Jihad Imperatives

Jihad against polytheists

8:39

• fighting is to begin on Islamic initiative
• fighting continues until 
• there is no more
•  resistance 
•  worship of any other than Allah 
• on a global scale. 

8:38. Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning).

8:39. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allâh) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allâh Alone [in the whole of the world ]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allâh), then certainly, Allâh is All-Seer of what they do.

And fight/kill them until (there) be no misguidance/betrayal , and the religion, all of it be to God, so if they ended/stopped , so that God (is) seeing/knowing with what they make/do .

|وقاتلوهم - null| حتي - till/until/to/even/in order that/so that/except/and so on | لا - no| تكون - he be/he becomes/she be/she becomes | فتنة - null| ويكون - null| الدين - Judgement Day| كله - all of it | لله - to God/for God | فان - a matter/an affair/a business/a state/a concern/a great matter/a great affair/a great business/a great state/a great concern | انتهوا - they ended/they terminated/you (p) end/you terminate/you stop | فان - a matter/an affair/a business/a state/a concern/a great matter/a great affair/a great business/a great state/a great concern | الله - God| بما - with | يعملون - null| بصير - seeing/knowing/understanding |

(8:39:1)
And fight them
waqātilūhum

7) Qur'an 8: 39

And light them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do. ¹ [8:39]

A- Tafsir Majma' al-Bayan by Shaykh Tabarsi

- The author of Majma' al-Bayan ² first explains the meaning of "Wa qatiluhum, hatta la takuna fitnah" ("And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression"): "This first part of the verse was directed at the Prophet and the believers so that they would fight against the unbelievers and put an end to their provocative disturbances."

- He then explains the meaning of "Wa yakuna ad-dinu kulluhu lillah" ("and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere"): "This second part means that the people of the Truth and the Falsehood gather around the True religion and accept correct beliefs, and because of the acceptance of the True religion by the people, religion in its entirety belongs to God."

- The author then reports a tradition from Zurarah who reported it from Imam Sadeq who said: "The to 'wil has not yet been reached. At the moment of the rise of our al-Qa'im, the  people who will then be on earth will see the realization of the ta'wil of this verse and the religion of Muhammad will dominate the universe, and no polytheists (Pagans) will remain on earth." ¹
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2 Majma' al-Bayan: Vol.10, p.218

B- Tafsir al-Mizan by Allama Tabataba'i

Tabataba'i ² reports from Tabarsi's work (Majma' al-Bayan) that Zurarah and others besides him reported from Abi `Abdillah (sixth Imam) that he said: "The ta'wil of this verse has not yet been reached. When our al-Qa'im rises, those who recognise him will rapidly see the ta'wil of this verse. And the religion of Muhammad will reach such a rank that not even one single polytheist will remain on earth".

The author also says that 'Ayyashi reported this tradition in his tqfsir from Zurarah who reported it from the Imam, and concerning the meaning of this verse, there is a tradition in the Kali (work of Shaykh Kulayni) reported from Muhammad Ibn Muslim who reported it from Abi Ja'far (fifth Imam) and also `Ayyashi reported a similar tradition from `Abd Halbi from Abi Ja'far.
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2 AI-Mizan, Vol.9, p.114.

And fight them until sedition, idolatry, is, exists, no more and religion is all for God, alone, none other being worshipped; then if they desist, from unbelief, surely God sees what they do, and will requite them for it.

(And fight them) i.e. the disbelievers of Mecca (until persecution) disbelief, idolatry, idol worship and fighting against Muhammad (pbuh) in the Sacred Precinct (is no more, and religion) in the Sacred Precinct as well as worship (is all for Allah) such that none remains except the Religion of Islam. (But if they cease) disbelief, idolatry, idol worship and fighting the Prophet (pbuh) (then lo! Allah is Seer of what they do) of good and evil.

 

(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah...) "So that there is no more Shirk.'' Similar was said by Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Zayd bin Aslam. Muhammad bin Ishaq said that he was informed from Az-Zuhri, from `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr and other scholars that

﴿حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ﴾

(until there is no more Fitnah) the Fitnah mentioned here means, until no Muslim is persecuted so that he abandons his religion. Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement,

﴿وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلهِ﴾

(and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah alone.) "So that Tawhid is practiced in sincerity with Allah.'' Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ibn Jurayj said,

﴿وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلهِ﴾

(and the religion will all be for Allah alone) "So that La ilaha illa-llah is proclaimed.'' Muhammad bin Ishaq also commented on this Ayah, "So that Tawhid is practiced in sincerity towards Allah, without Shirk, all the while shunning all rivals who (are being worshipped) besides Him.''

