Seventh: He must not show partiality to one who is related to him, or who shares his opinion and school, against one who differs from him in lineage, or disagrees with him in opinion and school. Nor should he make the differences between them so conspicuous that the united front is fractured, becoming preoccupied with estrangement and dispute. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) overlooked the hypocrites, despite their being opponents in religion, and applied to them the ruling based on outward appearances, until strength was bolstered through them and numbers increased. Allah Most High said: “And do not dispute, lest you lose courage and your strength depart” (8:46). It has been said that “wind” here refers to power and authority; this was stated by Abū ʿUbayd. Others have said that it refers to strength. Thus, He made the wind a metaphor for strength, since wind possesses force. One of the matters governed by this command is the management of warfare.

The polytheists in the Abode of War are of two categories. The first consists of those to whom the call has reached. It is rare today for there to be any people to whom the call has not reached, except perhaps some people beyond the Turks and Romans, in the easternmost regions and the farthest reaches of the West. It is therefore unlawful for him to initiate combat against them by surprise before proclaiming the call, informing them of the miracles of prophethood, and inviting them to Islam. Allah Most High said: “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best” (16:125). That is: Invite them to the religion of your Lord with wisdom. Some have said that wisdom means prophethood, while others have said it means the Quran. As for “good instruction,” some have said that it means the Quran, delivered with gentleness in speech, while others have said that it refers to what the Quran contains of commands and prohibitions. “And argue with them in a way that is best” means that he should explain the truth to them and clarify the proof for them.

If he initiates combat against them before inviting them to Islam, he is not liable to pay blood money for those killed, and their blood is forfeit. Once the battle lines have been fully formed, it is permissible for a Muslim combatant to mark himself with a distinguishing sign by which he is recognized in the ranks and set apart from the army as a whole, and to ride an ablaq (piebald) horse if the other men’s horses are black or chestnut. Aḥmad said, according to the narration of Ḥanbal: “Headbands in war are recommended,” based on Allah’s statement, “marked” (8:—). This is also supported by the report transmitted by ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿAwn from ʿUmayr ibn Isḥāq: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the day of Badr, “Mark yourselves, for the angels have marked themselves.”