ISLAM IS THE RELIGION OF SWORD NOT PACIFISM There is a slogan repeated continuously by apologetic “du’āt” when flirting with the West and that is their statement: “ISLAM IS THE RELIGION OF PEACE,” And they mean pacifism by the word peace. They have repeated this slogan so much to the extent that some of them alleged that Islam calls to permanent peace with kufr and the kāfirīn. How far is their claim from the truth, for Allah has revealed Islam to be the religion of the sword, and the evidence for this is so profuse that only a zindīq (heretic) would argue otherwise. Alī Ibn Abī Tālib (رضي الله عنه) said, “Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) was sent with four swords: a sword for the mushrikīn, {AND WHEN THE SACRED MONTHS HAVE PASSED, THEN KILL THE MUSHRIKĪN WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM} (Surah At Tawbah 9:5) A sword for Ahlul-Kitāb, {FIGHT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH OR IN THE LAST DAY AND WHO DO NOT CONSIDER UNLAWFUL WHAT ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER HAVE MADE UNLAWFUL AND WHO DO NOT ADOPT THE RELIGION OF TRUTH FROM THOSE WHO WERE GIVEN THE BOOK – [FIGHT THEM] UNTIL THEY GIVE THE JIZYAH WILLINGLY WHILE THEY ARE HUMBLED} (Surah At Tawbah 9:29) A sword for the munāfiqīn, {O PROPHET, FIGHT AGAINST THE KUFFĀR AND THE MUNĀFIQĪN} (Surah At Tawbah 9:73) And a sword for the bughāt (rebellious aggressors), {THEN FIGHT AGAINST THE GROUP THAT COMMITS BAGHY (AGGRESSION) UNTIL IT RETURNS TO THE ORDINANCE OF ALLAH} (Surah Al Hujurāt 49:9) [Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr] He also revealed the sword against the apostates, {O YOU WHO HAVE BELIEVED, WHOEVER OF YOU SHOULD REVERT FROM HIS RELIGION – ALLAH WILL BRING FORTH A PEOPLE HE WILL LOVE AND WHO WILL LOVE HIM [WHO ARE] HUMBLE TOWARD THE BELIEVERS, MIGHTY AGAINST THE DISBELIEVERS; THEY STRIVE IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH AND DO NOT FEAR THE BLAME OF A CRITIC} (Surah Al Mā’idah 5:54) This verse is a fundamental basis for the obligation to fight against the apostate parties. At-Tabarī reported in his tafsīr that amongst the Salaf, ‘Alī Ibn Abī Tālib, Qatādah, al-Hasan al-Basrī, ad-Dahhāk, and Ibn Jurayj said this verse encompassed Abū Bakr (Allah’s sword against apostasy), his companions (رضي الله عنه), and their war against the apostates – the followers of Musaylamah al-Kadhdhāb and those who resisted the obligation of zakāh. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) also sent down iron alongside the revelation to consolidate His religion by the sword forged with iron. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {WE HAVE SENT OUR MESSENGERS WITH CLEAR EVIDENCES AND SENT DOWN WITH THEM THE SCRIPTURE AND THE BALANCE THAT THE PEOPLE MAY MAINTAIN [THEIR AFFAIRS] IN JUSTICE. AND WE SENT DOWN IRON, WHEREIN IS GREAT MILITARY MIGHT AND BENEFITS FOR THE PEOPLE, AND SO THAT ALLAH MAY MAKE EVIDENT THOSE BELIEVING IN THE UNSEEN WHO SUPPORT HIM AND HIS MESSENGERS. INDEED, ALLAH IS POWERFUL AND EXALTED IN MIGHT} (Surah Al Hadīd 57:25) Ibn Taymiyyah (رحيم الله) said, “THE BASIS OF THE RELIGION IS A GUIDING BOOK AND SUPPORTING SWORD” [MAJMŪ’ AL-FATĀWĀ] Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) also described what should be struck with the sword, {REMEMBER WHEN YOUR LORD