THE WAR ON MUSLIMS

Many people feel there is a war going on against Muslims and Islam. Certainly Muslim people are among those suffering from war in parts of the world as world powers and different groups seek control. There is also the war of words as people speak for or against Islam, and there are even Muslims fighting Muslims. This is a complex situation. This article looks at how the Qur'an and Sunnah contribute to the war against Muslims, and what the prophets can teach us about this situation.

The Qur'an

O you who believe! Observe your duty to Allah, and give up what remaineth (due to you) from usury, if you are (in truth) believers. And if you do not, then be warned of war (against you) from Allah and His messenger. And if you repent, then you have your principal (without interest). Wrong not, and you shall not be wronged. (Qur'an 2:278-279, Pickthall)
The context of the above verses is that some Muslims want to get the usury (interest) that was still owed to them before they became Muslims. They are warned that if they seek this usury then Allah and Muhammad will make war on them. We see a similar command in 9:73.

O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end. (Qur'an 9:73, Pitckthall)
The context here is that Muhammad is calling the Muslims to Jihad. Some of the Muslim tribes do not want to fight, therefore, they are called hypocrites and Muhammad is to fight against them until they join the Jihad.

Again we see in 49:9, that Muhammad is commanded to fight a group of Muslims until they "return unto the ordinance of Allah".

And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable. (Qur'an 49:9, Pickthall)
The Sunnah

Muhammad commanded the true Muslims to make war on those Muslims who did not stop using alcohol.

Narrated Daylam al-Himyari: I asked the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and said: Apostle of Allah! we live in a cold land in which we do heavy work and we make a liquor from wheat to get strength from it for our work and to stand the cold of our country. He asked: Is it intoxicating? I replied: Yes. He said: You must avoid it. I said: The people will not abandon it. He said: If they do not abandon it, fight with them. (Abu Dawood: bk 26, no. 3675, Hasan)
Muhammad commanded the true Muslims to destroy the mosques of the false Muslims.

The owners of the mosque of opposition had come to the apostle as he was preparing for (to attack) Tabuk, saying, "We have built a mosque for the sick and needy and for nights of bad weather, and we should like you to come to us and pray for us there." He said that he was on the point of travelling, and was preoccupied ... and that when he came back if God willed he would come to them and pray for them in it. When he stopped in Dhu Awan news of the mosque came to him, and he summoned Malik b. al-Dukhshum ... and Ma'n b. `Adiy ... and told them to go to the mosque of those evil men and destroy and burn it. ... and then the two of them ran into the mosque where its people were and burned and destroyed it and the people ran away from it. (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 609)
After Muhammad died, Abu Bakr also made war on the Muslims who stopped paying the zakat (tax).

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 when 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, saves his wealth and his life from me unless he deserves a legal punishment justy, 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." (Bukhari: vol 9, bk. 92, no. 388, Khan)
Muhammad's war on Muslims

These references show that the Qur'an and Sunnah command faithful Muslims to make war on those Muslims who do not obey all of Islam's teaching. This is a very important aspect of Jihad. Jihad is not just against non-Muslims; it is also against Muslims. This is why the Taliban, al-Qaeda and other groups attack Muslims. They believe that they themselves are the true Muslims and that it is their duty to fight other Muslims until they accept every aspect of Islamic law (shariah).

This Islamic war against Muslims has existed since the time of Muhammad and is not a new occurrence. Muslims have been killing and assassinating each other from the beginning of Islam. Non-Muslim countries did not start this war, and they cannot stop it. When non-Muslim countries support Muslim leaders who do not implement every aspect of Islamic law they have taken a side in this war whether they realise it or not.

Living with this Command

The Qur'an and Sunnah commands the "rightly guided" Muslims to make war on those Muslims who do not obey all of the Islamic law. This command comes from a very noble and right desire, that is, to see God exalted in every area of life and to have all things ordered by his word. The problem is that no one can be trusted to have this type of power.

When Muslims believe they are the "rightly guided" ones and they impose their will on other Muslims, it leads to tyranny, corruption and not genuine worship of God. Many Muslims in the world are suffering from those Muslims who believe they are the "rightly guided ones". (Examples: 1, 2, 3).

In most Muslim countries there are Islamic groups who are trying to overthrow the government because these governments are not Islamic enough. There is also the unending and uncontrollable war between the "rightly guided" Muslims who disagree with each other; they are fighting each other to establish an Islamic purity they will never achieve.

This command for the "rightly guided" Muslims to fight other Muslims is a complete disaster for Islam and the world. This command does not solve the problem of people not worshipping God. Instead it only creates more problems and leads to God's name being mocked in the world.

Why does this command fail to work?

What God has said about his government.