IBN TAIMIYYA: His Doctrine of Jihād and its Current Implications ( )

Biography Ibn Taimiyya was born on January 22, 1263 at Harrān, near Mesopotamia, into a prominent Hanbalī family. He left for Damascus in 1268 to get away from the threats of the Mongol invasion He studied the Qur’ān, the Hadīth, Commentary, Theology, and Philosophy. He was appointed in 1282 as Professor (ustādh) in the Hanbalī School of Law and became known as the celebrated scholar in his time. He was imprisoned several times in Damascus, Cairo, and Alexandria for his critiques to both Mongol invasion over the lands of Muslim and the growing trends of deviant mysticism and innovations. He died in prison in 1328 C.E.

Ibn Taimiyya’s Interpretation of Jihād Jihād against the Mongol The concept of true believer In 1303, Ibn Taimiyya issued a fatwa against the Muslims of Mardin (1260). “Everyone who is with them in he state over which they rule has to be regarded as the belonging of the mist evil class of men. He is either an atheist and hypocrite who does not believe in the essence of the religion of Islam—thism enas that he only outwardly pretends to be a Muslim– or he belongs to the worst class of all people of heretical innovations (bid’a)…they place Muhammad in a position equal to the Gengis Khan, and if they do not do this, they –in spite of their pretensions to be Muslims– not only glorify Gengis Khan but they also fight the Muslims. The worst of these infidels even give him their total and complete obedience. They bring him their properties and give their decisions in his name. Above all this they fight the Muslims and threat then with the great enmity. They ask the Muslims to obey, then to give them their properties, and to enter into the obedience of the rules which were imposed on them by this Infidel polytheistic King.” Refutation of the greater and peaceful jihād

Contemporary Islamist Interpretation of Ibn Taimiyya The Status of Monks Attack of the convent in Algeria in 1995 Osama bin Laden’s quotation of Ibn Taimiyya: “The most important religious duty –after belief itself– is to ward off and fight the enemy aggressor. Sheikh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: ‘to drive off the enemy aggresor who destroys both religion and the world—there is no religious duty more important than this, apart from belief itself.”