believers fight, then reconcile them; but if one of them transgresses against the other, fight the one that is transgressing until it returns to Allah’s command.” (Q 49:9)

We fight the unbelievers in order to spread monotheism and suppress polytheism.

Combat against the unbelievers is of two kinds:

1. Defensive fighting. This applies when the Muslims are weak. If an enemy overruns their lands, it becomes obligatory upon everyone capable of bearing arms to repel the invader and defend their territory.

2. Offensive fighting. When the Muslims are strong, they advance into the enemy’s land, invite them to Allah, and—if the invitation is refused—fight them so that Allah’s word may be exalted: “Fight them until there is no persecution and religion is entirely for Allah.” (Q 8:39)

Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 AH) stated that jihad progressed through stages:

Stage One: At first it was forbidden. This was when the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims were in Mecca, and they were commanded to withhold their hands, establish prayer, and give zakah: “Have you not seen those to whom it was said, ‘Restrain your hands, establish prayer, and give zakah’?” (Q 4:77). The prohibition stood because the Muslims had neither state nor strength. Allah instructed His Prophet to be patient, to pardon, and to wait for relief. Anyone who fought during this stage would have disobeyed Allah and His Messenger, for combat at that time would only have harmed the Muslims, their call to Islam, and