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THE FIJÂR WARS & A DOUBT REGARDING BEING A SOLDIER OF THE TÂGHÛT

Started by Mudâfa’at’ut Tawhîd, 19.12.2022, 14:56

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Mudâfa’at’ut Tawhîd


Quotedid the prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam fight in the fijar war?

Bismillâh. The following narrations related to the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam participating in the Fijâr Wars are recorded in the books of Sîrah,

«سيرة ابن هشام ت طه عبد الرؤوف سعد» (1/ 170):
«الرسول -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يشهد القتال وهو صغير: وَشَهِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- بَعْضَ أَيَّامِهِمْ، أَخْرَجَهُ أَعْمَامُهُ مَعَهُمْ، وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ‌كُنْتُ ‌أنَبِّلُ ‌على ‌أعمامي، أي أردّ عنهم نَبْلَ عدوِّهم، إذا رموهم بها.
سن رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- في هذه الحرب: قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: هَاجَتْ حَرْبُ الفِجَار، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- ابْنُ عِشْرِينَ سنة»
"The Messenger Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam Witnessed the War When He Was Young

The Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam witnessed some of their days (the days of Fijâr). His uncles had taken him with themselves. The Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said, "I used to carry arrows for my uncles," meaning, when their enemies shot arrows, I would carry and return them to my uncles.

The Age of the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam During This War

Ibnu Ishâq said: The battle of Fijâr occurred when the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam was twenty years old."
1


«الطبقات الكبرى ط العلمية» (1/ 102):
«[قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَذَكَرَ الْفِجَارَ فَقَالَ: قَدْ حَضَرْتُهُ مَعَ عُمُومَتِي وَرَمَيْتُ فِيهِ بَأْسَهُمٍ ‌وَمَا ‌أُحِبُّ ‌أَنِّي ‌لَمْ ‌أَكُنْ ‌فَعَلْتُ] . فَكَانَ يَوْمَ حَضَرَ ابْنَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً. وَكَانَ الْفِجَارُ بَعْدَ الْفِيلِ بعشرين سنة»
"The Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said when he mentioned the Fijâr Wars, "I participated in the Fijâr Wars with my uncles and shot arrows. I would dislike to not have participated." The Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam was twenty years old when he participated. The Fijâr Wars occurred twenty years after the Incident of the Elephant."2

«السيرة الحلبية = إنسان العيون في سيرة الأمين المأمون» (1/ 185):
«وقيل لم يقاتل صلى الله عليه وسلم في فجار البراض، وعليه اقتصر في الوفاء: أي لم يرم فيه بأسهم، بل قال: «كنت أنبل على أعمامي» أي أرد عليهم نبل عدوهم إذا رموه.
وقد يقال: لا مخالفة، لأنه ليس في هذه العبارة أنه لم يرم، بل فيها أنه كان ينبل. ويجوز أن يكون أغلب أحواله صلى الله عليه وسلم ذلك أي أنه كان ينبل: أي يرد النبل، فلا ينافي أنه رمى في بعض الأوقات بأسهم»
"It was said that the Prophet Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam did not fight in the Fijâr of Barrâdh. The author of al-Wafâ was content with this much in al-Wafâ. Meaning, he did not shoot arrows, rather he said, "I used to carry arrows for my uncles," meaning, when their enemies shot arrows, I would return them to my uncles. It could be said that there is no contradiction here, since there is nothing found in this phrase to indicate that he did not shoot arrows. On the contrary, it is mentioned that he used to carry arrows. It is permissible that the Prophet Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam mostly did this, meaning, carried arrows i.e., returned them. This does not disprove that he did shot arrows at certain times."3

Hakîm bin Hizâm Radiyallâhu Anh says that he saw the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam participating in the Fijâr Wars.4

It is mentioned in the sources that the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam participated in the Fijâr Wars when he was fourteen5, fifteen6, or twenty7 years old. In other terms, this happened before prophecy was given to him.

As seen, the narrations stating that the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam participated in the Fijâr Wars are found in the books of Sîrah, not Hadîth. For this reason, these narrations have not been subjected to the examination which the narrations found in books of Hadîth are subjected to. Therefore, these narrations are in need of knowledge-based examination in terms of authenticity. And Allâh knows best.