REVEALED TO THE ANGELS, “I AM WITH YOU, SO STRENGTHEN THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED. I WILL CAST TERROR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO DISBELIEVED, SO STRIKE [THEM] UPON THE NECKS AND STRIKE FROM THEM EVERY FINGERTIP”} (Surah Al Anfāl 8:12) He (سبحانه وتعالى) also said, {SO WHEN YOU MEET THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE, STRIKE THEIR NECKS UNTIL, WHEN YOU HAVE INFLICTED SLAUGHTER UPON THEM, THEN SECURE THEIR BONDS, AND EITHER [CONFER] FAVOR AFTERWARDS OR RANSOM [THEM] UNTIL THE WAR LAYS DOWN ITS BURDENS} (Surah Muhammad 47:4) HIS MESSENGER (صلى الله عليه و سلم) ALSO DESCRIBED THE SWORD AS THE SALVATION FROM EVIL AND FITNAH. HE (صلى الله عليه و سلم) ALSO DESCRIBED THE SWORD AS BEING THE KEY TO JANNAH [Reported by Ibn Abī Shaybah on the authority of Abū Mūsā] He also declared that his worldly provision was placed for him in the shade of his spear and that the best livelihood for the Muslim in the future is what he takes with his sword from the kāfir enemy. So, how can the zanādiqah (heretics) or even those who blindly follow them – Trump, Bush, Obama, and Kerry – obstinately claim that “Islam is a religion of peace,” meaning pacifism? One of the biggest shubuhāt propagated by the heretics is the linguistic root for the word Islam. They claim it comes from the word Salam (peace), when in actuality it comes from words meaning submission and sincerity sharing the same consonant root.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {O YOU WHO HAVE BELIEVED! WHY DO YOU SAY WHAT YOU DO NOT DO? IT IS MOST HATEFUL IN THE SIGHT OF ALLAH THAT YOU SAY WHAT YOU DO NOT DO} [Surah As-Saff 61:2-3] Verses like these moved the Sahābah (Companions) so that they would not be counted by Allah amongst the hypocrites. The fear of hypocrisy creeping into their hearts did not leave them time to rest, contrary to the Muslims of this era who constantly feel safe and secure concerning their faith and deeds. The Sahābah knew that the essence of hypocrisy – both major and minor – is discrepancy between what the inner self encloses and what the outer self discloses, and that minor hypocrisy can beget major hypocrisy. Therefore, an unkept promise of hijrah to Allah could result in a devastating ending for the slave. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {AND AMONG THEM [THE HYPOCRITES] ARE THOSE WHO MADE A COVENANT WITH ALLAH, [SAYING], “IF HE SHOULD GIVE US FROM HIS BOUNTY, WE WILL SURELY SPEND IN CHARITY, AND WE WILL SURELY BE AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS.” BUT WHEN HE GAVE THEM FROM HIS BOUNTY, THEY WERE STINGY WITH IT AND TURNED AWAY WHILE THEY REFUSED. SO HE PENALIZED THEM WITH HYPOCRISY IN THEIR HEARTS UNTIL THE DAY THEY WILL MEET HIM – BECAUSE THEY FAILED ALLAH IN WHAT THEY PROMISED HIM AND BECAUSE THEY USED TO LIE} [Surah At-tawbah 9:75-77] In these verses, Allah mentions that He punished the hypocrites with further hypocrisy as a result of them breaking a previous covenant to Him. This attitude towards obligatory deeds was also that of Bānī Isrā’īl. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {HAVE YOU NOT CONSIDERED THE ASSEMBLY OF BĀNĪ ISRĀ’ĪL AFTER MŪSĀ WHEN THEY SAID TO A PROPHET OF THEIRS, “SEND TO US A KING, AND WE WILL FIGHT IN THE WAY OF ALLAH”? HE SAID, “WOULD YOU PERHAPS REFRAIN FROM FIGHTING IF FIGHTING WAS PRESCRIBED FOR YOU?” THEY SAID, “AND WHY SHOULD WE NOT FIGHT IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH WHEN WE HAVE BEEN DRIVEN OUT FROM OUR HOMES AND AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN?” BUT WHEN FIGHTING WAS PRESCRIBED FOR THEM, THEY TURNED AWAY, EXCEPT FOR A FEW OF THEM. AND ALLAH IS KNOWING OF THE WRONGDOERS. AND THEIR PROPHET SAID TO THEM, “INDEED, ALLAH HAS SENT TO YOU TĀLŪT AS A KING.” THEY SAID, “HOW CAN HE HAVE KINGSHIP OVER US WHILE WE ARE MORE WORTHY OF KINGSHIP THAN HIM AND HE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ANY MEASURE OF WEALTH?” HE SAID, “INDEED, ALLAH HAS CHOSEN HIM OVER YOU AND HAS INCREASED HIM ABUNDANTLY IN KNOWLEDGE AND STATURE. AND ALLAH GIVES HIS SOVEREIGNTY TO WHOM HE WILLS. AND ALLAH IS ALL-ENCOMPASSING [IN FAVOR] AND KNOWING”} [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:246] This attitude of Bani Isrā’īl was also displayed when they asked complicating questions about the cow they claimed to be searching for, upon being ordered by Mūsā (عليه والسلام) to slaughter any cow. They asked these questions only to evade responsibility; and when they finally obeyed, they did so reluctantly. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {SO THEY SLAUGHTERED IT [THE COW] AND YET THEY NEARLY DID NOT} [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:71] Therefore, every Muslim should now make his number one priority to repent and answer the call to hijrah. Otherwise, his claims will become a greater proof against him on Judgment Day. Muslim student should know that their hijrah from dārul-kufr to jihād are more obligatory and urgent then spending an unknown number of years studying while exposed to doubts and desires that will destroy their religion and thus end for themselves any possible future of jihād. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) said that, The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “WHOEVER DIES WITHOUT TAKING PART IN A BATTLE AND WITHOUT INTENDING TO TAKE PART IN A BATTLE, HAS DIED WITH A TRAIT OF HYPOCRISY” [Sahīh Muslim] Therefore, abandoning jihād is a trait of hypocrisy. So be wary of it or else it may seize you by your heart. Al-Hasan al-Basrī (رحيم الله) said, “NO ONE FEARS HYPOCRISY EXCEPT A BELIEVER, AND NO ONE FEELS SAFE FROM IT EXCEPT A HYPOCRITE” [Jāmi’ al-‘Ulūm wal-Hikam] Ibn Rajab (رحيم الله) said, “Sahl at-Tustarī said, ‘THE MURĪD (DEVOUT WORSHIPPER) FEARS BEING AFFLICTED WITH SINS, BUT THE ‘ĀRIF (KNOWLEDGEABLE SLAVE) FEARS BEING AFFLICTED WITH KUFR.’ FOR THIS REASON THE SAHĀBAH AND THE RIGHTEOUS SALAF AFTER THEM WERE AFRAID OF NIFĀQ (HYPOCRISY) FOR THEMSELVES, AND THEIR WORRY OF NIFĀQ WAS SEVERE. THEREFORE, THE BELIEVER IS AFRAID OF MINOR NIFĀQ FOR HIMSELF, AND HE IS AFRAID THAT SUCH COULD OVERCOME HIM PRIOR TO DEATH AND THUS DRIVE HIM INTO MAJOR NIFĀQ, AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT DEEPLY HIDDEN EVILS BRING ABOUT SINFUL DEATH” [Jāmi’ al-‘Ulūm wal-Hikam] So abandoning hijrah the path to jihād is a dangerous matter. In effect, one is thereby deserting jihād and willingly accepting his tragic condition of being a hypocritical spectator. He lives in the West amongst the kuffār for years, spends hours on the Internet, reads news and posts on forums.