Part 11
Written by: Mawlawi Ahmad Ali
Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله):
A query was directed towards Imam al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy upon him):
Is it permissible to execute a Muslim who engages in espionage for hostile disbelievers, provides them with information regarding Muslim attacks and strategies, or discloses other Muslim secrets? Does this not amount to collaboration and assistance to disbelievers against Muslims?
Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله) responded: For a person whose sanctity under Islam is established (i.e., they are a Muslim), their killing is only permissible if they commit unlawful killing, commit adultery after being married, or commit clear apostasy after belief and remain steadfast in that apostasy. Spying for disbelievers or aiding them by informing them of Muslims’ attacks, allowing them to prepare and defend themselves or cause harm to Muslims, is clear kufr (disbelief), and a Muslim who does this can be executed.
Al-Rabi’ (رحمه الله) narrates:
I asked Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله):
“Is this ruling based on Hadith or analogy?”
He replied:
“I said this based on Hadith,” and then he cited the Hadith of Hatib ibn Abi Balta’ah (رضي الله عنه).
Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله) elaborated:
The case of Hatib’s letter has three possible interpretations:
1. Hatib (رضي الله عنه) himself explained that his action was not due to apostasy but for personal benefit. He wanted to do a favor to Quraysh to safeguard his family.
2. It might have been an error or mistake, meaning he did not intend to turn away from Islam.
3. The worst possibility would be that he became an apostate or a hypocrite in belief.
Among these possibilities, his own testimony was accepted, and the Prophet ﷺ did not order his execution.
Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله) stated: The status of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is exalted. Even though Hatib (رضي الله عنه) spied on behalf of the Quraysh against the Prophet ﷺ, his explanation was accepted. Thus, the testimony of any other spy will be accepted more readily.
A question was posed to Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله):
If someone were to ask, “Did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ accept the explanation of Hatib ibn Abi Balta’ah (رضي الله عنه) only because it was likely that his action was not due to apostasy, but rather for personal gain, as Hatib himself justified his actions? In other words, was the Prophet ﷺ aware of the truth of Hatib’s sincerity, that his act was motivated by worldly benefit and not rooted in disbelief or malicious intent?”
The response is as follows: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had full knowledge that the hypocrites were false and deceitful in their statements. If in the case of Hatib (رضي الله عنه), he was saved because the Prophet ﷺ had knowledge of the truth and knew that Hatib was sincere in his statement, then it was not merely the apparent statement of Hatib (رضي الله عنه) that was accepted. Rather, it was based on the Prophet’s ﷺ knowledge that Hatib’s justification was truthful and that his action was not out of disbelief.
Thus, it would follow that the apparent claims of the hypocrites should not have been accepted, and based on the Prophet’s ﷺ knowledge, the hypocrites should have been executed. However, the Prophet ﷺ always ruled according to the apparent statements of individuals and left their hidden intentions and secrets to Allah.
Objective:
If someone commits such a grave criminal act and offers a plausible justification, such as stating that their action was not due to apostasy but for worldly reasons, their statement will be accepted, and they will not be declared an apostate.
However, the Imam (leader) has the discretion to impose a punishment based on the severity of the act.
