Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-Muḥsin al-ʿAbbād:

Are Al-Qā’idah Mujāhidūn?

Some people say that the present-day organisation (known as) Al-Qā’idah are Khawārij and others say that they are Mujāhidūn (performing Jihād) what is the position of your eminence concerning this? Answer: Yes they are Mujāhidūn (struggling and fighting) in the path of the devil.

Previously I received e-mails where people were surprised with the Shaykh’s stance on the killing of ibn Laden. In reality, no one should be amazed as the Shaykh has only stated what has previously been mentioned by the Imāms of Ahl Us Sunnah from the likes of Ibn Taymīyyah that

Anyone who traverses upon the path of the Khawārij is fighting in the path of the devil, even though they believe that their actions are pleasing to Allāh.

Ibn Taymīyyah (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said: “However, it is obligatory to differentiate between the legislated Jihād which Allāh and His Messenger has commanded and the innovated Jihād which is the Jihād (waged by) misguided individuals who perform Jihād in obedience to the devil but they believe that they are performing Jihād in obedience to The Most Merciful (al-Raḥmān). This is like the Jihād of the people of innovation and desires such as the Khawārij and other than them who fight against the people of Islām…”¹

Endnotes:
[1] Ar-Radd ‘Ala al-Akhnā’ī, p. 205.