Jihad in Islam and the Palestinian Cause
Addressing the myths that defensive jihad against Satanic powers who wage aggression and occupation against Muslims and their lands is somehow impermissible in Shi'a Islam.
A small but noticeable minority among the Shi’a who are victims of the ‘leaderlessness crisis’ have been raising doubts regarding the legitimacy and permissibility of jihad and armed struggle for the sake of the Palestinian cause.
Their case has typically relied upon two points which will be addressed briefly in this article. (1) The first point is that the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (a) did not rise by the sword after Imam al-Hussain (a). (2) The second point is that armed struggle is impermissible during the period of the Imam of the Time’s (aj) occultation. However, the fact of the matter is that both of these are merely misconceptions – and it is possible to respond to them using the words of the jurists of the sect, God-willing.
As for the first misconception, which is that the Imams (a) did not rise by the sword and were satisfied with the unrighteous rulers: The Imams (a) setting out to fulfill – what is recognized by all Shi’a as their divine right and authority in – the post of leadership or not setting out to do so is contingent upon the circumstances. Had they found supporters who would make them victorious, they would not have abstained from achieving this matter which is the most important means to establishing justice and preserving the greater interests of Islam and Muslims. That is what Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a) clarifies as he says: “By God, I did not yield the matter to him – [i.e., Mu’awiyah] – except that I did not have supporters who would bring about victory; if I had them, I would have fought him day and night until God ruled between him and I”.1
The same applies for the rest of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (a) – the shortcomings are from the end of the followers and the imperfection is in the circumstances. Sayed Kadhim al-Haeri says: “It is of the necessities of our doctrine that the abstinence of the infallible Imams (a) towards the unrighteous rulers as they did not emerge against them by the sword was only due to the circumstances being unsuitable for such action – it was not they (a) believed it was essentially impermissible even for an infallible Imam to emerge against them”.2
As for the second misconception, which is that struggle during the period of the occultation is impermissible: This misconception can easily be responded to once one has come to know the kinds of jihad, which is divided into: ibtida’i and difa’i.
The former refers to war initiated by Muslims with the aim of calling others to Islam and implementing justice. This kind of jihad is contingent upon the permission of the Prophet (S) or the Imam (a) or his specific deputy. On this basis, during the current times – as we are in the period of the greater occultation – this first sort of jihad is impermissible. Meanwhile, the latter refers to when the disbelievers wage war against the lands of Islam and aim to remove the roots and remnants of Islam, or wage war on a group of Muslims in order to take their wealth and transgress against them and their honor. Here, it is mandatory upon all Muslims – starting with the nearest, and so on – as a collective obligation (wajib kifa’i) to fight, defend, and repel the disbelievers’ assault. And this sort of jihad is not contingent upon the permission of the Imam (a) or his deputy.3
Therefore, the jihad which some jurists deemed impermissible during the period of the Imam of the Time’s (aj) occultation is the former, also known as jihad al-da’wah for its previously mentioned characteristics. And it is no secret that jihad al-da’wah is foreign to the subject of our discussion considering the Palestinian cause is a purely defensive cause – the Zionist entity has occupied Muslims’ land and has been transgressing against them and dishonoring them as well as Islamic symbols in the most brutal and repulsive ways. Therefore, there is no doubt regarding the permissibility, and in fact the obligation, of defending Islam and Muslims and deterring oppressors.
Sheikh Muhammad Jawad Mughniyyah writes in his exegesis of the noble Qur’an: “It is of the fundamental axioms of the religion of Islam that should any enemy attempt to transgress against the religion by altering its Book or preventing Muslims from establishing their religious duties and practices, or by occupying a land of theirs, and the people of that land are incapable of repelling said enemy and resisting: it is then a collective duty to struggle and defend upon every Muslim – the male and the female, the sound and the sick, the blind and the paralyzed, each to the extent they are capable materially and morally – and this jihad is not contingent upon the permission of the Imam (a) or his deputy”.4
Who Represents the Shi’i Stance?
It ought to be our priority to spread the religious awareness that solves the ‘leaderlessness crisis.’ We do this by referring to the true representatives of the sect. As Shi’i Muslims, we have been instructed by the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (a) to adhere to the commands of the jurists who meet the criteria for Islamic authority. Knowing that the leading religious authorities in the Shi’i world have made their position on the Palestinian cause clear since the beginning of the occupation, individuals who claim to be Shi’i Muslims have no right to violate this religious order and pretend they are the spokespersons of the sect in order to escape the duty of defending Islam and Muslims.
The Status of these Martyrs
In honor of the martyrs currently rising while defending the honor of the Ummah, may God elevate their status, I have included this short passage from one of the most prominent jurists and leaders in this history of the sect, Sheikh Ja’far Kashif al-Ghita’ (d.1228 AH). He said after listing the kinds of jihad (among which he mentioned that which we are upon): “Whosoever is killed in these categories – [i.e., of jihad] – stands with the martyrs on the Day of Resurrection. By God, this is the greatest martyr. The one who is truly happy is one who has been martyred among the ranks, for he is – to God Almighty – like the martyrs killed with Al-Hussain (a) on the Day of Ashura.”5
1 Al-I’htijaj, v.2, p.12
2 Al-Kifa’h al-Musalla’h fi’l-Islam, p.101-102
3 Sayed ‘Abd al-Hussain Dastghaib al-Shirazi, Al-Thunub al-Kabeerah, v.2, p.22-23
4 Al-Tafseer al-Mubeen, p.248
5 Kashf al-Ghita’, v.4, p.289
