i need help understanding 4:75 and ISIS connection !

[ilker]

Assalamu alaikum folks,

When we talk about war (qital) between us and disbelievers etc, we are always reminded of "the borders" of fighting against these group of people, and that is in Surah Mumtahanah ayats 60:8 and 60:9. However, 4:75 is usually "not mentioned" in these kind of statements. Why is that ?

Last night i watched a video, showing dead bodies of innocent childen, men and women in Muslim countries, bombs blowing up the streets houses and civil folk. When i remembered 4:75 after watching it, i felt like a "hyprocrite", doing nothing but worrying about "my" future, "my" school, "my" family... We just do nothing! Then for a moment i thought about ISIS and such groups. What if those terrorist organizations recruit new volunteers to their groups in this way ? Honestly, what is there to say against their word, if they talk about 4:75 ? How can "we" claim that "we" are doing the right thing, when 4:75 is considered ?  What should we say to those young people who wants to join them to defend the weak and the needy, mentioned in 4:75 ?

I'm personally deeply worried about myself when i think of this ayat, sitting here and doing nothing! Allah talks about hypocrites and those who run away from fighting (qital) in the way of Allah in the fourth surah and their punishment ! May Allah protect us from being in the same category with those sinners.

Can you guys make a comment on this ? I need your opinion urgently.

[Anjum]

Salam Ilker...

With respect to your question i guess...the situation is caused by ISIS itself...because...Syria or Iraq is in this state because of these hypocrite...who are fighting in the name of religion...and killing innocent people...ISI may try to recruit...but people should understand that...they are in this situation...just because of these ISIS terrorists...Allah has asked us to fight...only...when someone is attacking us...just because we are muslims...we are not to fight...with innocents..and kind people...they say that...they fight for Allah...whereas...Allah has not asked us to kill innocents...Well..i guess...young people should fight...these ISIS terrorist...or else..situation may worsen...and...may be everything will be destroyed...And...everyone knows that...ISIS..will not defend anyone...they are just...heartless creatures...they wont defend anyone...thats for sure...they just want power...nothing more...and..to be practical..i guess..we cant fight ISIS...because we are not that much equipped with weapon..nor..we are in army or something..All we can do is...pray for them...and...if they refugees come to us for safety..we should provide that...and..we can help them...from where we are...you can donate...vide lot of NGOs i guess...just pray that...ISIS...should perish...world will be peaceful again.
Salam..
Anjum

[ilker]

Thanks for your good answer Anjum, Alhamdulillah. However i can't stop thinking of myself as one of the cowards that escape from fighting in the way of Allah. He says "fight those who oppress the weak people, fight for those who ask Allah's help". There are lots of people in that situation, waiting for help from outside, from their brothers and sisters. But we are here not there ! Is this a sin ? Because it just feels like it! On the day of judgment if Allah asks me "Why didn't you go and fight for them ? Were you scared of the enemy?" How will i respond to Him.

"Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakah"? But then when fighting was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allah or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have You decreed upon us fighting? If only You had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah . And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]." (4:77)

This ayat, especially the underlined part, makes me wanna beat myself to death !

[relearning]

Context matters i think you are a young man just taking a few verses of quran and then judging your belief or even blaming yourself that you may not be a real believer but a fake one. Quran as i understand is time and space bound and just taking a few verses then proceeding to certain judgements is not the way to go. Calm down and think of your surroundings you can be very resourceful for people around you it is also fighting with ISIs or their false understanding of quran. Dont let misery around the world to break your neck but try to make the most of your resources around you. Spreading the true belief or values to people araund you is much more better and useful work that you could do.

[Anjum]

Salam Ilker...

I am happy..that you are happy with my reply......you are not coward...i understand your concern...but...to be practical..we cant...fight them...without any support or anything...you can fight them..from where you r...fighting doesnt always mean...a physical fight...you can teach people...what they are really...and teach them real Islam...dont let people..think that...these ISIS idiots are right...explain to people...what Islam says...and to be true...even if we want to fight them...our country wont allow it...so it is tough practically...and if you manage to go there..by smuggling or something......u will be treated as a terrorist too.....and if you want to join the army and fight them...ur country should be fighting them...and you should be selected to go there...so...these things seems little impossible...i know...they make our lives miserable...even m very much disturbed...had lot of impact on my personal life too...but..we cant do anything directly...things were different during...those time...and now..we are all divided by...boundaries and borders...so..dont worry much..pray for them...and help the needy...and show people...how a real muslim should be...

