Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar’s (ra) Abstinence from the Chaos
Narrating another incident on a different occasion, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) stated:
“During the time when the war between Hazrat Ali (ra) and Muawiyah (ra) was ensuing, a person went to Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (ra) and said, ‘Why do you not participate in the wars alongside Hazrat Ali (ra), when the Quran clearly states:
وَقٰتِلُوْهُمْ حَتّٰي لَا تَكُوْنَ فِتْنَةٌ [And fight them until there is no persecution. (Ch.2: V.194)]
To this, Abdullah bin Umar (ra) replied, ‘… We fulfilled this commandment in the time of the Holy Prophet (sa) when Islam was still spreading and one would be persecuted owing to their religion, i.e. one would either be killed or tortured for accepting Islam. Until a time when Islam spread and then no one would be put in trial due to their faith.”
*(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 2, pp. 427-428) *
This means, the wars that were [previously] fought were because the [Muslims] were forced to change their faith and it was against those who wished to return them back to their original faith [idolatry]. He stated that now that faith had been established, there was no dispute over one’s religion anymore, but there was a difference in opinion on certain matters. That is why these wars were taking place and for this reason he do not take part in them. Nevertheless, this was his viewpoint.