Reference:
This discussion is recorded in Kitab al-Umm by Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله) (Vol. 4, p. 264) and Tafsir al-Imam al-Shafi’i (Vol. 3, p. 335) as follows:
[الْمُسْلِمُ يَدُلُّ الْمُشْرِكِينَ عَلَى عَوْرَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ]
قِيلَ لِلشَّافِعِيِّ: أَرَأَيْتَ الْمُسْلِمَ يَكْتُبُ إلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَرْبِ بِأَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يُرِيدُونَ غَزْوَهُمْ أَوْ بِالْعَوْرَةِ مِنْ عَوْرَاتِهِمْ هَلْ يُـحِلُّ ذَلِكَ دَمَهُ وَيَكُونُ فِي ذَلِكَ دَلَالَةٌ عَلَى مُمَالَأَةِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ؟
(قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -) : لَا يَحِلُّ دَمُ مَنْ ثَبَتَتْ لَهُ حُرْمَةُ الْإِسْلَامِ إلَّا أَنْ يَقْتُلَ أَوْ يَزْنِيَ بَعْدَ إحْصَانٍ أَوْ يَكْفُرَ كُفْرًا بَيِّنًا بَعْدَ إيمَانٍ ثُمَّ يَثْبُتُ عَلَى الْكُفْرِ وَلَيْسَ الدَّلَالَةُ عَلَى عَوْرَةِ مُسْلِمٍ وَلَا تَأْيِيدُ كَافِرٍ بِأَنْ يُحَذِّرَ أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يُرِيدُونَ مِنْهُ غِرَّة لِيُحَذَّرَهَا أَوْ يَتَقَدَّمَ فِي نِكَايَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِكُفْرٍ بَيِّنٍ، فَقُلْت لِلشَّافِعِيِّ: أَقَلْتَ هَذَا خَبَرًا أَمْ قِيَاسًا؟ قَالَ قُلْتُهُ بِمَا لَا يَسَعُ مُسْلِمًا عَلِمَهُ عِنْدِي أَنْ يُخَالِفَهُ بِالسُّنَّةِ الْمَنْصُوصَةِ بَعْدَ الِاسْتِدْلَالِ بِالْكِتَابِ،
فَقِيلَ لِلشَّافِعِيِّ: فَذكر السُّنَّة فِيهِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ: «سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَا وَالْمِقْدَاد وَالزُّبَيْر، فَقَالَ: انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ، فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً، مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ.
فَخَرَجْنَا تَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا، فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ، فَقُلْنَا لَهَا: أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ، فَقَالَتْ: مَا مَعِي كِتَابٌ، فَقُلْنَا: لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَتُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا، فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِمَّنْ بِمَكَّةَ، يُخْبِرُ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: “مَا هَذَا يَا حَاطِبُ؟” قَالَ: لَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إنِّي كُنْت امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا، وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَك مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَاتِهِمْ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِي بِمَكَّةَ قَرَابَةٌ، فَأَحْبَبْت إذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ عِنْدَهُمْ يَدًا، وَاَللَّهِ مَا فَعَلْتُهُ شَكًّا فِي دِينِي، وَلَا رِضًا لَا كُفْرًا بَعْدَ الْإِسْلَامِ،
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: “إنَّهُ قَدْ صَدَقَ” فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! دَعْنِي أَضْرِبُ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: “إنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَمَا يُدْرِيَك لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ، فَقَالَ: اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْت لَكُمْ”. قَالَ: فَنَزَلَتْ ﴿يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَتَّخِذُوْا عَدُوِّىْ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ اَوْلِيَآءَ﴾ [الممتحنة: 1] »
(قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -) : فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مَعَ مَا وَصَفْنَا لَك طَرْح الْحُكْمِ بِاسْتِعْمَالِ الظُّنُونِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَمَّا كَانَ الْكِتَابُ يَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَا قَالَ حَاطِبٌ، كَمَا قَالَ مِنْ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ شَاكًّا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، وَأَنَّهُ فَعَلَهُ لِيَمْنَعَ أَهْلَهُ، وَيُحْتَمَلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ زَلَّةً لَا رَغْبَةً عَنْ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَاحْتَمَلَ الْمَعْنَى الْأَقْبَحَ، كَانَ الْقَوْلُ قَوْلَهُ فِيمَا احْتُمِلَ فِعْلُهُ، وَحكم رَسُول اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيهِ بِأَنْ لَمْ يَقْتُلْهُ وَلَمْ يَسْتَعْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ الْأَغْلَبَ، وَلَا أَحَدٌ أَتَى فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا أَعْظَمُ فِي الظَّاهِرِ مِنْ هَذِهِ؛ لِأَنَّ أَمْرَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُبَايِنٌ فِي عَظَمَتِهِ لِجَمِيعِ الْآدَمِيِّينَ بَعْدَهُ، فَإِذَا كَانَ مَنْ خَابَرَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ غِرَّتَهُمْ:
