5 Essential Sharʿi Guidelines Regarding Communal Riots Since British Rule
Derived from: Fatawa Shaykh al-Hadith Mubarakpuri, Volume 1, Page 32
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
◈ The cycle of riots began during the British colonial era, and though intensified today, they are not new.
◈ In many areas, these incidents are initiated by individuals who are Muslim in name only, but are in fact detached from religion and agents of chaos.
◈ Their intent is plunder, luxury-seeking, and spreading corruption in the land.
◈ Often, the riots are triggered by these very individuals, after which a chain of retaliation, killings, and destruction unfolds.
◈ Those who initiate violence and later are killed or burned cannot be regarded as martyrs in the Hereafter, and thus do not earn the reward of martyrdom.
◈ True Muslim men, women, and children, who are attacked or burned by the enemy, are regarded as oppressed and martyrs (shuhada fi hukm al-akhirah).
◈ If Muslims did not initiate any provocation, and non-Muslim aggressors instigated violence with preplanned intention, then those Muslims — especially the elderly, sick, weak, children, and women — will all be counted among the martyrs in the Hereafter.
“Whoever is killed while defending his religion is a martyr, whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr, and whoever is killed defending his blood, honor, or life is a martyr.”
(Bukhari with Fath al-Bari, Kitab al-Mazalim, Bab: Man Qutila Duna Malihi, Hadith: 2480, 1/108)
“The one who dies by drowning is a martyr, the one who dies in a fire is a martyr…”
(Muslim, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab: What Has Been Mentioned About Martyrs, Hadith: 1063, 3/377)
(Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab: Regarding Those Who Die in Plague, Hadith: 3111, 3/482)
◈ Assisting the oppressed and the martyrs in hukm al-akhirah, including:
➤ Financial support
➤ Providing for their children's education and upbringing
➤ Supporting widows
is highly meritorious and a source of immense reward in Islam.
◈ Some apparently religious individuals claim that Muslims killed in riots are recipients of divine punishment, and that helping them is tantamount to opposing Allah’s will.
◈ This belief is entirely flawed and cannot be accepted.
Historical reality shows that:
➤ Muslims have always faced trials and calamities across various eras.
➤ If all such suffering were divine punishment, then:
would all be prohibited, which is not the case.
◈ If such thinking is accepted, then serving any oppressed or martyred Muslim would be considered Islamically impermissible, which is contrary to Shariʿah.
◈ If, in the region of these “self-righteous” individuals, a foolish Muslim provokes a non-Muslim, leading to indiscriminate retaliation, and innocent Muslims are killed,
— would these victims also be deemed deserving of divine punishment?
◈ This question requires deep reflection, and exposes the flaws in such rigid thinking.
◈ Due to physical weakness, further detailed dictation was not possible.
◈ It is advised that this response should not be attributed to the author, whether with or without his name.
◈ Instead, personal research should be conducted, and only the most accurate and verified response should be shared with the inquirer.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Dictated by: A humble servant at the door of Allah
Date: 24/12/1400 AH
Derived from: Fatawa Shaykh al-Hadith Mubarakpuri, Volume 1, Page 32
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
❖ ① Nature and Origin of Communal Riots
◈ The cycle of riots began during the British colonial era, and though intensified today, they are not new.
◈ In many areas, these incidents are initiated by individuals who are Muslim in name only, but are in fact detached from religion and agents of chaos.
◈ Their intent is plunder, luxury-seeking, and spreading corruption in the land.
◈ Often, the riots are triggered by these very individuals, after which a chain of retaliation, killings, and destruction unfolds.
◈ Those who initiate violence and later are killed or burned cannot be regarded as martyrs in the Hereafter, and thus do not earn the reward of martyrdom.
❖ ② Status of Innocent Muslims Killed in Riots
◈ True Muslim men, women, and children, who are attacked or burned by the enemy, are regarded as oppressed and martyrs (shuhada fi hukm al-akhirah).
◈ If Muslims did not initiate any provocation, and non-Muslim aggressors instigated violence with preplanned intention, then those Muslims — especially the elderly, sick, weak, children, and women — will all be counted among the martyrs in the Hereafter.
❀ Supporting Ahadith:
“Whoever is killed while defending his religion is a martyr, whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr, and whoever is killed defending his blood, honor, or life is a martyr.”
(Bukhari with Fath al-Bari, Kitab al-Mazalim, Bab: Man Qutila Duna Malihi, Hadith: 2480, 1/108)
“The one who dies by drowning is a martyr, the one who dies in a fire is a martyr…”
(Muslim, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab: What Has Been Mentioned About Martyrs, Hadith: 1063, 3/377)
(Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab: Regarding Those Who Die in Plague, Hadith: 3111, 3/482)
❖ ③ Religious Obligation to Assist the Oppressed
◈ Assisting the oppressed and the martyrs in hukm al-akhirah, including:
➤ Financial support
➤ Providing for their children's education and upbringing
➤ Supporting widows
is highly meritorious and a source of immense reward in Islam.
❖ ④ Refutation of the Misguided Views of the “Self-Righteous”
◈ Some apparently religious individuals claim that Muslims killed in riots are recipients of divine punishment, and that helping them is tantamount to opposing Allah’s will.
◈ This belief is entirely flawed and cannot be accepted.
Historical reality shows that:
➤ Muslims have always faced trials and calamities across various eras.
➤ If all such suffering were divine punishment, then:
- Feeding prisoners,
- Caring for the sick,
- Performing janazah (funeral prayer) for those who die from plague, cholera, jaundice, smallpox, etc.
would all be prohibited, which is not the case.
◈ If such thinking is accepted, then serving any oppressed or martyred Muslim would be considered Islamically impermissible, which is contrary to Shariʿah.
❖ ⑤ A Question to the “Self-Righteous”
◈ If, in the region of these “self-righteous” individuals, a foolish Muslim provokes a non-Muslim, leading to indiscriminate retaliation, and innocent Muslims are killed,
— would these victims also be deemed deserving of divine punishment?
◈ This question requires deep reflection, and exposes the flaws in such rigid thinking.
✿ Concluding Advice
◈ Due to physical weakness, further detailed dictation was not possible.
◈ It is advised that this response should not be attributed to the author, whether with or without his name.
◈ Instead, personal research should be conducted, and only the most accurate and verified response should be shared with the inquirer.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Dictated by: A humble servant at the door of Allah
Date: 24/12/1400 AH
