The “Dahiya doctrine” and “Hannibal code”
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah [The Exalted] says:
مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا
If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. [Surah Al-Maa’idah. Ayah 32]
Imam As-Sadi [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: This means that the killer has no justification to kill, and one should not kill another person unless he has a justified reason (i.e. based on the law of the land) to do so. If a person is bold enough to kill someone who does not deserve to be killed, this implies that he does make a distinction between the one he killed and other than him; rather he would commit this act whenever his evil calls him to that. Therefore, his bold attitude that led him to kill is as if he had killed all humankind. On the other hand, if a person saves a life and does not kill – whilst his soul calls him to do so – due to fear of Allah, this is as if he has saved the lives of all humankind because the fear of Allah he possesses stops him killing one who does not deserve to be killed. [1]
Indeed, the way the Zionist/Far-right army behaves under Zionist Netanyahu is the absolute opposite of what is stated in the above Ayah since they murder civilians and non-combatants without hesitation or regret. Whether they and their allies accept it or not, the “Dahiya doctrine” and the “Hannibal code” may be influencing this incredibly cruel behaviour and callous desire for transgression disguised as a legitimate pursuit of self-defence. First, the “Dahiya philosophy” arose during the 2006 war between the Zionists and Lebanon. Dahiya refers to the southern Beirut suburbs that were bombed by Zionist jets based on the belief that disproportionate power is used to cause lasting and immense damage and destruction against every village from which shots are fired on Zionists, regardless of civilian consequences, and that such a response is also aimed at inflicting damage and meting out punishment to the extent that long and expensive reconstruction processes will be required. As a result, in the guise of deterrence, this disproportionate use of force is intended to produce widespread devastation rather than making strenuous or earnest efforts to correctly target combatants and prevent civilian casualties to the best of one’s ability. Ibn Abbas [may Allah be pleased with him and his father] said, “Do not kill women, children, old men, or anyone who approaches you for peace and refrains from fighting, because if you do so then you have transgressed without a doubt”. [2] Read the article by Shaikh Abu Iyaad [may Allah preserve him: https://abuiyaad.com/a/justice-war-abu-bakr-advice
Second, the “Hannibal code”, it is the idea that “every possible measure should be taken to prevent the kidnapping and imprisonment of a soldier, including putting abductees at risk, even if it results in the soldier’s or civilian’s death to prevent them from being held captive by the enemy combatant.
Indeed, the tyrannical Zionists remind us of some of the tyrannical disbelievers of old! Allah says:
كَذَّبَتۡ عَادٌ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ (١٢٣) إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ أَخُوهُمۡ هُودٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ (١٢٤) إِنِّى لَكُمۡ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ۬ (١٢٥) فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ (١٢٦) وَمَآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۖ إِنۡ أَجۡرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١٢٧) أَتَبۡنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً۬ تَعۡبَثُونَ (١٢٨) وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَخۡلُدُونَ (١٢٩) وَإِذَا بَطَشۡتُم بَطَشۡتُمۡ جَبَّارِينَ (١٣٠) فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ (١٣١) وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَمَدَّكُم بِمَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (١٣٢) أَمَدَّكُم بِأَنۡعَـٰمٍ۬ وَبَنِينَ (١٣٣) وَجَنَّـٰتٍ۬ وَعُيُونٍ (١٣٤) إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ۬ (١٣٥) قَالُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡنَآ أَوَعَظۡتَ أَمۡ لَمۡ تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡوَٲعِظِينَ (١٣٦) إِنۡ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا خُلُقُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ (١٣٧) وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ (١٣٨) فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَهۡلَكۡنَـٰهُمۡۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَةً۬ۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (١٣٩) وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (١٤٠)
The people Aad belied the Messengers. When their brother Hud said to them: “Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Verily! I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it (my Message of Islamic Monotheism), my reward is only from the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns, and all that exists). Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them? And do you get for yourselves palaces (fine buildings) as if you will live therein forever? And when you seize, seize you as tyrants? So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him and obey me. And keep your duty to Him, fear Him Who has aided you with all (good things) that you know. He has aided you with cattle and children. And gardens and springs. Verily, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day”. They said: “It is the same to us whether you preach or be not of those who preach. This is no other than the false tales and religion of the ancients, and we are not going to be punished”. So they belied him, and We destroyed them. Verily! In this is indeed a sign, yet most of them are not believers. And verily! Your Lord, He is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful. [Surah Ash-Shu’araa. Ayaat 123-140]
