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those who wage war against us (1). If such a combatant embraces Islam, his life and property are protected; but anyone who did not actually engage in the fighting, we neither kill him nor compel him to enter Islam.
(1) Ibn al-Qayyim, Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimma, vol. 1, p. 79: “We fight only those who fight us. This was the Prophet’s practice with all peoples: he fought whoever fought him until they either entered his religion, agreed to a truce, or submitted to his rule by paying jizya (poll-tax). He gave the same instructions to his expeditions and armies whenever they confronted their enemies.”
مَنْ حَارَبَنَا (١)، فَإِنْ أَسْلَمَ عُصِمَ دَمُهُ وَمَالُهُ، وَلَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَنْ فَعَلَ القِتَالَ لَمْ نَقْتُلْهُ، وَلَمْ نُكْرِهْهُ عَلَى الإِسْلَامِ.
(١) وقال ابن القيم في أحكام أهل الذمة (١/ ٧٩): (بل نقاتل من حاربنا، وهذه كانت سيرة رسول الله في أهل الأرض، كان يقاتل من حاربه إلى أن يدخل في دينه، أو يهادنه أو يدخل تحت قهره بالجزية، وبهذا كان يأمر سراياه وجيوشه إذا حاربوا أعداءهم).