Attacks on Muslim soil?

[Brother_Mujahid]

I wanted to start a thread to discuss and insha'Allaah come to a correct understanding to the issue of attacks inside the lands of the Muslims. I want to make clear I'm not referring to the attacks against occupation soldiers and their apostate mercenaries in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, etc. These things are not in doubt, insha'Allaah. Rather my reference is to non-military or non-government targets attacked in the Muslim lands, especially in those areas that are not nessessarily conventional zones of conflict, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, or Jordan.

There is a long list of such attacks: the Riyadh attacks in 2003, the series of attacks in Egypt in 2004-2005, and the 2005 Jordan hotel bombings. (Note: I'm not questioning the 1994 Khobar attacks, the 2000 U.S.S Cole attack in Yemen, or the attacks against American soldiers in Kuwait in 2002).

Some will argue for the need of attacking the economic strongholds of the disbelievers in the Muslim lands and attacking the places of corruption and scaring the enemy from entering. On the other hand one should mention the Muslims who die, although they are not intended. We need to clarify the correctness of these actions.

Please do not use this occassion as an excuse to attack each other or slander certain scholars or charge one another of spreading confusion or misguidance. Please answer the question with evidence from the Qur'an, Sunnah, and the opinions of the accepted scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah wal Jama'ah.

[Brother_Mujahid]

Shaykh Sulayman bin Nasir al-'Alwan (faka ullaah asra) and the Riyadh bombings:

One of the administrators of the 'Ana al-Muslim' forums called Shaykh Sulayman al-'Alwan at the time of 'Asr, on Thursday, the 14th of Rabi' al-Awwal (May 15, 2003) and asked him regarding his opinion on the recent events (i.e., the Riyadh attacks), to which the Shaykh replied:

"I never wrote anything about this. However, write down these words from me:

There is no doubt that this action is forbidden, according to the Shari'ah, as it constitutes negligence of the Muslims. How can you intentionally kill a Muslim in order to kill a disbeliever? So, what would you say if those killed were large numbers of Muslims?"

And he also said, may Allah preserve him:

"And I reject this action, and do not agree with it, as it is forbidden, and is not allowed."

The brother who narrated this added: "And whoever wishes to further confirm the Shaykh's words, let him call the Shaykh at this number: 055151311, and Allah is a witness to what I have narrated."

The brother then called the Shaykh back at Maghrib time of the same day to read back to the Shaykh what he had written down from him in the previous call, to which the Shaykh replied:

"And are there actually people on the online forums who support this action?"

The brother replied: "Yes."

The Shaykh was surprised, and the brother said to him: "Shaykh, some are surprised, as you supported the actions on September 11th. So, why do you change your words when it comes to other such actions? What is your opinion regarding such words?"

The Shaykh replied: "Prepare your pen, and write these words (and this is exactly what the Shaykh said):

1) The events of September 11th took place in the lands of the kuffar, and the basic principle is that those living there are kuffar, and the presence of Muslims there is an exception, and not the rule.

2) In the lands of the Muslims, the basic rule is that those present are Muslims, and the presence of a kafir is an exception.

3) These attacks targetted Muslims - killing the guards at the gates (of the compound), as well as the Palestinian who was engaged in Salah.

4) Transgressing against the wealth of the Muslims in the lands of the Muslims, manifested in these buildings, as opposed to the buildings that were destroyed on 9/11, which belonged to the kuffar.

5) The presence of disbelievers in the Arabian Peninsula is forbidden, and we do not accept it, and the ahadith encouraging their expulsion are many. However, this (prohibition) does not imply or encourage a battle in the midst of the lands of the Muslims!

And what I advise the brothers with is to hold the blood of the Muslims to be sacred and forbidden (to spill), and that it is not allowed to kill a sacred Muslim soul, except with a clear proof from the Qur'an, Sunnah, or consensus, and to excuse their deaths under the claim that they were not the intended targets indicates great ignorance of the Shari'ah.

And Allah Knows best, and if one of these killers knew that his father of brother was in one of these compounds, he would not have proceeded with such an action.

Finally, I would like to point out the consensus (ijma') of the scholars of Fiqh and Principles that repelling harms takes precedence over acheiving benefits."

End of the words of the Shaykh, the Muhaddith, the ally of Jihad and the Mujahidin, Sulayman al-'Alwan (may Allah give him assistance and firmness)

Dictated after Maghrib time on Thursday, the 14th of Rabi' al-Awwal,1424 (May 15, 2003)

Original Arabic: http://www.muslm.net/vb/showthread.php?t=83747

[Abdullah al-Shishani]

I very much agree with the Sheikh.