Regarding the statement: [وَإِذَا بَطَشۡتُم بَطَشۡتُمۡ جَبَّارِينَ – And when you seize, you seize as tyrants] – Meaning, when you want to attack with a whip or sword, you attack like tyrants, completely overpowering and being savagely violent – neither compassionate nor aim to discipline (within justice as commanded by Allah), nor contemplating on the consequences. [3] Allah gave them great strength and it was obligated on them to use this strength in obedience to Allaah, but they became boastful and haughty, and they said: [مَنۡ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةًۖ – Who is mightier than us in strength? (Surah Fussilat. Verse 15]; and they utilized their strength in disobedience to Allaah, fruitlessly and foolishly, so their Prophet forbade them from that. [4] Their Prophet forbade them from that because it was done out of oppression. [5]
Allah [The Exalted] says:
أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ (٦) إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَادِ (٧) ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ (٨) وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُواْ ٱلصَّخۡرَ بِٱلۡوَادِ (٩) وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِى ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ (١٠) ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ (١١) فَأَكۡثَرُواْ فِيہَا ٱلۡفَسَادَ (١٢) فَصَبَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّكَ سَوۡطَ عَذَابٍ (١٣) إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلۡمِرۡصَادِ (١٤)
Did you (O Muhammad) not see (thought) how your Lord dealt with ‘Ad (people)? Who were very tall like lofty pillars, the like of which were not created in the land? And (with) Thamud (people), who cut (hewed) out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)? And (with) Fir’aun (Pharaoh), who had Al-Awtaad? Who did transgress beyond bounds in the lands (in the disobedience of Allah). And made therein much mischief. So your Lord poured on them different kinds of severe torment. Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them). [Surah Al-Fajr. Ayaat 6-14]
[أَلَمۡ تَرَ -Did you (O Muhammad) not see]- Meaning, with your heart and insight, how those tyrannical nations were dealt with- the (people of) Iram, the well-known tribe in Yemen. [ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَاد -Who were very tall like lofty pillars]- Meaning, they had great strength and were insolent and proud. [ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا -The like of which were not created]- Meaning, none was similar to Aad in strength; [فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ – In the land]-Meaning, in all the lands (due to what they possessed of power and strength), just as Allah [The Most High] says that their Prophet Hud (peace be upon him)said to them: [وَٱذۡڪُرُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَعَلَكُمۡ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ قَوۡمِ نُوحٍ۬ وَزَادَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡخَلۡقِ بَصۜۡطَةً۬ۖ فَٱذۡڪُرُوٓاْ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ -And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh (Noah), and increased you amply in stature. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah, so that you may be successful] [Al-A’raaf: Ayah 70]
[وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُواْ ٱلصَّخۡرَ بِٱلۡوَاد – And (with) Thamud (people), who cut (hewed) out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)]; Meaning: Valley towns, which they hewed out of solid rocks with their strength and took them as dwelling places.
[وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِى ٱلۡأَوۡتَاد – And (with) Fir’aun (Pharaoh), who had the stakes]; Meaning: He had hosts that established his authority, like how stakes firmly hold something (on the ground). [ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ – Who did transgress beyond bounds in the lands (in the disobedience of Allah)]; Meaning: Aad, Thamood, Fir’awn and those who followed them because they transgressed in Allah’s earth and harmed the slaves of Allah in their religious and worldly affairs. And because of this Allah (The Most High) said: [فَأَكۡثَرُواْ فِيہَا ٱلۡفَسَاد – And made therein much mischief]; Meaning: Disbelief (in Allah and His Messengers); spreading all types of disobedience (in the land); hastening to wage war against the Messengers and hindering mankind from the path of Allah.
So when they reached that state of haughtiness deserving of destruction, Allah sent them His punishment -different kinds of severe torment. [إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلۡمِرۡصَادِ – Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful]; Meaning: Ever watchful over the one who disobeys Him. Allah gives him respite for a little while and then seizes him with a mighty and powerful punishment. [6]
Also, other groups behaved in this manner, such as the Muta’assibah (Fanatical Partisans) among the Jews and the Azaariqah among the Khawaarij. “The fanatical partisans among the Jews were a group whose thought was close to that of the Faareesiyyoon, but they were very aggressive and believed in assassinating anyone who disagreed with them. They were also called Saffaakoon [Those Eager to Commit Murder], and they committed pillage, plunder, and transgressed against everyone who accepted submission to others besides them. Hostility occurred between them and the Fareesiyyoon because the Faareesiyyoon submitted to the Romans. Some of the researchers consider them to be from the political or nationalistic sects, even though their movement started within a religious framework, but great were the crimes that they committed from one place to another”. [7] As for the Azaariqah among the Khawaarij, Al-Baghdaadee [429 AH- may Allah have mercy upon him] stated about their Bidah: “From them is their declaration that it is permissible to kill the women and children of their opponents, and they claimed that the children of their opponents would dwell in the fire forever”. [8]
[1] Tafseer As-Sadi. slightly paraphrased
[2] Tafseer at-Ṭabaree 2/190
[3] Roohul Ma’aanee by Imam Vol 11. page 165. By Imaam al-Aloosee (may Allah have mercy upon him)]
[4] Tafseer As-Sadi. slightly paraphrased
[5] Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilmit Tafseer by Imaam Ibnul Jawzi (may Allah have mercy upon him)
[6] Tafseer As-Sadi. slightly paraphrased
[7]Al-Faslu Fil Milal Wal-Ahwaa Wan-Nihal. 1/177-179 By Ibn Hazm. Publisher: Daar Al-Jeel 1405AH. Al-Milal Wan-Nihal 1/215-219. By Ash-Sharastaanee. Maktabah Al-Halabiy 1406AH. Maqaarinatul Ad’yaan Al-Yahoodiyyah 218-225. Maktabah An-Nahdah Al-Misriyyah
[8] Al-Farqu Baynal Firaq. page 82