- You must always attack at night
- Broken treaties, surprise attack during a truce, and perfidy are prohibited
- You must always reveal your full strategy in advance
- Spies are always protected and immune from capture
The correct answer is that it prohibits “Broken treaties, surprise attack during a truce, and perfidy.” The principle of “no treachery” (lā khiyāna) is paramount in Islamic ethics of war. It obligates Muslims to fulfill their covenants and treaties. Attacking an enemy during a truce or after offering safe conduct without explicit warning is considered a grave sin. This is based on the Quranic verse: “And if you fear treachery from a people, throw back their covenant to them in like manner. Indeed, Allah does not like the treacherous” (8:58). However, this does not mean revealing one’s strategy; military stratagems (deception in tactics on the battlefield) are permitted, as the Prophet said, “War is deception.” The prohibition is specifically against perfidy—betraying trusts, breaking oaths, and violating agreements, which undermines the very foundation of trust and justice.
