What is the ruling on jihad in Afghanistan?

The Shaykh : Do you have anything?

The questioner : Al-Furqan itself has arrived.

The Shaykh : Yes, go ahead.

The questioner : I have a question regarding jihad in Afghanistan, the ruling on jihad in Afghanistan?

The Shaykh : This is a strange question. Twelve years have passed, and until now we have not known the ruling on jihad in Afghanistan. Perhaps this is not your question.

The questioner : We are in Iraq. No, no, this is a question, because many opinions have been heard, even from the great shaykhs.

The Shaykh : Yes, my brother, we have always held that jihad in Afghanistan and in all the lands of Islam occupied by disbelievers is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for every Muslim who is able to perform it, with the condition of ability. This is taken from the general evidence that commands us to fear Allah as much as we are able. Even Hajj to the House of Allah, which is a pillar of Islam as is well known, was qualified by the Lord of the Worlds with His saying, Mighty and Majestic: Therefore, we say that jihad in all the lands of Islam occupied by disbelievers is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for every able Muslim. We were extremely pleased when the door was, and still is, open for non-Afghan Muslims to participate in jihad in the land of the Afghans against disbelief. Even if one of the two doors that was wide open has been closed, there is still this one door open for whoever wants to strive in the path of Allah, provided he is able to do so. Meanwhile, such jihad is not feasible in the area closest to us, which is Palestine. So, if you fear Allah as much as you are able, then whoever can strive in Afghanistan, and the way is still open, and I hope it remains so, because we fear that the disbeliever politics that direct the internal Islamic Arab policies, as they claim, will intervene. We hope that this door remains open so that this jihad continues.

Another questioner : They have done this. The external disbeliever politics dictate to those who claim to be Arab, meaning they investigate and prevent visas to Pakistan, for example.

The Shaykh : Yes, but I said I hope this door remains. I said first that one of the doors has been closed.

Another questioner : I ask Allah for well-being.

The Shaykh : It is burning.

Another questioner : Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.

The Shaykh : Take it. So, jihad is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) if it is feasible, and I hope it remains feasible. But surely the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) that occurred between some of the Afghan groups and parties has reached you all. That was a cause for stirring up an Islamic sectarian fitnah in creed between the same groups that share in fighting one enemy, which is the communist. At that time, we expressed our opinion frankly. At first, I said this should not prevent the continuation of jihad. But when the news started to come in one after another, and killing occurred after the start of that fitnah, of a man known to be, first, a mujahid in the path of Allah, and second, that his jihad was preceded by a type of jihad we do not find in the other Islamic parties in all the Islamic parties in the world, which is the jihad of understanding Islam with a correct understanding, and educating the Muslims who take refuge in this correct understanding in this correct understanding.
So we said that now it is necessary to pause in helping the mujahideen in fighting and jihad, because we felt at that time that the mujahideen's jihad against the communists had stopped and turned into fighting among themselves. If the Muslim youth, whom we previously encouraged to go there on the basis that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) as we said and still hold, goes there, and since the jihad has stopped, then this ruling has also stopped. Therefore, I say that if the mujahideen resume their jihad against their enemy, who is the enemy of everyone, there is no difference between a Khariji and a Salafi, if they resume their jihad, then the ruling remains, the previous ruling, which is the obligation, remains, until the communists and their rulers are overthrown, and the banner of Islam is raised, if Allah wills, high and mighty in the capital of Afghanistan, which is Kabul, and perhaps that will be soon. This is my answer to your question. Anything else.