49 - In the 42nd paragraph above, it is explained that Ibn Taymiyya deviated from the right path. There is no need even to think of how much his admirers may have to do with the right path. Sayyid Qutb did not neglect to show his attachment to him also in his book As-salamu al-'alamiyya wal-Islam (World's Peace and Islam). He wrote in this book:

"There is very little work done on the field of the policy of state control so far. This aspect of Islam has not been explained as much as necessary."

He wants this knowledge to be learned from his book. The laws, constitutions, fatwas and documents in the achieves of the six-hundred-year-old Ottoman Empire are so countless that it might take a whole life to examine the thousands of books of Islam's policy of state control. The European orientalist and Israeli professors study them in Istanbul now in admiration.

In his book Islam and the Problems of Civilization, Sayyid Qutb wrote that he burned with the fire of Islamic Unity and Divine Way and quoted the false words of the western philosophers and the extensive ideas of keen-witted diplomats, which he had heard when he was a student, and thus he pretended to be a savior and a fighter for Islam. As he cleverly strived to inject the youth with his heretical ideas, he wrote:

"In constructing Islamic society, the thing which we are bound to is not Islamic fiqh. Though we do not remain unfamiliar with this fiqh, the thing we are bound to is the way of Islam, Islamic principles and Islamic understanding."

According to him, books of fiqh and on the policy of state control, which had been written throughout centuries, had not been along the way of Islam, and he was making Islamic principles with his own point of view and understanding. The books of Islamic scholars, the leaders of madhhabs, which had been based on the Qur'an and the Hadith, would have been abandoned and the philosopher Qutb's ideas would have been put in their place!

He wrote again in his book World's Peace and Islam:

"According to Islam, all human beings are a family bound with close bonds to one another. It commands a certain justice over all human beings without discriminating them with regard to race or religion."

Rasulullah (sall-Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam) declared in a hadith ash-Sharif quoted by al-Ghazali in his book Kimya' as-saada, "The basis and the most dependable symptom of having iman is to love Muslims and to dislike unbelievers." Allahu ta'ala declared to Hadrat 'Isa ('alaihi 's-salam) (Jesus), "If you perform the worship of all the creatures on the earth and in skies, it will be no use unless you love those whom I love and be hostile against Mine enemies." He declared in the last ayat of the surat al-Mujadala, "Those who believe in Allahu ta'ala and in the Day of Resurrection dislike the enemies of Allahu ta'ala." Allahu ta'ala and His Prophet ('alaihi 's-salam) commanded us to distinguish Muslims from unbelievers. To them, only Muslims are brothers, but Sayyid Qutb wrote that all people were brothers forming a family without the difference of religion.

Again, in the same book, he wrote:

"Islam rejects a religious bigotry that bears the meaning of hatred against other religions."

He disgraced it with bigotry to dislike unbelievers. Hadrat Muhammad Mathum wrote in the twenty-ninth letter of his Maktubat, "It has been clearly commanded in the Qur'an to dislike unbelievers, to be hostile against them by heart, to treat the people of dar al-harb severely and to fight with them. There is no place for doubt in this. It is fard for us to adapt ourselves to the Qur'an." We should do justice to zimmis, the unbelievers in a Muslim country, and we should not do harm to them. Sayyid Qutb regarded the unbelievers in dar al-harb like those in a Muslim country.

He wrote again in the same book:

"Islam is not a religion to be imposed upon people by force. It does not urge anybody to accept the religion by force."

Whereas, jihad is intended to make Allahu ta'ala's human creatures accept Islam by annihilating cruel dictators who prevent them from becoming Muslims. Those who believe become real Muslims and those who do not become Muslims but surrender become zimmis. Allahu ta'ala commanded the jihad in order to force His human creatures to accept Islam and in order to rescue them from Hell by force. It is declared in the 94th ayat of the surat an-Nisa', "Those who perform jihad against the enemies of the religion by sacrificing their wealth and lives in order to spread Allahu ta'ala's religion are higher than those who sit and worship." Jihad and ghaza are the two forms of al-amru bi'l-maruf by using force against unbelievers. Jihad is performed not by individuals but by the State.

Again, in the book World's Peace and Islam, Sayyid Qutb wrote:

"In no period has Islam's aim in war been to make people to admit Islam by force. It is impossible to see such a compulsion either in Islam's theoretical principles or in its historical process. Unlike what the ignorant who do not know Islam and the enemies of Islam suppose, Islam has never been disseminated through sword. War, which is not within the religion's nature, has never been used as a means for inviting to the religion."

Sayyid Qutb reversed the meaning of jihad, which is openly ordered in the Qur'an and Hadith and unanimously defined in millions of books and countlessly exemplified in every Muslim nation's history. His description is as surprising as saying white to be black and is never believable to any Muslim or to any educated person. It is said either by an uneducated, ignorant person, an idiot or by the persons of the false religion called Qadianism (Ahmadiyya), which has been put forth by the British in India and which has nothing to do with Islam.

When explaining the seventy-third and following ayats of the surat an-Nisa', he, too, had to write the truth as communicated by the Ahl as-Sunnat scholars. He wrote: "A Muslim goes to war in order to fight in the way of Allah, to exalt Allah's Word and to make Allah's order prevail in the human life. Then he gets killed in this way and becomes a martyr. Jihad is necessary all the time. It is an element that walks together with the Divine Invitation," and quoted the hadiths encouraging to jihad. On the other hand, in the interpretation of the ayat, "If they turn away from tawhid and migration, catch and kill them wherever you find them," he again pushed his own ideas forward: "Non-Muslims shall not be forced to admit Islam. They shall never be disturbed on account of their religion. Islam does not invite non-Muslims to itself by force. This religion does not force others to admit it," thus slandered Islam and denied what he had written on the previous page. Interpreting the 100th ayat well, "He who migrates for the cause of Allahu ta'ala will find abundance and spaciousness on the earth. If he dies on the way, Allah will give him His reward," he wrote the truth that it was wajib for those Muslims who remained in a country of unbelievers to migrate to dar al-Islam. It is understood that they should migrate to the Muslim country and should not incite sedition (fitna) by opposing the non-Muslim state. Sayyid Qutb calls this incitement "jihad". Whereas, 'jihad' means 'the Islamic State's fighting with its army, with all its modern weapons and methods of war against non-Muslim states to rescue people from unbelief and torture'. The jihad of Muslims living in non-Muslim countries does not mean 'opposing individually the non-Muslim state's forces' but it is carried out, within the limits of the laws, by spreading Islamic knowledge by trying to tell everybody Islam's value and uses and by showing the beautiful morals of Islam.

Hadrat al-Imam ar-Rabbani wrote: "When going out to fight against unbelievers, one has to intend to spread the Name and Religion of Allahu ta'ala and to weaken the enemies of the religion. Muslims have been commanded this. And this is what jihad means." [Maktubat, II, 69th letter.]

Allahu ta'ala declares in the twenty-eighth ayat of the surat at-Tawba, "Fight against those who do not believe in Allahu ta'ala and in the Last Day and who do not say 'haram' about what Allahu ta'ala and His Messenger ('alaihi 's-salam) said 'haram' and who do not admit the religion of truth, until they accept to pay the jizya or become Muslims!" When Hadrat 'Umar (radi-Allahu 'anh) became the caliph, he delivered a khutba to encourage the Sahabat al-kiram to jihad and ghaza, by saying, "O the Prophet's ('alaihi 's-salam) companions! Allahu ta'ala has promised that He would give Muhammad's ('alaihi 's-salam) umma land and home in all parts of the world. Where are the heroes to conquer these countries promised and attain the booties in this world and the degrees of being ghazi or martyrdom in the next world? Where are the fighters for Islam who will sacrifice their lives and heads to take Islam to Allahu ta'ala's human creatures and leave their home to attack the dictators, who are the enemies of Islam?" Upon this speech, the Sahabat al-kiram promised to go to jihad against unbelievers. Leaving their homes, they spread over the world. They performed jihad till death. This jihad continued in every century and Muslims progressed through the power of sword over three continents. The inhabitants of the places they conquered either became Muslims or, sheltering under Islam's justice by admitting to pay the tax called jizya and being given the freedom to worship according to their own religion but obeying Islam in muamalat and 'uqubat, they were legally considered as Muslims. They lived in comfort and peace.

