There is no doubt that jihad is one of the obligations of Allah; because He has said: ﴿كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾[1]; “Fighting has been ordained for you, while it is hateful to you. And perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you, and perhaps you like a thing and it is evil for you. And Allah knows and you do not know.” However, it has two significant conditions that many people neglect, leading to their doom:

The first condition is that it must be in the way of Allah; because He has said: ﴿قَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ﴾[2]; “Fight in the way of Allah.” His way is that there should be no fitnah and that religion should be entirely for Him; because He has said: ﴿قَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلَّهِ﴾[3]; “And fight against them until there is no fitnah and religion is entirely for Allah.” “Fitnah” refers to any dominion or law that is not from Allah, and “religion” is dominion and law. Therefore, jihad in the way of Allah is fighting until there is no dominion or law that is not from Allah and until dominion and law are entirely from Allah. At that point, the word of Allah will be supreme; because He rules and others obey, and no one has dominion besides Him. It has been narrated: «أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً، وَيُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً، وَيُقَاتِلُ لِلذِّكْرِ، وَيُقَاتِلُ لِلْمَغْنَمِ، فَمَنْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ»[4]; “A man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! A man fights out of zeal, and fights out of valor, and fights for fame, and fights for booty. Then who (fights) in the way of Allah?’ He said: ‘Whoever fights so that the word of Allah is supreme is (considered to be fighting) in the way of Allah.’” Therefore, whoever fights so that there is no dominion or law for Bashar Assad, and dominion and law are instead for Abu Hafs al-Hashimi, for example, has not fought in the way of Allah, but rather he has fought in the way of taghut; because even though Bashar Assad is not a ruler appointed by Allah, neither is Abu Hafs al-Hashimi. Every ruler who is not appointed by Allah is taghut, whether his title is president or caliph, and whether he is chosen by the majority of people or by a number of his companions referred to as the council of elders and assembly of experts. Therefore, whoever fights to overthrow one and bring the other to power has fought for one taghut against another taghut, while Allah has forbidden fighting in the way of taghut absolutely, saying: ﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ﴾[5]; “Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of taghut.” The ruler appointed by Allah is the most knowledgeable and the strongest among people, whom Allah has made their ruler through a sign from Himself or an explicit statement from His Prophet, even if the majority of people dislike him, and even if the council of elders and assembly of experts dislike him. He has illustrated this in an example, saying: ﴿وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا ۚ قَالُوا أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِنَ الْمَالِ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَى وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ﴾[6]; “And their Prophet said to them: ‘Allah has appointed Talut as a ruler for you.’ They said: ‘How can he have dominion over us, while we are more deserving of dominion than him, and he has not been given an abundance of wealth?!’ He said: ‘Allah has chosen him over you and increased him in knowledge and physical strength. And Allah gives His dominion to whomever He wills, and Allah is the All-Embracing, the All-Knowing.’ And their Prophet said to them: ‘The sign of his dominion is that he brings to you the Ark in which there is tranquility from your Lord and the remnant of what the family of Musa and the family of Harun left behind, and the Angels carry it! Undoubtedly, in this is a sign for you if you are believers.’” This ruler is Allah’s caliph on the Earth, who is permitted to judge among people; as Allah Almighty said to Dawud, for example: ﴿يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى﴾[7]; “O Dawud! We appointed you as a caliph on the earth, so judge rightly among people and do not follow your passions,” and He has informed that He always appoints a caliph on the Earth, just as He appointed Dawud saying: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾[8]; “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the earth,” and said: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾[9]; “Allah promised those of you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as caliphs on Earth, just as He appointed some people before them as caliphs.” Therefore, the Earth is never empty of a caliph whom Allah has appointed on it, just as He appointed Dawud[10]. The caliph in our time is the Mahdi, whom the Prophet explicitly specified in mutawatir Hadiths. He will appear with a sign from Allah; as one of our companions informed us, he said:

«سَأَلَ الْمَنْصُورَ رَجُلٌ وَأَنَا حَاضِرٌ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾، فَقَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ جَاعِلًا فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مُنْذُ وَعَدَهُ، إِمَّا ظَاهِرًا مَشْهُورًا وَإِمَّا خَائِفًا مَغْمُورًا، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّهُمْ قَدْ جَعَلُوا فِي الْعِرَاقِ خَلِيفَةً وَلَا يَرَوْنَ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ الْخَلِيفَةُ! قَالَ: كَذَبُوا أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ، مَا قَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ: ”إِنَّكُمْ جَاعِلُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً“، وَلَكِنْ قَالَ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ﴾، فَلَوْ جَعَلُوا فِيهَا خَلِيفَةً دُونَ الْخَلِيفَةِ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِيهَا لَكَانُوا بِذَلِكَ مُشْرِكِينَ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: وَمَنْ هَذَا الْخَلِيفَةُ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِيهَا؟ قَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ فَاطِمَةَ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ»[11]; “While I was there, a man asked Mansoor about the words of God Almighty that says: ‘Indeed, I am the Appointer of a Caliph on the earth.’ So he said: ‘God, since the time He promised, has always appointed a Caliph on the earth, whether he has been visible and famous or hidden and frightened, and indeed, God does not break His promise.’ The man said: ‘People in Iraq have appointed a caliph and believe in nothing but that he is the caliph!’ He said: ‘The enemies of God lied! God did not say to them, “You are appointers of a Caliph on the earth,” but rather He said: “I am the Appointer,” so if they appoint a caliph on it other than the Caliph whom God has appointed on it, they will indeed become polytheists by doing so.’ The man said: ‘Who is this Caliph whom God has appointed on it?’ He said: ‘A man from the descendants of Fatimah, who is called the Mahdi.’”

Based on this, jihad in the way of Allah is fighting so that the Mahdi becomes the ruler, and there is no ruler other than him; because he is Allah’s caliph, and his rule is Allah’s rule. Similarly, jihad in the way of Allah during the time of the Prophet was fighting so that the Prophet became the ruler; because he was Allah’s caliph at that time, and it was the case that ﴿مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ﴾[12]; “whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah.” In every time, there is a caliph for Allah. Whoever fights for him to be the ruler has fought in the way of Allah, and whoever fights for someone else to be the ruler has fought in the way of taghut. Names and titles do not matter, as they do not change reality; just as you see that every ruler calls those killed in his obedience martyrs, whereas a martyr is only one killed in obedience to Allah or in obedience to His caliph; as one of our companions informed us, he said:

«سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنِ الشَّهِيدِ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَخَيْرُ الشُّهَدَاءِ مَنْ قُتِلَ مَعَ خَلِيفَةِ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يَضْرِبُ بِسَيْفِهِ أَوْ يَرْمِي بِسَهْمِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَوْ سَأَلْتَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْجَبَابِرَةَ عَنْ قَتْلَاهُمْ لَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا قُتِلُوا فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ! أَلَا فَمَنْ قُتِلَ فِي طَاعَةِ سُلْطَانٍ غَيْرِ خَلِيفَةِ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَإِنَّمَا قُتِلَ فِي طَاعَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ! فَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْجَبَابِرَةُ لِيَأْكُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ كَمَا يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَكُمْ! فَإِنَّ أَمْوَالَكُمْ قَدْ تُخْلَفُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا، وَلَا تُخْلَفُ أَنْفُسُكُمْ إِلَّا فِي النَّارِ!»[13]; “I asked Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani about martyrs, so he said: ‘Whoever is killed while obeying God is a martyr, and the best of martyrs is one who is killed with God’s Caliph on the earth while striking with his sword or shooting with his arrow.’ Then he said: ‘If you ask these tyrants about their killed ones, they will say that they were killed while obeying God! Know that whoever is killed while obeying a ruler other than God’s Caliph on the earth has been killed while obeying Satan! So do not let these tyrants deceive you so that they devour your lives falsely, as they devour your belongings! Because your belongings may come back in the life of the world, but your lives will not come back except in the fire!’”

