Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "I have been commanded to fight against the people till they testify La ilaha illAllah (There is no true god except Allah) and that Muhammad (PBUH) is His slave and Messenger, and to establish As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and to pay Zakat; and if they do this, then their blood and property are secured except by the rights of Islam, and their accountability is left to Allah."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
This Hadith has already appeared before. Here the word "An-Nas" translated `the people' in the Hadith stands for those who associate others with Allah in worship. The people of the Book are not included among them. "Haqqul-Islam" translated here as "the rights of Islam" denotes legal castigation, etc. That is, the punishments which are given for crimes like fornication, murder, etc.
"Their accountability is left to Allah" means what is hidden in their hearts is left to Allah or the crimes which go undetected by the authorities concerned are in the Purview of Allah, Who will decide their case in the Hereafter.
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