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Rib and the Dr al-Islm
Fatw Issued For Virtual Sharah Court
Imran A. Nyazee Version 1.0
nyazeeIcIoud.com OcIober l0, 20l3
CIIe as: VSCI-4 (20l3)
THE QUESTION
quis1ioN has been raIsed abouI Ihe rohIbIIIon oI rib beIng an essenIIaI
condIIIon, In addIIIon Io oIher condIIIons, Ior a IerrIIory Io be caIIed r
aI-IsIm.
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l Int1s RiiivnN1 1o 1ui Issuis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 Pnouini1ioN oi R ns nN ssiN1ini CoNui1ioN ion n Tinni1onv 1o ni
Cniiiu 1ui nn ni-Isinm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
l Int1s RiiivnN1 1o 1ui Issuis
1. In our book on IsIamIc IegaI maxIms, we recorded a qidah IhaI exIaIns Ihe
conceI oI Ihe Iwo drs. The IexI Is reroduced beIow:
AI-abbs menIIons Ihe IoIIowIng qidah Io hIghIIghI Ihe osIIIons Iaken by Ihe
anaIs and Ihe Shs abouI Ihe conceI oI Ihe drs:

:
The rIncIIe accordIng Io our jurIsIs Is IhaI the world is divided into two drs: dr
al-Islm and dr al-arb. According to al-Sh the entire world is a single
dr. ThIs governs cases.
Our jurIsIs saId IhaI Ihe (Idea oI Ihe) dr al-arb revenIs Ihe ImIemenIaIIon oI
enaIIIes IhaI are waIved on accounI oI shubhah, because our Iaws are noI aIIed
In IheIr dr, and Ihe ukm(IegaI sovereIgnIy) oI IheIr dr ooses Ihe ukm(IegaI
sovereIgnIy) oI our dr. AI-Sh saId IhaI enemy IerrIIory does noI revenI Ihe
ImosIIIon oI enaIIIes IhaI are waIved due Io shubhah.
The eIaboraIIon oI IhIs Is IhaI II an enemy converIs Io IsIam and Ihen a MusIIm
man enIers IheIr dr on amn and murders hIm, Ihere Is no qi on hIm, nor Is
any diyah Io be aId, In our vIew. AccordIng Io AI-Sh, he Is IIabIe Io qi.
l
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2 Vin1uni Sunninu Coun1 l
Our jurIsI saId IhaI II Iwo MusIIms enIer Ihe dr al-arb on amn and one oI
Ihem murders Ihe oIher, Ihere Is no qi Ior hIm. AccordIng Io AI-Sh, he Is
IIabIe Io qi.
On Ihe same grounds II Ihere are Iwo MusIIm rIsoners oI war In Ihe dr al-arb,
and one oI Ihem kIIIs Ihe oIher, Ihe murderer Is noI IIabIe Io qi, In our vIew.
AccordIng Io AI-Sh, Ihe murderer Is IIabIe Io qi.
Our jurIsIs saId IhaI II a MusIIm, resenI In Ihe dr al-arb, drInks khamr, com-
mIIs zin, or commIIs qadhf, Ihere Is no add Ior hIm, In our vIew. AccordIng Io
AI-Sh, he wIII be subjecIed Io add.
II one oI Ihe souses moves as a mIgranI Io Ihe dr al-Islm as a MusIIm or as
a hImm, whIIe Ihe oIher sIays behInd In Ihe dr al-arb, a IegaI searaIIon
(dIvorce) occurs beIween Ihem, In our vIew. AccordIng Io aI-Sh no searaIIon
occurs jusI by movIng.
II Ihe enemy seIze our goods and move Ihem Io Ihe dr al-arb, Ihey come Io own
Ihem, In our vIew. AccordIng Io aI-Sh Ihey do noI come Io own Ihem.
II Ihe resIdenIs oI Ihe dr al-arb acquIre our goods as soIIs and Iake Ihem InIo
ossessIon In Ihe dr al-arb, buI Ihen Ihey surrender when Ihe goods are sIIII
In IheIr ossessIon, Ihe goods beIong Io IheIr ownershI. AccordIng Io aI-Sh,
Ihey do noI own Ihe goods and II Is IncumbenI uon Ihem Io reIurn Ihe goods Io
Ihe owners.
II Ihe MusIIms reIrIeve Ihe goods beIongIng Io Ihem, whIch Ihe oIyIheIsIs had
earIIer acquIred (as soIIs), Ihe orIgInaI owners can Iake Ihemback when Ihey nd
IhemonIy aIIer ayIng Ihe vaIue oI Ihe goods subsequenI Io dIvIsIon (oI Ihe soIIs).
AccordIng Io aI-Sh, Ihey can Iake Ihem back wIIhouI any comensaIIon.
II Ihe resIdenIs oI Ihe enemy IerrIIory caIure a sIave and Ihen a MusIIm enIers
IhaI IerrIIory on amn and urchases Ihe sIave Irom Ihem movIng hIm Io Ihe dr
al-Islm, Ihe owner cannoI Iake hIm back, exceI by ayIng Ihe rIce. II he has
receIved Ihe sIave by way oI gIII IromIhem, Ihe owner can Iake hImback by ayIng
Ihe vaIue oI Ihe sIave. AccordIng Io aI-Sh, Ihe owner can Iake Ihe sIave back
wIIhouI ayIng any comensaIIon.
The reader may wIsh Io Iake sIdes on Ihe above qidah and IIs Issues, however, Ihe
maIIer Is noI IhaI sImIe; In IacI, II Is serIous busIness. The qidah reresenIs Iwo
dIerenI worId-vIews. The anaI jurIsIs are sayIng IhaI IsIamIc Iaw Is noI aIIcabIe
In Ihe dr al-arb, whIIe aI-Sh Is sayIng IhaI IsIamIc Iaw Is aIIcabIe Io Ihe whoIe
worId. The anaIs are sayIng IhaI II Ihere Is Io be an InIernaIIonaI Iaw, II musI Iake
InIo accounI IsIamIc Iaw Ioo and accommodaIe II In Ihe Iruce concIuded. II Ihe Iruce
Is enIered InIo on Ihe basIs oI weakness oI MusIIms, II Is IIabIe Io be rejecIed by Mus-
IIm sIaIes as soon as Ihey gaIn some sIrengIh. AI-Sh Is sayIng IhaI IsIamIc Iaw Is
InIernaIIonaI Iaw IhaI Is aIIcabIe Io Ihe whoIe worId aI aII IImes. No Iruce can aIIer
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2 Vin1uni Sunninu Coun1 3
IhIs sIaIe. Perhas, he Is aIso sayIng IhaI IsIamIc Iaw does noI recognIze any oIher Iaw.
The IexI Irom our book, Islamic Legal Maxims, ends here.
In addIIIon Io Ihe above, we wouId nowIIke Io add IhaI accordIng Io Ihe anaIs, IsIamIc
Iaw Is InIernaIIonaI Iaw, and Is aIIcabIe Io Ihe whoIe worId, buI IIs ImIemenIaIIon
zone Is resIrIcIed Io Ihe dr al-Islm or IerrIIory under MusIIm conIroI. ThIs ruIe
has been agreed uon aIIer deIaIIed dIscussIons wIIh aII my coIIeagues oI VcourI, who
secIaIIze In areas oI InIernaIIonaI Iaw, jihd and Ihe drs.
2. II Is noI our urose here Io go InIo Ihe deIaIIs oI Ihe mInImum requIremenIs Ior
a IerrIIory Io quaIIIy as dr al-Islam. Ior IhIs urose, Ihe reader may aroach Ihe
wrIIIngs oI ProIessor Muhammad MushIaq.
