𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐲 𝐀𝐰𝐞, (𝐁𝐲 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬) 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡’𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah Made Me Victorious By Awe, (By Frightening My Enemies) For a Distance of One Month’s Journey: [Nothing In This Hadeeth For The Khawaarij (terrorists) and Those Spiteful Secularists and Stupid Journalists Who Quote It From Them Without Understanding]
Jaabir bin Abdullah [may Allah be pleased with him] narrated that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “I have been given five things which were not given to anyone else before me. Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month’s journey.
The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due.
The booty has been made Halal (lawful) for me yet it was not lawful for anyone else before me. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection). Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Hadeeth 335]
Regarding the statement: “Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month’s journey”.
Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “What is understood from this is that none else was given victory through this fear in this time period nor thereafter”. (1)
Imaam As-Sadi [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “This was not given to any Prophet before him and it a mighty host by way of which Allah aided him. When there was a month’s journey or a bit less between him and his enemy, Allah placed fear in the hearts of his enemies.
However, this does not negate that the polytheists did gain (the upperhand) against the Muslims at times – by the decree of Allah – due to a reason and wisdom, just as what took place on the day of Uhud due to how closely they obeyed the Prophet, and that did not occur to them except due to their own fault. So, based on how far they failed to act on the command of Allah and his Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him], they lost this victory accordingly”. (2)
Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “The apparent meaning of this is that Allah placed fear in the hearts of his enemies whilst they are a month’s journey away from him, such as the distance between Syria, Madeenah and Iraq, and what is similar. Allah granted him victory against them by way of this fear.
And when he reaches them, then this fear would have already overtaken them and this was one of the means of victory for him against them, a means by way of which they were forsaken and their hearts emptied of the courage for confrontation. This is also the case in his Ummah- those who are steadfast upon their religion, patient whilst adhering to their religion and fulfilling the Sharee’ah, Allah aids them as he aided the Messenger”. (3)
Therefore, this victory was given to Messenger and the righteous servants of Allah – those who fought under the banner of a legitimate Muslim ruler. The Messenger was the head of state and the one with the apparatus of government.
There is no proof in this hadeeth for any deviant militant group – the flag bearers of bloodshed and corruption in the earth. Indeed, the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon im] informed us about the khawaarij in many ahaadeeth.
He said, “A people will come from the east who recite the Qur’aan, but it will not go beyond their throats. They will pass through the religion just as an arrow pierces its target and they will not return to it just as the arrow does not return to the bow”. [Al-Bukhaari 7123]
He said, “During the last days [i.e. end of time], there will be young people with foolish dreams. They will say the best of statements amongst creation, but they will pass through Islam just as an arrow passes through its game. Their Eemaan will not go beyond their throats”. [Al-Bukhari 4770]
He said, “There will be discord and division in my Ummah and a people will come with beautiful statements but evil deeds. They recite the Qur’aan, but it will not go beyond their throats. They will exit the religion just as an arrow leaves its target and they will not return until the arrows returns to its notch. They are the worst of the creation”. [Abu Dawud 4765]
He said, “Some people from my Ummah will emerge from the east, who recite the Quran but it will not go beyond their throats. Every time a group of them appears it will be cut off. The Messenger repeated this and on the tenth time he said, “Every time a group of them emerges, it will be cut off, until Dajjaaj appears from their remnants”. [Musnad Aḥmad 27767]
Ubaydullaah Ibn Abee Raafi [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “The Khawaarij came out against Ali ibn Abee Taalib [may Allah be pleased with him] and said, ‘There is no judgement, except the judgement of Allah’, so Ali said them, ‘A statement of truth by way of which falsehood is intended’”. [Ṣaḥeeh Muslim 1066]
Imaam Wahb Ibn Munabbih [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “I was acquainted with the early period of Islaam. By Allah, the Khaawaarij have never had a group except that Allah caused it to split because of their evil state of affairs. Never did one of them publicize his opinion except that Allah caused his neck to be struck.
Never did the Muslim Ummah unite behind a man from the Khawaarij. If Allah allowed the opinion of the Khawaarij to be accepted and established, then the earth would have been corrupted, the carriageways would have been cut off, Hajj to the sacred house of Allah would have ceased and the affair of Islam would have reverted to ignorance until the people seek shelter in the mountains as they did in the time of ignorance.
If ten or twenty men among them were to rise, there would not be a man among them except that he claims the khilaafah for himself- every man among them would have ten thousand other men with him and all of them fighting each other, accusing one another of disbelief until the believer fears for himself, his religion, his life, his family, his wealth, and would not know where to travel or who to be with”. [Ref 4]
Imaam Ibn Katheer [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “If they ever gained strength, they would surely corrupt the whole of the earth, Iraq and Syria (Shaam) – they would not leave a baby, male or female, neither a man or a woman, because as far as they are concerned the people have caused corruption, a corruption that cannot be rectified except by mass killing”.
Imaam At-Tabari [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “The Khawarij came to a village and captured a man and his daughter. She said to them, ‘O people of Islaam! Verily, my father is an old man so do not kill him, and I am only a girl.
By Allah, I have never committed immorality and I have never harmed anyone’. They brought her out to murder her whilst she kept on saying, ‘What sin have I committed; what sin have I committed?’ She fainted thereafter and they killed her with their swords”. (5)
Imaam Wahb Ibn Munabbih stated, “If ten or twenty men among them were to rise, there would not be a man among them except that he claims the Caliphate for himself; every man among them would have ten thousand other men with him and all of them fighting each other, accusing one another of disbelief”.
When the Prophet defeated his enemies from the Romans in the Battle of Tabuk WITHOUT a fight; May God grant him victory with the terror that he hurled into the hearts of his enemies.