You have not specified the reason why you asked this question. However, there are those who claim that the Fijâr Wars can be evidence to join the military forces of modern-day Tâghût. However, the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam did not involve in a war aimed at uplifting Kufr or serving the Tâghût. If this incident mentioned in the books of Sîrah did indeed occur, the narrations show us that he only participated in a war that took place between tribes. Therefore, this does not constitute an evidence for joining the military forces established by the system of the Tâghût to uphold Kufr. Those who make such claims cannot bring statements from the scholars that may be evidence for them. Such claims can only be made by ignorant people who do not have knowledge regarding the religion. Taking wars that initiated from tribal quarrels such as the Fijâr Wars and incidents which their historic accuracy is uncertain, and making it an exception to a matter of Major Kufr such as military service to the Tâghût, shows us to which extent the ignorance of these people has reached.

Even if we assume that it has historical accuracy, the person who participates in such a war is evaluated according to his situation and intention. If a person participates in a war in cases of necessity and does self-defence, then this is permissible. If a person fights for a false cause like nationalism/tribalism by pursuing tribal fanaticism due to the Jâhiliyyah fanaticism, this is impermissible. The deed of a person who fights to uphold Kufr or strengthen the Tâghût or for another cause of Kufr is Kufr.

Bringing the participation of Allâh's Messenger in the Fijar Wars, which is an ordinary tribal war that was not aimed at Shirk or upholding Shirk, before his prophethood as evidence for a person who joins the military forces of the Tâghût not being Kâfir, is a clear opposition to knowledge-based Usûl (fundamentals) and major ignorance. The narrations regarding the Fijâr Wars are not mentioned in the books of Hadîth but in books of Sîrah and its existence is controversial. Such a narration cannot be taken as evidence from a Usûl point of view. No scholar from Ahl'us Sunnah has ever used these narrations as evidence. Today, some ignorant people who speak about subjects they are not qualified for, use the narration regarding the Fijâr Wars to prove that those who join the military forces of the Tâghût will not become disbelievers. Such narrations are not considered evidences in Fiqh nor Aqîdah. And Allâh knows best!



1- Ibnu Hishâm, as-Sîrah, thq. Abd'ur Ra'ûf, 1/170; also refer to as-Suhaylî, ar-Rawdh'ul Anf, Dâru Ihyâ'it Turâth'il Arabî, 2/149; Ibnu Kathîr, al-Bidâyah wa'n Nihâyah, Dâru Hajr, 3/453; adh-Dhahabî, Târîkh'ul Islâm, Dâr'ul Kitâb'il Arabî, 1/61.

2- Ibnu Sa'd, at-Tabaqât'ul Kubrâ, Ilmiyyah, 1/102; also refer to Ibn'ul Jawzî, al-Muntadham, 2/298; Ibnu Sayyid'in Nâs, Uyûn'ul Athar, 1/59-60; Alâ'ud Dîn Mughaltay, al-Ishârah, p. 78.

3- Nûr'ud Dîn Halabî, as-Sîrah, 1/185-186.

4- Muhammad bin Habîb, al-Munammaq, p. 180.

5- Ibnu Hishâm, as-Sîrah, 1/168; ad-Diyâru Bakrî, Târîkh'ul Khamîs, 1/255, 259; al-Halabî, as-Sîrah, 1/185.

6- Ibnu Hishâm, as-Sîrah, 1/168; ad-Diyâru Bakrî, Târîkh'ul Khamîs, 1/259.

7- Ibnu Sa'd, at-Tabaqât'ul Kubrâ, Ilmiyyah, 1/102.
قَالَ ابْنُ عَقِيل رَحِمَهُ اللهُ: «إذَا أَرَدْت أَنْ تَعْلَمَ مَحَلَّ الْإِسْلَامِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الزَّمَانِ فَلَا تَنْظُرْ إلَى زِحَامِهِمْ فِي أَبْوَابِ الْجَوَامِعِ، وَلَا ‌ضَجِيجِهِمْ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ بِلَبَّيْكَ، وَإِنَّمَا اُنْظُرْ إلَى مُوَاطَأَتِهِمْ ‌أَعْدَاءَ الشَّرِيعَةِ.»
Ibnu Aqîl Rahimahullâh said, "If you want to learn the status of Islâm among contemporary people, then do not look at their crowds at the doors of the mosques and their crying Labbayk at the Mawqif (during Hajj). On the contrary, look at their collusion with the enemies of the Sharî'ah!" (Ibnu Muflih, al-Âdâb'ush Sharî'ah, 1/237)

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