Source: Extracted from the book “Ahkām wa Masā’il Kitāb-o-Sunnat ki Roshni mein” by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
Is it permissible to seek help from disbelievers and polytheists (kuffār and mushrikīn) in the battlefield of Jihād?
Some people quote a narration from the Battle of Badr in which a polytheist came to assist, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
"ٱرْجِعْ فَإِنَّا لَا نَسْتَعِينُ بِمُشْرِكٍ"
“Go back, for we do not seek help from a polytheist.”
Please clarify the ruling in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The scholars and muḥaddithīn رحمهم الله are unanimous that:
➤ If Muslims are uncertain or fear betrayal from the disbelievers — such as exposing military secrets to the enemies or weakening the Muslim ranks — then seeking their assistance is not allowed, as it contradicts the objective of Jihād.
➤ Especially in sensitive roles (like preparing the army, digging trenches or tunnels, building fortifications, or repairing war equipment), involving untrustworthy non-Muslims is equivalent to inviting disaster.
However, if:
➤ A non-Muslim is trustworthy
➤ He is an ally in war
➤ His help is needed against the enemies of Islam
... then seeking assistance from him is permissible according to the sounder opinion.
This help could include:
The biography of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly shows that Allah aided him on several occasions through disbelievers. Some examples:
When Quraysh boycotted the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Banū Hāshim and Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib — many of whom were still disbelievers — supported him and endured the siege in Shaʿb Abī Ṭālib.
[Zād al-Maʿād 3/30; Sīrah Ibn Hishām 1/175; Sīrah Ibn Kathīr 2/43]
After the death of Abū Ṭālib and Khadījah رضي الله عنها, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was subjected to severe harm by his people. He went to Ṭā’if hoping for their support and protection, although they were disbelievers.
[Zād al-Maʿād 3/31]
After returning from Ṭā’if, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sought protection from Muṭʿim ibn ʿAdī, a disbeliever. He agreed and brought his sons and tribe armed to guard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as he entered Makkah safely.
[Zād al-Maʿād 2/31-32; Sīrah Ibn Kathīr 2/153-154]
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم later said:
“If Muṭʿim were alive today and asked me regarding these foul prisoners (of Badr), I would have freed them for his sake.”
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed some companions to migrate to Abyssinia, seeking protection under Najāshī, who was a disbeliever at that time.
Though a polytheist until death, Abū Ṭālib consistently supported and protected the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Before migration, Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه took refuge under Ibn al-Dughnah, a non-Muslim leader.
During migration to Madinah, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم hired ʿAbdullāh ibn Urayqiṭ, a polytheist guide, to lead the way due to his expertise.
He helped mislead the pursuers of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and was later promised protection.
The narration in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1817) and Musnad al-Dārimī (2538) — where the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told a polytheist:
"ٱرْجِعْ فَإِنَّا لَا نَسْتَعِينُ بِمُشْرِكٍ"
“Go back, we do not seek help from a polytheist.”
...is interpreted contextually, not as a general prohibition. In later Madīnan events, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did seek assistance from non-Muslims.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم borrowed armor from Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah, a disbeliever at that time.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made a treaty with Quraysh that allowed tribes like Banū Khuzaʿah (polytheists) to ally with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and fight alongside Muslims when needed.
A Jew from Banū Thaʿlabah fought with the Muslims and was martyred. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم praised him and said:
“Mukhayrīq was the best Jew.”
[ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, p. 455; Ibn Hishām 2/26; Bidāyah wa Nihāyah 4/32]
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم foretold that Muslims will make a truce with the Romans (Christians), fight a common enemy, and be victorious.
[Musnad Aḥmad 4/91, 6/371-372; Abū Dāwūd: 4292; cf. Bukhārī: 2924]
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (3062), a man fought bravely in battle, though the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said he was from Hellfire. He later committed suicide. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said:
“Allāhu Akbar! I testify that I am the servant and Messenger of Allah. Indeed, Allah supports this religion even with a wicked man.”
“Had I not heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say, ‘Indeed Allah will aid this religion through the Christians of the tribe of Rabīʿah near the banks of the Euphrates,’ I would not have spared a single Bedouin.”
[Musnad al-Bazzār: 1723; Majmaʿ al-Zawā’id 6/95; Abū Yaʿlā: 236]
[al-Umm 4/276]
❝If a disbeliever is well-disposed towards Muslims and assistance is needed, then it is permissible to seek help from him. Otherwise, it is disliked. When a disbeliever participates in battle with permission, he may be given a reward, but not a share of the spoils. This is the view of Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, Abū Ḥanīfah, and the majority.❞
[Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 12/166, Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah]
◈ Seeking help from disbelievers is conditionally allowed, based on trust and necessity.
◈ The narration rejecting assistance from a polytheist at Badr is not absolute but contextual.
◈ Numerous authentic incidents in both Makkī and Madīnī periods support conditional cooperation with disbelievers in warfare.
◈ This is the agreed position of major classical scholars and schools of thought.
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to seek help from disbelievers and polytheists (kuffār and mushrikīn) in the battlefield of Jihād?
Some people quote a narration from the Battle of Badr in which a polytheist came to assist, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
"ٱرْجِعْ فَإِنَّا لَا نَسْتَعِينُ بِمُشْرِكٍ"
“Go back, for we do not seek help from a polytheist.”
Please clarify the ruling in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer:
✔ General Principle:
The scholars and muḥaddithīn رحمهم الله are unanimous that:
➤ If Muslims are uncertain or fear betrayal from the disbelievers — such as exposing military secrets to the enemies or weakening the Muslim ranks — then seeking their assistance is not allowed, as it contradicts the objective of Jihād.
➤ Especially in sensitive roles (like preparing the army, digging trenches or tunnels, building fortifications, or repairing war equipment), involving untrustworthy non-Muslims is equivalent to inviting disaster.
However, if:
➤ A non-Muslim is trustworthy
➤ He is an ally in war
➤ His help is needed against the enemies of Islam
... then seeking assistance from him is permissible according to the sounder opinion.
This help could include:
- Military equipment
- Material aid
- Manpower
- Guidance through pathways, etc.
❖ Historical Evidence from the Life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
The biography of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly shows that Allah aided him on several occasions through disbelievers. Some examples:
① Support in Shaʿb Abī Ṭālib:
When Quraysh boycotted the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Banū Hāshim and Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib — many of whom were still disbelievers — supported him and endured the siege in Shaʿb Abī Ṭālib.
[Zād al-Maʿād 3/30; Sīrah Ibn Hishām 1/175; Sīrah Ibn Kathīr 2/43]② Seeking Support in Ṭā’if:
After the death of Abū Ṭālib and Khadījah رضي الله عنها, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was subjected to severe harm by his people. He went to Ṭā’if hoping for their support and protection, although they were disbelievers.
[Zād al-Maʿād 3/31]③ Protection by Muṭʿim ibn ʿAdī (a polytheist):
After returning from Ṭā’if, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sought protection from Muṭʿim ibn ʿAdī, a disbeliever. He agreed and brought his sons and tribe armed to guard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as he entered Makkah safely.
[Zād al-Maʿād 2/31-32; Sīrah Ibn Kathīr 2/153-154]The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم later said:
“If Muṭʿim were alive today and asked me regarding these foul prisoners (of Badr), I would have freed them for his sake.”
Reference: Bukhārī: 3139
④ Migration to Abyssinia (Ḥabashah):
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed some companions to migrate to Abyssinia, seeking protection under Najāshī, who was a disbeliever at that time.
⑤ Support from Abū Ṭālib:
Though a polytheist until death, Abū Ṭālib consistently supported and protected the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
⑥ Abū Bakr’s Refuge under Ibn al-Dughnah:
Before migration, Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه took refuge under Ibn al-Dughnah, a non-Muslim leader.
