What is Jihad? An extract from the Pakistan's Justice Munir Commission Report of 1954 to look into Muslim vs. Muslim killings of 1953

7/30/2019 What is Jihad? An extract from the Pakistan's Justice Munir Commission Report of 1954 to look into Muslim vs. Mu

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- On Jihad -

Extractfromthe

ReportofTheCourtofInquiryconstitutedunder

PunjabActIIof1954toenquireinthe

PunjabDisturbancesof1953[]

EarlierwehavepointedoutthatoneofthedoctrinesonwhichtheMusalmansand

Ahmadisareatvarianceisthatofjihad.

Thisdoctrineatonceraisesahostofotheralliedmatterssuchasthemeaningsofghazi,shahid,jihad-bis-saif,jihadfisabilillah,dar-ulIslam,dar-ul-harb,hijrat,

ghanima,khumsandslavery,andtheconflictorreconciliationoftheseconceptionswithmoderninternationalproblemssuchasaggression,genocide,internationalcriminaljurisdiction,internationalconventionsandrulesofpublicinternationallaw.

AnIslamicStateisdar-ul-Islam,namely,acountrywhereordinancesofIslamareestablishedandwhichisundertheruleofaMuslimsovereign.

ItsinhabitantsareMuslimsandalsonon-MuslimswhohavesubmittedtoMuslimcontrolandwhoundercertainrestrictionsandwithoutthepossibilityoffull

citizenshipareguaranteedtheirlivesandpropertybytheMuslimState.Theymust,however,bepeopleofScripturesandmaynotbeidolaters.

AnIslamicStateisintheoryperpetuallyatwarwiththeneighbouringnon-Muslimcountry,whichatanytimemaybecomedar-ul-harb,inwhichcaseitisthedutyof

theMuslimsofthatcountrytoleaveitandtocomeovertothecountryoftheirbrethreninfaith.

WeputthisaspecttoMaulanaAbulAlaMaudoodiandreproducehisviews:

Q.isacountryontheborderofdar-ul-IslamalwaysquaanIslamicStatein

thepositionofdar-ul-harb?

A.No.Intheabsenceofanagreementtothecontrary,theIslamicStatewill

bepotentiallyatwarwiththenon-Muslimneighbouringcountry.Thenon-Muslimcountryacquiresthestatusofdar-ul-harbonlyaftertheIslamicState

declaresaformalwaragainstit.

AccordingtoGhias-ul-Lughat,dar-ul-harbisacountrybelongingtoinfidelswhich

hasnotbeensubduedbyIslam,andtheconsequencesofacountrybecomingdarul-harbarethusstatedintheShorterEncyclopaediaofIslam:


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REPORTOFTHECOURTOFINQUIRYCONSTITUTEDUNDERPUNJABACTIIOF

1954TOENQUIREINTOTHEPUNJABDISTURBANCESOF1953

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222

Whenacountrydoesbecomeadar-ul-harb,itisthedutyofallMuslimsto

withdrawfromit,andawifewhorefusestoaccompanyherhusbandinthis,isipsofactodivorced.

ThusincaseofawarbetweenIndiaandPakistan,ifthelatterisanIslamicState,wemustbepreparedtoreceivefortymillionMuslimsfromacrosstheborderinto

Pakistan.Infact,MaulanaAbdulHaamidBadayuni,President,Jamiat-ul-Ulama-i-Pakistan,thinksthatacaseforhijratalreadyexistsfortheMusalmansofIndia.The

followingishisviewonthissubject:

Q.DoyoucallyourmigrationtoPakistanashijratinthereligioussense?

A.Yes.

WeshallpresentlypointoutwhyMirzaGhulamAhmadsversionofthedoctrineofjihadisreliedonasagroundforhisandhiscommunityskufr,butbeforewedothat

itisnecessaryfirsttostatehowjihadhasbeenorisunderstoodbytheMusalmans.