Based on this, jihad in the way of Allah is what Mansoor (may Allah Almighty support him) is doing, as he openly invites to the Mahdi, prepares the ground for his advent with all his might, and fights against all taghuts who rule alongside him, whether under the name of “king,” “president,” “commander,” “caliph,” “leader,” or any other name. These are merely different names for one meaning; like that about which Allah has said: ﴿إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ﴾[14]; “They are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have invented. Allah has sent down no authority for them,” and said: ﴿أَتُجَادِلُونَنِي فِي أَسْمَاءٍ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ﴾[15]; “Do you dispute with me about names that you and your forefathers have invented, for which Allah has sent down no authority?!” and said: ﴿مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۚ أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ۚ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾[16]; “You do not worship besides Him except names that you and your forefathers have invented. Allah has sent down no authority for them. Sovereignty belongs to none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him. That is the established religion, but most people do not know.”

The second condition is that it must be carried out under a ruler appointed by Allah. The evidence for this is His words, where He has said: ﴿آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَجَاهِدُوا مَعَ رَسُولِهِ﴾[17]; “Believe in Allah and fight alongside His Messenger,” and said: ﴿فَقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَكَ ۚ وَحَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾[18]; “So fight in the way of Allah. You are not held responsible except for yourself. And encourage the believers,” and said: ﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مُوسَى إِذْ قَالُوا لِنَبِيٍّ لَهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ﴾[19]; “Did you not see a group of the Children of Israel after Musa when they said to a Prophet of theirs: ‘Appoint a ruler for us so that we fight in the way of Allah’?!” The intellect also indicates this; because the purpose of jihad is for sovereignty to belong to none but Allah, which is not possible unless there is a ruler appointed by Allah with the fighters to rule after their victory. If there is no ruler appointed by Allah with them, then jihad is vain and pointless, while Allah has said in describing the believers: ﴿هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ﴾[20]; “And they turn away from what is vain.” For this reason, the scholars from the Ahl al-Bayt and the intellectuals from the Sahabah and the Tabi‘un refrained from jihad when the rulers were unjust; as it has been narrated: «أَنَّ رَجُلًا لَقِيَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ فِي طَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ، تَرَكْتَ الْجِهَادَ وَصُعُوبَتَهُ، وَأَقْبَلْتَ عَلَى الْحَجِّ وَلِينَتِهِ؟! إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ ۚ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ ۖ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ ۚ وَمَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُمْ بِهِ ۚ وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ﴾[21]، فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ: أَتِمَّ الْآيَةَ، فَقَالَ: ﴿التَّائِبُونَ الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾[22]، فَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ: إِذَا رَأَيْنَا هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ هَذِهِ صِفَتُهُمْ فَالْجِهَادُ مَعَهُمْ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْحَجِّ»[23]; “A man met Ali ibn al-Husain on the way to Mecca and said to him: ‘O Ali ibn al-Husain! You abandoned jihad and its hardship and turned to Hajj and its ease, while Allah, Exalted and Majestic, has said: “Indeed, Allah purchased the lives and wealth of believers in exchange for Heaven for them. They fight in the way of Allah, killing and being killed. It is a true promise binding on Him in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran. And who is truer to His covenant than Allah? So rejoice in your bargain that you made with Him, and that is the supreme triumph.”’ So he said: ‘Complete the verse.’ The man continued: ‘Those who return (to Allah), those who worship (Him), those who praise (Him), the travelers, those who bow down, those who prostrate, those who enjoin what is right, those who forbid what is wrong, and those who guard the limits set by Allah. And give good tidings to the believers.’ Ali ibn al-Husain said: ‘When we see those who possess these characteristics, then jihad along with them is better than Hajj,’” and in another narration, he said: «إِذَا ظَهَرَ هَؤُلَاءِ لَمْ نُؤْثِرْ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ شَيْئًا»[24]; “When such people are found, we do not prefer anything over jihad.” It has been narrated: «أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، آثَرْتَ الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ؟! فَقَالَ: وَيْلَكَ، إِنَّ الْإِيمَانَ بُنِيَ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ لَا تُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ»[25]; “A man said to Abdullah ibn Umar: ‘O Abu Abd al-Rahman! Did you prefer Hajj and Umrah over jihad?!’ So he said: ‘Woe to you! Indeed, faith is built upon five things: that you worship Allah and associate nothing with Him; that you perform prayer; that you give Zakat; that you go on pilgrimage to the House; and that you fast in the month of Ramadan.’” It was as if he feared to tell him: “The ruler is unjust, and jihad under him is not permissible.” It has been narrated: «أَنَّ بَعْثًا خَرَجَ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَنَ الْحَجَّاجِ، فَخَرَجَ فِيهِ إِبْرَاهِيمُ التَّيْمِيُّ، فَقَالَ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّخَعِيُّ: إِلَى مَنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ؟! إِلَى الْحَجَّاجِ؟!»[26]; “A military expedition set out among people during the time of Hajjaj, and Ibrahim al-Taymi was among them. Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i said to him: ‘Whom are you inviting them to?! To Hajjaj?!” It has been narrated: «أَنَّ طَاوُسًا كَانَ يَكْرَهُ الْجِهَادَ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ يَعْنِي السُّلْطَانَ الْجَائِرَ»[27]; “Tawus disliked engaging in jihad under them, meaning the unjust ruler.” Malik also disliked it, but then he changed his mind[28]. The majority of people consider it permissible, clinging to weak hadiths, one of which is the hadith of Makhul from Abu Hurairah: «الْجِهَادُ وَاجِبٌ عَلَيْكُمْ مَعَ كُلِّ أَمِيرٍ، بَرًّا كَانَ أَوْ فَاجِرًا»[29]; “Jihad is obligatory upon you under every leader, whether righteous or wicked,” while Makhul never heard anything from Abu Hurairah. Another is the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa‘: «جَاهِدُوا مَعَ كُلِّ أَمِيرٍ»[30]; “Fight under every leader,” and its chain of narrators includes Utbah ibn Yaqzan, who is weak, and Harith ibn Nabhan, whose weakness is unanimously agreed upon, and Abu Sa‘id, who was a liar. Similar to that is the hadith of Abu al-Darda’[31], whose chain of narrators includes Walid ibn al-Fadl al-Anazi, who was also a liar. Another is the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud: «الْجِهَادُ مَعَ كُلِّ أَمِيرٍ، لَكَ جِهَادُكَ وَعَلَيْهِ شَرُّهُ»[32]; “Jihad is carried out under every leader; for you is your jihad, and upon him is its evil,” and its chain of narrators includes Umar ibn Subh, and he was a liar who fabricated hadiths and attributed them to trustworthy narrators. Another is the hadith of Anas ibn Malik: «الْجِهَادُ مَاضٍ، لَا يُبْطِلُهُ جَوْرُ جَائِرٍ، وَلَا عَدْلُ عَادِلٍ»[33]; “Jihad is ongoing. It is not invalidated by the injustice of the unjust, nor by the justice of the just,” and its chain of narrators includes Yazid ibn Abi Nushbah, who is unknown. Similar to that is the hadith of Ali and Jabir[34], whose chain of narrators includes Isma‘il ibn Yahya al-Taymi, who was a liar and fabricated hadiths, and the rest of its narrators are also weak. Therefore, ibn Hajar (d. 852 AH) has said about the chains of transmission of this hadith: «كُلُّهَا وَاهِيَةٌ جِدًّا، قَالَ الْعُقَيْلِيُّ: لَيْسَ فِي هَذَا الْمَتْنِ إِسْنَادٌ يَثْبُتُ، وَنَقَلَ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ: ”مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَذَا“، وَقَالَ الدَّارَقُطْنِيُّ: ”لَيْسَ فِيهَا شَيْءٌ يَثْبُتُ“، وَلِلْبَيْهَقِيِّ فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ أَحَادِيثُ كُلُّهَا ضَعِيفَةٌ غَايَةَ الضَّعْفِ، وَأَصَحُّ مَا فِيهِ حَدِيثُ مَكْحُولٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَلَى إِرْسَالِهِ، وَقَالَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الْحَاكِمُ: ”هَذَا حَدِيثٌ مُنْكَرٌ“»[35]; “They are all very weak. Al-Uqayli has said: ‘There is no chain of narrators in this text that is established.’ Ibn al-Jawzi has reported from Ahmad that when he was asked about it, he said: ‘We have not heard of this.’ Al-Daraqutni has said: ‘There is nothing established in it.’ Al-Bayhaqi has hadiths in this regard, all of which are very weak, and the most authentic of them is the hadith of Makhul from Abu Hurairah, though it is mursal. Abu Ahmad al-Hakim has said: ‘This hadith is munkar.’” Despite this, most of those who are considered scholars have accepted its content, stating that fighting under every unjust person is permissible. They thus incited the ignorant and imitators to bloodshed and spreading corruption on the Earth so that they become among the greatest losers in their deeds, ﴿الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا﴾[36]; “those whose efforts in the life of the world were misguided, while they thought they were doing good.”

These are the conditions of jihad that Allah has commanded. He has said: ﴿جَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ﴾[37]; “Fight in the way of Allah as He deserves.” The fighting that He deserves is jihad as it should be, and it is jihad according to its conditions He has explained in His Book, which are that it must be in the way of Allah and carried out under His caliph, as we have explained. Imam al-Sadiq, Ja‘far ibn Muhammad pointed this out, as Abu Amr al-Zubayri narrated from him that he said after explaining the conditions of jihad: «مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَى صِفَةِ مَنْ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ فِي الْجِهَادِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَلَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجِهَادِ، وَلَيْسَ بِمَأْذُونٍ لَهُ فِيهِ، حَتَّى يَفِيءَ بِمَا شَرَطَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِذَا تَكَامَلَتْ فِيهِ شَرَائِطُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُجَاهِدِينَ فَهُوَ مِنَ الْمَأْذُونِينَ لَهُمْ فِي الْجِهَادِ، فَلْيَتَّقِ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَبْدٌ، وَلَا يَغْتَرَّ بِالْأَمَانِيِّ الَّتِي نَهَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْهَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثِ الْكَاذِبَةِ عَلَى اللَّهِ الَّتِي يُكَذِّبُهَا الْقُرْآنُ وَيَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْهَا وَمِنْ حَمَلَتِهَا وَرُوَاتِهَا، وَلَا يَقْدَمُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِشُبْهَةٍ لَا يُعْذَرُ بِهَا، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ وَرَاءَ الْمُتَعَرِّضِ لِلْقَتْلِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْزِلَةٌ يُؤْتَى اللَّهُ مِنْ قِبَلِهَا، وَهِيَ غَايَةُ الْأَعْمَالِ فِي عِظَمِ قَدْرِهَا، فَلْيَحْكُمِ امْرُؤٌ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَلْيُرِهَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَيَعْرِضْهَا عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا أَحَدَ أَعْرَفُ بِالْمَرْءِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ، فَإِنْ وَجَدَهَا قَائِمَةً بِمَا شَرَطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الْجِهَادِ فَلْيُقْدِمْ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ، وَإِنْ عَلِمَ تَقْصِيرًا فَلْيُصْلِحْهَا وَلْيُقِمْهَا عَلَى مَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الْجِهَادِ، ثُمَّ لْيُقْدِمْ بِهَا وَهِيَ طَاهِرَةٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَنَسٍ يَحُولُ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ جِهَادِهَا، وَلَسْنَا نَقُولُ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ الْجِهَادَ وَهُوَ عَلَى خِلَافِ مَا وَصَفْنَا مِنْ شَرَائِطِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُجَاهِدِينَ: لَا تُجَاهِدُوا، وَلَكِنْ نَقُولُ: قَدْ عَلَّمْنَاكُمْ مَا شَرَطَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْجِهَادِ الَّذِينَ بَايَعَهُمْ وَاشْتَرَى مِنْهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِالْجِنَانِ، فَلْيُصْلِحِ امْرُؤٌ مَا عَلِمَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ مِنْ تَقْصِيرٍ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، وَلْيَعْرِضْهَا عَلَى شَرَائِطِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ رَأَى أَنَّهُ قَدْ وَفَى بِهَا وَتَكَامَلَتْ فِيهِ فَإِنَّهُ مِمَّنْ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ فِي الْجِهَادِ، فَإِنْ أَبَى إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ عَلَى مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْإِصْرَارِ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي وَالْمَحَارِمِ وَالْإِقْدَامِ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ بِالتَّخَبُّطِ وَالْعَمَى وَالْقُدُومِ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِالْجَهْلِ وَالرِّوَايَاتِ الْكَاذِبَةِ، فَلَقَدْ لَعَمْرِي جَاءَ الْأَثَرُ فِيمَنْ فَعَلَ هَذَا الْفِعْلَ: ”إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَنْصُرُ هَذَا الدِّينَ بِأَقْوَامٍ لَا خَلَاقَ لَهُمْ“، فَلْيَتَّقِ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ امْرُؤٌ، وَلْيَحْذَرْ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ، فَقَدْ بَيَّنَ لَكُمْ، وَلَا عُذْرَ لَكُمْ بَعْدَ الْبَيَانِ فِي الْجَهْلِ، وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، وَحَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ»[38]; “Anyone who does not possess the characteristics of the believers to whom Allah has granted permission for jihad is not considered among the people of jihad and does not have permission for it until he returns to the conditions set by Allah, Exalted and Majestic. When he fully embodies the conditions set by Allah, Exalted and Majestic, he will be among those granted permission for jihad. So the servant should fear Allah and not be deceived by desires that Allah, Exalted and Majestic, has forbidden. He should reject fabricated hadiths falsely attributed to Allah, which the Quran deems false, and disavow them and their transmitters and narrators. He should not act before Allah, Exalted and Majestic, upon a doubt for which there is no excuse. In matters of lives involved for the way of Allah, there is no position that can come in the presence of Allah before such matters. It is the ultimate act in greatness of value. So every person should control his self, and show Allah’s Book to it, and present himself to the Quran, for no one knows himself better than the person himself. Then, if he finds that he possesses the conditions that Allah has set for jihad, he should proceed with it. And if he realizes he has shortcomings, he should reform himself and compel himself to fulfill Allah’s obligations regarding jihad. After that, he should proceed while being purified from any impurity or sin that stood between him and jihad. And we do not say to one who desires jihad while lacking the conditions that we have described as set by Allah, Exalted and Majestic, for believers and fighters: ‘Do not engage in jihad.’ Rather, we say: ‘We have taught you the conditions that Allah, Exalted and Majestic, has set for the people of jihad, those whom He has made a bargain with and bought their lives and wealth for Heaven. So every person should reform his shortcomings and present himself to the conditions set by Allah. If he finds that he fully meets those conditions, then he is among those whom Allah, Exalted and Majestic, has permitted to engage in jihad. But if someone defies this and insists on going to jihad while persisting in sins and forbidden acts, he is going blindly and without knowledge to jihad and toward Allah with ignorance and false narrations.’ I swear by my life! This narration applies to such a person: ‘Allah, Exalted and Majestic, helps this religion with groups who have no share (in Heaven).’ So every person should fear Allah, Exalted and Majestic, and be cautious about being among them. Indeed, it has been made clear to you, and after this clarification, you have no excuse to say you did not know! And there is no power except by Allah, and He is sufficient for us; we have relied solely on Him, and the return (of all) is only to Him.”

For more information on this matter, refer to the topic “Jihad” in the book Return to Islam by His Eminence Mansoor (may Allah Almighty support him).