فَصَدَّقَهُ مَا عَابَ عَلَيْهِ الْأَغْلَبَ مِمَّا يَقَعُ فِي النُّفُوسِ، فَيَكُونُ لِذَلِكَ مَقْبُولًا كَانَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ حَالِهِ، وَأَوْلَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَ مِنْهُ مِثْلَ مَا قَبِلَ مِنْهُ، قِيلَ لِلشَّافِعِيِّ: أَفَرَأَيْتَ إنْ قَالَ قَائِلٌ: إنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: “قَدْ صَدَقَ”، إنَّمَا تَرَكَهُ لِمَعْرِفَتِهِ بِصِدْقِهِ، لَا بِأَنَّ فِعْلَهُ كَانَ يَحْتَمِلُ الصِّدْقَ وَغَيْرَهُ،
فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: قَدْ عَلِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ كَاذِبُونَ، وَحَقَنَ دِمَاءَهُمْ بِالظَّاهِرِ، فَلَوْ كَانَ حُكْمُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي حَاطِبٍ بِالْعِلْمِ بِصِدْقِهِ كَانَ حُكْمُهُ عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ الْقَتْلَ، بِالْعِلْمِ بِكَذِبِهِمْ، وَلَكِنَّهُ إنَّمَا حَكَمَ فِي كُلٍّ بِالظَّاهِرِ، وَتَوَلَّى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْهُمْ السَّرَائِرَ، وَلِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِحَاكِمٍ بَعْدَهُ أَنْ يَدَعَ حُكْمًا لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا وَصَفْت مِنْ عِلَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وَكُلُّ مَا حَكَمَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَهُوَ عَامٌّ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ عَنْهُ دَلَالَةً عَلَى أَنَّهُ أَرَادَ بِهِ خَاصًّا أَوْ عَنْ جَمَاعَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُمْكِنُ فِيهِمْ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوا لَهُ سُنَّةً أَوْ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ مَوْجُودًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
Al-Rabi’ (رحمه الله) narrates:
I asked Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله), “If a person commits such a crime, what do you command? Should the criminal be pardoned, as the Prophet ﷺ pardoned Hatib (رضي الله عنه), or should a punishment be imposed?”
Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله) replied:
“The prescribed punishments (Hudood) cannot be suspended under any circumstances. However, other discretionary punishments (Ta’zeer) may be left to the Imam’s judgment (Ijtihaad).”
As he says:
قُلْت لِلشَّافِعِيِّ: أَفَتَأْمُرُ الْإِمَامَ إذَا وَجَدَ مِثْلَ هَذَا بِعُقُوبَةِ مَنْ فَعَلَهُ أَمْ تَرْكُهُ كَمَا تَرَكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ: إنَّ الْعُقُوبَاتِ غَيْرُ الْحُدُودِ، فَأَمَّا الْحُدُودُ فَلَا تُعَطَّلُ بِحَالٍ، وَأَمَّا الْعُقُوبَاتُ فَلِلْإِمَامِ تَرْكُهَا عَلَى الِاجْتِهَادِ، وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «تَجَافَوْا لِذَوِي الْهَيْئَاتِ».
Imam Abu Yusuf (رحمه الله):
It is narrated that Amir al-Mu’minin Harun al-Rashid (رحمه الله) asked Imam Abu Yusuf (رحمه الله) about the ruling concerning spies.
Imam Abu Yusuf (رحمه الله) replied: “If the spies are from the Dhimmis (non-Muslim subjects under Islamic protection) or Harbis (disbelievers from enemy territories), then they should be executed. However, if they are known Muslims, they should be imprisoned and punished until they repent.” This ruling is mentioned in Kitab al-Kharaj by Imam Abu Yusuf (رحمه الله), Vol. 1, p. 207 as follows:
عُقُوبَة الجاسوس عُمُومًا:
وَسَأَلْتَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَنْ الْجَوَاسِيسِ يُوجَدُونَ وَهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّة أَو أهل الْحَرْب أَوْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ؛ فَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَرْبِ أَوْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ مِمَّنْ يُؤَدِّي الْجِزْيَةَ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالْمَجُوسِ فَاضْرِبْ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الإِسْلامِ مَعْرُوفِينَ فَأَوْجِعْهُمْ عُقُوبَةً، وَأَطِلْ حَبسهم حَتَّى يحدثوا تَوْبَة.
Imam Abu Yusuf (may Allah have mercy on him) did not classify a Muslim spy as an apostate (Murtad), even though espionage for disbelievers constitutes a substantial type of collaboration and support to them against the Muslims.
To be continued…
