on us or give us
a free hand to deal with him, for you are just as opposed to him as we are, and we will
deal with him for you." Abu Talib gave them a mild answer and declined courteously,
and they left him. The Messenger of God continued as before, proclaiming the faith of God
and summoning people to it.
After this, Muhammad was estranged from the Quraysh, and they withdrew from him and
harbored a secret hatred for him. They talked about him frequently amongst themselves and
urged one another against him. Eventually they went to Abu Talib once again. "Abu
Talib," they said, "we hold you in respect among us on account of your age, your
nobility and your standing. We asked you to forbid your nephew TO ATTACK US, but you
did not do so. By God, we can no longer endure this vilification of our forefathers, this
derision of our traditional values and this abuse of our gods. Either you restrain him
or we shall fight both of you over this until one side or the other is destroyed," or
words to that effect. Then they left. This breach and enmity with his tribe weighed
heavily on Abu Talib, but he could not reconcile himself to surrendering the Messenger of
God to them or deserting him.
Muhammad b. al-Husayn- Ahmad b. al-Mufaddal- Asbat- al-Suddi: A number of men of the
Quraysh gathered together with a number of other shaykhs of the Quraysh, and said to one
another, "Let us go to Abu Talib and speak to him about Muhammad, so that he will
give us justice against him and order him to desist from reviling our gods and we will
leave him to the god whom he worships for we fear that this old man may die and we may
do something which the Arabs will reproach us for and say, ‘They let him alone until
his uncle died, and then they laid hands on him.’"
They sent one of their number, whose name was al-Muttalib, to Abu Talib to ask
permission for them to enter. He said, "Here are the shaykhs and nobles of your tribe
asking permission to visit you." He told him to ask them to come in, and when they
had done so they said, "Abu Talib, you are our elder and our chief, so give us
justice against your nephew and order him to desist from reviling our gods, and we will
leave him to his god."
Abu Talib sent for the Messenger of God, and when he came in he said, "Nephew,
here are the shaykhs and nobles of your tribe. They have asked for justice against you,
that you should desist from reviling their gods and they will leave you to your god."
"Uncle," he said, "shall I not summon them to something which is better for
them than their gods?" "What do you summon them to?" he asked. He
replied, "I summon them to utter a saying through which the Arabs will submit to them
and they will rule over the non-Arabs." Abu Jahl said from among the gathering,
"What is it, by your father? We would give you it and ten like it." He answered,
"That you should say, ‘There is no deity but God.’" They took fright
at that and said, "Ask for anything rather than that!" But he said, "If you
were to bring me the sun and put it into my hand, I would not ask you for anything other
than this."
They rose up to leave in anger and said, "By God, we shall revile you and your
god who commands you to do this!" "The chiefs among them hurried about,
exhorting; Go and be staunch to your gods! This is a thing designed…" to the
words "naught but an invention." (The History of al-Tabari: Muhammad at Mecca,
translated and annotated by W. Montgomery Watt and M. V. McDonald
[State University
of New York Press, Albany 1988], Volume VI, pp. 93-95; bold, capital and underline
emphasis ours)
Notice how this renowned Muslim historian and exegete candidly admits that Muhammad
changed the prayer direction due to the Jews making fun of him!
After realizing that they wouldn’t believe in him he turned against them and
threatened them:
The noted historian al-Tabari provides additional details (much of which is simply
mythical and clearly embellished):