"Today, the first Qibla of the Muslims has been occupied by Israel, a cancerous tumor for the Middle East. Today, Israel is causing division using all evil means. Every Muslim is obliged to equip themselves against Israel[1]. For about 20 years, I have been warning about the danger of international Zionist, and right now its danger for all the liberation revolutions in the world and the recent Islamic revolution of Iran is not less than the past[2]. I have already warned that the Israeli usurping government, with the aims which it is seeking for, is a great danger for Islam and all Muslim nations, and it is likely that if Muslims leave Israel alone, the opportunity could be lost and it may not be possible to stop them; and since the potential danger is facing the foundations of Islam, it is necessary for the Islamic governments in particular and other Muslims in general to remove this corrupting material by any means[3]. All our troubles are due to Israel! And Israel results from America too[4].”
THE JURISPRUDENTIAL JUSTIFICATIONS OF NECESSITY OF AN IRANIAN MILITARY ATTACK ON ISRAEL

Fight those in the way of God who fight you, but do not be aggressive: God does not like aggressors.(holy qoran 2:190) And fight those (who fight you) wheresoever you find them, and expel them from the place they had turned you out from. Oppression is worse than killing. Do not fight them by the Holy Mosque unless they fight you there. If they do, then slay them: Such is the requital for unbelievers. (holy qoran 2:191)

 

Literary Jihad means working and trying for the sake of God. Jihad can be considered with economic, political, cultural and military aspects but using this word alone usually means military jihad. This kind of jihad is being divided into to general divisions: 

- Primary jihad

- Defensive jihad

 

 

 

I.Primary Jihad:

The Primary Jihad can only be considered and done in the cases when polytheist and infidels use force against the propagation of Islam by Muslims.

Indeed the philosophy behind this kind of jihad is to fight with those who fight against the dissemination of Islam and the goal of that is to liberate peoples from the intellectual and mental captivity and guide them to Islam and despite some quotations and propaganda, this kind of jihad doesn’t have any relations to world conquering.

 

Primary Jihad in the Time of infallible imam’s absence:

There is some disagreement between shiite jurists about the possibility of doing primary jihad in the age of absence of infallible imam and some of them consider the presence of infallible imam or his appointee as a necessary condition for doing primary jihad but others don’t consider such condition for doing primary jihad and belive the order of Vali Faghih as enough for doing primary jihad.

Among the greatest shiite jurists who belive that doing primary jihad in the age of absence of infallible imam is possible we can refer to Sheikh Mofid, Sheikh Najmodin Halabi and Sheikh Sallar ibn Abdolaziz.

 In this regard imam khamenei also has issued a fatwa in which His Excellency has mentioned that it is possible to carry on primary jihad in the age of absence of infallible imam under the authorization of Vali Faghih.

 

II.Defensive jihad:

Defensive jihad is another kind of jihad in which Muslims must fight and confront with the aggressors to Muslims and Entity of Islam who threaten the interests of Muslims and muslim must defend Islam against those aggressors who want to gain domination over the Muslims and kill them.

In this regard it is noteworthy to take note of 27th speech of Imam Ali’s in Nahgolbalghah in which His Excellency emphasize on fighting with Moavieh. 

According to interpreters based on this specific speech, waging war against the enemies with whom war is inevitable and there is a strong possibility that in near future they will attack Muslims is a must and duty of Muslims and is not considered a primary jihad.

     

III. Attacking Israel, Primary or Defensive Jihad?

With respect to the definition of two kind of jihad and based on that and as we describe hereunder, Iran’s military attack on Israel is not a primary jihad but is an example of defensive jihad however if we consider such attack as primary jihad as mentioned before it can be carried on in the age of absence of infallible imam and under the authorization of Vali Faghih.

 

III-1.confronting Israel aggression to Muslim’s entity

As described before the goal of defensive jihad is to ward off the enemy’s aggression to Islam and Muslims and contrary to primary jihad’s goal which is to invite polytheists and infidels to Islam and is not compulsory for all Muslims the defensive jihad is a must and all Muslims must take part and carry on this kind of jihad.  

In this regard the late imam Khomeini issued a fatwa in which His Excellency said:

"If enemy attack on Muslim countries and their borders it is a must for all Muslims to defend with all in their power and there is no need to permission of Vali Faghih.”

It should be noted that in Islamic point of view the political borders can not divide Muslims and earth is being divided into two parts, Muslim countries and non Muslim countries so in this regard defending the territorial integrity of Muslims and Islamic entity in all parts of the world based on the conditions of defensive jihad is a must and duty of all Muslims in all over the world.

So since Israel has attacked Palestine and occupied this part of Islamic Entity, defending the oppressed Palestinian Muslims is compulsory and dosen’t need to the order or even the permission of vali Faghih.

III-2.confornting the expansionism of Israel

Regardless of occupation of Palestine, it is crystalclear and never has been denied by the heads of the fake government of Israel that they want to gain control of other Muslim countries and want to expand their occupied territory to include other parts of Islamic entity between Nile river to Euphrates and every day they try to achieve this evil goal.

The Late Imam Komeinei in this regard issued a fatwa in which His Excellency stated:

"if Muslims fear that foreigners hatch the plot to gain control of muslim countries it is a must [for all muslims] to defend the islamic countries with all means.

Also His Excellency in another fatwa belives that the threat of political domination of infidels enemy over the muslim cities makes it compulsory for muslims to defend.

So regarding this points that have been described it seems that military attack to Israel is an example of defensive jihad and is a mustfor all muslims.     

[1] . Sahifeh Noor, Vol.12, p.276, 1359/05/15

[2] . Sahifeh Noor, Vol.14, p.63, 1359/11/22

[3] . Sahifeh Noor, Vol.1, pp.45-144, 1347/06/04

[4] . Sahifeh Noor, Vol.1, p.422, 1343/08/04