The religion of Islam is a religion of peace and reconciliation:
Islam is a religion of peace and harmony. To establish peace, it also accomplished the task of establishing the concept of human unity. Before this, humanity was divided into various tribes, nations, and classes, and the differences between these tribes and classes were as great as those between humans and animals, free and slave, worshiper and deity. Moreover, before the Prophethood of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the concept of human unity and equality had become a mere dream and fantasy. Sayyid Abu al-Hasan Ali Nadwi writes in “Nabi-e-Rahmat”:
“In the sixth century AD, the great religions of the world, their ancient scriptures, and their laws and regulations had become child’s play, and had become the target of distorters, hypocrites, and selfish, unscrupulous religious leaders, and had fallen victim to the events of the time in such a way that it was difficult, indeed impossible, to recognize their original form and appearance. If the original founders and champions of these religions and their noble prophets were to return and see this state, they would not recognize these religions themselves and would never be willing to claim them as their own.”
“The sixth century AD, in which the Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) occurred, was the worst period in history. All of humanity was rapidly heading towards self-destruction, and the ability to distinguish between good and evil, ugly and beautiful, was no longer present. At times, there was not a single person in an entire country who felt the pain of humanity and was concerned about its dark and dreadful end.”
Therefore, Islam, after centuries of long silence and prevailing darkness, made this revolutionary, heart- and mind-shaking, and situation-changing proclamation public:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ﴾
“O mankind! We created you from a male and a female, and We made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
أيها الناس إن ربكم واحد، وإن أباكم واحد، كلكم من آدم، وآدم من تراب. إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم، وليس لعربي على أعجمي فضل إلا بالتقوى
“O people! Your Lord is one and your father is one; you are all the children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust. The most honorable among you in the sight of Allah is the most pious, and no Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab except by piety and righteousness.”
These texts of Islamic Shariah provide the concept of the unity of Arabs and the unity of the father (humanity) and establish the foundation of peace and harmony on this basis. Thus, in Islam, no race has superiority over another, nor does any tribe have precedence over another; the real criterion of excellence is piety.
Islam is not a religion of oppression and cruelty:
Nowadays, it is said about the religion of Islam that it is a religion of oppression and cruelty, and even about the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, it is written in the book “Life of the Muhammad” published in 1870, that the Governor of UP, India, William Muir, expressed his malice by writing:
“Two things are the greatest enemies of humanity: Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) Quran and Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) sword.” (Mauj-e-Kausar, p. 163)
Whereas Islam is entirely a religion of the welfare and well-being of humanity and teaches peace and harmony for all mankind. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, gave the eternal concept of the dignity and respect of humanity and all human rights, which is a permanent document based on humanitarianism. Moreover, the “Pledge of Al-Fudul” by the Prophet, peace be upon him, is the first historical charter for the support of the oppressed. Similarly, the earliest peace treaty in human history is the “Mu’akhah” (brotherhood). These documents and treaties are indeed for human rights, and furthermore, these constitutions and teachings are not merely theoretical or written clauses but are practically implemented. Even after all this, if it is still said that Islam spread by the sword and that the world is threatened by the sword of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, then what could be greater prejudice and stubbornness than this?
The Military Policy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
The fundamental principle of the war policy of the Benefactor of Humanity, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, was to incapacitate the opposing element rather than shed its blood, so that either it cooperates or ceases resistance. Accordingly, among the researchers and thinkers who have unveiled the chapters of the blessed life of the Prophet ﷺ before us is Dr. Hamidullah Siddiqi, a distinguished son of the Indo-Pak region. He has described the war policy of the Master of the Worlds ﷺ as follows. He writes:
“Essentially, the Prophet ﷺ preferred to compel the enemy rather than annihilate them.”
Elsewhere he writes:
“The Prophet’s policy was not to destroy and annihilate the Quraysh, but rather to keep them completely safe while rendering them powerless and defeated.”
The learned researcher has excellently proven his theory by detailing the measures adopted by the Prophet ﷺ and commenting on the sequence of events.
In fact, although the Prophet ﷺ had to enter the battlefield four times, because martyrdom was the only path outside of affection leading to the goal, yet he ﷺ wanted to conquer souls rather than pieces of land. The Prophet ﷺ wished to subdue minds with reasoning and hearts with ethics rather than bodies by the force of the sword. His real battle was in the field of public opinion, and in this field, his opponents faltered and rapidly lost the game. Military action was a very small part of the conflict that the Prophet ﷺ faced from the enemies of peace.
