Jihad: The forgotten obligation

34: Glad Tidings of Fighting Against the Jews

Narrated Abdullah ibn 'Umar (ra) Allah's Apostle (saw) said "You (ie the Muslims) will fight the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will betray them saying, "O Abdullah! there is a Jew behind me, so kill him". (Sahih Bukhari, p.410)

There has been continuous emnity between the unbelievers and believers from the beginning, as Allah says: "We said "Get you all down, some of you shall be enemy of some other". (2:36)

The law of emnity of some against others has been revlead the day man was sent down to earth. The simple understanding of the difference between the unbelievers and believers is similar to the difference of light and darkness, black and white or happiness and sadness. It is in the nature of the unbeliever to hate Islam and Muslims. They will do their utmost and their sole aim of living is to detroy or cause harm to the Muslims. This is why the kuffar have always been fighting against the Muslims and will carry on doing so Allah said

"And the infidels shall be always fighting with you till they turn you back from your Religion". (2:217)

The kuffar have always been friendly and helpful to each other against the Muslims and although they have significant differences amongs themselves they have been determined to be united against the Muslims. As the Prophet (Saw) said, "The unbelievers are one nation". In respect to this unity against the Muslims, the Quran states

"O believers! do not make the Jews and Christians your friends. They are the friends of one another. And whosoever makes them his friends, he is verily one of them. Allah does not guide the wrongdoers." (Maidah:51)

They become friends of one another although they have mighty differences and hidden emnity against each other.

The translation of Wali has been explained as friend, but wali does not only mean a friend but also friendship, helping, aiding, etc. This is why the Muslims have been ordered to clearly announce that they have no friendship with the unbelievers.

There are different grades amongst the kuffar in which some are above others.

As Allah reveals in the Quran

"Though you will find the most hostile of men to the Muslims, the Jews and the Mushrikeen" (Maidah:82)

Briefly we find out by looking into the books of history that the Jews are the worst enemies of Islam, from the Holy Prophet's (saw) era to our era. Hatred of islam has been their preoccupation. But the Muslims have been deceived many times from this sever enemy due to their lack of knowledge and awareness. By making these mistakes generations of Muslim have been wiped out by these Jewish oppressors. It was on account of this, that the Prophet (saw) fought against the Jews. Furthermore he explained the virtue and glad tidings of fighting against the Jews for the coming generation. When the time of Judgement will draw near, Isa (as) and al-Mahdi will come. The Muslims will join them and fight the final battle against the Jews and at that time not even a stone will give refuge to them.

The Qur'an has also stated one solution to save ourselves from the Jewish plots and to overpower them. This is fighting in the path of Allah. We find out from Allah's revelations that this plotting group cannot challenge you in the battle field as stated in the Quran

"They will do you no harm, barring a trifling annoyance; and if they fight against you, they will show you their backs, and they will not be helped" (al-'Imran:111)

Allah has promised us glory and victory over this Satanic army provided we prove ourselves to be the best Ummah. They can never destroy us. They can, of course, bring about a trifling loss or hurt us a little by abusing us.

They can never, however gain predominance despite their riches and heavy armaments. If they fight against us, they will turn their backs and they would not receive any help from any quarter to over turn their defeat and humiliation. This prophecy proved correct word by word in the resplendent period of the sahaba. The people of the book met the same fate as mentioned above. They tried their level best to destroy the Muslims and their glorious deen, squandered a lot of wealth in their vain desire to eradicate Islam dn the upholders of Islam, but to no avail. Wherever they encountered the muslims, they fled away like terrified donkeys. The help of Allah always made the Muslims prevail against tremendous odds.

Dear Muslim brothers and sisters, Allah has promised His help to us and has convinced us that these Jews do not have the capability to face you in the battlefield. This can only take place when the Muslims will enter the battlefield or else the Muslims cannot challenge them in the power of speech and plots. The Jews can degrade the Muslim on the table or in politics by their evil plots, but they have always been defeated in the file of J*haad and will be defeated in the future by the Muslims, but he Muslims have left this field (of j*haad) empty. If there is some fighting (against the Jews) it is not on the base of Islam but for nationalism from which the Jews are benefitting.

May Allah swt grant all the Muslims the true concern so that they may prepare themselves for the confrontation with this worst enemy and so that they make take off the cloak of humiliation and wear the cloak of dignity of Jihaad.

Here we will mention some of the operations which took place against the Jews in the Prophet (saw)'s time, so that the zeal of fighting against the Jews may enter the Muslim's heart.

* the Battle of Banu Qaynuka
* the Killing of Ka'b ibn Ashraf
* the Battle of Banu Nadhir
* the Battle against Banu Qurayda

Some Narrations About the Expulsion of the Jews from Arabia

Abu Huraira (ra) said, "While we were in the masjid the Prophet (saw) came out and said, "Come on to the Jews". So we went out with him and came to the house where they read their scriptures and the Prophet (saw) stood up and said, "If you Jews accept Islam you will be safe. Know that the land belongs to Allah and His Messenger (saw) and I intend to deport you from this land; so if any of you has property (he cannot take away) he must sell it." (Sahih Bukhari, p.449, vol.1, Sahih Muslim, p.94, vol.2; Mishkat, p.865)

Ibn Abbas (ra) told that Allah's Messenger (saw) gave three instructions before departing from the world, saying "Expel the polytheists from Arabia; reward deputation's as I did." Ibn Abbas said either that he did not mention the third or that he (ie Ibn Abbas) had been caused to forget it.(Sahih Bukhari, p.449, vol.1, Mishkat, p.965, Sahih Muslim).

Jabir ibn Abdullah said he was told by Umar ibn al Khattab that he had heard Allah's Messenger (saw) say, "I will certainly expel the Jews and the Christians from Arabia so as to leave only Muslims in it." Muslim transmitted it. A version has, "if I live, Allah willing, I will certainly expel the Jews and the Christians from Arabia".(Sahih Muslim, p.24, vol.2; Mishkat, p.866)

Ibn 'Umar told that, 'Umar ibn al Khattab deported the Jews and the Christians from the land of the Hijaz and when Allah's Messenger (saw) got supremacy over the people of Khaybar and he intended to expel the Jews from it, for when the land was conquered it belonged to Allah, His Messenger (saw), and the Muslims. But the Jews asked Allah's Messenger (saw) to leave them on condition that they should do all the cultivation and have half the produce, and he replied, "We shall confirm you on that condition as long we wish". So they were confirmed til 'Umar deported them during his period of rule to Taima and Jericho. (Bukhari, Muslim, Mishkat, p.866)

Ibn Umar told that Umar stood up to make a speech and said, "Allah's Messenger (saw) employed the Jews of Khaybar to work their property and told them he would confirm them in it as long as Allah did and I have now seen good to deport them." When 'Umar decided on that, one of the Banu Abul Huqaiq came to him and said, "Commander of the Faithful, are you expelling us when Muhammad (saw) has confirmed us in our property and employed us to work it?". Umar replied, "Do you think I have forgotten what Allah's messenger (saw) said when he asked how you would feel when you were expelled from Khaybar, your camel running along with you night after night?" He said "This was a little joke on the part of Abul Qasim," to which Umar retorted, "You lie, enemy of Allah". He then deported them, giving them the value of the fruits they possessed in money, camels and goods such as saddles, ropes, etc. (Bukhari transmitted it, Mishkat, p.865)