Hiraba is Haram!!!

Allah has Forbidden Murder

al-Baqara 2:32.  On that account: We ordained
For the Children of Israel
That if any one slew
A person—unless it be
For murder or for spreading
Mischief in the land—
It would be as if
He slew the whole people:
And if any one saved a life,
It would be as if he saved
The life of the whole people.
Then although there came
To them Our Apostles
With Clear Signs, yet,
Even after that, many
Of them continued to commit
Excesses in the land.

Allah SWT has forbidden killing and declared acts of terrorism to be hiraba, a grave Hadd sin, punishable by very  severe penalties, including death and crucifixion.  Acts, such as those of the two youth in Boston, Massachusetts, are heinous, and as Muslims, we should condemn them.  These acts are against our religion, and are grave sins before Allah SWT.  Such perpetrators are not to be considered other than enemies of Islam, because their acts only bring harm to others and hurt us as Muslims.  

There is no question that Allah SWT considers war to be a sin.  Muslims are only permitted to use deadly force to defend the religion, - not countries or lands.  Allah says, " Was not the earth wide enough for you?"  If some one attacks you, then leave. Land belongs to Allah, not people. But if the attackers pursue you even after that, then they are attacking you for your beliefs, and we as Muslims are permitted to fight back.  

We must understand that the permission of Allah SWT to defend your personal private property does not extend to nations or states.  As I said, Allah says, "Was not the earth wide enough for you?"  Force should only be used to defend personal property, and to defend the community from religious persecution.  And then we should only use the same degree of force as used against us. 

Finally, as Muslims, we should use only the most effective means to achieve our goals.  If force is not working, then we must use more effective means.  Today, force is not working.  It only brings ridicule on Allah SWT and His religion, and harm to fellow Muslims.  When the Prophet SAW wanted to go on the offensive against the Quraish, he marched on Hudaibiyyah.  The agreement reached at Hudaibiyyah gave the Muslims the freedom to preach and when finally, the Quraish broke the treaty, the Prophet defended his allies with 10,000 souls.  We must abandon ineffective means, and use only those that work!  

One has to wonder about those who are brainwashing our youth.  Their efforts are only leading to the death of our youth or their internment for life in prison.  Who is benefiting from this?  Not Muslims!  Consider who is benefiting, - only our enemies.  So who is most likely behind these extremist views?  With today's media and internet, it is difficult to tell the source.  I would ask our youth to be careful and carefully consider the opinion they hear.  Agent provocaturs are everywhere, and they are very versed in how to distort Islam.  Some of them come from Muslim lands. 

I recently acted as an expert in a court case here in the US.  An Egyptian was recruited by FBI to act as a confidential informant.  He entrapped a young man who was a convert to Islam.  He told him Islam demands violence and that hijrah was fard, and that he had to go overseas and not tell friends or family.  I advise our youth to be careful.  There are agents of the enemies of Islam in our midst preaching violence and trying to destroy our religion.  

While it is true that Allah SWT repels one group with another, and that if He did not, then the world would be overrun by dhulm and injustice, it is also true that how we strive against oppression must be in the best and most effective manner.  Jihad is striving in the path of Allah, not in the path of Shaytan.  Audhu bi llahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim.

May Allah SWT protect and guide us all.