Islam’s Imperative to Humiliate Non-Muslims

Military Attacks on Non-Muslims

Since Islam is considered by Muslims to be a complete way of life, it is necessary to see what kind of rare and unique system of rights and duties a true Islamic government maintains for the other non-Islamic tribes and states around it. Thus, the first right that an Islamic government possesses is that it should attack those tribes and states whose acceptance of Islam is not proven.

It is narrated from Anas that he narrates from the Muhammad that “whenever you attack a people, do not attack them until morning comes, and you should wait; if you hear the adhan, abandon the intention of attack, and if you do not hear the adhan, then raid them.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Adhan, Bab ma yahqinu bil-adhan min al-dima’, Hadith 610)

Imam Bukhari has given a beautiful title to this hadith: “Stopping bloodshed upon hearing the sound of adhan.

”The lesson learned from this Muhammad example is that it is not necessary that the people of Islam must know about a non-Muslim tribe or state before attacking it, because if they already know about them, then what is the need to test their Islam with adhan? Obviously, the wait for adhan is so that the faith and Islamic condition of the people being attacked can be gauged. If the sound of adhan comes, it means the people in front are Muslims, so abandon the intention of attacking them; and if they are not enriched with the Islam, then they have no right to the protection of their worldly wealth, property, or lives either. Therefore, attack them. That is why it is often found that Muhammad and his companions attacked the settlements of their enemies while they were unaware and heedless, killed their young men, and took their innocent women and children as captives and slaves. Thus, in one such incident it is narrated:

“When Muhammad attacked Banu Mustaliq, they were completely unaware and their animals were being watered at the pond, so he killed their fighters and took their women and children as captives. Juwayriyah (daughter of al-Harith) was also among those captives.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Itq, Bab man malaka min al-Arab…, Hadith 2541)

Prohibition of Mixing with Polytheists

Despite this caution and deliberation, the danger remains that some Muslim might be killed in such blind Islamic attacks along with the “kafirs who are worse than animals.” Therefore, this command of Muhammad was given for that: “Do not reside with the mushrikin, do not mix with them. Whoever resides with them and mixes with them, he is like them.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Siyar, Bab ma ja’a fi karahiyat al-muqam bayn azhur al-mushrikin, Hadith after 1530)

The people of Islam have been instilled with such hatred and aversion towards living and mixing with kafirs and mushrikin that if any Muslim, despite these Islamic commands, lives among them, then there is no concern even if such Muslims are killed in Islamic attacks. Jarir bin Abdullah narrates that the Muhammad sent a military expedition towards the Khath’am tribe. Some people tried to save themselves by prostrating, but the Muslims quickly killed them. When this information reached the Muhammad, he ordered half diyah (blood money) for them and said: “I am free from every Muslim who lives among the mushrikin.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Siyar, Bab ma ja’a fi karahiyat al-muqam bayn azhur al-mushrikin, Hadith 1530)

A very noteworthy thing in this narration is also that the Muhammad’s mujahideen of Islam cut down even those people who had fallen in prostration — meaning, whether they were Muslim or not was one thing, but it was certain that they were not fighting but had surrendered themselves in prostration. Yet with the swords of faith, their blood was shed like water.

Today, when Islamic jihadist organizations and groups attack non-Muslims according to these Islamic commands, they often hear from their moderate and Islam-illiterate Muslims that Muslims are also killed in these jihadist attacks. The answer is that these Islamic jihadist organizations know these Islamic commands better than you and are followers of that true Islam which does not even consider kafirs as human beings, but along with that, it also declares the same rights and status for those Muslims who live among these kafirs.

Only Menial and Humiliating Jobs Should Be Assigned to Non-Muslims

In an ideal Islamic state, a non-Muslim kafir will also have this right and status and rank that he should not be considered worthy of any honorable or respectable job. In the common understanding of the present age, it can be said that no non-Muslim kafir can be allowed a “white-collar job” in an Islamic state; rather, his status and rank is that only humiliating and lowly jobs should be assigned to him.

Accordingly, Abu Musa says: I said to Umar that I have a Christian scribe with me. He said: “What has happened to you? May Allah destroy you! Have you not heard the command of Allah: {O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and Christians as friends. They are friends of one another. And whoever among you befriends them, then indeed he is one of them. Allah does not guide the wrongdoers.} Al-Ma’idah (51). So why did you not employ a follower of the Hanifiyyah millat (i.e., why did you not keep a Muslim scribe)?”

Abu Musa says: I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin! I needed his writing, and his religion is for him. Umar said: “When Allah has humiliated them and made them degraded, I will not honor them; and when Allah has distanced them, I will not bring them close.” (Majmu’ al-Fatawa: 326/25, Al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 204/9, Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimma by Ibn Qayyim: 1/454, Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 256/8.The Muhaddith and Imam Ibn Taymiyyah declared this narration sahih and Allamah al-Albani declared its chain hasan.)

Non-Muslims Should Be Made Targets of Insult and Ridicule

A special feature of a righteous Islamic society will be that non-Muslim kafirs should not be greeted first at all, and no opportunity to insult the kafirs living around should be missed. So much so that if a non-Muslim kafir is seen passing on the road, his path should be narrowed to humiliate him. These are the moral values of Islam, of which Muslims cannot be proud enough, because these are the teachings of that Muhammad whose title is “Mercy to the Worlds.”

Accordingly, it is narrated from Abu Hurairah that Muhammad said: “Do not initiate the greeting to the Jews and Christians, and when one of them meets you on the road, force him to the narrowest part of it.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salam, Bab al-Nahy ‘an ibtida’ Ahl al-Kitab bil-salam wa kayf yard ‘alayhim, Hadith 5546) The famous Muhaddith and Imam Tirmidhi, after bringing this same hadith in his book, writes: “Some scholars say: This is disliked because initiating the greeting would be showing respect to them, whereas Muslims have been commanded to humiliate them. Similarly, when they meet on the road, the path should not be left for them because that too contains respect for them.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Siyar, Bab ma ja’a fi al-taslim ‘ala Ahl al-Kitab, under Hadith 1602)

Just think practically about this lofty moral teaching that while coming and going, the path of others should be narrowed to humiliate them. Can there be a greater example of a prejudiced and contemptuous attitude than this which Islam wants to create in its followers? Insulting and humiliating non-Muslims is the basic lesson that Islam teaches its followers, and this is Islam’s training on which the Muslim Salaf scholars remained steadfast. But today, by hiding these original teachings, it is presented as if Islam is a religion of extreme tolerance and forbearance.