3. The maIn Issue here Is wheIher Ihe rohIbIIIon oI rib Is an essenIIaI condIIIon.
2 Pnouini1ioN oi R ns nN ssiN1ini CoNui1ioN ion n Tinni1onv 1o ni
Cniiiu 1ui nn ni-Isinm
4. The ProheI oI IsIam (buh) concIuded an agreemenI wIIh Ihe ThaqI. ThIs agree-
menI aears Io seIIIe Ihe Issue beyond any doubI, and II does noI Ieave any room Ior us
Io add anyIhIng. He (buh) made huge concessIons Ior Ihese eoIe, and Ihese conces-
sIons reecI hIs comassIon and magnanImIIy. YeI, he dId noI agree Io Ihe conIInuaIIon
oI rib In Ihe IerrIIory IhaI was now Ihe dr al-Islm. We reroduce IhIs agreemenI
Irom Abu !bayds book Kitb al-Amwl. Some oI Ihe IooInoIes have been removed.
Ab !bayd has Ihe IoIIowIng Io say:
(50?) !Ihmn Ibn II reIaIed Io us Irom Abd AIIh Ibn Iaha Irom Ab aI-Aswad
Irom !rwa Ibn aI-Zubayr, who saId: ThIs Is Ihe documenI recorded by Ihe Messenger
oI AIIah (buh) Ior Ihe ThaqI:
In Ihe name oI Ood, Ihe BenecenI, Ihe MercIIuI.
ThIs Is a documenI Irom Muammad, Ihe ProheI and Messenger oI AIIah
Ior Ihe ThaqI.
He wroIe: They have Ihe roIecIIon oI Ood, besIdes Whom Ihere Is no Ood,
and Ihe roIecIIon oI Muammad Ibn Abd AIIh, Ihe ProheI, In accordance
wIIh whaI Is wrIIIen In IhIs eIsIIe. TheIr enIIre vaIIey Is deemed roIecIed
by Ood, and II Is rohIbIIed Io cuI any oI IIs Irees and bushes, Io hunI Ior rey
In II, Io do InjusIIce In II, Io sIeaI, and Io commII an evII deed.
l
The ThaqI
have Ihe IoremosI rIghI Io Wajj,
2
and IheIr TaII
3
Is noI Io be crossed over nor
wIII any MusIIm advance uon II Io subjugaIe Ihem. They have Ihe rIghI Io
consIrucI sIrucIures or oIher IhIngs In IheIr TaII and IheIr vaIIey In any way
Ihey IIke. They wIII noI be Iorced Io come ouI nor wIII Ihey be charged ushr.
They wIII noI be coerced by causIng a IhreaI Io IheIr weaIIh or IheIr IIves.
l. ThaI Is, II was noI ermIIIed Io anyone oIher Ihan Ihe ThaqI Io beneI Irom IheIr vaIIey In any way.
Thus, no one was Io cuI IIs Irees or hunI In II and no one was Io do InjusIIce In II or commII an evII
acI.
