In The Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful
Are Fidayee Attacks Lawful (According to Quran and Sunnah)?
All Praise and All Thanks are for Allah (SWT) to whom we shall all return to be judged on The Last Day.
We praise Him and ask Him for help and forgiveness; and ask His protection from the mischief of our souls and the bad results of our deeds; whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whom He declares misguided, none can guide to the right path; and I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah: He is Alone, without partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is the Messenger and Servant of Allah (SWT)
What Are Fidayee Attacks?
Fidayee attacks are those where a Muslim - a Mujahid - attacks the enemy in such a way that the death of that Muslim is (should Allah (SWT) so will it) highly likely. These attacks are often called "martyrdom operations". The history of Islam is replete with heroes who have sacrificed their own life for the Way of Life which is Al-Islam.
In modern times, many Fidayee attacks involve the Mujahid detonating an explosive device (attached to themselves or in a vehicle they are driving) when close to, or among, the enemy. This was the case recently in Afghanistan when a Muslima, Umm Hafsah, killed two American soldiers while en route to Kabul.
Such attacks are often incorrectly called "suicide attacks" in the hope of discrediting them. In addition, some Muslims, and some Islamic scholars, have claimed that such "suicide attacks" are forbidden according to the Quran and Sunnah.
Are Martyrdom Operations Lawful?
To understand and answer this question, three things need to be understood:
(1) The criteria used to determine whether such operations are lawful and justified must and can only an Islamic one. That is, the judgement must be made according to Quran and Sunnah, and them alone. All other criteria or standards of judgement must be rejected. To do otherwise, is un-Islamic.
"And whosoever does not judge by what Allâh has revealed, such are the Kâfirûn." [5:44 Interpretation of meaning]
(2) The intentions of the Mujahid who undertakes the attack is important, as is the fact that their is a likelihood of the attack harming or killing enemies.
(3) In a discussion of Islamic sources - Quran and Ahadith - it is important to refer to the meaning of the Arabic, and not to rely on interpretations of meaning which use modern, and often biased, terms and words such as the English word "suicide".
The Unlawful Nature of Killing Oneself:
There is no dispute, among scholars or among the Muslims, that it is forbidden for a person to take their own life, for personal reasons. That is, because one is overwhelmed with grief, or sorrow, or has abandoned all hope when faced with difficulties.
There are many Hadith and Quranic verses which make it clear that the Muslim who does such a deed will not enter Paradise because such a deed involves the abandonment of Islam: the belief that one should never totally despair; never be totally overwhelmed with misery, and never abandon trust in Allah (SWT).
The Islamic Judgement:
Those - Muslim and non-Muslim - who declare martyrdom operations unlawful, and un-Islamic, consider them to be acts of what they call "suicide", and justify such a declaration by quoting Quranic verses and Hadith which refer to a person killing themselves.
Quite often, those who denounce martyrdom operations use translations of Hadith, or interpretations of the Holy Quran which use the word "suicide". For instance, Ahadith similar to the following are often cited:
The Prophet (saw) said, "He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire (forever) and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire." (Sahih Bukhari)
However, as mentioned above, the use of English words such as "suicide" in such translations is often incorrect, for such modern English words often mean and imply different things than are meant and implied by the Arabic, even though, in the West, the term "suicide" is sometimes understood as an "act, malicious or otherwise, of self-murder". That is, as a basically selfish act done for personal reasons. (In origin the word suicide itself derives from a term for "self".)
One Quranic verse which which is often cited by those who oppose Fidayee attacks is: laa taqtuluu anfusakum (4:29). This is often interpreted as meaning: "Do not kill yourselves..." However, considered in context, are more correct interpretation would be along the following lines:
"You who believe: do not unfairly squander your wealth on one another, save it be for some purpose mutually agreed upon among yourselves. Do not ruin yourself, or one another, for Allah is most Merciful toward you."
Thus, not only are the oft-quoted Ahadith and Quranic verses quoted, and translated or interpreted, incorrectly and out of context, but they are in fact not relevant. For what it is important to understand is that killing oneself because of some personal reason - what is often called committing suicide - is quite different and distinct from martyrdom operations.
The person who commits suicide acts out of despair, or for some personal reason, whereas the Mujahid acts out of love for Allah (SWT) and a desire to please Allah (SWT): to do what Allah (SWT) has commanded, which in the specific instance of martyrdom operations is confronting and attacking the enemies of Islam, even if this means one's own death.