Therearevarioustheoriesaboutjihadwhichvaryfromthecrudenotionofa

megalomaniacmovedbyreligiousfrenzygoingoutarmedwithswordand

indiscriminatelyslaughteringnon-Muslimsinthebeliefthatifhediesinthecombathebecomesashahidandifhesucceedsinkillingattainsthestatusofaghazi,tothe

conceptionthataMusalmanthroughouthislifeispittedagainstkufr,kufrherebeingusedinthesenseofevilandwrong,andthathisprincipalactivityinlifeisto

strivebyargumentawherenecessarybyforcetospreadIslamuntilitbecomesa

worldreligion.

Inthelattercasehefightsnotforanypersonalendbutbecauseheconsiderssuch

strifeasadutyandanobligationwhichheowestoAllahandtheonlyrecompense

forwhichisthepleasureofAllah.

TheShorterEncyclopediaofIslamcontainsthefollowingbriefarticleondjihad:

DJIHAD(A),holywar.ThespreadofIslambyarmsisareligiousdutyuponMuslimsingeneral.Itnarrowlyescapedbeingasixthrukn,orfundamental

duty,andisindeedstillsoregardedbythedescendantsoftheKharidjis.This

positionwasreachedgraduallybutquickly.IntheMeccanSurasoftheQuranpatienceunderattackistaught;nootherattitudewaspossible.Butat

Medinatherighttorepelattackappears,andgraduallyitbecameaprescribeddutytofightagainstandsubduethehostileMeccans.

WhetherMuhammadhimselfrecognisedthathispositionimpliedsteadyandunprovokedwaragainsttheunbelievingworlduntilitwassubduedto

Islammaybeindoubt.Traditionsareexplicitonthepoint;buttheQuranic

passagesspeakalwaysoftheunbelieverswhoaretobesubduedasdangerousorfaithless.Still,thestoryofhiswritingtothepowersaroundhim

showsthatsuchauniversalpositionwasimplicitinhismind,anditcertainly


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developedimmediatelyafterhisdeath,whentheMuslimarmiesadvanced

outofArabia.

Itisnowafardalal-kifaya,adutyingeneralonallmale,free,adultMuslims,

saneinmindandbodyandhavingmeansenoughtoreachtheMuslimarmy,yetnotadutynecessarilyincumbentoneveryindividualbutsufficiently

performedwhendonebyacertainnumber.SoitmustcontinuetobedoneuntilthewholeworldisundertheruleofIslam.Itmustbecontrolledor

headedbyaMuslimsovereignorimam.

AstheimamoftheShiasisnowinvisible,theycannothaveadjihaduntilhe

reappears.Further,therequirementwillbemetifsuchasovereignmakesan

expeditiononceayear,or,even,inthelaterview,ifhemakesannualpreparationforone.Thepeopleagainstwhomthedjihadisdirectedmust

firstbeinvitedtoembraceIslam.Onrefusaltheyhaveanotherchoice.

TheymaysubmittoMuslimrule,becomedhimmis(q.v.)andpaydjizyaand

kharadj(q.v.)orfight.Inthefirstcase,theirlives,familiesandpropertyareassuredtothem,buttheyhaveadefinitelyinferiorstatus,withnotechnical

citizenship,andastandingonlyasprotectedwards.Iftheyfight,theyand

theirfamiliesmaybeenslavedandalltheirpropertyseizedasbooty,four-fifthsofwhichgoestotheconqueringarmy.IftheyembraceIslam,anditis

opentothemtodosoevenwhenthearmiesarefacetoface,theybecomepartoftheMuslimcommunitywithallitsrightsandduties.Apostatesmust

beputtodeath.

ButifaMuslimcountryisinvadedbyunbelievers,theimammayissuea

generalsummonscallingallMuslimstheretoarms,andasthedangergrows

somaybethewidthofthesummonsuntilthewholeMuslimworldisinvolved.AMuslimwhodiesfightinginthepathofAllah(fisabilAllah)is

martyr(shahid)andisassuredofParadiseandofpeculiarprivilegesthere.Suchadeathwas,intheearlygenerations,regardedasthepeculiarcrownof

apiouslife.Itisstill,onoccasions,astrongincitement,butwhenIslam

ceasedtoconqueritlostitssupremevalue.

