Necessary Jihad

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Ustadz Adam Daniel Kelwick said, “After one of the lectures I gave in the Netherlands, I was approached by a young man who took me to one side and asked me a question: ‘Is it allowed to go and fight in Syria or Iraq?’ 

‘Who would you be going to fight?’ 

The young man said, ‘It is not me going, but it is some people who I know.’ 

‘So, who exactly are they fighting?’ 

‘Those who are oppressing the Muslims there.’ 

I said, ‘The problem is, many of those who claim they are fighting the oppressors are actually those who are oppressing Muslims themselves.  Things are very confusing there, lots of political agendas at play and Muslims are killing each other ‘fi sabil lillah.’  Each side is saying, ‘Bismillah Allahu Akbar,’ before firing the bullets to kill their enemies.  It is a very dangerous situation.  It is fitnah.’ 

The young man asked, ‘So, you do not think it is a good thing then?’ 

‘The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) warned us, ‘If two Muslims meet each other with their swords, then both the killer and the killed will be in the Hellfire.’ 

A companion asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, that is the case for the killer but why should that be the case for the killed?’ 

He answered, ‘Because he would have killed the other if he could.’’ 

I also said, ‘You will hear very few people mention this hadits and apply it to the current situation in Iraq and Syria, not because it is not relevant; it is very relevant, but because it does not fit in with many people’s political or sectarian agendas.  As I said, it is a very dangerous situation there.’ 

‘So, what should I do for the people I know who went out there to fight?’ 

I said, ‘At bare minimum, pray that Allah (s.w.t.) Guides them and does not make them from the people mentioned in that hadits.’”