Then when you meet the enemies of the Muslims invite them to one of three.

Then when you meet the enemies of the Muslims invite them to one of three. If they respond (positively) to these, accept (their response) and stay your hands from them. 1. Invite them to Islam, and if they enter Islam accept it from them and stay your hands. Invite them to emigrate (to Islamic cities73) after they have accepted Islam.

If they do, accept it from them and refrain from any measures against them, and if they refuse to emigrate to such centres, they will be treated like any other Bedouin faithful; they will not qualify for Fay' and Qassma74 rewards unless they emigrate in the cause of Allah. If they refuse these two options, invite them to pay tribute submissively7 5.

If they agreed to pay tribute, accept it from them, and if they refuse, then seek assistance from Allah the Almighty against them." While addressing the people in (preparation for the battle of) Siffeen, Amir-ul-Mu'mineen (A) said, "Allah the Almighty has shown you a trade which delivers you from painful punishment and guides to the good; (That is) belief in Allah and struggle in the cause of Allah.

He has made his 7 3 This is so that they will have access to the sources of learning in those cities to educate themselves to an acceptable level. In rural and remote locations such opportunities of learning were not available at the time being. 7 4 These are government income from spoil of war and land rent. 7 5 The holy Qur'an: Repentance (9): 29. reward the forgiveness of sin and beautiful dwellings in the heavens.

The Almighty said: "Allah loves those who fight in His cause arrayed in battle, as though they were a compact structure." So make your arrays like compact structures. Amir-ul-Mu'min een (A) continued until he said: "Do not mutilate the dead, and if you overwhelm the enemy do not violate their properties (i.e. respect their privacy), Do not enter a house, do not take anything from their property (belongings) except what you find in their barracks.

Do not agitate any woman, even if they swear at you or insult your leaders or your reverend people. For they lack the maximum physical, psychological or mental strength. We used to be instructed to refrain (from causing harm to them) even when they were idolaters. Even (at that time) if a man hit a woman he would have been rebuked and ridiculed by others (and branded as coward for using force against the weaker sex) as well as his sons.