Ibn Kathir quotes a relevant hadith. 

There is a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs that testifies to this explanation. The Messenger of Allah said,

«أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ، حَتَّى يَقُولُوا: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، فَإِذَا قَالُوهَا عَصَمُوا مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ، إِلَّا بِحَقِّهَا، وَحِسَابُهُمْ عَلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَل»

(I was commanded to fight against the people until they proclaim, `There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.' If and when they say it, they will preserve their blood and wealth from me, except for its right (Islamic penal code), and their reckoning is with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored.)

A search of the hadith turns up these matching records. 

Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 387:

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah." Narrated Maimun ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Malik, "O Abu Hamza! What makes the life and property of a person sacred?" He replied, "Whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', faces our Qibla during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have."

Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 196:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah 's Apostle said, " I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,' and whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,' his life and property will be saved by me except for Islamic law, and his accounts will be with Allah, (either to punish him or to forgive him.)"

Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 84, Number 59:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

When the Prophet died and Abu Bakr became his successor and some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief, 'Umar said, "O Abu Bakr! How can you fight these people although Allah's Apostle said, 'I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, 'and whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', Allah will save his property and his life from me, unless (he does something for which he receives legal punishment) justly, and his account will be with Allah?' "Abu Bakr said, "By Allah! I will fight whoever differentiates between prayers and Zakat as Zakat is the right to be taken from property (according to Allah's Orders). By Allah! If they refused to pay me even a kid they used to pay to Allah's Apostle, I would fight with them for withholding it." 'Umar said, "By Allah: It was nothing, but I noticed that Allah opened Abu Bakr's chest towards the decision to fight, therefore I realized that his decision was right."

Sahih Bukhari  Volume 9, Book 92, Number 388:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

When Allah's Apostle died and Abu Bakr was elected as a Caliph after him, some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief, 'Umar said to Abu Bakr, "How dare you fight the people while Allah's Apostle said, I have been ordered to fight the people till they say 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah' And whoever says: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' waves his wealth and his life from me unless he deserves a legal punishment lusty, and his account will be with Allah! Abu Bakr said, "By Allah, I will fight him who discriminates between Zakat and prayers, for Zakat is the Compulsory right to be taken from the wealth By Allah, if they refuse to give me even a tying rope which they use to give to Allah's Apostle, I would fight them for withholding it." 'Umar said, 'By Allah, It was nothing, except I saw that Allah had opened the chest of Abu Bakr to the fight, and I came to know for certain that was the truth."

Sahih Muslim Book 001, Number 0030:

It is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah.

Sahih Muslim Book 001, Number 0031:

It is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: I have been commanded to fight against people, till they testify to the fact that there is no god but Allah, and believe in me (that) I am the messenger (from the Lord) and in all that I have brought. And when they do it, their blood and riches are guaranteed protection on my behalf except where it is justified by law, and their affairs rest with Allah.

Sahih Muslim Book 001, Number 0032:

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir that the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded that I should fight against people till they declare that there is no god but Allah, and when they profess it that there is no god but Allah, their blood and riches are guaranteed protection on my behalf except where it is justified by law, and their affairs rest with Allah, and then he (the Holy Prophet) recited (this verse of the Holy Qur'an):" Thou art not over them a warden" (lxxxviii, 22).

Sahih Muslim  Book 001, Number 0033:

It has been narrated on the authority of Abdullah b. 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and they establish prayer, and pay Zakat and if they do it, their blood and property are guaranteed protection on my behalf except when justified by law, and their affairs rest with Allah.

Sunan Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 2635:

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: I am commanded to fight with men till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Apostle, face our qiblah (direction of prayer), eat what we slaughter, and pray like us. When they do that, their life and property are unlawful for us except what is due to them. They will have the same rights as the Muslims have, and have the same responsibilities as the Muslims have.

I found nine ahadith from three collections, by four narrators which tell us that Moe declared  that he was ordered or commanded to fight until his victims testify that only Allah has the right to be worshiped and comply with Islamic food standards and rituals. Are these sayings authentic, are their isnads reliable?  

• Anas ibn Malik  

  Hadith

  One hundred and sixty eight hadith narrated on his authority are to be found in the collections of Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.^[1]

  Sunni view

  He is one of the major narrators of hadith, and like all of the Sahaba, is considered trustworthy by Sunni Muslims.

