Are citizens of U.S. legitimate targets for Retaliation?
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa
Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be
upon all of you)
One of our
brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Asalaam – Allaykum
I would like to
know whether ordinary citizens of the
hudaa- Haafiz
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Are citizens of U.S.
In the name of Allah, We praise
Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none
can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright.
We bear witness that there is no one (no idol,
no person, no grave, no
prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone,
and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of
His Messengers.
The principles of Islam state
that we, as believers, are not allowed to attack or kill any civilians, old
people, women, children, etc., even if their countries are at war against us. The believers are only allowed to fight
those who fight against us in war. No
matter how many atrocities and aggression the disbelievers may do against us
and our civilians, we are not allowed by Islam and Shariah
to transgress the boundaries of Allah, and retaliate by killing their
civilians. We cannot allow their
injustices and enmity to provoke us to such an extent, that we over-step the
boundaries set by Allah and His Messenger (saws).
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 8:O you who have
believed! Be steadfast in righteousness
and just in giving witness for the sake of Allah. The enmity of any people should not so
provoke you as to turn you away from justice.
Do justice; for it is akin to piety.
Fear Allah! Indeed, He is fully
aware of what you do.
When a believer sees the
atrocities and aggression done against brother muslims, it obviously becomes very difficult for him
to control his emotions and his feelings for revenge against the
oppressors. But, no amount of emotions
or feelings for revenge allows a believer, who believes in Allah and the Last
Day, to transgress the boundaries that Allah has set for them. At these trying times, we must be patient,
steadfast, and pious; and pray to Allah to help us against the oppressors.
The argument that some people
have given that ordinary Americans are valid targets simply because they pay
taxes to the US Governement, is invalid in Shariah and
Islam. Even at the time of the Prophet
(saws), there were civilians who spent their money to wage war against the muslims…but
never ever did the Prophet (saws) allow the killing of civilians. In Islam, we are only allowed to fight those
who fight against us on the actual plains of war.
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 190:Fight in the
cause of Allah with those who fight against you, but do not transgress the limits;
for Allah does not love the transgressors.
Whatever written of Truth and
benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error
is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He
is the Only Source of Strength.
Your Brother in Islam,
Wister