If a group of Muslims is found with the disbelieving army, does that prevent fighting them?
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The questioner : All right, Shaykh, regarding a general question, whether in this war or any other, if the officer of the army fighting the Muslims or a group of Muslims is a disbeliever, and some Muslims are mixed in with them, as is the case now.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Does that prevent fighting these disbelievers, even if there are Muslims with them?
The Shaykh : If the Muslims who are being fought by the disbelievers, who have some Muslims with them, are being attacked, then it is permissible for them to fight the disbelievers, even if there are Muslims with them. Because if these Muslims were alone and were the aggressors, it would be permissible to fight the aggressors, even if they were all Muslims. How much more so when the majority are disbelievers and there are some Muslims with them? It is permissible a fortiori.
The questioner : I asked this question because some people understood from your answer on the tapes that one should not fight and should stay in one's homes because there are Muslims who will be killed. What I understand now is that this is not the reason.
The Shaykh : I said, and I still say, this, my brother, because it is not possible to realize the situation in which we are now afflicted. I said this at the beginning of the fitnah, before America and those with them declared war against Iraq. I was, and I still am, saying—and perhaps you noticed or sensed this in my previous answer—that Iraq was the aggressor against Kuwait.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So if these disbelievers and the Muslims with them had actually fought the Iraqis to return to their land, we would have reversed the matter completely, because they would be seeking to support the oppressed against the oppressor. Is that understood up to here?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But now the matter is completely reversed, as they want to destroy Iraq and leave the Iraqi army in Kuwait. They openly state today, or before today, that they will destroy the Iraqi country and then return to uproot the Iraqi army in Kuwait. So here there is an open rebellion. Is the difference clear?
The questioner : Yes, it is clear, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : That is it.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Does that prevent fighting these disbelievers, even if there are Muslims with them?
The Shaykh : If the Muslims who are being fought by the disbelievers, who have some Muslims with them, are being attacked, then it is permissible for them to fight the disbelievers, even if there are Muslims with them. Because if these Muslims were alone and were the aggressors, it would be permissible to fight the aggressors, even if they were all Muslims. How much more so when the majority are disbelievers and there are some Muslims with them? It is permissible a fortiori.
The questioner : I asked this question because some people understood from your answer on the tapes that one should not fight and should stay in one's homes because there are Muslims who will be killed. What I understand now is that this is not the reason.
The Shaykh : I said, and I still say, this, my brother, because it is not possible to realize the situation in which we are now afflicted. I said this at the beginning of the fitnah, before America and those with them declared war against Iraq. I was, and I still am, saying—and perhaps you noticed or sensed this in my previous answer—that Iraq was the aggressor against Kuwait.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So if these disbelievers and the Muslims with them had actually fought the Iraqis to return to their land, we would have reversed the matter completely, because they would be seeking to support the oppressed against the oppressor. Is that understood up to here?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But now the matter is completely reversed, as they want to destroy Iraq and leave the Iraqi army in Kuwait. They openly state today, or before today, that they will destroy the Iraqi country and then return to uproot the Iraqi army in Kuwait. So here there is an open rebellion. Is the difference clear?
The questioner : Yes, it is clear, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : That is it.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.