The Prophet said this hadith, as he reminded of the blessings of Allah Almighty upon him, as stated in the hadith. This indicates the Prophet’s loyalty to his Lord for him and proclaiming the blessings of your Lord.
“And proclaim the blessings of your Lord.” Quran (93:11)
Allah gave him victory over his enemies WITHOUT fighting or bloodshed, and the earth was made for him as a place of worship and purification, and the spoils were made lawful for him, and he was given comprehensive words, that is, the few words that carry many meanings, and he was sent to people in general, and in some accounts, he was sent to all creation;
There is no doubt that this hadith indicates the greatness of our beloved Prophet, the truth of his prophethood, and Allah’s support for him.
The Clarity of the Glorious Quran on not forcing any non-Muslim to be Muslim:
The Glorious Holy Qur’an is crystal clear in stating that no non-Muslim is forced to be Muslim by any coercion, Islam does not want hypocrites. In fact, Islam warns us against hypocrites, to the point that there is whole chapter dedicated to warning us against hypocrites by the same name Surah Al-Munafiqun= chapter hypocrites’ number sixty-three.
Hence Allah Exalted he states clearly in the Noble Quranic verse:
“Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So, whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” Quran (2:256)
Allah Exalted he also instruct us Muslims NOT to attack innocents, or wage wars against anyone who never attacked Islam and Muslims nor supported anyone directly or indirectly against Islam and Muslims.
Allah Exalted he states in the Glorious Quran:
“Fight in the cause of Allah ˹only˺ against those who wage war against you, but do not exceed the limits. Allah does not like transgressors.” Quran (2:190)
Despite the above, Allah exalted he stated in the Glorious Quran in several noble verses what confirms that meaning of the hadith of I have been made victorious with terror, The hadith does not mean that the Prophet who is instructed to cast terror or horror at the hearts of the enemies of Islam.
In fact, Allah himself Exalted He is the one who casts horror at the hearts of the disbelievers who have been fighting Islam, such horror played role in making some of the enemies of Islam escape the battlefield and withdraw even before a direct armed confrontation with Muslims under the leadership of our beloved Prophet and even after our Prophet passed away, when Muslims abided by Islam.
Here Some examples of Noble Quranic verses that confirms that such horror is casted in the hearts of the disbelievers by Allah Exalted He and not by the Prophet or Muslims.
“˹Remember, O Prophet,˺ when your Lord revealed to the angels, “I am with you. So, make the believers stand firm. I will cast horror into the hearts of the disbelievers. So, strike their necks and strike their fingertips.” Qurna (8:12)
And
“Fight in the cause of Allah ˹ONLY˺ against those who wage war against you, but do NOT exceed the limits. Allah does not like transgressors.” (Quran (2:190)
And
“But no! Allah is your Guardian, and He is the best Helper. We will cast horror into the hearts of the disbelievers for associating ˹false gods˺ with Allah—a practice He has never authorized. The Fire will be their home—what an evil place for the wrongdoers to stay!” Quran (3:150-151)
And
“He is the One Who expelled the disbelievers of the People of the Book from their homes for ˹their˺ first banishment ˹ever˺. You never thought they would go. And they thought their strongholds would put them out of Allah’s reach. But ˹the decree of˺ Allah came upon them from where they never expected. And He cast horror into their hearts so they destroyed their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers. So take a lesson ˹from this˺, O people of insight!” Quran (59:2)
The Bible mentions that God helps His followers by casting terror into the hearts of their enemies, as was the case with our Prophet, in several places, including:
Deuteronomy 11:25
New International Version
25 No one will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
2 Chronicles 14:14
New International Version
14 They destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for the terror of the Lord had fallen on them. They looted all these villages, since there was much plunder there.
Esther 8:17
New International Version
17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned hadiths does not permit terrorism in any ways shape or form, to say it does is simply a non-sequitur. In fact as explained in the introduction of this article, Allah Exalted He prohibts attacking anyone who did not attack Islam or Muslims and fair to them.
However the casting of horror or terror at the hearts of the disbelievers who fight Islam and Muslims is an act of Allah to deter the agressors and support Muslims psychologically.
In truth, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never desired anything of the worldly pleasures. His mission was solely to please his Lord and spread the true message across the land, calling people to morality, justice and peace achieved through submission to God.
Allah knows Best.
Source Salafi Centre
The “I have been made victorious with terror” and ” I have been helped by terror” Hadiths – In Context
Revisiting ‘I Have Been Commanded To Fight…’ Hadith
I have been made victorious with terror
The Hadith ‘…Fight Until They Say There Is No god But Allah’ Explained
Allah Made Me Victorious By Awe, (By Frightening My Enemies) For a Distance of One Month’s Journey
I have been made victorious with terror
Does Islam Force Itself On Others?
Jihad – The way of peace and Justice, the path to Heaven.
Response to the misunderstanding surrounding the Sword Verse Quran (9:5)
The Sword Verse”: Surah 9:13 – 24
An Historical Examination Of The Sword Verse – Surah 9:5
A Historical Examination of The Sword Verse – Surah 9:5
Quran 9:5 – Sword Verse
Quran 9:5 – Sword Verse – Contextual Explanation
[Ref 1: Fathul Baaree 1/567. Daarus Salaam 1st edition 1421AH Year 2000]
[Ref 2: Sharh Umdatul Ahkaam page 96. By Imaam As-Sadi. Publisher Daar at-tawheed 1st edition 1431AH Year 2010]
[Ref 3: paraphrased:
معنى: «نصرت بالرعب مسيرة شهر»
[Ref 4: Taareekh Dimashq 69290]
[Ref 5: Taareekh At-Tabari 6/124]