Islam defines two kinds of countries in the world: dar al-Islam, the Muslim country, and dar al-harb, the country of unbelievers. In dar al-Islam, Muslims and the unbelievers who pay the jizya live. These unbelievers are called ahl adh-dhimma or zimmi. They live comfortably and peacefully possessing Muslims' rights and freedom fully. They perform their worship freely. They adapt themselves to Islam's justice and laws. As for the country of unbelievers, Islam never interferes with their justice, safety, comfort or peace; Islam only wants them to have iman and become real Muslims or to admit the jizya and become Muslims legally. In order that they may attain to one of these two, it commands Muslims to perform jihad against the dictators who tyrannize over them. The jihad by using power can be performed with the command of the head of the State or of the commandant appointed by him. One's attack against unbelievers by himself is not jihad but incitement to sedition. It is surprising that when beginning to interpret the surat al-Ma'ida, Sayyid Qutb, too, explained these two kinds of country correctly, thus concealing his own point of view.

Imam Muhammad ash-Shaibani wrote: "The commandment of jihad descended gradually. At the beginning of Islam, it was commanded not to meet the polytheists, to keep away from them and to treat them softly. Afterwards, the second command descended, saying, 'Communicate Islam to the unbelievers in soft, beautiful words! Respond to all Ahl al-kitab (Jews and Christian) mildly and beautifully.' In the third command, it was only 'permitted' to fight with the unbelievers. In the fourth command, which said, 'When the disbelievers torment you, fight against them,' it became fard to oppose them. Fifthly, when the Islamic State was established in Medina, the command, 'Fight against them all the time except in the four months,' descended. In the ayat which descended sixthly it was commanded for the State, the army, to fight with the unbelievers all the time. Thus, jihad became fard kifaya; if the State does not make preparations for it nor perform it, all Muslims will be punished in Hell. It should always make preparations for jihad, thus, the whole nation will escape punishment. At peace and when there is agreement, Muslims should not attack suddenly. First the unbelievers should be informed that the agreement has been broken. When they attack dar al-Islam, it is fard 'ain, fard for every Muslim, woman or man, to fight under the army's command, against these cruel people." [Translation of Imam Muhammad ash-Shaibani's As-siyar al-kabir, p.82.]

Sayyid Qutb wrote correctly about jihad in his book Milestones, similarly to what we wrote about it above. Yet, he could not help repeating his above quoted thoughts in this book, either. It is a sign of hypocrisy of him to explain Islam in this manner in one of his books and in that manner in another book of his. Communists, too, introduce themselves differently in different countries and conceal themselves.

Again in World's Peace and Islam, he wrote:

"Peace and order in Islam means the practice of Allah's Word (Will), which means the establishment of justice and safety among the whole humanity."

Islam provides for peace and order in dar al-Islam. For this, it is sufficient for Muslims and zimmis in dar al-Islam to obey Islam's commands and prohibitions, since peace and order can be maintained only by following the commands and prohibitions of Allahu ta'ala. Those who do not follow them are brought to the right course with the punishments which, again, are shown by Islam. Muslims do not fight for the comfort, peace and ease of the unbelievers in dar al-harb. In fact, unbelievers, not through war but by embracing Islam or by accepting to pay the jizya, can attain to peace and order. Wherever the Qur'an is obeyed, peace, ease and justice happen by themselves. It is for this reason that Allahu ta'ala endowed Islam on His human creatures. Muhammad's ('alaihi 's-salam) prophethood is His compassion for all human creatures. Therefore, Muslims perform jihad in order to make unbelievers attain to peace and ease through this single way. They sacrifice their lives and wealth in order that all the people on the earth may be honored by being Muslims. Allahu ta'ala declared that He has created all human beings so that they become Muslims. He commands all of them to become Muslims. He promises to reward very much in the next world those who perform jihad for this salvation of His human creatures. The spread of His word means the spread of kalimat at-tawhid, thus jihad means the spread of kalimat at-tawhid, that is, iman. The only way of providing people with justice, peace, order and safety is the spreading of kalimat at-tawhid all over the world. World's peace can be established only as such. It was declared in a hadith quoted in As-siyar al-kabir, "I was commanded to fight with people. I will fight until they say, 'La ilaha illa'llah,' " Ibn 'Abidin wrote Durr al-mukhtar: "Jihad is the call for all people to iman, the State's fighting against the dictators who prevent them from hearing and admitting this call. The individual's Jihad is to help the Islamic army by praying and doing everything necessary in material and thought. Jihad is fard kifaya. It is fard 'ain for all Muslims including women and children to help the State when the enemy attacks. If there is sufficient money in the State's treasury, collection of money or property from the people is makruh tahrima; if the State's money does not suffice, it is permissible to ask help of the people." The help collected by force should be paid back later.

It is fard kifaya for Muslims to make and use in jihad all kinds of weapons that unbelievers have. In the last decades of this century, unbelievers have been making cold war through every kind of publication and propaganda and ceaselessly attacking Islam to deceive especially the youth. Muslim men should make atomic bomb, rockets, jet planes and electronic apparatuses on the one part, and on the other part they should stand against the cold war of unbelievers. They should both teach the superiority, the uses of Islam to Muslims, to Muslim youngsters by means of books, magazines, newspaper, radio and motion pictures and spread it all over the world. For doing this, they should learn both religious and scientific branches of Islamic knowledge. Of old, scientific knowledge also used to be taught in Islamic madrasas. Those who want to render service to Islam and to be able to confront the mendacities and slanders of the enemies of Islam, should be well-learned at least in high school level knowledge and in the basic teachings of the Ahl as-Sunnat today. Those who are inefficient in one of these two will be rather harmful than useful to Islam. The saying "A half scholar takes away one's faith," is well-known. These should be done by men. When men work, there will be no hard labor left for women to do. In every village the State should open courses for teaching the Qur'an, and every boy or girl should be taught the Qur'an and the fundamental teachings of Islam. Old men and ladies should perform this task. Every Muslim should send his son to high school and to a university after teaching him religious knowledge. If Muslims do not educate their children, State affairs, administrative and commanding posts, media of propaganda and executive organs will be directed by unbelievers and apostates. They will spread disbelief and torment Muslims. For serving Islam, it is necessary for men to graduate from the university and to study even further. Islam and disbelief conflict every day. Certainly one of them will overcome the other. The idiots who do not take part in and who are even unaware of this terrible war will suffer punishment in both this and the next worlds. Those who help the State that fights against the enemies of Islam as much as they can, will be rewarded for jihad in the next world. By making jihad against the fierce, unjust unbelievers who prevent the spread of Islamic knowledge, attack Islam with their papers, radios and televisions, exploit their nations and spend all their income in their own enjoyment and amusement and in making people their slaves, we are commanded to rescue from their paws these innocent people and guide them to happiness. This order, this 'ibada, can be done by helping the State, the army of jihad. If it is done without the State's permission, it is not jihad but fitna and anarchy. Allahu ta'ala helps the working people. He dislikes and does not help those who sit idly.

It was declared in a hadith quoted in al-Bukhari's and Muslim's Sahihain and explained in Bariqa and Al-Hadiqa that those who would be called Muslims would part into seventy-three groups. These groups of different beliefs cannot unite with one another. First it is necessary to unify them in belief. Those who say, "Let's unify the various groups of Muslims," should want them to be unified on the truth, for only what the Ahl as-Sunnat scholars have pointed out is true among all of them. It was declared in the Hadith that the remaining seventy-two groups would go to Hell on account of their heretical beliefs. The unification of Muslims on the truth requires for all of them to believe the same belief, the Ahl as-Sunnat itiqad. For accomplishing this, we should read the books, magazines and papers writing about what the Ahl as-Sunnat scholars have reported and supply them for our acquaintances. We should strive hard to spread this knowledge. We should check our children every evening when they are back from school, and if the teacher corrupts their morals and tries to harm their religious beliefs, we should report him to the Ministry of Education and transfer them to a school with conscientious, honorable, learned teachers who are men of Allahu ta'ala. We should prevent our children from being dragged on to endless disaster and be very vigilant lest they should fall into the traps of the enemies of Islam. We should send our children to the teachers of the Qur'an before they reach the age for school. We should strive to illuminate their fresh brains and pure souls with the light of the Qur'an al-karim. Children can be brought up as Muslims only in this manner. A country can remain Muslim only if the children are brought up as Muslims. These writings constitute the ideological jihad, and this jihad is fard like the jihad through war.