Fourth Observation

Whoever contemplates the Prophet’s sirah—his life, replete with combat, jihad against the unbelievers, and sacrifice for the sake of this religion—will see that his fighting and jihad passed through several distinct phases and levels, each calibrated to the circumstances in which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his noble Companions found themselves.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (1), may Allah have mercy on him, said: “At first the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was commanded to strive against the unbelievers with his tongue, not with his hand: he would invite them, admonish them, debate with them in the best manner, and wage a great jihad against them through the Quran … He was also commanded to abstain from fighting them because he and the Muslims were unable to do so. When he migrated to Madinah and found supporters there, he was granted permission to engage in jihad; later, after they had grown stronger, fighting was made obligatory for them, though they were not ordered to fight those who were at peace with them, because they—