The intention of the Mujahid is - or rather should be - a pure intention, and if this indeed the case then Allah (SWT) may well accept their martyrdom and so admit them into Paradise. A pure intention in this instance is to: (1) harm or kill the enemy; (2) to give strength and encouragement to Muslims; (3) to weaken the resolve of the enemy; (4) to seek the reward of martyrdom, which is Paradise.
It was narrated by Abu Baker Bin Abi Musa, who said: I heard Abu Huraira saying while facing the enemies: "the prophet (s.a.w.) said: 'The doors of Heaven are opened through Jihad'. A poor man asked: 'you heard the prophet (s.a.w.) saying that?' Abu Huraira said: 'yes'. The man went to his companions, and saying: peace be upon you, broke the sheath of his sword and fought to death". [Muslim]
As Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali wrote in Ahya-ul-Uloom ud Din:
There is no dispute that it is permissible for a single Muslim to launch an attack on a whole battalion of the enemy and fight with them even though he may be certain of his death in the attempt.
Many other scholars - such as Ibn Taimiyyah, Ibn Khuwaiz Mindad and Al-Qurtubi - have sanctioned those who, alone, takke on the enemy even though they know they might die.
Furthermore, and of especial importance, is that the Mujahid who undertakes a Fidayee attack puts their trust entirely in Allah (SWT), for such attacks are not - as opponents of Fidayee attacks assume - guaranteed to result in the death of that Mujahid. That is, their death is not certain: they may be captured before the attack; they may be injured; their device may fail for one reason or another. The Mujahid is relying on Allah (SWT) alone because the Mujahid accepts that only Allah (SWT) can know when and where their own death occur, just as only Allah (SWT) will decide on how a person will die, and when. The intention of the Mujahid is to harm the enemies of Islam, to obey Allah's commands and so seek Paradise. Thus, the intentions of the Mujahid are pure, unselfish, and Muslim.
Conclusion:
Despite the attempts to discredit Fidayee attacks by the modernists, by those who seek to pacify and tame Islam, and by those who ally themselves with the infields, it is clear that martyrdom operations are justified and lawful, according to Islam.
"Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allaah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (Shaitaan). So fight against the friends and allies of Shaitaan. " [ An-Nisa' 75 - 76.
Interpretation of Meaning.]
Allah (SWT) knows best.
Are Fidayee Attacks Lawful (According to Quran and Sunnah)?
All Praise and All Thanks are for Allah (SWT) to whom we shall all return to be judged on The Last Day.
We praise Him and ask Him for help and forgiveness; and ask His protection from the mischief of our souls and the bad results of our deeds; whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whom He declares misguided, none can guide to the right path; and I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah: He is Alone, without partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is the Messenger and Servant of Allah (SWT)
What Are Fidayee Attacks?
Fidayee attacks are those where a Muslim - a Mujahid - attacks the enemy in such a way that the death of that Muslim is (should Allah (SWT) so will it) highly likely. These attacks are often called "martyrdom operations". The history of Islam is replete with heroes who have sacrificed their own life for the Way of Life which is Al-Islam.
In modern times, many Fidayee attacks involve the Mujahid detonating an explosive device (attached to themselves or in a vehicle they are driving) when close to, or among, the enemy. This was the case recently in Afghanistan when a Muslima, Umm Hafsah, killed two American soldiers while en route to Kabul.
Such attacks are often incorrectly called "suicide attacks" in the hope of discrediting them. In addition, some Muslims, and some Islamic scholars, have claimed that such "suicide attacks" are forbidden according to the Quran and Sunnah.
Are Martyrdom Operations Lawful?
To understand and answer this question, three things need to be understood:
(1) The criteria used to determine whether such operations are lawful and justified must and can only an Islamic one. That is, the judgement must be made according to Quran and Sunnah, and them alone. All other criteria or standards of judgement must be rejected. To do otherwise, is un-Islamic.
"And whosoever does not judge by what Allâh has revealed, such are the Kâfirûn." [5:44 Interpretation of meaning]
(2) The intentions of the Mujahid who undertakes the attack is important, as is the fact that their is a likelihood of the attack harming or killing enemies.
(3) In a discussion of Islamic sources - Quran and Ahadith - it is important to refer to the meaning of the Arabic, and not to rely on interpretations of meaning which use modern, and often biased, terms and words such as the English word "suicide".
The Unlawful Nature of Killing Oneself:
There is no dispute, among scholars or among the Muslims, that it is forbidden for a person to take their own life, for personal reasons. That is, because one is overwhelmed with grief, or sorrow, or has abandoned all hope when faced with difficulties.