Evenyet,however,anywarbetweenMuslimsandnon-Muslimsmustbeadjihadwithitsincitementsandrewards.Ofcourse,suchmodernmovements

astheso-calledMutaziliinIndiaandtheYoungTurkinTurkeyrejectthis

andendeavourtoexplainawayitsbasis;buttheMuslimmassesstillfollow

theunanimousvoiceofthecanonlawyers.Islammustbecompletelymadeoverbeforethedoctrineofdjihadcanbeeliminated.

ThegenerallyacceptedviewisthatthefifthversetoSura-i-Tauba(SuraIX)

abrogatedtheearlierversesrevealedinMeccawhichpermittedthekillingofkuffaronlyinself-defence.AsagainstthistheAhmadisbelievethatnoversointheQuran

wasabrogatedbyanotherverseandthatbothsetsofverses,namely,theMeccan


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versesandtherelativeversesinSura-i-Taubahavedifferentscopesandcanstand

together.

Thisintroducesthedifficultcontroversyofnasikhandmansukh,withallits

implications.ItisarguedonbehalfoftheAhmadisthatthedoctrineofnasikhandmansukhisopposedtothebeliefintheexistenceofanoriginalScriptureinHeaven,

andthatimplicitinthisdoctrineistheadmissionthatunlesstheverseallegedtoberepealedwasmeantforaspecificoccasionandbythecomingofthatoccasion

fulfilleditspurposeandthusspentitself,Goddidnotknowofthesubsequent

circumstanceswhichwouldmaketheearlierverseinapplicableorleadtoanundesiredresult.

Thethirdresultofthisdoctrine,itispointedout,cutsattheveryrootoftheclaimthatlawsofIslamareimmutableandinflexiblebecauseifchangedcircumstances

madeanewrevelationnecessary,anychangeinthecircumstancessubsequenttothecompletionoftherevelationwouldmakemostoftherevelationotioseor

obsolete.

Wearewhollyincompetenttopronounceonthemeritsofthiscontroversybutwhat

hastobepointedoutistheresulttowhichthedoctrineofjihadwillleadif,as

appearsfromthearticleintheShorterEncyclopaediaofIslamandotherwritingsproducedbeforeusincludingonebyMaulanaAbulAlaMaudoodiandanotherby

MaulanaShabbirAhmadUsmani,itinvolvesthespreadofIslambyarmsandconquest.

AggressionandgenocidearenowoffencesagainsthumanityforwhichundersentencespronouncedbydifferentInternationaltribunalsatNuremburgandTokio

thewarlordsofGermanyandJapanhadtoforfeittheirlives,andthereishardlyany

differencebetweentheoffencesofaggressionandgenocideontheonehandandthedoctrineofspreadofIslambyarmsandconquestontheother.

AnInternationalConventionongenocideisabouttobeconcludedbutiftheviewof

jihadpresentedtousiscorrect,Pakistancannotbeapartytoit.

AndwhilethefollowingversesintheMeccaSurascontaininthemthesublime

principlewhichinternationaljuristshaveonlyfaintlybeguntodiscover,wemustgo

onpreachingthataggressionisthechiefcharacteristicofIslam.:

SuraII,verses190and193:

190.FightintheCauseofGodThosewhofightyou,Butdonottransgresslimits;

ForGodlovethnottransgressors.

193.Andfightthemon

UntilthereisnomoreTumultoroppression,


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Andthereprevail

JusticeandfaithinGod;Butiftheycease,

LettherebenohostilityExcepttothose

Whopractiseoppression.

