Rules of war in Islam

10 Islamic Rules of War

Before engaging in battle, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) instructed his soldiers:

1. Do not kill any child, any woman, or any elder or sick person. (Sunan Abu Dawud)
2. Do not practice treachery or mutilation. (Al-Muwatta)
3. Do not uproot or burn palms or cut down fruitful trees. (Al-Muwatta)
4. Do not slaughter a sheep or a cow or a camel, except for food. (Al-Muwatta)
5. If one fights his brother, [he must] avoid striking the face, for God created him in the image of Adam. (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
6. Do not kill the monks in monasteries, and do not kill those sitting in places of worship. (Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)
7. Do not destroy the villages and towns, do not spoil the cultivated fields and gardens, and do not slaughter the cattle. (Sahih Bukhari; Sunan Abu Dawud)
8. Do not wish for an encounter with the enemy; pray to God to grant you security; but when you [are forced to] encounter them, exercise patience. (Sahih Muslim)
9. No one may punish with fire except the Lord of Fire. (Sunan Abu Dawud).
10. Accustom yourselves to do good if people do good, and to not do wrong even if they commit evil. (Al-Tirmidhi)

The teaching of Islam fits into the natural instincts of man, and promotes peace in the only possible way. Indeed, Islam preaches the middle way, neither too extreme, nor too lenient, but justice should be justly done according to the situation prevailing, but like Allah advises in the Holy Quran, forgiveness and patience are best especially in respect to killings and aggression.

All in all, Islam forbids aggression, but it urges us to fight if failure to fight jeopardises peace and promotes war. If failure to fight means the extirpation of free belief and of the search of truth, it is our duty to fight. This is the teaching on which peace can ultimately be built, and this is the teaching on which the Holy Prophet of Islam, prophet Muhammad (pbuh) based his own policies and his practice.

This is why we as Muslims see people like ISIS and Al Qaeda as an attempt to distort to the world what Islam really is. Sadly this has worked as many people only get to see their act, they have become synonymous with Islam. Look up Salahdin and how he treated his foes in war to see what it truly is like for Islamic Warfare Laws.