Islamic view of collateral damage

Jibran

Junior Member
Assalamaulaikum

According to Islamic views, what's the verdict or judgment of collateral damage during a war? Is it permissible or not?

I will get more in depth with the point i'm trying to get across for those who may not fully understand what i mean.

Such as firing rockets into a civilian zone, for example? The intended target may suffer casualties, but civilians die in the process ...

Is it permissible to unleash weapons on these territories, knowing you will pick up some 'collateral damage' (civilian casualties) in the process?

Is it really 'collateral damage' when you know innocent people will die in the process of you destroying your enemy targets?

Your responses will be greatly appreciated.
 
Salaam,

Interesting question......and very tough to answer. We have to know what "war" is and how it is declared. Innocent people are always causalities of war. When governments (or dictators) declare war, that doesn't mean the entire country agrees with the green light call.
 

Jibran

Junior Member
Salaam,

Interesting question......and very tough to answer. We have to know what "war" is and how it is declared. Innocent people are always causalities of war. When governments declare war, that doesn't mean the entire country agrees with the green light call.

Wa-salaam,

Brother Humblewun, from my current understanding, it's wrong to consciously hurt or kill civilians during the process of trying to achieve your war objectives by ways/methods of collateral damage.

However, i am open to other peoples point of views as well, including yours.

Best regards, Jibran.
 

Bawar

Struggling2Surrender
Depriving an innocent person of his/her life is one of the greatest sins.
If it is CERTAIN that innocent people will be the vicitms, collaterally or directly, then I think Islam would not allow us to do such things.

There is a barage of suicidal attacks going on in Islamic countries these days such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and it is on the increase. And there some muslim military officers who drop bombs on so called targets.

The highest number of casualties are innocent civilians, women, children and poor people and almost all are muslims. I find it highly tragic and wonder what purpose do such acts achieve.

Considering the above picture in mind, it is very clear that Islam does not support or encourage such acts.

Fasad is a word that is used in Quran about actions due to which the general society suffers financially and physically and which brings chaos and distruction. Indiscriminate attacks produce exactly that.

Allah knows best
 

Jibran

Junior Member
Brother Bawar Salam.

I agree with everything typed in your post.

I had a question for you though, i would like to know if you support Hezbollah and/or other millitant groups?

Best regards, Jibran.
 

nizar83

Junior Member
mashallah

Brother Bawar Salam.

I agree with everything typed in your post.

I had a question for you though, i would like to know if you support Hezbollah and/or other millitant groups?

Best regards, Jibran.

mashallah, what has your question to do with any of the things we are talking about..

any godfearing muslim would agree with the fact that killing innocent people is forbidden..those who do this will def. be held accountable for it..murdering innocent people in islam is a no no!
 

Jibran

Junior Member
mashallah, what has your question to do with any of the things we are talking about..

any godfearing muslim would agree with the fact that killing innocent people is forbidden..those who do this will def. be held accountable for it..murdering innocent people in islam is a no no!


Salam

Brother Nizar, this question is what the thread is indirectly based on. Many muslims support groups like Hezbollah.

Hezbollah fired rockets into Haifa Israel before (killing a muslim woman and child btw) even after collateral damage was made. It's quite clear that the leader of Hezbollah, which is Hassan Nasrallah, condones collateral damage, which is why muslims shouldn't support such groups in the first place.

With best regards, Jibran
 

MTYKK

Banned
General Rulings in War when Muslims are forced to engage in order to stop oppression and bring about peace and freedom.

- Do not betray any agreements you have entered into
- Do not plunder
- Do not commit injustices or use torture
- Do not touch the children, the womenfolk, the elderly, or other non-combatants of the enemy
- Do not destroy orchards or tilled lands
- Do not kill livestock
- Treat with respect the religious persons who live in hermitages or convents and spare their edificed


also it is understood as in 9:1-6

Purpose of war is not to kill people as killing one innocent person is like killing all humankind, and saving life of one person is like saving lives of all humankind.

Islam orders to make peace on any inclination to peace.
Treaties should be seeked, communication should be clear.

(parts taken from appendix II - III from Ali Unal, The Qur'aan with Annotated Interpretation in Modern English)

History of may Muslims attest to these strict rules,

Rightous Muslims such as the Ottoman armies didn't use fire arrows, water poisoning techniques etc.

Ottoman armies are reported to have paid via gold for the foods they've consumed in lands of war as to not usurp civilian's property in enemy lands.

Of course in those examples Muslims are merely trying to imitate the perfect example set by our Beloved Rasul sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and striving to be worthy of his greatness.

I hope this answers the question.
So... I guess the answer to the question would be...

Avoidable collateral damage is NOT allowed in Islaam.

waAllaahu 'Alim.
 
i suggest we should all refrain from the "I THINK" word cause Islam doesnt allow us to use the think word!....we shouldnt say wat hezbollah or fatah does is rite or wrong cause who knows mayb the person firing the rockets into Israel lost his family member and doesnt even know which Jew killed his family member so in that case its a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye!
 

Shahzad

Junior Member
this is not as easy question as it first appears to be
ask any scholar as there can be many scenarios regarding this
 

Jibran

Junior Member
i suggest we should all refrain from the "I THINK" word cause Islam doesnt allow us to use the think word!....we shouldnt say wat hezbollah or fatah does is rite or wrong cause who knows mayb the person firing the rockets into Israel lost his family member and doesnt even know which Jew killed his family member so in that case its a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye!

Salam

Most certainly we are allowed to give our opinions in islam, to what we believe is correct, just like how you gave yours in your post. In any case, we are to ask a scholar and that's why scholars exist. As for Hezbollah, if they know their rockets will cause innocent casualties (collateral damage), there's no excuse for this type of action. It's wrong, and causing the deaths of more civilians won't make it any better.
 

MTYKK

Banned
i suggest we should all refrain from the "I THINK" word cause Islam doesnt allow us to use the think word!....we shouldnt say wat hezbollah or fatah does is rite or wrong cause who knows mayb the person firing the rockets into Israel lost his family member and doesnt even know which Jew killed his family member so in that case its a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye!

:salam2:

We're NOT Israelies, AlHamdulillah, we're Muslims. We're not barbarians, we have the Shari'ah and perfect example of Rasool, assallaatu wassalaam, to live up to. We can not engage in indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians in retaliation to an evil done towards us. Muslims are the best of nations Allah ta'ala has raised, and MuHammad assalaatu wassalaam as the Mercy Upon al-'Aalameen. Muslims are here on earth to bring about peace, where all peoples and creeds feel safe and secure, more safe and secure then their own selves. That's the Muslim character. That's the sunna.

We're not hypocrites neither, we can't complain about oppression and tyranny on one end, and support it as it suits us. That would be called being a munafiq, and we don't want to be of the munafiqoon. Feel one thing in your heart, Say one thing with your mouth, do something else in your actions. That's against the sunna. We're people of purity, truth, and sincerity.

:wasalam:

WaAllaahu 'Aalim.
 
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