justification whatsoever. A faction that merely steps outside obedience to the lawful ruler (1) is one thing; these people have abandoned the very law and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In many respects they are more wicked than the Tatars, although the Tatars were larger in number and stronger, and for that reason their evil became more conspicuous.

Much of the Tatars’ corruption actually stemmed from their association with this group. In the days of Ghāzān, Hülegü, and others, they seized from the wealth (2) of the Muslims many times more than they took from their own, and the land they hold is fayʾ that rightfully belongs to the Public Treasury.

Many of the early scholars said that the Rāfiḍites have no entitlement to the fayʾ, for Allah has allocated it to the Emigrants and the Helpers: “And those who came after them say, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not place in our hearts any rancor toward those who believe. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.’” (al-Hashr 59:10). Whoever’s heart is not free of ill will toward them and whose tongue does not seek forgiveness for them is not included among these people (3).

Their trees were cut down because, when the Prophet ﷺ besieged Banū al-Naḍīr, his Companions felled and burned their date-palms. The Jews objected, “Muhammad, this is corruption, and yet you forbid corruption.” Thereupon Allah revealed: “Whatever you cut down of palm trees or left standing on their trunks—it was by Allah’s permission, so that He might disgrace the defiantly disobedient.” (al-Hashr 59:5).

The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is permissible to cut down trees and demolish inhabited structures whenever necessity requires.