Qāʿidah fī Qitāl al-Kuffār - Ibn Taimiya - (195)

His life is spared only because disbelief is the decisive condition for the permissibility of shedding the blood of one who has been overpowered. Even a Muslim who takes up arms may be fought, yet once he is captured it is not lawful to kill him, for Islam itself affords protection. In the hadith: “The blood of a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah is not lawful to shed except in three cases: disbelief after Islam, adultery after marital consummation, or killing a soul for which he is killed in retaliation.” (1) A narration to the same effect is likewise traced back to the Prophet ﷺ on the authority of Ibn Masʿūd.

Hence, if the combatant is a disbeliever, it is permissible to kill him; and if he is taken prisoner, it is likewise permissible to execute him for his prior hostility (2) and to avert his future harm—for if he is granted clemency or ransomed

If a harbi (enemy combatant) embraces Islam during the fighting, his conversion is deemed valid because it occurs before the Muslims gain power over him. In contrast, one who converts after being taken prisoner may still be lawfully enslaved, even though his life is thereby protected. (1) Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 6484, and Muslim, no. 1676, on the authority of Ibn Masud. (2) The printed edition reads: harbah.

وَإِنَّمَا عُصِمَ دَمَهُ؛ لَأَنَّ الكُفْرَ شَرْطٌ فِي حِلِّ دَمِ المَقْدُورِ عَلَيه، حَتَّى أَنَّ المُسْلَمَ إِذَا حَارَبَ جَازَ قِتَالُهُ، فَإِذَا قُدِرَ عَلِيهِ لَمْ يَحِلَّ قِتْلُهُ، فَإِنَّ الإِسْلامِ عَاصِمٌ، فَفِي الحدِيثِ: "لا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهَ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ الله، إِلَّا بِإِحْدَى ثَلاثٍ، كُفْر بَعْدَ إِسْلامٍ، وَزِنًا بَعْدَ إِحْصَانٍ، أَو أَنْ يَقْتُلَ نَفْسًا فَيقْتَلَ بِهَا" (١)، كَمَا جَاءَ مِثْل هَذَا الحدِيث مَرْفُوعًا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مَنْ حَدِيثِ ابنِ مَسْعُودٍ. فَالمُحَارِبُ إِذَا كَانَ كَافِرًا: جَازَ قَتْلُهُ، وَإِذَا أُسِرَ جَازَ قَتْلُهُ لحِرَابِهِ (٢) المتقَدِّم، وَدَفَعًا لِشَرِّهِ فِي المُسْتَقْبَل، فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا مُنَّ عَلَيهِ أَو فُودِيَ

= أسلم الحربي عند القتال صح إسلامه؛ لأنه أسلم قبل القدرة عليه، بخلاف من أسلم بعد الأسر، فإنه لا يمنع استرقاقه وإن عصم دمه). (١) أخرجه البخاري (ح/ ٦٤٨٤)، ومسلم (ح/ ١٦٧٦) من حديث ابن مسعود ﵁. (٢) في المطبوعة: (حربه).