❖ Punishment of the Harbī (Enemy Combatant) and the Apostate: Qur’ānic and Prophetic Evidences
Written by: Imran Ayoob Lahori
◈ Definition of the Harbī
A harbī refers to a polytheist living in Dār al-Ḥarb (the land of war/enemy territory).
Reference: المنجد: ص / 148
The consensus (ijmāʿ) of Muslims is that it is permissible to kill him.
Reference: السيل الجرار: 372/4
◈ Qur’ānic Evidences Regarding the Harbī
① قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ [التوبة: 29]
"Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day."
② وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً [التوبة: 36]
"Fight the polytheists all together as they fight you all together."
③ وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ [البقرة: 190]
"Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you."
④ Whenever the Prophet ﷺ appointed a commander of an army, he instructed him regarding piety, kindness towards Muslims, and said:
اغزوا بسم الله فى سبيل الله قاتلوا من كفر بالله
"Go forth in the name of Allah, in the path of Allah, and fight those who disbelieve in Allah."
References: مسلم: 1731 ، أبو داود: 2612 ، ترمذي: 1617
◈ Qur’ānic Evidences Regarding Apostasy
① كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ [آل عمران: 86]
"How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief?"
② إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ [آل عمران: 90]
"Indeed, those who disbelieved after their belief and then increased in disbelief—never will their repentance be accepted."
③ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ [المائدة: 54]
"Whoever among you apostatizes from his religion—Allah will bring forth a people He loves and they love Him."
④ وَلَٰكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ [النحل: 106]
"But whoever opens his chest to disbelief—upon them is the wrath of Allah."
◈ Prophetic Evidences Regarding Apostasy
⑤ Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
من بدل ديـنـه فاقتلوه
"Whoever changes his religion, kill him."
References: بخاري: 3017 ، أبو داود: 2535 ، ترمذي: 1458 ، نسائي: 104/7 ، ابن ماجة: 2535 ، أحمد: 217/1 ، عبد الرزاق: 168/10 ، ابن أبي شيبة: 139/10
⑥ Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لا يحل دم امرئ مسلم إلا بإحدى ثلاث: النفس بالنفس والثيب الزاني والمفارق لدينه التارك للجماعة
"The blood of a Muslim is not lawful except in three cases: life for life, a married adulterer, and one who abandons his religion and separates from the community."
References: بخاري: 6878 ، مسلم: 1676
⑦ Muʿādh ibn Jabal (RA): When he arrived in Yemen, he found with Abū Mūsā (RA) a Jew who had become Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism. He said:
لا أجلس حتى يقتل قضاء الله ورسوله
"I will not sit until he is killed. This is the decree of Allah and His Messenger." Then he was executed.
References: بخاري: 6923 ، مسلم: 1733