Salam
Anjum

[ilker]

Alhamdulillah. Thanks for your nice answers guys. Personally, i don't really think Quran is time and space bound. Some events are obviously related to those times, but their essence, their main idea is universal for sure. That is another thing which can be discussed seperately
I generally agree with what you guys said about the things we must do to teach people what Islam really is, to put our efforts in these kind of actions that will benefit us and the people around. But those actions may need mental spiritual, and if necessary, physical effort. That need sincere devotion to the deen of Allah. But they all are under the category of "jihad", meaning "struggle".

What i talk and what 4:75 tells us is "qitaal" which is physical fighting, battle. A subcategory of jihad if you will. 4.75-77 are about jihad. My question is basically about this case. Allah says fight for those who are oppressed, in need of help, in desperation. He doesn't just say "work hard" for those people ! Look at 4:77 again:

"Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakah"? But then when fighting was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allah or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have You decreed upon us fighting? If only You had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah . And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]." (4:77)

Or look at 2:216,

"Fighting (al qitaal) has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not."

So are we guilty, are we sinner, for not doing this, while our Muslim brothers and sisters suffer terribly ? I'm really depressed by these thoughts !

[Star]

Salam,

Before anyone can legitimately fight ISIS, they have to know what they're doing. You can't simply fly drones over Syria, drop bombs, and expect to kill only Islamic State soldiers. You're going to kill mainly civilians this way. As for ground troops, only people living in the area can fight ISIS that way.

The fact is, there is honestly nothing that can be done using physical fighting in this case. If you live in the United States or Canada, pushing for Syrian refugee rights would be much more productive than sending explosives over Iraq and Syria, because that's just not something that can be done right now.

Fighting can come in many forms, not just physical fighting, and you need to do it with the resources you have. By helping Syrian refugees or donating to the cause, you'd be helping oppressed people without bloodshed. And these things can be done from wherever you live.

Apparently, available men can actually fly from Miami to Iraq and fight against ISIS with troops backed by the United States, but at this point, that doesn't look like such a good idea. You should stop worrying too much about this right now and try to help with whatever you have. You can also fight them with ideas and help to counter pro-ISIS propaganda online and wherever else.

[relearning]

So are we guilty, are we sinner, for not doing this, while our Muslim brothers and sisters suffer terribly ? I'm really depressed by these thoughts !

You are depressed because you are isolating verses from context of history and time. You are just making something a problem of yours which you have no authority power to solve instead it keeps you away achieving your responsibilities taking that you are a young man in that case either from your education or your business or from family responsibilities. When the war decreed upon muslims it was the prophet by whom God ordained this task. Also it was not untill muslim community reached a mini level of state which has boundaries and a leader and army. The task was not event decreed when they were in Macca. You are isolating verses and then pretending as if the ayat which you read just pointing out you then seeing that you cant act according to what it asks from you you get depressed. What you can do best is to evaluate your situation and act from a wider angle which would produce results even in the long term. People dont want to take the longer term tasks but just want quick solutions in that case yours is just to go to syria kill a few ISIS members and then get killed. I think this is useless and fighting with mosquito while ignoring the swamp!

And i dont think we are sinners just because you dont see we fit one ayat you interpret that way. You may say you feel as sinner because of your understading though I still dont agree. But you may be a sinner because you label your religion brothers as sinners because of the way you understand from Quran which actually having the same terrible understading of ISIS members according to whom we are all sinners! So while you blame ISIS you are also carrying the same type of logic that your understading of quran give you a right to label as sinners. I think first you have to fight with the invisible ISIS understanding which is in your mind. Sorry i was hard on you but i dont mean to hurt you it just you are even behaving like ISIS but just you  dont have a gun to point to us and say like ISIS instead you say it with words for the time being. What future holds we cant be sure! =)

[ilker]

assalamu alaikum, i'm sorry that you misunderstood me Relearning. I'm just trying get your opinion on this because i felt like a coward, running away from action, i wanted to know what you guys think. I am not trying to label my brothers and sisters ! May Allah protect me from acting that way. It seems you got me wrong from my question you've quoted. I will not even mention your comparison with my logic and ISIS ideology. I'm just a panicked brother of yours trying to understand these ayats correctly. If i couldn't explain myself enough, that's my fault for sure. Again, thanks for your answers folks. Alhamdulillah.