See what special command the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave to Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه during the campaign of the Battle of Khaybar? He said: O Ali! If even one person is guided through you, that will be the greatest blessing for you.
That is, the real objective is not the loss of life or bloodshed of the enemy, but the priority is that the hearts and minds of the greatest number of people change and they accept the system of peace. We have presented this prominent war style merely as an example; otherwise, there is no shortage of evidence that reveals the fundamental viewpoint of the Noble Prophet ﷺ. Those who engage in warfare and bloodshed are impulsive and quick-tempered, whereas we find you ﷺ adorned with calm resolve and lofty courage, and in your war policy, wisdom and prudence appear to work rather than the use of force. What greater proof of wisdom and prudence could there be than that upon arriving in Medina, the Prophet ﷺ united various elements and laid the foundation of the Islamic state, establishing the system of governance without shedding a single drop of blood on any revolutionary ideology. Such an example is impossible to find in the pages of history. The only truly bloodless revolution we find is this one, whose foundations did not see a single drop of human blood spilled, and whose cornerstone stones do not include the corpse of any son of Adam. This astonishing event itself is a testament to the unique stature of the Noble Prophet ﷺ.
Statistics of Casualties in the Battles of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
The particular nature of the ten years of military campaigns of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ becomes clearly evident when the figures of human losses are presented. It must be acknowledged that the Prophet ﷺ adopted the principle and intention of “minimum bloodshed,” and with very minimal loss of life, established an empire spanning one million square miles. The number of individuals involved from both sides in your military campaigns is as follows:
Name of Battle or Expedition Muslim Losses Enemy Losses
Martyrs Killed
1: Battle of Badr 22 70
2: Battle of Uhud 70 30
3: Battle of the Confederates (Ahzab) 6 10
4: Battle of Khaybar 18 93
5: Expedition of Mu’tah 12 Unknown
6: Conquest of Mecca 2 12
7: Battle of Hunayn and Ta’if 6 71
Total Number 136 286
In seven battles and expeditions, the total number of individuals involved from both sides is 422. Generally, historians and biographers have recorded the number of the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ battles and expeditions as 82, which is incorrect. The number of battles is only seven; however, the total number of all small and large operations and movements during the blessed life is 82, detailed as follows:
Purpose of Operations Number of Operations Number of Martyrs Number of Enemy Killed
1: Preaching Islam and completing treaties 5 – –
2: Campaigns of idol breaking 3 – –
3: Pursuit of Muslims after enemy raids 10 19 12
4: Personal incidents before prophethood 5 – 5
5: Clashes arising from misunderstandings 6 – 127
6: Operations for border protection 38 73 11
7: Incidents of treachery and rebellion by the enemy 8 82 410
8: Wars (battles and expeditions) 7 136 286
Total Number 82 310 851
The total number of individuals involved from both sides in these 82 operations is 1161, according to Rahmat al-Lilamin, Volume 2, Chapter on Battles and Expeditions, and Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum, pages 424, 495.
This astonishing number of individuals involved in the 82 operations is from an era when the killing of millions of people in prolonged wars of revenge was considered a normal occurrence.
Peace-loving “civilized” people’s love for peace:
Let us take a look at the so-called civilized, advocates of civilization and peace-loving Europe’s wars today, and see whose sword is the enemy of humanity and thirsty for blood? And who is the enemy of humanity?
1. In the eighteenth century AD, white American colonists massacred seven million Red Indians to settle their “New World.” They captured the black inhabitants of the African continent like animals, brought them to America loaded like animals on ships, and conducted their regular buying and selling as slaves. The descendants of these black inhabitants have still not obtained equal rights with whites in America. Whenever black people demanded the “human rights” written in the American constitution, they were brutally crushed.
(African American Muhammad Ali Clay, while narrating the incident of accepting Islam, writes: In 1960, after winning a competition in Rome, Italy, I returned to America and was welcomed like a hero. One day I went to a hotel reserved for whites; as soon as I sat at a table, the female hotel manager ordered me harshly: “Go out of the hotel, no black person is allowed here.” I told her I had won a gold medal in the Olympic games in Rome, but she did not listen and forcibly expelled me from the hotel with contempt.)
2. In 1890, America attacked South Dakota and Argentina. In 1891, it attacked Chile; in 1892, Ohio; in 1893, Hawaii, ending its free state status; in 1894, Korea; in 1895, Panama; in 1896, Nicaragua; in 1898, the Philippines. This war continued until 1910, lasting twelve years, in which six hundred thousand Filipinos were killed.
3. In 1912, it attacked Cuba; in 1913, Mexico; in 1914, Haiti; in 1917, it participated in World War I; in 1919, it attacked Honduras; in 1920, Guatemala; in 1921, West Virginia.
4. In 1941, World War II, in which forty million people lost their lives, only brave America spent three trillion sixty billion dollars on this war. One hundred sixty million American soldiers participated. The decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was made by the human rights champion America’s President “Truman” and the “civilized” Britain’s Prime Minister “Sir” Winston Churchill.
5. In 1943, to suppress the black rebellion in Detroit, America took military action. It conducted commando operations in the Greek civil war (1947-49), attacked Puerto Rico in 1950, changed Iran’s government through military operation in 1953, bombed Guatemala in 1954.
6. From 1920 to 1975, America imposed war on Vietnam continuously for fifteen years, in which one million people were killed.
7. In 1965, America helped the dictator president Suharto of Indonesia to kill one million leftists.
8. From 1969 to 1975 (six years), it waged war in Cambodia, in which two million people were massacred.
9. From 1971 to 1973, it bombed Laos; in 1973, it conducted military operations in South Dakota; in 1973, it changed the government in Chile through military operation; in 1976 and 1992, it supported rebels in Angola’s rebellion with South Africa’s help; in 1980 and 1981, it conducted military operations in Nicaragua; in 1982 and 1984, it bombed Muslim areas of Lebanon; in 1984, it destroyed two Iranian planes in the Persian Gulf; in 1986, it attacked Libya to change the government.
10. In 1979, Iraq attacked Iran with America’s military cooperation. This war lasted continuously for eight years, in which millions on both sides were killed.
11. In 1989, a military coup occurred in the Philippines. America provided air support to suppress the rebellion. In 1989, it changed the government in Panama through military operation, killing two thousand people.
12. In 1989, the Islamic Salvation Front won the elections in Algeria by a large majority, aiming to bring an Islamic revolution in the country. To stop the Islamic revolution, a military operation was conducted with America’s help, in which eighty thousand people were killed.
13. In 1990, America encouraged Iraq to attack Kuwait, and in 1991, it attacked Iraq itself in the form of the “Desert Storm Operation,” killing thousands of Iraqis.
14. In 1994, it conducted military operations to change the government of Haiti. In 1996, it attacked Iraq and launched missiles on 27 military targets. In 1998, it attacked a pharmaceutical company in Sudan with missiles and bombed Iraq continuously for four days.
15. In 1990, it instigated a rebellion in Indonesia, the largest Islamic country in the world, supported Christians, massacred millions of Muslims, and eventually established a Christian state in the form of East Timor.
(The above statistics are taken from Khalid Mahmood Qadri’s book “Massacre of Muslims in Afghanistan.”)
16. To free Afghanistan from Soviet Union’s oppressive rule, after sacrifices of one million martyrs, in 2001, America heavily bombed defenseless Afghanistan with planes and missiles, resulting in 25,000 innocent civilians martyred, 7,000 arrested, and a puppet government of the Northern Alliance was established in place of the Taliban.
17. Using the pretext of weapons of mass destruction, on March 20, 2003, America attacked Iraq, killing thousands of innocent civilians. After the American occupation, when the people of Fallujah resisted, the American army released poisonous gas and used chemical weapons on Fallujah, which are internationally banned.
(Weekly Takbeer, Karachi, January 2006)
Protection of Human Life:
It is human nature, indeed the characteristic of all animals and beings with a soul, to consider the protection of life essential. Islam has prescribed a very reasonable and effective method for the protection of human life and has commanded its implementation. Human life is very precious in the sight of Allah, the Lord of Glory, and the Noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That is why Allah Almighty has made strict arrangements for the protection of lives. The killing of one individual is considered as the killing of all people. It is stated:
﴿مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا﴾
“Therefore We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely, and whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
أول ما يقضى بين الناس يوم القيامة فى الدماء
“On the Day of Judgment, the first matter to be judged will be the bloodshed.”
In Islam, shedding the blood of any person is forbidden, regardless of their religion or faith, provided that they are not at war with Muslims and are not after the lives and wealth of Muslims. If they are under the covenant and protection of Muslims, then killing them carries a very severe warning from Allah, just as killing a Muslim does. Allah, the Lord of Glory, has said:
﴿وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا﴾
“Whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.”
