In an interview in "Al-Mujahid Magazine" stating that those fighting the Afghan communists, if they say: "There is no god but Allah," should not be killed

The questioner : In an interview in "Al-Mujahid Magazine" stating that those fighting the Afghan communists, if they say: "There is no god but Allah," should not be killed; because he says: "There is no god but Allah," and they pray and give zakah, among other things. Now, the majority of the mujahideen fighting in Afghanistan are of this type; they say: "We are Muslims, we say: 'There is no god but Allah,' and we pray; so why do you fight us, O mujahideen?" And "Najib" himself says: "I am a Muslim, and I do not accept a soldier with me unless he prays; so why do you fight us? You have only followed these Wahhabis who fight us, and so on, and these Arabs." So how do we address such people?

The Shaykh : Is this a problem for you?

The questioner : Yes, because now... the mujahideen are fighting them. How can they fight Muslims? And you say, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : If the problem is with you and not just with "Najib," then this is a big problem. But if it is only with "Najib," there is no problem; because he is a man who accepted fighting the Muslims; because they demand ruling by what Allah has revealed. So in your opinion, since the discussion is with you and not with Najib; is he a rebel or not a rebel?

The questioner : A rebel.

The Shaykh : More than a rebel, too. And what is your opinion of His saying - Exalted is He - : ; Was "Najib" asked for peace when he was strong and he refused?

The questioner : He refused.

The Shaykh : He refused, . If "Najib" is a rebel, indeed a disbeliever; is there any problem in the legitimacy of fighting him? If this had come from "Najib," it would not have been acceptable from him; how then from a Muslim?!

The questioner : Now you say in the magazine that no person who says: "There is no god but Allah" is to be killed, he is not to be killed.

The Shaykh : Who says?

The questioner : In the magazine, in the interview, it is you.

The Shaykh : What magazine?

The questioner : "Al-Mujahid Magazine."

Another questioner : In the Emirates last year, the interview with the Shaykh ... "Mujahid."

The Shaykh : Yes, meaning I issue a fatwa?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Of course, because the scenario that was presented, and was also presented to me on this trip; when a communist prisoner falls into the hands of the Muslims, and before he falls into the hands of the Muslim he raises the banner of Islam, and says: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah." In this scenario, I say: it is not permissible to kill him; because I will say now: suppose ten of these, twenty, a hundred, two hundred, and so on, see themselves under the blow of the Muslim's sword or his rifle or the like, and they raise the banner of Islam; is it not possible that at least one of these ten or dozens is truly saying it from his heart, is it possible?
Well; in that case, is it not possible that not specifically every person who says in this scenario: "There is no god but Allah"; the previous possibility remains as it was in the time of the Messenger - peace be upon him - who rebuked the one who killed the polytheist when he saw himself under the blow of the sword and said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah"; so what did he care, and he killed him, so the Messenger - peace be upon him - rebuked him, and the Companion argued as some people now argue regarding these communists; that they do not say it except to save themselves from being killed?! This is the answer of the Messenger - peace be upon him - : ; so as long as there is a possibility that this communist who says: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah" said it out of belief; it is not permissible to kill everyone with the possibility that this one person may have said it out of belief and sincerity; this is the principle. But it is not permissible to handle the matter on the basis of contradicting the Shari'ah and opening up possibilities against this legal ruling. Rather, the one who said this word is to be placed in a place and monitored so that he does not exploit his hypocrisy if he said it out of hypocrisy. This is what I testify to Allah, without doubt; so we have no way but this.

The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. One of the brothers went to a group of brothers to a place near them, and without there being any prisoners or anything, he saw them performing wudu' in order to perform the prayer, and they did not fall into captivity or anything.

The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.

The questioner : So do we fight them?

The Shaykh : As long as they are fighting, my brother - may Allah bless you - the answer to this has already been given.

The questioner : They are fighting?

The Shaykh : As long as they are fighting the Muslims and they are rebels; the question has now developed. We fight them, we are done with this question. They are fought because they are rebels!

The questioner : We fight them because they are disbelievers, not because they are rebels!

The Shaykh: No.

The questioner : This is what we testify to Allah - Mighty and Majestic - that they are disbelievers.

The Shaykh : My brother, please stand by something. We said about these people: either they are disbelievers or they are rebels; is that not so? So when one of their prisoners falls into the hands of the Muslims, why are these people to be killed? You said about "Najib": "And we bear witness that there is no god but Allah?"
Our answer to establish the proof against these people: if you are truthful that you are truly Muslims, then you are rebels; otherwise, you are disbelievers. Then I say, a belief I used to say in Syria and Jordan and I still say it: many of the Muslims, if they are communists or Ba'athists, they are not Ba'athists or communists by belief, but for an immediate worldly interest. This is what we know in Syria and outside Syria.

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : And indeed they pray and fast and so on, but the world tried them, so we cannot say about every individual: that he is a disbeliever. It is enough for us that they are fighting us, so we fight them, at least they are rebels.
And now they turned to the prayer.