Islamic military jurisprudence

Islamic military jurisprudence is a set of rules and guidelines that come from Islamic law and teachings. It explains how Muslims should behave and act during times of war, based on what Islamic scholars have decided is right and proper. These ideas are part of a bigger area of study called Fiqh, which looks at how to apply Islamic teachings to everyday life.

Many Muslim religious leaders talk about armed struggle that follows Islamic principles. They sometimes call this the lesser jihad, which means making effort to do what is good and just, even in difficult situations. This idea helps guide Muslims in understanding their responsibilities and duties when conflicts arise.

Development of rulings

See also: Jihad, List of battles of Muhammad, and Muhammad as a diplomat

The first rules about fighting were made soon after Muhammad established an Islamic state in Medina. These rules grew from the Qur'an and Hadith, which are important texts for Muslims. The main ideas were about when fighting is right and the idea of jihad, which means "struggle."

Jihad was seen as fighting for what is right, especially when Muslims were treated badly. It was thought of as a duty for the whole Muslim community. Whether to fight depended on if the whole community was under attack. The rules also differed between places ruled by Muslims and places not ruled by Muslims, whether they were friendly or not.

Some experts say that these old rules match up with today’s international laws. They mention that many countries that follow Islam also agree to follow both Islamic law and United Nations rules.

Ethics of warfare

See also: Islamic ethics

Fighting is allowed when it is to protect oneself, help other believers, or when a treaty has been broken, but it must stop when these reasons no longer exist. Wars should be fought in a fair and controlled way, protecting people who are not fighting and using only the force that is needed.

Muhammad shared important rules for fighting during his life. His follower Abu Bakr gave ten key rules for soldiers, such as not being unfair, not harming dead bodies, and protecting children, women, and older people. These rules also included not damaging trees or killing animals unless for food. Even when fighting during big battles, leaders like Saladin showed kindness by helping their enemies. Early Islamic writings also talked about fair treatment of people during war, including diplomats, prisoners, and civilians.

Criteria for soldiering

Muslim scholars agree that soldiers in Islamic armed forces should be adults without debts, with good mental and physical health. They should join the army freely, with the support of their families, rather than being forced to serve.

Legitimacy of war

See also: Jihad and Hirabah

Muslims have thought deeply about what makes a war right or wrong. Fighting to protect yourself and others is seen as not just right, but a duty, according to the Qur'an. But if the other side stops being harmful, then there is no reason to keep fighting.

Fighting to defend against attacks or unfair treatment of Muslims is widely accepted. Many scholars say that war should only be fought against those who attack Muslims, and not against people just because of their beliefs. They teach that only soldiers should be fought, and that people like women, children, and others who are not fighting should be kept safe.

Some scholars have also talked about fighting to spread or protect the influence of Islam, but this idea is debated. Some modern scholars believe that fighting should only be to stop attacks or unfair treatment of Muslims, and that peace is very important in relations with others.

International conflict

International conflicts are fights between different countries. In the past, some Islamic scholars divided lands into groups like "abode of Islam" and "abode of war." These ideas are not found in the Qur'an.

Before starting a fight, Muslims are told to give a clear warning. Surprising enemies without warning is not allowed, unless the enemy has already begun fighting. Trying to stop people from practicing their religion is seen as a reason for war.

When fighting, there are rules. For example, hurting dead bodies is not allowed, and showing off in battle is discouraged. Some old scholars did not talk much about using certain types of weapons because they were not a problem at that time. But they said fighters should not use weapons that cause extra pain unless it is really necessary.

Civilians like women, children, and those who cannot fight should generally be safe. Fighting in places where people live, or taking things from them, is not allowed without their agreement. However, in some very hard situations, damaging enemy lands or buildings was seen as okay to weaken the enemy.

Both sides should always try to make peace. If one side attacks, the response should match what was done. There are rules about stopping fights at certain times.

People captured in war can be treated in different ways, such as being freed, exchanged, or kept safe. Women and children captured in war cannot be hurt. There are old stories about leaders choosing to spare some prisoners even when they could have been punished.

Internal conflict

Internal conflicts include battles between groups, such as civil wars against rebels and efforts to stop bandits.

During an early battle called the Battle of Bassorah, a leader named Ali set important rules for fighting other Muslims. These rules said that wounded or captured enemies should not be hurt, and those who drop their weapons or run away should not be chased. Only weapons and animals used in the fight could be taken, and no prisoners, women, or children should be forced into servitude. The property of enemies who were killed should go to their Muslim families.

Different ideas about fighting rebels have existed throughout history. In the early years of Islam, leaders believed that rebels should not be killed or have their property taken away. However, older Islamic teachers said that rebels who used secret attacks or caused fear, such as kidnapping, poisoning water, setting fires, attacking travelers, or attacking people at night, could face very serious punishments, even death, no matter their beliefs or religion.