• Abu Huraira 

  Sunni view

  Main article: Sunni view of Abu Huraira

  A majority of the Sunni scholars consider Abu Hurairah to be one of the major narrators of Hadith, and like all of the Sahabah, trustworthy.

   Shi'a view

  Main article: Shi'a view of the Sahaba

  Shi'a tradition rejects the authenticity of Abu Hurairah's hadith, seldom accepting only when the are similar hadith narrated by Sahabah (companions) and family of the Prophet who are considered reliable by Shi'a. They consider him an enemy of Imam Ali, Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain due to having been in favor with Mu'awiya, and thus hold him in low regard. Shia's allege Mu'awiya to have killed the Holy Prophets Cousin and Grandson, who the Holy Prophet loved and cared for. Shia's believe that Abu Hurairah defended and cherished Mu'awiya. Shia's also believe Mu'awiya killed the 4th Caliph, Aisha's Brother and most of the original Sahaabas of the Prophet.

• Jabir 

  Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari is said to have accepted Islam when he was a young boy.

  His participation in the Battle of Badr is questioned by some historians; he is known to have fought in 19 battles (including Badr) under command of Muhammad, and was a trusted Sahaba. He was present during the conquest of Mecca.

• Abdullah b. 'Umar 
• Ibn al-Salah, however, defines a sahih hadith more precisely by saying:
  
      "A sahih hadith is the one which has a continuous isnad, made up of reporters of trustworthy preservers from similar authorities, and which is found to be clear from shudhudh and any defects."
  
  By the above definition, no room is left for any weak hadith, whether, for example, it is munqati', mu'dal, mudtarib, maqlub, shadhdh, munkar, ma'lul, or contains a mudallis. The definition also excludes hasan ahadith, as will be shown under that heading.
  
  Of all the collectors of hadith, al-Bukhari and Muslim were greatly admired because of their tireless attempt to collect sahih hadith only. It is generally understood that the more trustworthy and of good memory the reporters, the more authentic the hadith. The isnad: al-Shafi'i --- Malik --- Nafi' --- 'Abdullah b. 'Umar --- The Prophet, is called a "golden isnad" because of its renowned reporters. [Source: Rules Governing the Criticism of Hadeeth]

O9.9

The caliph fights all other peoples until they become Muslim (O: because they are not a people with a Book, nor honored as such, and are not permitted to settle with paying the poll tax (jizya) ) (n: though according to the Hanafi school, peoples of all other religions, even idol worshippers, are permitted to live under the protection of the Islamic state if they either become Muslim or agree to pay the poll tax, the sole exceptions to which are apostates from Islam and idol worshippers who are Arabs, neither of whom has any choice but becoming Muslim (al-Hidaya sharh Bidaya al-mubtadi' (y21), 6.48-49) ).

[...]If none of those concerned perform jihad, and it does not happen at all, then everyone who is aware that it is obligatory is guilty of sin, if there was a possibility of having performed it. In the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) jihad was a communal obligation after his emigration (hijra) to Medina. As for subsequent times, there are two possible states in respect to non-Muslims.

The first is when they are in their own countries, in which case jihad (def: o9.8) is a communal obligation, and this is what our author is speaking of when he says, "Jihad is a communal obligation," meaning upon the Muslims each year.[...]

The principal compiler of the handbook of Shari'ah  made the issue crystal clear in another ruling. 

"The least that the imam must do is that he allow no year to pass without having organised a military expedition by himself, or by his raiding parties, according to the Muslims' interest, so that the jihad will only be stopped in a year for a (reasonable) excuse."

Jihad against people of the book

9:29

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

|قاتلوا - fight/kill/you (p) fight/you kill | الذين - those| لا - no| يؤمنون - who believe| بالله - with God/by God | ولا - But not| باليوم - with the day/with today | الاخر - ~¥¦{A - ZUÀA ~¥¦{A the day the last/Resurrection Day | ولا - But not| يحرمون - they forbid/they prohibit | ما - what| حرم - was forbidden/was prohibited/is forbidden/is prohibited | الله - God| ورسوله - null| ولا - But not| يدينون - take a religion/adopt a religion (p) | دين - my religion | الحق - the correct/the real/the truth/the deserved/the duty/the fact/the right/the certain/the definite/the just/the imminent/the share/the death (God's name) | من - of| الذين - those| اوتوا - are given to/were brought to/are given to/are brought to/they were given/they were brought/they are given/they are brought | الكتاب - the book| حتي - till/until/to/even/in order that/so that/except/and so on | يعطوا - null| الجزية - null| عن - JoZ¦ wishes/desires/shunns/turns away (from) | يد - hand/a hand/fingertip to shoulder | وهم - null| صاغرون - submissive/subservient/menial/ yielding/low/lowly/humiilated (p) |

The Order to fight People of the Scriptures until They give the Jizyah

[...]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. [...]

