The Ruling on Taking the Wealth of the Jews Who Are at War

Question:
This is a letter we received from Usamah al-Mashhadani from the Holy City of Madinah, from the Islamic University. He says: A question was sent to me from Palestine, and the questioner asked me to present it to Your Eminence. He asks: Is it permissible to steal from a Jew? And what is the evidence for this? Please issue a ruling, and may Allah reward you.

Answer:
The Jews who are currently at war with the Muslims in Palestine; it is obligatory for the Muslims to do everything they can to plunder their wealth, kill them, and so on, because they are at war with the Muslims. The war is ongoing, and there is no peace treaty between them and the Muslims. They are currently at war with the Muslims in their land, alongside the Muslims there. Therefore, there is no objection to helping the Palestinians in their war, and no objection to plundering their wealth or taking their children, and the like, if that is possible without harm to the Muslims residing among them. However, if taking their children or plundering their wealth leads to greater harm or greater evil for the Muslims residing among them, then that should be avoided so as not to harm the Muslim brothers residing among them. The point is that it is obligatory to strive against them in the path of Allah until the land is liberated from their hands. This is the obligation upon the Muslims: to liberate the land from their hands and to unite against them until the land of the Muslims is liberated from the hands of the enemies of Allah, and until its original inhabitants are returned to it. As for what concerns taking their wealth or their children or the like, there is a distinction here: if it is possible without harm to the Muslims, then there is no harm in it. But if plundering their wealth or taking their children leads to harm for the Muslims residing among them, then it should not be done, lest the harm caused to them lead to greater harm for other Muslims. The Shari'ah came to consider benefits and increase them, and to nullify harms and reduce them. The Shari'ah also came to consider committing the lesser of two harms to avoid the greater of them, if it is not possible to avoid both, and to obtain the greater of two benefits, even if the lesser of the two is lost, if it is not possible to obtain both benefits. Therefore, these legal principles must be considered regarding the war with the Jews. Yes. May Allah bless you and reward you with good.