Sīs and the lands of the Franks with their inhabitants still in them? Or is that better than his waging jihad against the aforementioned Nusayrīs while keeping guard? Is the reward of those who guard the coastal frontier posts against a feared Frankish attack greater, or does this carry a greater reward?
Must those who know these people and their doctrines expose their true condition and help to put an end to their falsehood and establish Islam among them—so that perhaps Allah Most High may guide some of them to Islam and make Muslims of their descendants and children after they leave that grievous unbelief—or is it permissible to disregard and neglect them? What is the merit of someone who strives to accomplish this, wages jihad for it, keeps guard for it and perseveres in it? Please explain this in detail; may you be rewarded and recompensed, if Allah Most High wills. He has power over all things. Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.
Shaykh al-Islām Taqī al-Dīn Abū al-‘Abbās Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah answered:
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds. These people known as the Nusayrīs, together with all the other groups of esoteric Qarmatians, are greater disbelievers than the Jews and Christians—indeed, than many polytheists. The harm they cause to the community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is greater than that caused by warring unbelievers, such as the unbelievers among the Tatars and Franks and others. Before ignorant Muslims, they profess Shiism and allegiance to the Prophet’s household, whereas in reality they believe neither in Allah, His Messenger or His Book, nor in any command or prohibition, reward or punishment, Paradise or Hell, nor in any messenger before Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, nor in any previous religion. Rather, they take the words of Allah and His Messenger, as known to Muslim scholars, and interpret them as referring to matters