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:

Dear Burhan Bhai,

Please comment on this verse in the context of your message bellow. I think Muslims must fight against the nations mentioned below unless they accept the suparamacy of Allah Subhana...However indiscriminate killngs of women , childern and old people is severly condemened. Unfartunatly we, muslims stopped the process under the influance of the modern humanitarianism while it has no place in Islam.

[9:29] You shall fight against those who do not believe in GOD, nor in the Last Day, nor do they prohibit what GOD and His messenger have prohibited, nor do they abide by the religion of truth - among those who received the Scripture - until they pay the due tax, willingly or unwillingly.

Your Brother

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Answer:

Verse of Quran fight disbelivers

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 translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali of the same Aayah of Glorious Quran Surah Taubah verse 29 is:

29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book; until they pay the Jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.

To understand the message of the above Aayah would require a little historical background and circumstances during which time this Surah Taubah was revealed.

This Surah comprises of three discourses. The first discourse (verses 1-37), was revealed in Zil-Qa'adah A.H. 9 or thereabout. As the importance of the subject of the discourse required its declaration on the occasion of Hajj, the Holy Prophet (saws) dispatched Hadrat Ali to follow Hadrat Abu Bakr, who had already left for Makkah as leader of the Pilgrims to the Ka'abah. He instructed Hadrat Ali to deliver the discourse before the representatives of the different clans of Arabia so as to inform them of the new policy towards the mushriks.

At the time of the revelation of the above Surah, almost all of Arabia had come under the sway of Islam, save some very insignificant pockets of pagans. Islam had established itself as a powerful, well organized, and civilized Islamic State.

Now that the administration of the whole of Arabia had come in the hands of the Believers, and all the opposing powers had become helpless, it was necessary to make a clear declaration of that policy which was to be adopted to make her a perfect Dar-ul-Islam.

Therefore a clear declaration was made that all the treaties with the mushriks were abolished and the Muslims would be released from the treaty obligations with them, and a respite of four months was given to them to make their choice.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verses 1-3:

1 A (declaration) of immunity from Allah and His Messenger, to those of the pagans with whom ye have contracted mutual alliances.

2 Go ye then for four months backwards and forwards (as ye will) throughout the land, but know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah (by your falsehood), but that Allah will cover with shame those who reject him.

3 And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage: that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the pagans. If then ye repent it were best for you; but if ye turn away know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject faith.

This declaration was necessary for uprooting completely the system of life based on shirk and to make Arabia exclusively the center of Islam so that it should not in any way interfere with the spirit of Islam, nor become an internal danger for it.

A decree was issued that the guardianship of the Kaabah, which held central position in all the affairs of Arabia, should be wrested from the mushriks and placed permanently in the hands of the Believers, and that all the customs and practices of the shirk of the era of 'ignorance' should be forcibly abolished: that the mushriks should not be allowed even to come near the "House" (9:28).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 28:

28 O ye who believe! Truly the pagans are unclean; so let them not after this year of theirs approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty soon will Allah enrich you if He wills out of his bounty for Allah is All-Knowing All-Wise.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verses 12-14:

12 But if they violate their oaths after their covenant and taunt you for your faith, fight ye the chiefs of unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: that thus they may be restrained.

13 Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger, and took the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear them? Nay it is Allah whom ye should more justly fear if ye believe!

14 Fight them and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory) over them, heal the breasts of believers.

This was to eradicate every trace of shirk from the "Sacred House" that was dedicated exclusively to the worship of Allah. In order to enable the Muslims to extend the influence of Islam outside Arabia, they were enjoined to crush with sword the non-Muslim powers and to force them to accept the sovereignty of the Islamic State. As the Roman and Iranian Empires were the biggest hindrances in the way, a conflict with them was inevitable. The object of Jihad was not to coerce them to accept Islam. They were free to accept or not to accept it, but to prevent them from thrusting forcibly their deviations upon others and the coming generations. The Muslims were enjoined to tolerate their misguidance only to the extent that they might have the freedom to remain on their religion, if they chose to be so, provided that they paid Jizyah (9: 29) as a sign of their subjugation to the Islamic State.

Your Statement: I think Muslims must fight against the nations mentioned below unless they accept the suparamacy of Allah Subhana...

Beloved brother in Islam, one must earnestly study the ‘Seerah’ of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to determine an action that needs to be taken, and be careful not to base one’s action plan from the understanding of one verse in isolation.