There are many Hadith and Quranic verses which make it clear that the Muslim who does such a deed will not enter Paradise because such a deed involves the abandonment of Islam: the belief that one should never totally despair; never be totally overwhelmed with misery, and never abandon trust in Allah (SWT).
The Islamic Judgement:
Those - Muslim and non-Muslim - who declare martyrdom operations unlawful, and un-Islamic, consider them to be acts of what they call "suicide", and justify such a declaration by quoting Quranic verses and Hadith which refer to a person killing themselves.
Quite often, those who denounce martyrdom operations use translations of Hadith, or interpretations of the Holy Quran which use the word "suicide". For instance, Ahadith similar to the following are often cited:
The Prophet (saw) said, "He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire (forever) and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire." (Sahih Bukhari)
However, as mentioned above, the use of English words such as "suicide" in such translations is often incorrect, for such modern English words often mean and imply different things than are meant and implied by the Arabic, even though, in the West, the term "suicide" is sometimes understood as an "act, malicious or otherwise, of self-murder". That is, as a basically selfish act done for personal reasons. (In origin the word suicide itself derives from a term for "self".)
One Quranic verse which which is often cited by those who oppose Fidayee attacks is: laa taqtuluu anfusakum (4:29). This is often interpreted as meaning: "Do not kill yourselves..." However, considered in context, are more correct interpretation would be along the following lines:
"You who believe: do not unfairly squander your wealth on one another, save it be for some purpose mutually agreed upon among yourselves. Do not ruin yourself, or one another, for Allah is most Merciful toward you."
Thus, not only are the oft-quoted Ahadith and Quranic verses quoted, and translated or interpreted, incorrectly and out of context, but they are in fact not relevant. For what it is important to understand is that killing oneself because of some personal reason - what is often called committing suicide - is quite different and distinct from martyrdom operations.
The person who commits suicide acts out of despair, or for some personal reason, whereas the Mujahid acts out of love for Allah (SWT) and a desire to please Allah (SWT): to do what Allah (SWT) has commanded, which in the specific instance of martyrdom operations is confronting and attacking the enemies of Islam, even if this means one's own death.
The intention of the Mujahid is - or rather should be - a pure intention, and if this indeed the case then Allah (SWT) may well accept their martyrdom and so admit them into Paradise. A pure intention in this instance is to: (1) harm or kill the enemy; (2) to give strength and encouragement to Muslims; (3) to weaken the resolve of the enemy; (4) to seek the reward of martyrdom, which is Paradise.
It was narrated by Abu Baker Bin Abi Musa, who said: I heard Abu Huraira saying while facing the enemies: "the prophet (s.a.w.) said: 'The doors of Heaven are opened through Jihad'. A poor man asked: 'you heard the prophet (s.a.w.) saying that?' Abu Huraira said: 'yes'. The man went to his companions, and saying: peace be upon you, broke the sheath of his sword and fought to death". [Muslim]
As Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali wrote in Ahya-ul-Uloom ud Din:
There is no dispute that it is permissible for a single Muslim to launch an attack on a whole battalion of the enemy and fight with them even though he may be certain of his death in the attempt.
Many other scholars - such as Ibn Taimiyyah, Ibn Khuwaiz Mindad and Al-Qurtubi - have sanctioned those who, alone, takke on the enemy even though they know they might die.
Furthermore, and of especial importance, is that the Mujahid who undertakes a Fidayee attack puts their trust entirely in Allah (SWT), for such attacks are not - as opponents of Fidayee attacks assume - guaranteed to result in the death of that Mujahid. That is, their death is not certain: they may be captured before the attack; they may be injured; their device may fail for one reason or another. The Mujahid is relying on Allah (SWT) alone because the Mujahid accepts that only Allah (SWT) can know when and where their own death occur, just as only Allah (SWT) will decide on how a person will die, and when. The intention of the Mujahid is to harm the enemies of Islam, to obey Allah's commands and so seek Paradise. Thus, the intentions of the Mujahid are pure, unselfish, and Muslim.
Conclusion:
Despite the attempts to discredit Fidayee attacks by the modernists, by those who seek to pacify and tame Islam, and by those who ally themselves with the infields, it is clear that martyrdom operations are justified and lawful, according to Islam.
"Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allaah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (Shaitaan). So fight against the friends and allies of Shaitaan. " [ An-Nisa' 75 - 76.
Interpretation of Meaning.]
Allah (SWT) knows best.
posted by Casey Britton | 1:43 AM
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