Qa'ida fi al-Inghimas fi al-'Aduw wa-Hal Yubah
- Author died
- 728 AH
- Editions
- Aḍwāʾ al-Salaf
Qa'ida fi al-Inghimas fi al-'Aduw wa-Hal Yubah ("A Principle on Plunging into Enemy Ranks and Whether It Is Permissible") is a juristic treatise by the Hanbali scholar Ibn Taymiyya (661–728 AH / 1263–1328 CE) addressing the legal ruling on Muslim fighters penetrating enemy lines under circumstances where death is almost certain .
Background and Attribution
The treatise was composed to clarify the legal status of an individual warrior or a small detachment fighting an opposing force outnumbering them by more than double, provided there is a tangible benefit to the faith or to the Muslim community, even if they strongly presume that they will be killed . Ibn Taymiyya referenced his detailed treatment of this subject in other works, and his student Ibn Abd al-Hadi recorded the text under this specific title in his biographical catalogue al-'Uqud al-durriyya .
Subject and Core Scenarios
Ibn Taymiyya categorizes the subject into three primary scenarios:
- A lone fighter launching a charge directly into enemy battle lines and becoming engulfed among them (al-inghimas fi al-'aduw) .
- An individual singling out an enemy commander or leader to kill him openly amidst his troops when seizing an opportunity, despite anticipating his own demise .
- A warrior standing his ground alone or with a small band after the retreat of his comrades in order to inflict damage (nikaya) upon the enemy, while anticipating being killed .
The author notes that these actions are deemed permissible by the general consensus of Muslim jurists across the four major Sunni schools—Abu Hanifa, Malik ibn Anas, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal—and considers any contrary opinion to be anomalous .
Juristic Arguments and Evidence
To substantiate the permissibility of charging enemy ranks, Ibn Taymiyya adduces evidence from the Quran, the Sunnah, and the consensus of early generations:
- Scriptural Evidence: He cites verses such as Surah al-Baqarah 2:207 ( وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ —"And among the people is he who sells himself seeking the pleasure of God"), noting that the second caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab applied this verse to a man who charged into enemy lines rather than considering it self-destruction . He also draws upon Surah al-Tawbah 9:111 ( إِنَّ اللَّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ —"Indeed, God has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise") as proof that offering one's life and mount for the sake of God constitutes one of the highest forms of martyrdom .
- Prophetic Traditions: The author references various traditions defining righteous military expedition (ghazw), the virtue of intention over worldly gain, and the praise given to those whose blood is shed and whose horses are hamstrung in battle .
Manuscript and Publication
The treatise survived in a unique manuscript preserved within a collective volume (majmu') at Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya (Taymur collection, Fiqh no. 444) . The manuscript consists of 48 pages, each containing 13 lines, penned in Ruq'ah script in 1319 AH by an unidentified copyist . It was edited and published for the first time by Abu Muhammad Ashraf ibn Abd al-Maqsud in 1422 AH .
Answer updated