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KFGQPC HAFS

Mahmoud Khaleel Al-Husary

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Malak Faris Abdalsalaam

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. Killing women and children. [Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid]
2. Fighting those who do not fight you. [Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, Abū al-ʿĀliyah, Ibn Zayd]
3. Committing acts that are prohibited. [Al-Ḥasan]
4. Initiating fighting in the Sacred Precinct (Haram) during the sacred month. [Muqātil]

What does "trangress" refer to in this āyah?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. The first view is that it is abrogated. The holders of this view differ on which part of the verse is abrogated:
1a. Some say "those who fight you" is abrogated. They argue that this implies fighting is permitted only against those among the disbelievers who are in a state of war, and this is abrogated by the following āyah.
1b. The second opinion is that "but do not transgress" is abrogated. According to this view, there are two interpretations of this "transgression": (1) The first is that it refers to killing those who do not fight. (2) The second is that it refers to initiating combat against the polytheists, which is abrogated by "the verse of the sword". (Ed: a reference to 9:5 or others.)

2. The second view is that the verse is definitive and not abrogated. According to the proponents of this view, the meaning of "And fight in the path of Allah those who fight you" refers to those who have prepared themselves for combat. As for those who are not prepared for combat, such as monks, elderly men who are weak, the disabled, the blind, and the insane, they should not be fought. This ruling remains valid and has not been abrogated.

How do scholars understand this āyah, and has it been abrogated?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. "Permission is given to those who are being fought because they have been wronged" (22:39). [Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, Ibn ʿAbbās, Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, al-Zuhrī]
2. It is this ayah, "Fight in the way of Allah" (2:190) [Abū al-ʿĀliyah, Ibn Zayd]

Which āyah first gave permission to fight?