The Ruling Concerning Yemeni Soldiers Fighting the Houthists Question # 50 (http://www.tawhed.ws/FAQ/display_question?qid=50) Question: Our dear Sheikh, Asalamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu My brother asked whether a relative of his friend who was killed while fighting the Houthists in the Yemeni Army is in the Paradise or Hellfire, and I replied that he was fighting under an infidelic banner and was defending it, and thus he is Hellfire. My brother responded that he may be ignorant of the ruling concerning his participation in the Army, to which I questioned why he did not ask the scholars about this. He questioned who he could have asked, when the majority of the scholars today, except those to whom Allah has shown mercy, are mouthpieces of the government, and if he were to ask them, they would respond that it is permissible. At this point, I ended the discussion as I did not know what to say. So my question is what is the ruling concerning this soldier, and can we say that he is in Hellfire? Answered by the Religious Panel of Minbar Al-Tawheed wal-Jihad: Wa alaykum Asalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. By dear brother questioner, may Allah take you under His Protection and Care: First of all, it is from the firm beliefs of Ahl-us-Sunnah-wal-Jama’ah that it not permissible to state whether a person is in Hellfire or Paradise except if this was explicitly stated by the Prophet (saws). Rather, they only say about the good-doer that he has done good, and about the evil-doer that he has done evil. Whoever dies and his actions were such that we can say that he died in a state of Islam, we treat him as a Muslim, and whoever dies and his actions were such that we can say that died in a state of disbelief, we treat him as a disbeliever: we do not pray the funeral prayer for him nor do we bury him in Muslim graveyards. Soldiers who fight in the armies of the idolic goverenments (Taghut) these days, whether it be the Yemeni army or others, have fallen into disbelief, and there is no difference of opinion amongst the scholars in this matter, and here I mean those scholars who follow the Salaf, for two main reasons: 1 – By his actions he is defending and protecting unislamic constitutions, and by this he is endorsing kufr. 2 – He has allied with the idolic governments (taghut) who are the enemies of Allah. Allah has said: ( الذين ءامنوا يقاتلون في سبيل الله والذين كفروا يقاتلون في سبيل الطاغوت ) “Those who believe fight in the way of Allah; and those who disbelieve fight in the way of Taghut…” (Al-Nisaa: 71) After we have agreed that they that have fallen into disbelief, what remains is the ruling concerning specific individuals and whether or not they are excused for their ignorance. There is evidence for both stances. Those who do not excuse them for this disbelief see that this matter is of those things which are so clear that it is not permissible that one be excused for its ignorance, especially in our times in which anyone who ponders can see that the job of these governments and armies is to fight Islam and the Muslims and kill and pursue the Mujahideen. This is something that is not hidden from anyone, and all praise be to Allah. At any cost, we believe that you should not debate about these rulings concerning the Hereafter and decisively stating whether a person is in Paradise or Hellfire. It is enough in the Call of Tawheed to speak of the worldly rulings, clarifying that whoever allies with the Taghut, aids them against the Muslims and defends their laws is from them. He is from the defenders of these laws and from the army of the Taghut. He has not fulfilled the Tawheed which is the greatest right of Allah over His slaves. You should call to avoiding all forms of Taghut and to disbelieve and reject them and their laws. You should warn people from joining their armies and defending them, even if it be from the Houthists, Bathists or Communists, as these are not Muslim wars. There are battlefields present today in which the flag of Tawheed has been raised. Allah’s helpers are present in your own country and in those around you. Call people to join them, defend them, and side by them in their ranks. This is the Call of Tawheed. Stick to it, and do not busy yourself with what will happen to people in the Hereafter. May Allah grant you success. Sheikh Abu Usamah Al-Shami Member, Religious Panel Minbar At-Tawheed Wal-Jihad www.tawhed.ws Download http://jump.fm/MQWIL ________________________________ http://www.jarchive.info/english http://www.jarchive.info/ http://up2000.co.cc/ New Email addresses available on Yahoo! Get the Email name you've always wanted on the new @ymail and @rocketmail. Hurry before someone else does! http://mail.promotions.yahoo.com/newdomains/aa/