When indeed the conditions are created, and it is the promise of Allah that such conditions will be created in the future, where the Muslim Ummah is comparatively powerful and able to confront its various enemies; it is inevitable that the commands of Aayah 29 of Surah Taubah will be followed. The decision to confront the enemies in armed conflict is not a decision an individual or a group of individuals declare on their own, but it is a decision the leader of the united Muslim Ummah or Ameer will make and enforce.

It is obvious when one looks at the state of the Muslim Ummah today, that they are not the dominant power of the world today, nor is it united under the leadership of one Ameer or leader. Thus our duty at this time as individuals is to make sure that we first and foremost embrace Islam upon ourselves wholeheartedly, spread and invite all who care to listen to good caution to the religion of Truth, and earnestly and sincerely try to create the conditions which will help unite the Ummah into one united dominant power in the affairs of the world. Then and only then will arise the situation when the leader of the united Muslim Ummah will be in a position to enforce this Aayah on the ones who chose to reject the Truth and declare the conditions to the pagans:

1. Accept Islam and become our brothers in faith
2. Pay the Jizya tax as a sign and token of your acceptance of the supremacy of Islam.
3. If both the above are rejected, then and only then, will arise the issue of armed conflict.

Some over-zealous and impatient people in the Ummah have declared their intention to initiate an armed conflict with the enemies of Islam, without realizing or studying the conditions that need to apply before that absolute and final stage. In their eagerness and over-zealousness, they even label the believers who advice patience and steadfastness in these trying times for the Ummah as cowards and misguided!

But the truth is that what is needed today is patience and steadfastness for the Ummah to wholeheartedly embrace Islam upon themselves and strive without violence towards creating the conditions that would unite and make the Muslim Ummah a dominant power under one united leadership. Allah Alone Knows Best how long this effort might take to fruitation…it may take 50 years or 500 years or 5,000 years… but that is the only way it can and should be done.

If one looks at the state of the affairs of the world today, the dominant western powers of the world enforce their ideas and views on the weaker nations of the world, and the weak nations have to willingly or unwillingly accept and submit to their whims and fancies! If truth be told, it is unfortunate but today it is the muslim nations that are forced to pay the ‘jizya’ to these dominant western powers in one form or another!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 61 Surah Saff verse 9:

It is Allah Who has sent His Messenger with the Guidance, and the Religion of Truth so that He may cause it to prevail over all other deens; much as the ‘mushriks’ may detest it!

Beloved brother in Islam, the promise of Allah is true and He has and will fulfill His promise when the Muslim Ummah decides to wake up and fulfill their part of the covenant they have made to their Creator. It is the Decision and Declaration of Allah Subhanah that Islam will become the dominant power in the world and prevail over all the other ‘deens’ or ways of the world; much as the pagans may detest it!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 11:

Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves. But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find besides Him any to protect.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa verse 122:

The promise of Allah is true, and who can be truer in his word than Allah?

Allah Subhanah will fulfill His promise and His Word and His Supremacy will be established in the world before its end! The thing that we have to determine is what role are we going to perform in creating the conditions that will lead to His Word and His Kingdom being the Highest and Supreme in this world.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verses 54-57:

54 Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger: but if ye turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him, and ye for that placed on you. If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to preach the clear (Message)."

55 Allah has promised to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds that He will of a surety grant them in the land inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state) after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: `They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me.' If any do reject faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked.

56 So establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity: and obey the Messenger; that ye may receive mercy.

57 Never think thou that the Unbelievers are going to frustrate (Allah's Plan) on earth: their abode is the Fire and it is indeed an evil refuge!

May Allah Subhanah give you and us and all the Ummah the wisdom, the courage, the patience, the perseverance, and the steadfastness to strive with everything in our means to make His Word Supreme on this earth. May Allah Subhanah forgive us our innumerable shortcomings and our errors in fulfilling the mission He has prescribed for us, have mercy on us, and save us all from His Wrath, His Anger and His Punishment. Ameen.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 54-57:

54 O ye who believe! If any from among you turn back from his faith, soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him, humble with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting (or striving) in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the Grace of Allah which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth: and Allah encompasseth all and He knoweth all things.

55 Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers; those who establish regular prayers, and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship).

56 As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers; it is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph.

57 O ye who believe! Take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport, whether among those who received the Scripture before you or among those who reject faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have Faith (indeed).

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,

Burhan