Islam Question and Answer - Killing non Muslims

Mon 6/12/1430 - 23/11/2009

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Principles of Fiqh » Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings » Felonies
Principles of Fiqh » Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings » Acts of Worship » Striving and migrating for the sake of Allaah
Islamic politics

Killing non Muslims

I've read that in Islam it is a greater sin to kill a Muslim than a non-Muslim. However, on death a Muslim will be in Paradise whereas the non-Muslim will be in Hell.To kill a non-Muslim is to deny them forever the chance of becoming a Muslim, and condemns them to Hell. Is this not then a greater sin?

Praise be to Allaah.

Killing a non-Muslim when he is a mu’aahid (one of those who have a peace treaty with the Muslims) is a sin, one of the major sins. Al-Bukhaari narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever kills a mu’aahid will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, even though its fragrance may detected from a distance of forty days.’” But with regard to non-Muslims who are at war with the Muslims and do not have a peace treaty with the Muslims or are not living under Muslim rule, then Muslims are commanded to kill them, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you” [al-Tawbah 9:123]

But this should be in the case of jihaad under the leadership of one of the leaders of the Muslims, or his deputy.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr .