The “hadith of ‘Ammār” may be cited by those who consider fighting warranted, since, if those who killed him were transgressors, Allah says:

“Then fight against the group that transgresses.”

Those who hold the other position cite authentic hadiths from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to the effect that “abstaining from civil strife is better than fighting in it.” They maintain that this fighting and others like it constitute fighting amid civil strife, as authentic hadiths make clear. They also maintain that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, neither commanded this fighting nor approved of it; rather, he approved of reconciliation. Allah commanded fighting the transgressor, but He did not command fighting him at the outset. Rather, He said:

“If two groups of believers fight one another, make peace between them. But if one of them transgresses against the other, fight against the group that transgresses until it returns to the command of Allah. If it returns, make peace between them with justice and act equitably. Indeed, Allah loves those who act equitably.”

They say: Allah did not command the initial fighting, nor did He command everyone subjected to transgression to fight whoever transgressed against him. For if someone killed every transgressor, he would fall into disbelief. Indeed, most believers—indeed, most people—are not free of wrongdoing and transgression. But when two groups of believers fight one another, reconciliation between them is obligatory, even if neither was commanded to fight. If one group then transgresses, it is to be fought because it has neither ceased fighting nor agreed to reconciliation, so its harm cannot be repelled except by fighting. Fighting it thus becomes like fighting an assailant whose wrongdoing against others cannot be repelled except by fighting, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever is killed defending his property is a martyr; whoever is killed defending his life is a martyr; whoever is killed defending his religion is a martyr; and whoever is killed defending his honour is a martyr.”

They say: Even assuming that the entire army consisted of transgressors, we were not commanded to fight them at the outset; rather, we were commanded to bring about reconciliation