Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (28/544)

He—may Allah have mercy on him and be pleased with him—was asked about soldiers who refuse to fight the Tatars, saying, “Some among them are compelled to go out with them,” and whether, if one of them flees, he should be pursued.

He replied:

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Fighting the Tatars who have come to the lands of Syria is obligatory according to the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah says in the Quran:

“Fight them until there is no more persecution and religion is entirely for Allah.”

Religion means obedience. Thus, if some obedience is devoted to Allah and some to others besides Him, fighting becomes obligatory until all obedience is devoted to Allah. For this reason, Allah Most High says:

“O you who believe, fear Allah and give up what remains of usury, if you are believers.”

“If you do not, then be informed of war from Allah and His Messenger.”

This verse was revealed concerning the people of al-Tā’if when they embraced Islam and committed themselves to prayer and fasting but refused to give up usury. Allah therefore made clear that they were at war with Him and His Messenger if they did not desist from usury. Usury was the last thing Allah prohibited, and it is money taken with its owner’s consent. If such people are at war with Allah and His Messenger and must be fought, then what of those who abandon many—or most—of the prescribed duties and laws of Islam, as the Tatars do?

وَسُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ وَرَضِيَ عَنْهُ -: عَنْ أَجْنَادٍ يَمْتَنِعُونَ عَنْ قِتَالِ التَّتَارِ وَيَقُولُونَ: إنَّ فِيهِمْ مَنْ يَخْرُجُ مُكْرَهًا مَعَهُمْ وَإِذَا هَرَبَ أَحَدُهُمْ هَلْ يُتْبَعُ أَمْ لَا؟ فَأَجَابَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، قِتَالُ التَّتَارِ الَّذِينَ قَدِمُوا إلَى بِلَادِ الشَّامِ وَاجِبٌ بِالْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ؛ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ: {وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلَّهِ} وَالدِّينُ هُوَ الطَّاعَةُ فَإِذَا كَانَ بَعْضُ الدِّينِ لِلَّهِ وَبَعْضُهُ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ وَجَبَ الْقِتَالُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلَّهِ؛ وَلِهَذَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ} {فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ} وَهَذِهِ الْآيَةُ نَزَلَتْ فِي أَهْلِ الطَّائِفِ لَمَّا دَخَلُوا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ وَالْتَزَمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَالصِّيَامَ؛ لَكِنْ امْتَنَعُوا مِنْ تَرْكِ الرِّبَا. فَبَيَّنَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُمْ مُحَارِبُونَ لَهُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ إذَا لَمْ يَنْتَهُوا عَنْ الرِّبَا. وَالرِّبَا هُوَ آخِرُ مَا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ وَهُوَ مَالٌ يُؤْخَذُ بِرِضَا صَاحِبِهِ. فَإِذَا كَانَ هَؤُلَاءِ مُحَارِبِينَ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ يَجِبُ جِهَادُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَتْرُكُ كَثِيرًا مِنْ شَرَائِعِ الْإِسْلَامِ أَوْ أَكْثَرَهَا كَالتَّتَارِ.