Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

Undoubtedly this is a problem from which the ummah suffers

from time to time, especially when it is faced with trials and

tribulations and these hypocrites feel secure and feel that they will not

be punished if they attack the foundations of this religion and try to

spread division and tribulation.

Undoubtedly the damage that these people do is greater than

that caused by the kuffaar whose kufr is obvious, as Allaah says

(interpretation of the meaning):

“They are the enemies, so beware of them. May Allaah curse

them! How are they denying (or deviating from) the Right Path?”

[al-Munaafiqoon 63:4]

Because of that, it is

prescribed to wage jihad against them and to treat them harshly.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)

said concerning the Nusayris, among whom were some who expressed their kufr

and heresy openly and others who made a hypocritical show of loving Ahl

al-Bayt (the members of the Prophet’s household):

Undoubtedly waging jihad against these people and carrying

out the hadd punishments against them is one of the greatest acts of

obedience and most important obligatory actions. It is better than waging

jihad against those mushrikeen and people of the Book who do not fight the

Muslims, for waging jihad against these comes under the same heading as

waging jihad against the apostates. Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq and all the Sahaabah

started with jihad against the apostates before they engaged in jihad

against the kuffaar of the people of the Book, for jihad against these (the

apostates) is a means to protect the lands that are already under Muslim

rule, and to deter anyone who wants to apostatize. Jihad against the

mushrikeen and people of the Book who are not fighting us is an additional

manifestation of the power of this religion. Protecting the capital takes

precedence over making profit.

Moreover the harm that these people (hypocrites) cause to the

Muslims is greater than that caused by others (kaafirs), indeed their harm

is like that caused by the mushrikeen and people of the Book who fight the

Muslims. The damage that they do to the religious commitment of many people

is worse than the damage done by those mushrikeen and people of the Book who

wage war on us. Every Muslim must do as much as he can of his duty. It is

not permissible for anyone to keep quiet about anything that he knows about

them, rather he must broadcast it so that the Muslims will know what they

really are. It is not permissible for anyone to help them to remain among

the troops and government employees, or for anyone to keep quiet and refrain

from carrying out against them that which Allaah and His Messenger have

enjoined. It is not permissible for anyone to speak against carrying out

what Allaah and His Messenger have enjoined. This is one of the greatest

types of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and of striving

in jihad for the sake of Allaah. Allaah said to His Prophet (peace and

blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):

“O Prophet (Muhammad)!

Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh

against them”

[al-Tawbah 9:73]

These people are included in this phrase “the disbelievers

and the hypocrites”.

The one who helps to put

a stop to their evil and to guide them as much as he can will have of reward

that which is known only to Allaah, for the primary purpose is to guide them

as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“You (true believers in

Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah)

are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:110]

Abu Hurayrah said: You are the best of people for people, you

bring them in chains and fetters until they enter Islam. (al-Bukhaari,

4557).

The purpose of jihad and

of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, is to guide people to

what is best for them in this world and in the Hereafter, as much as

possible; then whomsoever Allaah guides will find happiness in this world

and in the Hereafter, and whomsoever He does not guide, his evil will be

contained.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 35/159-160

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)

said:

The Muslim ummah must respond in kind when it is attacked. So

with regard to those who fight Islam with ideas and words, we must explain

the falseness of what they say using rational evidence as well as shar’i

evidence, so that the falseness of what they say will become apparent.

With regard to those who fight Islam by economic means, we

must ward them off and attack them if possible, by using the same means with

which they attack Islam. We must explain that the best way to strengthen the

economy in a just manner is the Islamic way.

With regard to those who attack Islam with weapons, we must

resist them in a similar fashion. Hence Allaah says (interpretation of the

meaning):

“O Prophet (Muhammad)! Strive hard against the

disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is

Hell, — and worst indeed is that destination”

[al-Tawbah 9:73]

It is well known that

jihad against the hypocrites is not like jihad against the kuffaar, because

jihad against the hypocrites is fought with knowledge and argument, whilst

jihad against the kuffaar is fought with swords and arrows.

Fataawa ‘Ulama’ al-Balad al-Haraam,

p. 1733.