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A lead article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by Al-Azaim Foundation, the media arm of the Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), refutes the argument of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, i.e., the Afghan Taliban) that their 2020 Doha agreement signed with the U.S. is justified given the fact that Muhammad signed a peace treaty with the Quraysh tribe at Hudaybiyyah.
The article, title "Doha Agreement Or Submission To Kuffar [Unbelievers]," appears in the magazine's latest issue, Issue 14, which is dated Safar 1444 Hijri, corresponding to the month beginning August 30, 2022.
A screenshot of the article.
In the article, the Islamic State argues that the purpose of signing the Hudaybiyyah treaty was to facilitate the rise of Islam and its military power, and even after signing the pact, Muhammad went on to fight other non-Muslim tribes and sent messages ordering the rulers of Rome and Persia to convert to Islam or face war.
It argues that Muhammad's peace treaty at Hudaybiyyah was temporary, unlike that of the IEA, whose agreement signed at Doha was indefinite and therefore did not comply with shari'a.
Following is the text of the article:[1]
"[To Justify Their Doha Agreement With America] The Taliban Misuse The Peace Treaty Of Hudaybiyyah As An Excuse For Their Submission To Kuffar [Unbelievers]"
"Every blasphemy of the Taliban mercenaries in the name of 'the Islamic Emirate' has been revealed, as they have tried unsuccessfully – to justify their kufr [unbelief], showing their every blasphemous act as a ruling of shari'a. Among the blasphemous actions of those militias is their alliance with kuffar [unbelievers] in the name of peace agreement, when they have considered their shameful alliance with kuffar analogous to the Hudaybiyyah treaty.
"In this article, we will try to put lights on differences between the Taliban's Doha agreement and peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah, although the differences between the two kinds of agreements from shari'i perspective is quite clear and don't need further justification.
"The Taliban misuse the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah as an excuse for their submission to kuffar. As far as Islamic shari'a is concerned, the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah can hardly be used as a pretence for submission to kuffar.
"First of all, we will discuss about the basis of the political system of Islam, whose sole purpose is the propagation of dawah and expansion of the Islamic territory through jihad. So, we need to look upon the results of the Hudaybiyyah peace treaty. We need to figure out the underlying strategy in Hudaybiyyah peace treaty.
"As you know, in the political system of Islam, peace and dialogue with the kuffar are allowed only under three circumstances: dawah [preaching and invitation to join Islam], developing the Islamic military domain, and fighting [to establish Islamic shari'a rule]. Accordingly, we can have an idea about the structure and purpose of the political system of Islam.
"In other words, the implementation of foreign diplomacy, which is an indispensable part of the political system of Islam, is allowed when these two conditions are met:
"1. To have military force and widespread support, and
"2. Strong internal system and discipline.
"For example, when the Messenger of Allah went to Hudaybiyyah [near Mecca], he established a strong and stable internal system in Medina, which repeatedly dealt with all the kuffar and he also exhibited his strength to the kuffar in Badr and Uhud, and in other battles. He also prepared a well-equipped army..."
"We Should Understand The Fact That Making Peace Treaty With Kuffar Is Not The Main Goal Of Islam"; The Main Goal Of The Political System Of Islam Is To Raise The Word Of Mujahideen And To Protect And Achieve The Highest Benefits And Interests Of The Islamic Ummah And Jihad"
"[In the political system of Islam]... you can talk about peace treaty with kuffar when you have established a budget. This budget has two parts in the Islamic political system: force (army) and a stable internal system that do not come under any influence of kuffar. It means Islam has gained its strength and has developed a stable internal system in every sector.
"Therefore, at such a time, Islam allows us to discuss foreign diplomacy or start implementation of the third phase of the foreign policy through military force or peace deal, given that there will be upper hand for Islam in it.
"The Peace Treaty Of Hudaybiyyah
"First of all, we should understand the fact that making peace treaty with kuffar is not the main goal of Islam. In other words, the mujahideen's hardships, poverty, thirst, homelessness, prisons, wounds, martyrdoms, and other kinds of suffering are never aimed at making peace with kuffar.
