Mu` meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah`s Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I have been told it states in the Quran that as Muslims, it is our duty to defend all other Muslims that are being suppressed. Does this give the likes of Syria a right to wage war against the state of Israel, or Pakistan the right against the state of India, as they are clearly committing such an injustice? Or is it a DUTY upon them as Muslims to defend them? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Muslims must declare war for supressed

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

If there are some believers who are living in a non-muslim country, and they are being oppressed there, and they ask their muslim brothers living in a muslim country to help them against the oppression; it is indeed a duty of the muslim brothers to help them with all means available to them.

But if the non-muslim country has a peace-agreement or a no-war treaty with the muslim country, then the muslim nation must honor the treaty; for it is a command of Allah Subhanah that treaties must be honored. Unless of course, both nations decide to annul or break the treaty; only then can the muslim nations declare war against the non-muslim nation and help their oppressed brothers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 8 Surah Anfaal verse 72:

72 Those who believed and adopted exile, and fought for the faith with their property and their persons in the cause of Allah, as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid these, are (all) friends and protectors one of another. As to those who believed but came not into exile, ye owe no duty of protection to them; until they seek your aid in religion it is your duty to help them, except against a people with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance: and (remember) Allah seeth all that ye do.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 75-76:

75            And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who being weak are ill-treated (and oppressed)? Men women and children whose cry is: "Our Lord! rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Thee one who will protect; and raise for us from Thee one who will help!"

76            Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah and those who reject faith fight in the cause of evil: so fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.

Thus if there is a righteous government in the Muslim States of Syria or Pakistan, and they have no treaty or alliance of peace with the State of Isreal or India, where the muslims are being oppressed because of their faith in Islam; it would be a duty unto the State of Syria and Pakistan to help their oppressed brothers in the non-muslim lands.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.40 Narrated by An Numan bin Bashir

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves, and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body; so that, if any part of the body is not well; then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) in the above narration has compared the Muslim Ummah in a similitude of a human body. If one part of a human body feels pain, it is only natural that the whole body shares its pain and fever. Thus if there are muslims being oppressed and tortured in some part of the world, it is the duty of every believer to feel and share their pain; thus he should strive to help them with all means available to him. And if he is not able to do that, he should at the least make sincere and constant supplications to Allah Subhanah to help them in their distress.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan