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Text and translation
English translation
71. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of
Allâh ﷻ said: 'I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify to Lâ ilâha ill-allâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh) and that I am the Messenger of Allâh, and they establish regular prayers and pay Zakât.'" (Sahih)
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Footnotes
1
[1] At-Taubah 9:5.
2
[2] At-Taubah 9:5.
3
[3] At-Taubah 9:11.
Commentary
Fighting in the way of Allâh is the collective duty of Muslims with the objective of turning people away from the worship of others to the worship of Allâh.
Three things are reckoned as proof of a person's entry into the fold of Islam: (i) his affirmation of the Oneness of Allâh and the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, (ii) to performing regularly the ritual prayers, and (iii) paying Zakât, which is a prescribed financial obligation in Islam.
The tradition does not mention the other two pillars of Islam, namely fasting and Hajj. The reason being that fasting is a hidden act in the sense, that it is always possible for a non-fasting person to make others believe that he is fasting. As for Hajj, it is not in the first place obligatory for each Muslim. Secondly, even for the obligated person, it is compulsory just once in the entire lifetime. Additionally, even if the people against whom war is an Islamic duty affirm their commitment to fasting and Hajj, the practical demonstration of these acts will have to wait for the particular months of the year. It would, therefore, be against better judgment to link the decision about waging war against them to such matters. And Allâh knows best.