2. The name oI Ihe vaIIey oI Ihe ThaqI.
3. II Is Ihe cIIy In whIch Ihe ThaqI resIded. No one was Io subjugaIe II.
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4 Vin1uni Sunninu Coun1 2
They are part of the Muslim umma (nation) and they can go to and fro among
the Muslims as they like;
4
they may go and come as they like. Any caIIve
IhaI Ihey hoId beIongs Io Ihem and Ihey have a rIor rIghI Io hIm and may
do Io hIm whaI Ihey IIke. II Ihey have debIs secured by Iedges and Ihese
have reached IheIr erIods, Ihe InIeresI (liw) Ihereon Is waIved by OodIn
a IradIIIon reIaIed by Ibn Isq, Ihe word used Is liy. Those debIs, secured
by Iedges, owed Io Ihe area beyond !k,
5
are Io be reaId by Ihe rIncIaI
sums aIone. The debIs owed Io Ihe ThaqI, as recorded In IheIr books Io daIe,
because oI sums Ihey gave Io Ihe eoIe, are Io be aId Io Ihem. As Ior Ihe
deosIIs made by Ihe ThaqI Io Ihe eoIe, or monIes IeII wIIh Ihem, or IIvIng
beIngs (IeII In cusIody), whIch Ihe cusIodIan (deosIIee/baIIee) has emIoyed
Ior roI or has IosI, know IhaI IhIs wIII be reIurned (comensaIed). The
IIvIng beIngs or weaIIh oI Ihe ThaqI IhaI Is noI resenI (wIIh Ihe ThaqI)
aI Ihe momenI Is secure In Ihe same way as IhaI resenI. TheIr weaIIh aI
BaIIyya
6
Is Io be gIven Ihe same securIIy as IheIr weaIIh aI Wajj. Any aIIy
oI Ihe ThaqI or one IradIng wIIh Ihem, II he embraces IsIam, Is Io be gIven
Ihe same rIghIs as Ihose oI Ihe ThaqI. II a rIghI oI Ihe ThaqI Is InIrInged,
or InjusIIce Is caused Io Ihem, II Is noI Io be acceIed InsoIar as II reIaIes Io
weaIIh or IIIe. The Messenger oI Ood wIII come Io IheIr aId agaInsI one doIng
InjusIIce and so wIII Ihe beIIevers. Those eoIe whose resence Ihey dIsIIke
In IheIr area wIII noI be ermIIIed Io go Ihere. AII markeIs and Irade may
be seI u In Ihe courIyards oI Ihe houses. No one wIII be aoInIed Io govern
Ihem, exceI someone Irom among Ihem; Ihe Ban MIIk wIII have IheIr
own governor and Ihe AkhII
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IheIr own. The vIneyards oI Ihe Quraysh IhaI
Ihe ThaqI waIer enIIIIes Ihose who waIer Ihem Io haII Ihe roduce. The
secured Ioans owed by Ihem and IhaI are devoId oI liw may be aId now
by Ihe debIors II have Ihe abIIIIy Io do so. Ior Ihose who do noI have such
abIIIIy Ihe erIod Is exIended u Io Jumd aI-I oI Ihe comIng year. He
who does noI ay by Ihe end oI Ihe erIod has InduIged In InIeresI.
8
In Ihe
Ioans IhaI Ihey have gIven Io eoIe, Ihey are enIIIIed Io Ihe rIncIaI sums
aIone.
9
Those who had rIsoner sIaves, buI Ihe owner
l0
has soId Ihem, Ihe
saIe Is vaIId. In case such a saIe has noI Iaken Iace Ihe aymenI Io be made
(Ior Ireedom) Is sIx quaIIIy she cameIs,
ll
wIIh haII havIng reached Ihe age
oI Iour and Ihe remaInIng Ihe age oI Ihree. He who has boughI such a sIave
4. ThaI Is, Ihey can enIer any Iand oI Ihe MusIIms Ihey wIsh and are noI Io be revenIed Irom doIng so.
5. II Is a Iace beIween Makka and TaII where a huge markeI used Io be heId by Ihe Arabs. A Iarge
number oI eoIe used Io gaIher Ihere Ior saIe and urchase, Ior om and show, Ior oeIry, Ior
maIchmakIng and arbIIraIIon Ior such IhIngs.
6. A Iace cIose Io TaII.
?. ThIs couId be alf, IhaI Is, IheIr aIIIes.
8. The dIscussIon here Is abouI Ihe charIIabIe Ioan In whIch no InIeresI Is Io be aId. The donor has
gIIIed IIs use Io Ihe donee. II Ihe borrower kees II Ior an unreasonabIe erIod, he derIves an excess
beneI IhaI Is aIso consIdered rib. The IIme-vaIue oI money Is InvoIved here.
9. The rIncIaI amounI wIIhouI any excess Ior IhaI wouId amounI Io rib (InIeresI).
l0. ThaI Is, Ihe owner who goI hIm as hIs share oI Ihe soIIs.
ll. The word qali Is Ihe IuraI oI qal, whIch means a good she-cameI.
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2 Vin1uni Sunninu Coun1 5
has Ihe rIghI Io seII Ihe sIave.