SuraXXII,verses39and40:

39.TothoseagainstwhomWarismade,permission

Isgiven(tofight)because

Theyarewronged;andverily,GodismostPowerful

Fortheiraid

40.(Theyare)thosewhohave

BeenexpelledfromtheirhomesIndefianceofright,

(Fornocause)except

Thattheysay,OurLordIsGod.DidnotGod

CheckonesetofpeopleBymeansofanother,

Therewouldsurelyhavebeen

Pulleddownmonasteries,churches,Synagogues,andmosques,inwhich

ThenameofGodiscommemorated

Inabundantmeasure.GodwillCertainlyaidthosewho

AidHis(cause);forverilyGodisFullofStrength,

ExaltedinMight,

(AbletoenforceHisWill),

ThelawrelatingtoprisonersofwarisanotherbranchofIslamiclawwhichisboundtocomeinconflictwithInternationalLaw.

Asforinstance,inmattersrelatingtothetreatmentofprisonersofwar,weshall

havetobegovernedbyMaulanaAbulAlaMaudoodisview,assumingthatviewisbasedontheQuranandthesunna,whichisasfollows:

Q.IstherealawofwarinIslam?

A.Yes.

Q.DoesitdifferfundamentallyfromthemodernInternationalLawofwar?


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A.Thesetwosystemsarebasedonafundamentaldifference.

Q.Whatrightshavenon-Muslimswhoaretakenprisonersofwarina

jihad?

A.TheIslamiclawonthepointisthatifthecountryofwhichthese

prisonersarenationalspaysransom,theywillbereleased.Anexchangeofprisonersisalsopermitted.Ifneitherofthesealternativesispossible,the

prisonerswillbeconvertedintoslavesforever.Ifanysuchpersonmakesan

offertopayhisransomoutofhisownearnings,hewillbepermittedtocollectthemoneynecessaryforthefidya(ransom).

Q.AreyouoftheviewthatunlessaGovernmentassumestheformofanIslamicGovernment,anywardeclaredbyitisnotajihad?226

A.No.Awarmaybedeclaredtobeajihadifitisdeclaredbyanational

GovernmentofMuslimsinthelegitimateinterestsoftheState.Inever

expressedtheopinionattributedtomeinEx.D.E.12:

Rahayehmasalakehagarhukumat-i-Pakistenapnimaujudashukl-o-surat

kesathIndianUnionkesathapnemuahadatkhatmkar-keilan-i-jangbarbhidetokyaus-kiyehjangjihadkehukammena-jaegi?Apneisbaremen

joraezahirkihaiwohbilkuldarusthai-Jab-takhukumatIslaminizamkoikhtiyarkar-keIslaminahhojaeuswaqttakus-kikisijangkojihadkehna

aisahihaijaisakisighairMuslimkeAzadKashmirkifaujmenbhartiho-kar

larnekojihadaurus-kimautkoshahadatkanamdediyajae-Maulanakajomuddahaiwohyehhaikehmuahadatkimaujudgimentohukumatyaus-ke

shehriyonkaisjangmensharikhonashar-anjaizhinahin-Agarhukumat

muahadatkhatmkar-kejangkailankar-detohukumatkijangtojihadphirbhinahinhogita-ankehhukumatIslaminahhojae.

(Translation)

[Thequestionremainswhether,eveniftheGovernmentofPakistan,initspresentformandstructure,terminateshertreatieswiththeIndianUnion

anddeclareswaragainsther,thiswarwouldfallunderthedefinitionof

jihad?Theopinionexpressedbyhiminthisbehalfisquitecorrect.UntilsuchtimeastheGovernmentbecomesIslamicbyadoptingtheIslamicformof

Government,tocallanyofitswarsajihadwouldbetantamounttodescribingtheenlistmentandfightingofanon-MuslimonthesideoftheAzadKashmir

forcesjihadandhisdeathmartyrdom.WhattheMaulanameansisthat,inthepresenceoftreaties,itisagainstShariat,iftheGovernmentoritspeopleparticipateinsuchawar.IftheGovernmentterminatesthetreatiesand

declareswar,eventhenthewarstartedbyGovernmentwouldnotbetermed

jihadunlesstheGovernmentbecomesIslamic.]


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AbouttheviewexpressedinthisletterbeingthatofMaulanaAbulAlaMaudoodi,

thereistheevidenceofMianTufailMuhammad,thewriteroftheletter,whostates:Ex.D.E.12isaphotostatcopyofaletterwhichIwrotetosomeonewhosenameI

donotnowremember.

