‘Among the fundamentals of the truth, which the texts [to which one refers to know the religion] provide proofs of, is that people with a tyrannical (ja’ir) and unjust (zalim) leader are ordered to show patience (sabr) in the face of his tyranny, his injustice, his oppression (baghi), and not to fight him. The Prophet, may God pray over him and grant him peace, has likewise commanded that in more than one hadith. He did not, absolutely, authorise the pushing back of oppression by fighting (qital) [it]. Quite the contrary: given that fighting is the source of dissension (fitna), he prohibited the pushing back of oppression by this means and ordered patience.’

(Ibn Taymiyya, al-Istiqama, i. 32)

The quotation is taken from Muslims under non-Muslim Rule, Ibn Taymiyya, edited by Yahya Michot.  A pic of my copy of the book:

Yahya Michot is Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary. He is internationally recognized as a specialist in the work of the Syrian theologian-mufti Ibn Taymiyya (died 1328).

Categories: Islam