"So, the main goal of the political system of Islam is to raise the word of mujahideen and to protect and achieve the highest benefits and interests of the Islamic Ummah and jihad. As far as the political Islam is concerned, making peace with the kuffar is not the main principle. More obviously, it is not such a pillar that by not acting upon it, Islam becomes incomplete or we cannot reach our objective.
"The Taliban militia tries to paint their peace treaty with kuffar with the color of shari'a, and they want to prove with great efforts that the ongoing peace process with the American Crusaders is an example of the establishment of the Islamic political system.
"But the truth is that this peace is entirely based on illegitimate foundations and it is a deal on the sacrifices of the Ummah..."
"[Prophet Muhammad] Moved To Mecca With The Intention Of Umrah [A Secondary Pilgrimage To Mecca In Islam]; He Did Not Move With The Intention Of Making Peace Agreement [At Hudaybiyyah]"
"[L]et us weigh the peace treaty of Taliban [signed with U.S. in Doha] with Koran and Sunnah [traditions of Muhammad]. However, it is necessary to remember that there are dozens of violations of Islam present in the murtad [apostate] Taliban movement, so even if this peace treaty complies with the shari'a, that doesn't necessarily make them Muslims.
"What we learn from the peace treaty of the Taliban militia with kuffar is that it is not in accordance to shari'a, rather it is simply alliance, apostasy, and submission to kuffar, and there are many differences with the blessed peace treaty of the prophet with the mushrikeen [idolaters] of Mecca.
"In the sixth year of Hijrah, in the month of Dhu al-Qadah, the Messenger of Allah dreamed that he was going to perform Umrah [a secondary pilgramage to Mecca in Islam]. He consulted with his companions about this, and the companions became happy, so he moved to Mecca with the intention of Umrah. He did not move with the intention of making peace agreement. The hypocrites in Medina did not go with him for this reason, and they thought that the prophet and his companions were carrying weapons, and they were not going simply for Umrah; rather they had intention to fight if they are fought by the mushrikeen of Mecca.
Signing of the peace treaty in Doha, February 29, 2020
"If the Messenger of Allah had moved with the intention of peace, then the matter would have been clear and the hypocrites would have learnt about it. So, they would like to miss the opportunity of going with Muslims for peace treaty and raising their status among them. The Taliban militiamen seldom provide any reason for justifying their kufri [associated with unbelief] actions, rather they only provide headlines.
"They never go into details, such as comparison of the kufri agreement of Doha to the Hudaybiyyah peace agreement. They never explain the conditions of the Hudaybiyyah peace agreement in details, because the deeper they go into it, the clearer will be their emptiness from shari'i [shari'a compliant] perspectives.
"With a view to putting dusts in the eyes of people, they simply say that the Messenger of Allah accepted some of the conditions of the mushrikeen in the Hudaybiyyah agreement, so we must also accept the conditions of the kuffar..."
"The [Doha] Talks Between The Taliban And Americans Are Not Comparable To Peace Treaty Of Hudaybiyyah"
"The talks between the Taliban and Americans are not comparable to peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah. These talks and agreement are comparable to the proposal given by the polytheists in Mecca prior to the establishment of the Islamic state when the Muslims … didn't even have their own army at that time….
"But this time, it is under the leadership of the U.S. and tawaghit [tyrants] of the world who said to Taliban: 'What is this point of chanting for shari'a? We know already that you are not following it. So, come and leave this empty chanting of shari'a, you have tired yourself and so have we. We know what your purposes are.
"'If you want power over Kabul, we will make you the rulers of Kabul within one year. Weapons, vehicles, equipment, and all facilities will be given to you. You will enjoy more, you will have abundance of women, and you will be busy with women. We will send millions of dollars per week in the name of humanitarian aid with which you will fill your pocket, you can travel to any foreign taghuti countries freely, you will enjoy our beaches and hotels, and there will be no restrictions on you, we will remove your names from our blacklist.
"'We will withdraw sanctions; we will officially recognize your regime. All you need is to leave these empty slogans of shari'a. We all will become as one nation, we will have one law, we will have one purpose and one stance, we will together solve our problems through the taghut UN, we will not interface in each other's work, we will have peace, our friends will be your friends and our enemy (Islamic State) will be your enemy and together we will prevent them.'
"At that moment, the leaders of Taliban couldn't succumb to such temptation. They accepted their proposal as a whole, abandoning dawah, religion, faith, morality and pride. They made a deal with the blood and the tears of Islamic Ummah; and now, whatever is happening in Afghanistan is simply a process of implementation of that kufri deal between the Taliban and kuffar in Doha.
"So, the practical manifestation of the outcome of a controversial peace treaty in which kuffar enjoy the upper hand is what is happening with the Taliban Emirate in the name of so-called Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan now..."
"The Messenger Of Allah Made Treaty With The Idolaters Of Quraysh, But He Did Not Prevent The Muslims Outside That Treaty To Fight Against Quraysh; The Door Of Jihad Was Opened For Them"
"This [Hudaybiyyah] treaty clearly manifests that the idolaters of Quraysh were weaker than the Muslims at that time, because the Messenger of Allah gave them only two choices: either they will make peace or prepare for war.
"And another important aspect of the treaty was that it was not a peace treaty with all the kuffar in general. On the other hand, the murtad Taliban militia have not only signed agreements with kuffar, in general, not to wage jihad and not to fight against kuffar, but they have also brought other nationalistic groups and factions, allied with them, to the negotiation table with the kuffar and murtadeen [apostates] for signing the same agreement of giving up fighting against the kuffar as whole.
"The Messenger of Allah made treaty with the idolaters of Quraysh, but he did not prevent the Muslims outside that treaty to fight against Quraysh. The door of jihad was opened for them, when the Muslims fought day and night against the polytheists all over the Arabian Peninsula.
The magazine's cover
"... The nationalistic Taliban movement does not want to allow anyone to look at kuffar with a terrorizing sight or escape from their oppression. They have made themselves mercenaries of kuffar, fighting on behalf of them against the Khilafah [caliphate], in order to protect their interests and borders.
"Obviously, the Messenger of Allah did not pay attentions to those conditions of the polytheists, rather he followed the command of Allah. Through such treaty he was only intended to strengthen Islam, and exactly the same happened….
"The military superiority of the Muslims can also be evident from the fact that when the Quraysh broke the treaty and allied with the Banu Bakr tribe against Khuzaa tribe, the Prophet attacked them."
"The Ceasefire Of The Prophet With Quraysh Was Not A Permanent Ceasefire And It Had A Specific Term Of 10 Years, Unlike That Of Taliban"
"Now, let us judge, from prophetic and shari'i perspectives, the subjugating agreement of the Taliban, under the leadership of the U.S., in the largest U.S. intelligence base (Qatar) outside U.S. soil.
"Firstly, the ceasefire of the Prophet with Quraysh was not a permanent ceasefire, and it had a specific term of 10 years, unlike that of the Taliban, in which neither date nor time was mentioned from the beginning, as is said in the [Doha] agreement: '4-Permanent and comprehensive ceasefire will be a topic on the agenda of intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations.'
"Mullah Baradar [the Taliban leader who steered the talks with the U.S. in Doha] said in Qatar: 'And the Islamic Emirate has pledged that the territory of Afghanistan will not be used against the security of any country, which provides a practical basis for lasting peace in Afghanistan.'
"To the contrary, jihad will continue as long as there remain kuffar, but the Taliban militiamen want to put an end to jihad with this permanent peace treaty with kuffar.
"There is no permanent ceasefire with kuffar in the Islamic shari'a. And shari'a never allows signing peace treaty with all the kuffar at a time, and the life of the Prophet Muhammad also testifies that Masur ibn Mukhramah and Marwan ibn al-Hakam said: 'They (the Muslims and the polytheists of Quraysh) made peace treaty on ten years of ceasefire. That is the people will be at peace and, between us and them, there will be sound hearts on the covenant, and there will be no theft or betrayal.'
"There is difference of opinion among the scholars about the stipulated term of treaty with kuffar, as mentioned by Imam al-Khattabi that there are different sayings about the term of the treaty:
"1. Ten years
"2. Not more than four years
"3. Three years
"4. The limit for this is notknown, the Imam (Khalifah) is the one to decide over the term.
"Hafidh Ibn Hajar said: 'The scholars have difference of opinions regarding the permissible period for peace treaty with polytheists (kuffar). It is permissible for 10 years, the other saying is that it is not permissible for more than four years, some said three years and some said two years, but the first saying is more valid, that is a period of 10 years, and Allah knows best' – (Fath al-Bari).
The Taliban delegation in Qatar
"Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyya[2] said: 'Regarding the chapter on peace, the peace agreement is absolute, that is, it is permissible without imprisonment and up to a certain date. Loyalty is required on both sides, until the enemy breaks, and according to the correct opinion of the scholars, this agreement is not broken even for fear of betrayal, and if the conditions are met, the Imam (Khalifah) will sign this agreement based on expediency' – (Fatwa al-Kubra, Vol. 5, Page 542).
"Imam ibn al-Munzar mentioned from some scholars: 'A truce for an indefinite time is not permissible, because it is to give up on them forever, and it is not permissible, because it is obligatory on them (Muslims) to fight them until they (Muslims) become victorious over them, and if they are idol worshipers, they have to be fought until they bring Islam; and if they are the people of the Book [i.e., Jews and Christians], they have to be fought until they bring Islam or pay jizyah, and making truce for an indefinite period is against the revelation of the Book of Allah. And it is not permissible, because Allah has ordered to us fight polytheists, and an agreement contrary to Allah's order is not permissible' – (The middle of Narration, Consensus, and Difference, Vol. 11, Page 311).
"Likewise, Allamah ibn Qudamah said that it is not permissible to have peace treaty for an indefinite period. So, the unanimous opinion of scholars is that ceasefire for indefinite period is not permissible, while the ceasefire of the Taliban [as part of the Doha agreement] is for an indefinite period and having permanent peace with the kuffar is clearly mentioned in the memorandum of their peace agreement."
"The Religion Of Prophet Muhammad Was A Divine Religion, Not A Secular Religion Like That Of The Taliban Emirate; After The Hudaybiyyah Treaty, He Began To Fight Other Disbelievers Of The World"
"Secondly, we have already said that the Taliban militiamen are surrounded by the U.S. and the other Western powers from all sides in the name of peace treaty, and they have accepted the condition of abandoning jihad. Due to this deal, they are entirely depended on the kuffar. Even when they want to take a step, they have to seek permission from the kuffar, even for implementing a particular ruling of shari'a, which was not the case of the Muslims following the Hudaybiyyah treaty.
"For example, the Taliban tried to implement mandatory hijab for women, but they failed to do so, as they were not allowed by the West. And there are many more examples of their complete submission to kuffar in the name of Doha agreement. And the Prophet made peace deal with Quraysh only for strengthening Muslims militarily. He sent the messages of submission to Islam to the great empires of that time, Rome and Persia.
"The religion of Prophet Muhammad was a divine religion, not a secular religion like that of the Taliban Emirate. After the Hudaybiyyah treaty, he [Muhammad] began to fight other disbelievers of the world, including the tribes of Najd and the tribes loyal to the Roman Empire. But at the same of time, we can see the condition of the Taliban mercenaries who are giving peace assurance to all kuffar other than fighting them, which goes completely against the method of the Messenger of Allah. Yet, they don't feel shy at all to liken their kufri agreement to the Hudaybiyyah treaty.
"That is why there goes a saying, 'If someone lacks shame, everything seems to be justified to him.'"
[1] Telegram. The original English of the article has been lightly edited for clarity and standardization.
[2] Jihadis quote and reference 14th-century Islamic scholar and Sheikh Al-Islam Taqi Al-Din Ibn Taymiyya frequently for, among other things, his anti-Shi'ite stance and his writings permitting the killing of those who insult Muhammad
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