Reference: Bukhārī, Kitāb Manāqib al-Anṣār: 3905
⑦ Guidance from ʿAbdullāh ibn Urayqiṭ (a polytheist):
During migration to Madinah, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم hired ʿAbdullāh ibn Urayqiṭ, a polytheist guide, to lead the way due to his expertise.
Reference: Bukhārī: 3906
⑧ Assistance from Surāqah ibn Mālik (a disbeliever at the time):
He helped mislead the pursuers of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and was later promised protection.
Reference: Bukhārī: 3905–3906; al-Iṣābah 3/35; Usd al-Ghābah 1955
❖ The Misunderstood Ḥadīth about Rejecting a Polytheist’s Help at Badr:
The narration in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1817) and Musnad al-Dārimī (2538) — where the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told a polytheist:
"ٱرْجِعْ فَإِنَّا لَا نَسْتَعِينُ بِمُشْرِكٍ"
“Go back, we do not seek help from a polytheist.”
...is interpreted contextually, not as a general prohibition. In later Madīnan events, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did seek assistance from non-Muslims.
❖ Examples from Madīnan Period
① Battle of Ḥunayn (8 AH) – Use of Armor from a Disbeliever:
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم borrowed armor from Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah, a disbeliever at that time.
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad 3/404, 6/465; Abū Dāwūd: 3062; al-Nasā’ī: 410; al-Ḥākim 2/47
② Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah:
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made a treaty with Quraysh that allowed tribes like Banū Khuzaʿah (polytheists) to ally with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and fight alongside Muslims when needed.
Reference: Sīrah Ibn Hishām 3/318; Ibn Kathīr 3/321
③ Jewish Ally in Battle of Uḥud:
A Jew from Banū Thaʿlabah fought with the Muslims and was martyred. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم praised him and said:
“Mukhayrīq was the best Jew.”
[ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, p. 455; Ibn Hishām 2/26; Bidāyah wa Nihāyah 4/32]④ Future Prophecy – Joint Fight with Christians (Romans):
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم foretold that Muslims will make a truce with the Romans (Christians), fight a common enemy, and be victorious.
[Musnad Aḥmad 4/91, 6/371-372; Abū Dāwūd: 4292; cf. Bukhārī: 2924]⑤ Allah Aiding His Religion through a Wicked or Disbelieving Person:
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (3062), a man fought bravely in battle, though the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said he was from Hellfire. He later committed suicide. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said:
“Allāhu Akbar! I testify that I am the servant and Messenger of Allah. Indeed, Allah supports this religion even with a wicked man.”
⑥ ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه said:
“Had I not heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say, ‘Indeed Allah will aid this religion through the Christians of the tribe of Rabīʿah near the banks of the Euphrates,’ I would not have spared a single Bedouin.”
[Musnad al-Bazzār: 1723; Majmaʿ al-Zawā’id 6/95; Abū Yaʿlā: 236]❖ Scholarly Opinions
- Imām al-Shāfiʿī رحمه الله:
If the non-Muslim is trustworthy and help is needed, it is permissible to seek assistance. Otherwise, it is disliked (makrūh).
[al-Umm 4/276]- Shaykh al-Albānī رحمه الله also deemed this view strong.
[al-Taʿlīqāt al-Raḍiyyah 3/443] - Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله said:
❝If a disbeliever is well-disposed towards Muslims and assistance is needed, then it is permissible to seek help from him. Otherwise, it is disliked. When a disbeliever participates in battle with permission, he may be given a reward, but not a share of the spoils. This is the view of Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, Abū Ḥanīfah, and the majority.❞
[Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 12/166, Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah]
Conclusion:
◈ Seeking help from disbelievers is conditionally allowed, based on trust and necessity.
◈ The narration rejecting assistance from a polytheist at Badr is not absolute but contextual.
◈ Numerous authentic incidents in both Makkī and Madīnī periods support conditional cooperation with disbelievers in warfare.
◈ This is the agreed position of major classical scholars and schools of thought.
