The Army of the Islamic State
The issues of internal security, the ability to spread da‘wah, and repel foreign attacks are taken care of by the army.
Allah (swt) has obligated us to spread Islam to the world and has specified the method as da‘wah and Jihad, and that Jihad is fard. Accordingly, every male Muslim who reaches the age of fifteen is obliged to enlist in the army and undergo military training to prepare for Jihad. Allah (swt) says,
“And fight them (on) until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in Allah, altogether and everywhere.” [TMQ 8:39]
The Prophet (saw) said, “And fight the people who associate (things) with Allah with your wealth, your hand and your tongue.”
The Structure of the Army
The army is divided into two sections. Firstly, there are the ‘regulars’, who are employed as soldiers of the State’s army and who are paid salaries from the State’s budget. Secondly, there are the ‘reservists’, who comprise of all the Muslims who are capable of fighting, and are mobilised when the demand for soldiers requires it.
It is generally the Khaleefah who is the leader of the army; he appoints the commander-in-chief, a general for each brigade and a commander for each division. The brigadiers and commanders appoint the remaining ranks of the army. Members of the general staff are appointed according to their military culture by the general chief of staff.
The army of the Khilafah is one army, which is located in specific camps. Some of these camps must be located in different provinces (wilayaat) and strategic locations, and some must remain permanently mobile fighting forces. The camps are organised in numerous groups, each one of which is given a number to accompany its name, such as the 1st Army, the 3rd Army, or it can be named after a province (wilayah) or district (‘imala).
The Function of the Army
One of the functions of the army, in Islam, is to fulfil the obligation of Jihad - the physical fighting (in the field of battle) against the kafiroon (disbelievers), be it offensive or defensive, in order to make the Name (deen) of Allah (swt) dominant. Allah (swt) ordered the preparation for Jihad in the ayah:
“Make ready for them (the unbelievers) all you can of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby you may strike fear into the hearts of the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others beside them whom you know not. Allah knows them. Whatsoever you spend in the way of Allah it will be repaid for you in full, and will not be wronged.” [TMQ 8:60]
The Prophet (saw) showed the power of the State by marching the Muslim army inside Madinah before they went to Tabuk for war. This action frightened the enemy. As he (saw) said, “I have been given the victory by the terror thrown in the hearts of my enemies even from the distance of one month travelling.”
These functions of the army are all related to maintaining the external security of the State.
The Islamic State’s foreign policy is to spread Islam throughout the world. The method employed by the State to deliver Islam is through da‘wah and Jihad. Therefore, since the Ummah has given the authority to the Imam or Khaleefah to carry this Jihad, it is important that the leader of the army be the head of state. The Prophet (saw) established relationships with others on the basis of spreading Islam. He formalised the Treaty of Hudaybiyah in order to allow himself the opportunity to spread Islam throughout the Arabian peninsula. The Prophet (saw) was the head of state in Madinah and he (saw) directed the army to all the battles that took place, during his time. After that, the Khulafa‘a Rashidoon also were the ones to give the orders for where and when the army should fight. It becomes clear from these points that the head of state is the person responsible for the leadership of the army.
Giving the Army Islamic and Military Culture
The army is usually the tool that opens up other countries to the da‘wah of Islam. Thus, the army personnel have to be intellectually elevated. Meaning, that they have to be well educated about Islam and be able to convey the message to other people. Furthermore, the personnel have to be politically aware so that they remain focused and are not manipulated by the opponents.
Iman of the Army Personnel
The army is an integral part of delivering the message of Islam to the world. Its people must, therefore, be highly educated in Islam, and with firm iman. The army must place emphasis on building people with these characteristics within its ranks. An army with strong iman will surely be able to defeat its opponents. We find this to be the case in the time of the Prophet (saw). Muslims were outnumbered in many of the early battles, but with the help of Allah (swt) still achieved victory. This we saw in the battle of Badr where there was a 3 to 1 ratio and in the battle of Ahzab, where there was a 4 to 1 ratio.