Similarly, the punishment and torment for killing a non-Muslim who is under a covenant is that the killer will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
من قتل معاهدا لم يرح رائحة الجنة (أى لم يشمها) وإن ريحها توجد من مسيرة أربعين عاما
“Whoever kills a dhimmi or one of the covenant people will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance can be perceived from a distance of forty years.”
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to avoid seven destructive things. It was asked, O Messenger of Allah! What are they? He ﷺ said: “Associating partners with Allah (shirk), practicing magic, killing a person whose killing is not permissible without right.”
The law of the Torah was the same, and the Quran has maintained the same law for Muslims.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالْأَنفَ بِالْأَنفِ وَالْأُذُنَ بِالْأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ﴾
“We prescribed for the Children of Israel in the Torah that whoever kills a soul shall be killed by [the hand of] a soul, and whoever causes corruption in the land shall be killed. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.”
This law is still found in the Torah, although Jewish scholars have made many changes to it.
There is goodness and benefit in Qisas (retribution). This wisdom is clearly stated in the Quran in these words:
﴿وَلَكُمْ فِي الْقِصَاصِ حَيَاةٌ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ﴾
“O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution (Qisas) for life, so that you may become righteous.”
Protection of Human Intellect:
Similarly, Islam has made the strictest arrangements for the protection of this intellect because this intellect is a great blessing from Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.
﴿إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ﴾
“Indeed, We have sent down this Qur’an in the Arabic language so that you may understand it.”
Therefore, Islam has forbidden everything that can cause temporary or permanent harm to the human intellect and can make a person irrational. Just as Allah is the owner of the entire self and human existence, similarly, He is also the owner of the intellect. The command of the Almighty Allah is:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾
“O you who have believed! Intoxicants and gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
كل مسكر خمر وكل خمر حرام
Al-Muhaddith Al-Bani has declared it authentic.
“Every intoxicating thing is khamr (wine), and khamr is forbidden.”
For the protection of this blessing of intellect granted by Allah, if a person drinks wine, the prescribed legal punishment is obligatory upon him. The wise people of the world are compelled to say that the teaching of Islam regarding wine is very reasonable because many corruptions arise in society due to wine. It is appropriate to mention a hadith related to the harms of wine at this point. Tabarani and Hakim, may Allah have mercy on them, have narrated with an authentic chain that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said that Abu Bakr, Umar, and some other companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were sitting after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him:
فذكروا أعظم الكبائر فلم يكن عندهم فيها علم ينتهون إليه
“And when the greatest sins were mentioned, those people did not have certain knowledge about them.”
So I was sent to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with them both, to ask, and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:
أن أعظم الكبائر شرب الخمر
“That the greatest sin is drinking wine.”
When I came and told them, they all denied it, and all stood up and came to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with them both, at his house. Then Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with them both, said to everyone that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
إن ملكا من بني إسرائيل أخذ رجلا، فخيره بين أن يشرب الخمر، أو يقتل صبيا، أو يزنى، أو يأكل لحم الخنزير، أو يقتلوه إن أبي، فأختار أن يشرب الخمر وإنه لماشربها لم يمتنع من شيء أرادوا منه
“That a king of the Children of Israel caught a man and gave him the choice to either drink wine, or kill a person, or commit adultery, or eat pork; otherwise, if he did not do any one of these, he would be killed. So the man considered drinking wine the least sin and drank it. When he drank the wine, he became intoxicated, lost his intellect, and then committed all the other sins he was given the choice of.”
Protection of Lineage and Ancestry:
Among the important teachings of Islam is the protection of lineage. To safeguard this, Sharia has given a strict command regarding marriage and wedlock. One of the benefits of marriage is the growth of lineage, and asceticism and severing ties with the world have been prohibited.
In a noble hadith, it is stated that whatever a Muslim spends on his family is recorded as charity for him. In Sahih Muslim, Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
دينار أنفقته فى سبيل الله ودينار أنفقته فى رقبة، ودينار تصدقت به على مسكين، ودينار أنفقته على أهلك، أعظمها أجرا الذى أنفقته على أهلك
“If you spend one dinar in Jihad in the way of Allah, one dinar in freeing a slave, one dinar on a poor person, and one dinar on your wife and children, then the greatest reward will be for the one you spent on your wife and children.”
Islam has placed great emphasis on the upbringing and protection of lineage so that it may be righteous and virtuous. When the offspring are righteous, they will serve their parents in times of need. Allah has made this service obligatory upon the children.
﴿وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا﴾
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents.”
Even after death, this offspring will bring benefit. In Sahih Muslim, Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
إذا مات ابن آدم إنقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث: صدقة جارية، أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعوله
“When the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things (which continue to benefit him): (1) ongoing charity, (2) beneficial knowledge, and (3) righteous offspring who pray for him.”
Protection of a Muslim’s Self-Respect:
Similarly, Islam has honored this human being. It is not permissible for anyone to consider him insignificant, regardless of which family he belongs to, which country he is from, or what his color is. The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ﴾
“Indeed, We have honored the children of Adam.”
At another place, it is stated:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِّن نِّسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ ۖ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ ۖ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ﴾
“O you who have believed! Let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them, nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the greatest falsehood. Do not search for faults. Do not spy on one another. Avoid envy, hatred, and turning away from each other. Above all, live together as servants of Allah and as brothers among yourselves.
Protection of Wealth:
Similarly, Islam has given great importance to wealth. Every person can earn and accumulate wealth to the extent that they can live their life comfortably. The condition for wealth is that it must be earned through lawful means and then the right prescribed by Allah must be given from it. Allah, the Almighty, has stated that wealth is the means for people to live and has also commanded its protection:
﴿وَلَا تُؤْتُوا السُّفَهَاءَ أَمْوَالَكُمُ الَّتِي جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَامًا وَارْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَاكْسُوهُمْ وَقُولُوا لَهُمْ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا﴾
“Do not give the property of the foolish among you, which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you, but feed and clothe them and speak to them words of appropriate kindness.”
Every person has the right to accumulate as much wealth as they can through lawful means, but they should not neglect the obligatory duties in the path of wealth and must give the due right that is obligatory on the wealth itself. Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ﴾
“So when the prayer is ended, disperse in the land and seek the bounty of Allah.”
Regarding the protection of wealth, the owner of the wealth himself is urged to protect it. Extravagance and wrongful spending are prohibited. It is stated:
﴿وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا.إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا.﴾
“And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful.”
Also, since people consider orphans weak and try to seize their wealth, great emphasis has been placed on protecting their wealth:
﴿وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ ۖ وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ بِالْقِسْطِ﴾
“And do not approach the orphan’s property except in a way that is best until he reaches maturity. And give full measure and weight in justice.”
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
من ولى بنيما وله مال فليتجرله إلا تأكله الصدقة
“The guardian of an orphan should invest his wealth in trade so that the zakat does not consume the wealth!”
Further, it is stated:
﴿الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا ۗ وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا ۚ فَمَن جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَانتَهَىٰ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ . يَمْحَقُ اللَّهُ الرِّبَا وَيُرْبِي الصَّدَقَاتِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ﴾
“Those who consume interest cannot stand except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, ‘Trade is [just] like interest.’ But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allah. But whoever returns to [dealing in interest] – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.”
The wealth gained from interest will ruin the interest taker! It will have neither blessing nor peace for him! This wealth can be spent on children and cause them hardships. A little unlawful wealth can also consume much lawful wealth. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إن الربا وإن كثر فإن عاقبته إلى قل
“Although the wealth of interest appears abundant, its end is scarcity.”
In short, Islam holds lawful wealth in special respect. For this reason, eating wealth obtained through unlawful means and spending such wealth is forbidden, and there is a severe warning for those who consume unlawful wealth. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
كل جسد نبت من سحت فالنار أولى به
“Every body that is nourished with unlawful (wealth) is more deserving of Hellfire.”
Also, the prayer of one who consumes unlawful wealth is not accepted. It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said about such a person:
الرجل يطيل السفر أشعث أغبر، يمد يديه إلى السماء، يارب ! يارب! ومطعمه حرام، و مشربه حرام، وملبسه حرام، وغذي بالحرام فأنى يستجاب لذلك
“A person who travels a long journey, disheveled and dusty, raising his hands to the sky saying, ‘O Lord! O Lord!’ but his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and his nourishment is unlawful, how can his prayer be accepted?”
For this reason, if a person steals even a quarter of a dinar and the theft is proven, the thief’s hand should be cut off from the wrist joint. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَالسَّارِقُ وَالسَّارِقَةُ فَاقْطَعُوا أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَاءً بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَالًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ﴾
“As for the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands in recompense for what they committed as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
Similarly, if a Muslim is killed in defense of wealth and life, his status is that of a martyr.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sa’id bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
من قتل دون ماله فهو شهيد
“Whoever is killed defending his wealth will be a martyr.”
The true religion is purely the solution to humanity’s problems. Allah Almighty establishes His true religion so that humanity, distressed and gasping from oppression and immorality, may find peace.