MaulanaAbulHasanatMuhammadAhmadQadrisviewonthispointisasfollows:

Q.IstherealawofwarinIslam?

A.Yes.

Q.DoesitdifferinfundamentalsfromthepresentInternationalLaw?

A.Yes.227

Q.Whataretherightsofapersontakenprisonerinwar?

A.HecanembraceIslamoraskforaman,inwhichcasehewillbetreated

asamustamin.Ifhedoesnotaskforaman,hewouldbemadeaslave.

SimilaristheopinionexpressedbyMianTufailMuhammadofJamat-i-Islamiwho

says:

Q.IsthereanylawofwarinIslamiclaws?

A.Yes.

Q.IfthatcomesintoconflictwithInternationalLaw,whichwillyoufollow?

A.Islamiclaw.

Q.Thenpleasestatewhatwillbethestatusofprisonersofwarcapturedby

yourforces?

A.Icannotreplytothisoffhand.Iwillhavetostudythepoint.

Ofcourseghanima(plunder)andkhums(one-fifth)iftreatedasanecessaryincidentofjihadwillbetreatedbyinternationalsocietyasamereactofbrigandage.

[]


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[Thefollowingextractisfrompage194to196oftheReport]

Thethirddifferencebetweenthetwoparties[MuslimsandAhmadis]arisesoutof

thescopeofthedoctrineofjihad,thetextsrelatingtowhicharetobefoundinSura

XXIIverses39and40,SuraII,verses190to194,SuraLX,verse8,SuraIVverses74and75,SuraIX,verse5,andSuraXXV,verse52,whichareasfollows:

SuraXXII,verses39and40:

39.Tothoseagainstwhomwarismade,permissionisgiven(tofight)becausetheyarewronged;andverily,GodismostPowerfulfortheiraid;

40.(Theyare)thosewhohavebeenexpelledfromtheirhomesindefianceofright,(fornocause)exceptthattheysay,OurLordisGod.DidnotGod

checkonesetofpeoplebymeansofanother,therewouldsurelyhavebeenpulleddownmonasteries,churches,synagogues,andmosques,inwhichthe

nameofGodiscommemoratedinabundantmeasure.Godwillcertainlyaid

thosewhoaidHis(cause);forverilyGodisFullofStrength,exaltedinMight,(abletoenforceHisWill).

SuraII,verses190to194:

190.FightintheCauseofGodthosewhofightyou,butdonottransgress

limits;forGodlovethnottransgressors.

191.Andslaythemwhereveryecatchthemandturnthemoutfromwheretheyhaveturnedyouout;fortumultandoppressionareworsethan

slaughter;butfightthemnotattheSacredMosque,unlessthey(first)fight

youthere:butiftheyfightyou,slaythem.Suchistherewardofthosewho

suppressfaith.

192.Butiftheycease,GodisOft-forgiving,MostMerciful.

193.Andfightthemonuntilthereisnomoretumultoroppression,andthereprevailjusticeandfaithinGod;butiftheycease,lettherebenohostility

excepttothosewhopractiseoppression.

194.Theprohibitedmonthfortheprohibitedmonth,andsoforallthings

prohibited,thereisthelawofequality.Ifthenanyonetransgressesthe

prohibitionagainstyou,transgressyelikewiseagainsthim.ButfearGod,andknowthatGodiswiththosewhorestrainthemselves.

SuraLX,verse8:

Godforbidsyounot,withregardtothosewhofightyounotfor(your)Faithnordriveyououtofyourhomes,fromdealingkindlyandJustlywiththem:

ForGodloveththosewhoarejust.


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SuraIX,verse5:

Butwhentheforbiddenmonthsarepast,thenfightandslaythePaganswhereveryefindthem,andseizethem,beleaguerthem,andlieinwaitfor

themineverystratagem(ofwar);butiftheyrepent,andestablishregularprayersandpractiseregularcharity,thenopenthewayforthem:forGodis

Oft-forgiving,MostMerciful.

