The Reality of Jihad, Its Authority, and the Meaning of “You Intimidate the Enemy of Allah”

Question:
A questioner asks, saying: Honorable Shaykh, why is there this hostility toward jihad and inciting people not to go to it, when the Muslim community needs jihad and the enemies do not want jihad? Why do we agree with them? And what is the meaning of "you intimidate"? May Allah reward you with good?

Answer:
We love jihad and desire it, but this is not jihad. We said that this is not jihad; this is destruction, killing souls without right. Is this jihad? Even if he kills himself without right, is this jihad? Jihad has rulings, it has conditions, it has regulations. The ruler of the Muslims takes charge of it and calls for it.
Even the Children of Israel did not go out to fight them with each person taking up arms. They asked, “Send us a king so we may fight in the cause of Allah.” That is, they asked for a commander. From whom did they ask? From their prophet, from the one in authority. So the authority over jihad lies with the one in authority. This is part of the rules of governance. The one in authority is the one who orders it, the one who takes charge of it, the one who recruits the soldiers, and the one who prepares the weapons. And “you intimidate the enemy of Allah.” It says “you intimidate the enemy of Allah,” not “you intimidate the Muslims” or “you intimidate those with whom you have treaties.” It says “you intimidate the enemy of Allah and your enemy.”