Questioner:

What is the Islamic position regarding bombings in non-Muslim countries that are carried out by individuals associated with Islam? We hope for some elaboration.

Shaykh Zayd ibn Muḥammad al-Madkhalī

Bombings that take place in non-Muslim countries are acts of transgression, and an endeavour to cause devastation in the land, because it is not in accordance to the regulations of the Islamic legislation. Between the countries nowadays are peace treaties and international relations, therefore it is obligatory to fulfil (such agreements). The Prophet ﷺ would fulfil treaties with the polytheists and warn us against treachery. This isolated act or grouping of individuals whose amount of knowledge is minimal to blow up airplanes, (public) facilities or detonate bombs in the midst of people, and commit random bombings that are not in a battle field nor under the banner of (true) Jihād, rather this is nothing but a bunch of individuals who have brought great harm upon Islam, the Muslims and the Islamic call that which is not appropriate.

As a result their action of carrying out explosive operations is wrong, atrocious and treacherous – whether in the non-Muslim countries or not, and it is also a violation of treaty. It is not Jihād, especially when they blow up themselves. (It is wrong because) firstly: they commit suicide and secondly: they kill those who die because of their action. Therefore their action is false and astray, and nothing of it is (considered) Jihād.

Rather it is nothing but transgression and oppression which Islam does not agree with nor acknowledge. However, if the bombing operations take place in a Muslim country, as occurred in this land; (when) it was afflicted by (an explosion) detonated by youth who were deluded by individuals whose amount of knowledge is minimal, and therefore went out of their way to prepare the most destructive weapons, and spend vast amounts of money in that regard.

They initially ruled disbelief upon the Muslim state and whoever was in agreement with it from the scholars and the general folk. Then they preceded from (falsely) ruling disbelief to murdering indiscriminately the young, old, male, female, Muslim, those under treaty, and committing suicide. Whilst thinking that they are liberating the people from oppression and slavery – as they say, by way of these repugnant erroneous acts that are (in reality) an extension of the actions committed by the foremost Khawārij. In fact they have surpassed them (in evil) by committing suicide operations. Since the foremost Khawārij did not kill themselves, rather they murdered the best of the Prophet’s companions. But these individuals commit suicide along with murdering the young old and annihilating public facilities and causing severe harm in the land. No intelligent Muslim doubts that their actions are acts of devastation in the land and that they are perpetrators of evil in the land.

It is obligatory upon those who are still alive from them to repent to Allah ﷻ and hand himself over to the Islamic courts that are entrusted with affairs pertaining to marriage and divorce, (spilling of) blood, wealth, and all the rulings of the Islamic legislation. Upon them is to go to the Supreme Islamic court and declare: ‘We are content with the Islamic ruling (upon us)’ and they must repent to Allah ﷻ with true sincerity. Such individuals are better than those who group together. Every time a group of them ceases, another surfaces., and that is because the Prophet ﷺ said about the Khawārij: “Every time a group of them surfaces, Allah cuts it off (from continuing).” So every time a group of them surfaces, Allah ﷻ cuts it off. The Prophet ﷺ said about the one who is murdered by the Khawārij – Tūba (a tree in paradise) is for him: “Tūba is for the one who kills them (Khawārij) or is murdered by them.” Meaning glad tidings is for such an individual and for him is paradise. The Prophet ﷺ also said: “If I am still alive I will most certainly slaughter them as the people of ʿĀd were slaughtered”, and likewise there are other narrations.

Thus, this is an endeavour to cause devastation in the land. So be warned and do not make any excuse for them ever, it is not to be said that they are ignorant or young and other such excuses. Allah ﷻ endowed them with intellect and put into effect the pen of accountability upon them. If an individual reaches fifteen years of age, the pen of accountability is put into effect upon him, so if it is that he is excused (for his actions) then the pen of accountability would not apply to him, and Allāh ﷻ would give him respite. However, Allah is al-Ḥakīm (The All-Wise), He put into effect the pen of accountability (upon him). There is no good that he does except that it is written in his scale of good deeds, and there is no evil that he does except that it is (also) written in his scroll so that he will read it on the Day of Judgement. Making excuses for them is sinful, and the text from the Book (Qurʿān) and the Sunnah bear witness that they cause devastation upon the land.

Questioner:

What is your view on those who say that they are rebellious transgressors but not Khawārij?

Shaykh Zayd ibn Muḥammad al-Madkhalī:

Those who murder the Muslims are Khawārij. As for transgressors, then there are rulings specific to them. For example, a group of people go out in protest requesting the ruler to comply with their requests saying: ‘We are insufficiently provided for’ or ‘We are afflicted with such-and-such, so either you relieve us from this or we will fight (against you)’. If the ruler relives them of the affliction all unrest ceases. If they persist to transgress then indeed Allah ﷻ passed a ruling concerning that:

۞ إِن بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَىٰ فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّىٰ تَفِيءَ إِلَىٰ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ

“But if one of them transgresses against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that rebels until it complies with the Command of Allah” (Q 49:9)