O9.8: The Objectives of Jihad

The caliph (o25) makes war upon 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) -which is the significance of their paying it, not the money itself-while remaining in their ancestral religions) (O: and the war continues) 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),

Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani, d. 996, maliki. Cit. ur Leon Bercher, La risala ou epitre sur les elements du dogme de la loi d’Islam (Algiers 1945).

Quote:

Jihad is a precept of Divine institution. We Malikis maintain that it is preferable not to begin hostilities with the enemy before having invited the latter to embrace the religion of Allah except where the enemy attacks first. They have the alternative of either converting to Islam or paying the poll tax, short of which war will be declared against them.

al-Mawardi, d. 1058, shafi’i. al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah, övers. Asadullah Yate, The Laws of Islamic Governance (London 1996), s. 28, 60, 77-8, 200-1.

Quote:

[The caliph must] make jihad against those who resist Islam after having been called to it until they submit or accept to live as a protected dhimmi-community – so that Allah’s rights, may He be exalted, be made uppermost above all [other] religion. […] it is forbidden us to initiate an attack on the mushrikun while they are unawares or at night, that is, it is forbidden to kill them, use fire against them or begin an attack before explaining the invitation to Islam to them, informing them of the miracles of the Prophet and making plain the proofs so as to encourage acceptance on their part; if they still refuse to accept after this, war is waged against them and they are treated as those whom the call has reached.

al-Ghazali, d. 1111, shafi’i, sufi. Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi’i (Beirut 1979), s. 186, 190-1, 199-200, 202-3, övers. Michael Schub.

Quote:

One must go on jihad (i.e. warlike razzias or raids) at least once a year […] one may use a catapult against them [non-Muslims] when they are in a fortress, even if among them are women and children.

Sheikh Burhanuddin Ali of Marghinan, d. 1196, hanafi. The Hidayah, cit. ur T.P. Hughes, A Dictionary of Islam (London 1895/1994), s. 244-5.

Quote:

The destruction of the sword is incurred by infidels, although they be not the first aggressors, as appears from various passages in the traditions which are generally received to this effect. […] When the Muslims enter the enemy’s country and besiege the cities or strongholds of the infidels, it is necessary to invite them to embrace the faith, because Ibn Abbas relates of the Prophet that he never destroyed any without previously inviting them to embrace the faith. If, therefore, they embrace the faith, it is unnecessary to war with them, because that which was the design of the war is then obtained without war. […] If the infidels, upon receiving the call, neither consent to it nor agree to pay capitation tax, it is then incumbent on the Muslims to call upon God for assistance, and to make war upon them […]

Molla Khosrew, d. 1480, hanafi. Kitab al-Gihad, övers. Nicola Melis, Trattato sulla guerra (Cagliari, Italien 2002), s. 95-6.

Quote:

[…] jihad is a fard al-kifaya, that is, that one must begin the fight against the enemy, even when he [the enemy] may not have taken the initiative to fight, because the Prophet […] early on […] allowed believers to defend themselves, later, however, he ordered them to take the initiative at certain times of the year, that is, at the end of the haram months, saying, ”Kill the idolaters wherever you find them” (Q9:5). He finally ordered fighting without limitations, at all times and in all places, saying, ”Fight those who do not believe in God, and in the Last Day” (Q9:29); there are also other [similar] verses on the subject. This shows that it is a fard al-kifaya.

al-Amili, d. 1622, teolog under shah Abbas I. Jami’-i ’Abbasi: yakdawrah-i fiqh-i Farsi (Teheran 1980-talet), s. 153 f.

Quote:

Islamic Holy war against followers of other religions, such as Jews, is required unless they convert to Islam or pay the poll tax.

Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, d. 1624, sufi. Cit. ur Saiyid Athar Abbas Rizvi, Muslim Revivalist Movements in Northern India in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (Agra, Lucknow 1965), s. 247-50; Yohanan Friedmann, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi. An Outline of His Thought and a Study of His Image in the Eyes of Posterity (Montreal 1971), s. 73-4.

Quote:

Shariat can be fostered through the sword. Kufr and Islam are opposed to each other. The progress of one is possible only at the expense of the other and co-existence between these two contradictory faiths is unthinkable. […] The execution of the accursed kafir of Gobindwal [Arjun, fifth guru of the Sikhs, executed in 1606] is an important achievement and is the cause of great defeat of the accursed Hindus. Whatever might have been the motive behind the execution, the dishonour of the kafirs is an act of highest grace for the Muslims. […] Whenever a Jew is killed, it is for the benefit of Islam.

LETTER TO THE JEWS OF KHYBER



In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

From Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah who is like Moosa (Moses A.S.) a prophet and messenger and he testifies to what Moosa (A.S.) had brought.

0 people of Torah, has Allah not stated in the Torah that "Muhammad (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam) is a Prophet of Allah. The people who will be with him, shall be harsh towards the enemies of Allah. And amongst themselves, they shall be kind and loving. They shall bow and prostrate before Allah. And they shall seek His bounty and goodwill".

I ask you to swear by Allah, who sent Torah for you and who made your forefathers eat 'mann, and 'Salva' and dried sea for them and rid them of the tyranny of pharaoh. It is not written in Torah that you should believe in me?

After the explanation about me in the Torah, do guidance and transgression become apparent?

Therefore I invite you towards Allah and His Prophet.'

Seal: Allah's Prophet Muhammad

Note: The Jews and Christians knew well that a prophet would come and they were awaiting his appearance. The Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam) was absolutely certain of the prophesy about him in the Torah.

Sahih Bukhari 4.52.195
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet set out for Khaibar and reached it at night. He used not to attack if he reached the people at night, till the day broke. So, when the day dawned, the Jews came out with their bags and spades. When they saw the Prophet; they said, "Muhammad and his army!" The Prophet said, Allahu--Akbar! (Allah is Greater) and Khaibar is ruined, for whenever we approach a nation (i.e. enemy to fight) then it will be a miserable morning for those who have been warned."

 LETTER TO THE CHIEFS OF AQABA

In the name of ALLAH the compassionate, the Merciful
From Muhammad, Prophet of Allah
To the People of Aqaba

May peace be on you. I praise Allah who is one and except whom there is nobody else to be worshipped.

I do not intend to wage war against you till you receive my written reason for it. It is better for you, either to accept Islam or agree to pay Jiziya and consent to remain obedient to Allah, His prophet and his messengers. My messengers deserve honour. Treat them with respect. Whatever pleases my messengers, will also please me.

These people have been informed of the orders about Jiziya. If you desire that there should be peace and security in the world, obey Allah and His Prophet. Thereafter none in Arabia and Ajam (Iran) shall dare cast an evil eye on you. But the rights of Allah and His Prophet can at no time be waived.

If you do not accept these terms and set them aside, I do not need your presents and gifts. In that case, I shall have to wage war (to establish peace and security). Its result would be that the big ones shall be killed in war and the commoners shall be taken prisoners.

I assure you that I am a true Prophet of Allah. I believe in Allah, and His Books, and His Prophets and am of the faith that Maseeh (Messiah) son of Mariam (Mary), is a Prophet of Allah and His word.

Hurmala (Raziallah AnhoA.) who brought to me 3 wasaq (about 6 quintals) of barley, recommended your case. Had it not been in compliance of the command of Allah and the good opinion of Hurmala for you, it would not have been necessary for me to correspond with you and instead of it, there would have been a war. If you will obey my messengers, you shall immediately have my support and the help and support of everyone who is attached to me.

My messengers are Shuraih-beel, Obaiy, Hurmala and Hurais (Raziallah AnhoA.) and whatever decision they take in respect of you, shall be acceptable to me.

Your people are under the protection and responsibility of Allah and His Prophet.

Supply provisions to the Jews of Maqna, for their journey to their country.

If you accept obedience, may peace be on you.'

Seal: Allah's Prophet Muhammad .

Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 2526


    Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

    The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist). The tyranny of any tyrant and the justice of any just (ruler) will not invalidate it. One must have faith in Divine decree.

Sunan Abu Dawud Book 23, Number 3455:

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:

I heard the Apostle of Allah, (peace_be_upon_him) say: When you enter into the inah transaction, hold the tails of oxen, are pleased with agriculture, and give up conducting jihad (struggle in the way of Allah). Allah will make disgrace prevail over you, and will not withdraw it until you return to your original religion.

• "Fight them...".
• "Fight those who...".
• "Ordered to fight...".
• "Commanded to fight...".
• "The caliph makes war..."
• "The caliph fights all other peoples...".