He—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—was also asked:

Two groups claiming to belong to the community of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, rally one another with the tribal calls of pre-Islamic ignorance, such as Asad, Hilāl, Tha‘labah, Harām, and others. There are grudges and blood feuds between them. Whenever the two groups come within sight of one another, the believers intervene to foster harmony and reconcile them.

Those aggressors say, “Allah has made seeking vengeance obligatory upon us through His words:

‘We prescribed for them therein: a life for a life’

—up to His words—

‘and wounds are subject to equal retaliation.’”

The believers then explain to them that this conduct leads to disbelief, involving as it does killing people and plundering wealth. They reply, “We have claims against them, and we will not leave until we have taken our revenge with our swords.” They then attack them, and whichever side prevails commits aggression, oversteps the bounds, and kills people. They spread corruption in the land.

Is it obligatory to fight and kill the aggressing group after enjoining them to do what is right? Or what must the ruler do about this aggressing group?

He answered:

All praise is due to Allah. Fighting between these two groups is forbidden according to the Quran, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus. Indeed, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“When two Muslims confront one another with their swords, both the killer and the one killed are in the Fire.”

He was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, we understand this concerning the killer, but what about the one killed?”

He replied: