Ibn Taymiyyah on Jihad: The majority of Muslim scholars say unbelievers are fought for their transgression, not their unbelief

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “The scholars disagreed concerning the reason for fighting the disbelievers. Is the cause for war their fighting or their state of unbelief? There are two famous opinions. The first is that the reason for
war against them is their fighting and transgression against the religion and its people, and this is the opinion of the majority such as Malik, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Hanifa, and others. The second is that the reason for war against them is their unbelief itself, and this is the opinion of Ash-Shafi’ee and perhaps some of the companions of Ahmad. The saying of the majority has evidence from the Book, the prophetic tradition, and the histories. Allah the Exalted said: Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress. Verily, Allah does not love transgressors.” (2:190)

[Qa’idah fi Qital Al-Kuffar]

قال ابن تيمية اختلف العلماء في قتال الكفار وهل سببه المقاتلة أو مجرد الكفر على قولين مشهورين للعلماء أحدهما سبب المقاتلة هو الاعتداء على الدين وأهله وهذا هو قول الجمهور كمالك وأحمد بن حنبل وأبي حنيفة وغيرهم والثاني أن سببه الكفر وهو قول الشافعي وربما علل به بعض أصحاب أحمد من أن السبب في القتال مجرد الكفر وقول الجمهور هو الذي يدل عليه الكتاب والسنة والاعتبار قال الله سبحانه وتعالى وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ

قاعدة في قتال الكفار