SuraIV,verses74and75:

74.LetthosefightinthecauseofGodwhosellthelifeofthisworldfortheHereafter,tohimwhofightethinthecauseofGod,whetherheisslainor

getsvictorysoonshallWegivehimarewardofgreat(value).

75.AndwhyshouldyenotfightinthecauseofGodandofthosewho,being

weak,areill-treated(andoppressed)?Men,womenandchildren,whosecryis:OurLord!rescueusfromthistown,whosepeopleareoppressors;and

raiseforusfromTheeonewhowillprotect;andraiseforusfromTheeone

whowillhelp

SuraXXV,verse52:

ThereforelistennottotheUnbelievers,butstriveagainstthemwiththe

utmoststrenuousness,withthe(Quran).

Astothedoctrineofjihad,theAhmadiviewisthatwhatiscalledjihad-bis-saifis

permissibleonlyinself-defenceandthatinstatinghisownviewonthisquestion

MirzaGhulamAhmadmerelyexpoundedadoctrinewhichisbasedon,anddirectlyfollowsfrom,theseveraltextsintheQuranandthathedidnotprofesstorepealor

abrogateanyruleorinjunctionoftheQuran.

Thecontentionoftheotherparties,however,isthatthewordsinwhichMirzaSahib

expressedhimselfonthispointclearlyshowthathewasnotmerelyexpoundingaQuranicdoctrinebutwasrepealinganexistinglawoftheQuran.

Inthisconnectionrelianceisplacedonsuchexpressionsas

Mainekhukamle-karaplogonkepasayahunwohyehhaikehabsetalwarkejihadkakhatimahai(Ihavebroughtacommandmentforyoupeople;itisthathenceforthjihadbyswordisforbidden).

Abjihaddinkeliyeharamhai(Nowjihadforthesakeofreligionisprohibited.)


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Dinketamamjangonkaabikhtitamhai(Allwarsforreligionhavenowbeenforbidden.)

Masihkeane-kayehnishanhaikehwohdinkilaraiyankhatamkar-dega(ThesignfortheadventofMessiahisthathewillstopwarsforreligion.)

Mainnejihadkimumanaatkebaremennihayatmuassirtaqrirenkin(Imadeeffectivespeechesinsupportofprohibitionofjihad.)

Mainnejihadkekhilafsad-hakitabentehrirkar-keArabaurMisraurBilad-i-ShamaurAfghanistanmenGovernmentkitaidmenshaekihain

(IhavewrittenhundredsofbooksagainstjihadandpublishedtheminArabia,

Egypt,SyriaandAfghanistaninsupportoftheGovernment.)

Masihmauudkewaqtqat-anjihadkahukammansukhkar-diyagaya(TheinjunctionsrelatingtojihadwereabrogatedintotoduringthetimeofthepromisedMessiah.)

Abzaminkefasadbandkiyegaye(Tumultonearthhas,henceforth,beenstopped.)

Abjodinkeliye,talwaruthatahaiaurghazinamrakh-karkafironkoqatlkartaaiwohKhudawand-taalaaurua-kerasulkana-farmanhai

(Hewhodrawshisswordand,claimingtobeaghazi,killsinfidels,disobeysGodandHisProphet.)

Merefirqemenjis-kaKhudanemujheimamaurrah-barmuqarrarfarmayahaitalwarkajihadbilkulnahinYehfirqaisbatkoqat-anharamjantahaikehdin

keliyelaraiyankijain

(Jihadwithswordistotallyprohibitedformycommunity,forwhomGodhas

appointedmeimamandguide.Thiscommunityconsidersittotallyprohibited(haram)tofightwarsinthenameofreligion

IslammenjojihadkamasalahaimerinigahmenussebadtarIslkamkobadnamkarnewalaaurkoimasalanahin

(Inmyopinion,nodoctrinedefamesIslammorethanthedoctrineofjihad.)

Documents

What is Jihad? An extract from the Pakistan's Justice Munir Commission Report of 1954 to look into Muslim vs. Muslim killings of 1953