Book of Highwaymen

The foundation for their ruling is the saying of Allah the Exalted: "Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land." (1) This verse, according to the view of Ibn Abbas and many of the scholars, was revealed concerning highwaymen from among the Muslims. This is the opinion held by Malik, al-Shafi'i, Abu Thawr, and the proponents of personal reasoning (ahl al-ra'y). It was narrated from Ibn Umar that he said: "This verse was revealed concerning apostates." (2) This was also narrated from al-Hasan, 'Ata, and 'Abd al-Karim (3), because the reason for its revelation was the story of the 'Uraniyyin, who had apostatized from Islam, killed the shepherds, and drove away the camels of the alms-tax (sadaqah). The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sent someone who brought them, and he cut off their hands and feet, cauterized their eyes, and cast them into the al-Harrah until they died. Anas said: "Allah the Exalted revealed regarding that: 'Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah...' to the end of the verse." Reported by Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i (4). [This is also because] waging war against Allah and His Messenger can only be committed by disbelievers, not by Muslims.