Islam's Reformers .pdf

salâm) said ‘harâm’ and who do not admit the religion oftruth, until they accept to pay the jizya or becomeMuslims!” When Hadrat ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) becameKhalîfa, he delivered a khutba to encourage the Sahâbat alkirâmto jihâd and ghazâ, by saying, “O the Prophet’s (’alaihi ’ssalâm)companions! Allâhu ta’âlâ has promised that He wouldgive Muhammad’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) umma land and home in allparts of the world. Where are the heroes to conquer thesecountries promised and attain the booties in this world and thedegrees of being ghâzî or martyrdom in the next world? Whereare the fighters for Islam who will sacrifice their lives and headsto take Islam to Allahu ta’âlâ’s human creatures and leave theirhome to attack the dictators, who are the enemies of Islam?”Upon this speech, the Sahâbat al-kirâm promised to go out forjihâd against unbelievers. Leaving their homes, they spreadover the world. They performed jihâd till death. This jihâdcontinued in every century and Muslims progressed through thepower of sword over three continents. The inhabitants of theplaces they conquered either became Muslims or, shelteringunder Islam’s justice by admitting to pay the tax called jizya andbeing given the freedom to worship according to their ownreligion but obeying Islam in mu’âmalât and ’uqûbât, they werelegally considered as Muslims. They lived in comfort and peace.Islam defines two kinds of countries in the world: dâr al-Islâm, the Muslim country, and dâr al-harb, the country ofunbelievers. In dâr al-Islâm, Muslims and the unbelievers whopay the jizya live. These unbelievers are called ahl adhdhimmaor dhimmî. They live comfortably and peacefully in fullpossession of Muslims’ rights and freedom. They perform theirworship freely. They adapt themselves to Islam’s justice andlaws. As for the country of unbelievers, Islam never interfereswith their justice, safety, comfort or peace; the only thing thatIslam demands from them is either to have îmân and becomereal Muslims or to admit the jizya and become Muslimstheoretically. In order that they may attain one of these two, itcommands Muslims to perform jihâd against the dictators whotyrannise over them. The jihâd by using power can beperformed with the command of the head of the State or of thecommandant appointed by him. One’s attack againstunbelievers by himself is not jihâd but incitement to sedition. Itis surprizing that when beginning to interpret the sûrat al-- 200 -