our Dhimmi seems to know arabic but does not UNDERSTAND it

Submitted by Ayaz (United Kingdom), Mar 8, 2008 at 18:48

When ever you pick a verse from the Glorious Qur'an - dont just select a small portion which suits you, but take the complete verse so it makes sense. The complete verse is as follows:

"To the victor belongs the spoils" was a popular slogan not only among the heathen Arabs of the pre-Islamic period but also among many other nations of the world. So the common practice before the advent of Islam was that the entire booty obtained in a war was either divided by the victorious army or was usurped by the tribal chief or the king for his own benefit. Islam brought about a great change in this outlook. It restricted the claim of the conquering soldiers to four-fifth of the booty while one-fifth of it was reserved for the Islamic state to be used for the common benefit of the nation. During the reign of Caliph Umar this division of the spoils between the Islamic state and the conquering army was further restricted to chattels and movable assets. It was decided by consensus that the lands conquered from the enemy should be kept in the ownership of the state for the common benefit of the existing and future generations instead of dividing the same among the soldiers who took part in the fight.

Islam divides spoils or booty into two categories, namely : 'Ghanimah' and 'Fai'. If the spoils are obtained by actual fighting, the same are called Ghanimah. But if they are obtained without fighting i.e. the enemy surrenders or flees away, then they are called Fai. Different rules and regulations govern the treatment of Ghanimah and Fai.

So, in the reign of the Holy Prophet, the procedure followed for the division of the spoils was : After the war had come to an end, somebody used to proclaim on behalf of the Prophet (may Allah's peace be upon him) and all the belongings of the enemy were gathered at one place. Then one – fifth was taken by the Prophet (PBUH) as share of Allah and His Messenger (Islamic state) and remaining four-fifth was divided among the soldiers who participated in the war. Two shares were given to the horseman and one share to the footman. It was a tradition that the soldier killing a particular enemy was given his (enemy's) belonging in addition to his fixed share, as a reward. If the slaves, minors, non-Muslims or women had helped the Muslim army, they were not assigned any regular share. Instead, they were given some gift for their services.

another verse:

And that which Allah gave as spoil unto His messenger from them, ye urged not any horse or riding-camel for the sake thereof, but Allah giveth His messenger lordship over whom He will. Allah is Able to do all things. That which Allah giveth as spoil unto His messenger from the people of the township, it is for Allah and His messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, that it become not a commodity between the rich among you. And whatsoever the messenger giveth you, take it. And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it). And keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is stern in reprisal. And (it is) for the poor fugitives who have been driven out from their homes and their belongings, who seek bounty from Allah and help Allah and His messenger. They are the loyal.

–––(59:Al-Hashr : 6-8)

So according to the Qur'an Fai means such of the properties of the unbelievers as are 'returned' to the Muslims without war. It is not to be distributed like booty among the soldiers. But the whole of it is for Allah and His apostle. Such property is to be spent on the heads of expenditure mentioned in the Quran, namely :

1. Allah and his Messenger.

2. Near of kin.

3. The orphans.

4. The needy.

5. The wayfarer or travelers.

The messenger of Allah used to spend it like that. After his death, it is indeed the responsibility of the Islamic state to decide the ways and means how it could be expended for the common weal.

And know that whatever ye take as spoils of war, lo! a fifth thereof is for Allah, and for the messenger and for the kinsman (who hath need) and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if ye believe in Allah and that which We revealed unto Our slave on the Day of Discrimination, the day when the two armies met. And Allah is Able to do all things. (Q8:41)

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