Ab !bayd: The word ah means a Iree wIIh Ihorns. The words Ihey wIII noI be
Iorced Io come ouI mean IhaI zakt wIII be IevIed on IheIr domesIIc anImaIs, when
Ihe coIIecIor wIII come over Io IheIr resIdences and he wIII noI Iorce Ihem Io brIng Ihe
anImaIs Io hIm. MosI eoIe InIerreI II IhIs way, whIIe some say IhaI II aIIes Io
horses. The words Ihey wIII noI ay ushr mean IhaI Ihe Ien ercenI wIII noI be IevIed
on IheIr weaIIh, buI zakt wIII be charged aI Ihe raIe oI ve dirhams Ior every Iwo
hundred dirhams. The words a rIsoner IhaI he has beIongs Io hIm mean Ihose who
became rIsoners durIng Ihe JahIIIyya and Ihen embraced IsIam. II Ihey are In IheIr
ossessIon Ihen Ihey beIong Io Ihem IIII such IIme IhaI Ihey Iake ransom Ior Ihem.
The words II Ihey have debIs secured by Iedges and Ihese have reached IheIr erIods,
Ihe InIeresI (liw) Ihereon Is waIved by Ood mean rib. II has been caIIed liw or
liy, because II Is InIerIwIned wIIh a (credII) saIes IransacIIon. The same word Is used
Ior anyIhIng IhaI Is aIIached Io anoIher IhIng. Ab Bakr used Ihe word Ior Ihe chIId,
because II Is aIIached (dear) Io Ihe core oI Ihe hearI.
l2
IIkewIse, II Is saId abouI a IhIng
IhaI Is noI IIked, o noI brIng II cIose Io my hearI. WhaI eIaboraIes IhIs meanIng are
Ihe words Those debIs, secured by Iedges, owed Io Ihe area beyond !k, are Io be
reaId by Ihe rIncIaI sums aIone. When Ihe rIncIaI aIone Is aId, rib Is excIuded.
The meanIng Is Iound In Ihe verse Ye shaII have your caIIaI sums; deaI noI unjusIIy
and ye shaII noI be deaII wIIh unjusIIy.
l3
II Is saId IhaI IhIs verse was rsI reveaIed
abouI Ihe ThaqI and Ihen II aIIed Io Ihe MusIIms In generaI.
The words The secured Ioans owed by Ihem and IhaI are devoId oI liw mean IhaI
no rib Is sIIuIaIed In Ihem. II Ihose who owe Ihem have Ihe abIIIIy Io ay, Ihey may
do so ImmedIaIeIy. ThIs Is Ihe Ioan In whIch no rib Is sIIuIaIed. NoIe IhaI he IoId
Ihem Io ay II back II Ihey Iound Ihe means Io do so. Ior Ihose who dId noI nd Ihe
means Io do so, he deIayed Ihem IIII Jumd aI-I.
(508) ThIs Is Ihe documenI wrIIIen Ior Ihe MusIIms oI ThaqI and II has Ihe same isnd
(chaIn oI IransmIssIon):
In Ihe Name oI Ood, Ihe BenecenI, Ihe MercIIuI
ThIs Is Ihe IeIIer oI Muammad, Ihe Messenger oI Ood senI Io Ihe beIIev-
ers.
l4
The Ihorny Irees and bushes oI Wajj wIII noI be cuI, and IIs rey wIII
noI be hunIed. He who Is Iound doIng IhIs wIII be beaIen wIIh Iashes and hIs
garmenIs wIII be Iaken o. The vIoIaIor wIII be arresIed and broughI beIore
Muammad, Ihe Messenger oI AIIah (buh). ThIs dIrecIIve Is Irom Muam-
mad, Ihe ProheI, and II has been wrIIIen under Ihe orders oI Muammad
Ibn Abd AIIh, Ihe Messenger oI Ood, by KhIId Ibn Sad. No one Is Io
vIoIaIe II oIherwIse he wouId be doIng InjusIIce Io hImseII wIIh resecI Io
Ihe dIrecIIves Issued by Muammad, Ihe Messenger oI Ood, Ior Ihe ThaqI.
II Is wIInessed by AI Ibn Ab IIb, by asan Ibn AI, and usayn Ibn AI.
A coy oI IhIs has been IranscrIbed Ior uroses oI evIdence.
l2. The word afr has been used whIch means core.
l3. Qurn 2 : 2?9
l4. In some manuscrIIs Ihe words are Io Ihe MusIIms.
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6 Vin1uni Sunninu Coun1 2
Ab !bayd: A IegaI oInI In IhIs IradIIIon Is Ihe ProheIs IakIng oI aI-asan and
aI-usayn as wIInesses.
l5
II has aIso been IransmIIIed Irom some oI Ihe IoIIowers oI Ihe ComanIons, IhaI Is, Ihe
IesIImony oI mInors wIII be recorded and Ihey wIII be aIIrIbuIed Iowards IheIr arenIs
and IhaI II Is a reIerred racIIce. By IhIs II becomes a racIIce (sunnah) IaId down by
Ihe ProheI (buh) hImseII.
The documenI IndIcaIes IhaI he made cerIaIn concessIons Ior Ihem, on IheIr embracIng
IsIam, IhaI were excIusIveIy Ior Ihem. Ior examIe: Ihe decIaraIIon oI IheIr vaIIey
as rohIbIIed; Ihe rohIbIIIon oI goIng across TaII; Ihe rohIbIIIon oI enIerIng II and
subjugaIIng Ihem; and IhaI onIy one oI Ihem wouId be gIven auIhorIIy over Ihem. AII
IhIs, as we have aIready sIaIed, Is wIIhIn Ihe rIghI oI Ihe ruIer, who Is Ihe careIaker
oI IsIam and IIs IoIIowers. II he Is arehensIve oI an aIIack by Ihe enemy and Is noI
In a osIIIon Io uI u a deIence agaInsI Ihem, exceI by makIng such concessIons, he
may do so. ThIs Is whaI Ihe ProheI (buh) dId wIIh Ihe aIIIes durIng Ihe BaIIIe oI
Ihe Trenches.
l6
IIkewIse, II Ihey reIuse Io embrace IsIam unIess someIhIng Is gIven
Io Ihem, and IheIr enIerIng InIo Ihe IoId oI IsIam Is a means oI sIrengIh Ior IsIam,
and Ihere wouId be no deIence agaInsI IheIr aggressIon and sIrengIh, he may granI
Ihem Ihese In order Io aease Ihem. ThIs Is whaI Ihe Messenger oI AIIah (buh) dId
wIIh al-mualafat qulbuhum (Ihose who were Io be aeased)
l?
so as Io rovIde Ihem
wIIh an IncenIIve Io embrace IsIam and Io mend IheIr InIenIIons Iowards II. These
concessIons are vaIId as Iong as Ihey do noI conIcI wIIh Ihe rovIsIons oI aI-KIIb and
Ihe Sunnah.
l8
The ruIe Is IIIusIraIed by Ihe IacI IhaI Ihe Messenger oI AIIah (buh) dId noI granI
Ihem, among Ihe varIous concessIons, Ihe ermIssIon Io deaI In rib. He sIIuIaIed IhaI
Ihey wouId have IheIr rIncIaI sums aIone. ThIs Is Ihe sIgnIcance oI IIs rohIbIIIon
durIng erIod oI Ignorance. As IsIam gaIns In sIrengIh, II wouId be rohIbIIed more
emhaIIcaIIy and wouId noI be ermIIIed under any cIrcumsIances. II Is reIaIed In
some IradIIIons IhaI Ihey had oered Io embrace IsIam on Ihe condIIIon IhaI unIawIuI
sexuaI InIercourse, deaIIngs In rib and drInkIng oI wIne be ermIIIed. He reIused aII
Ihese and Ihey reIurned Io IheIr Iands.
l9
They IaIer reIurned Io hIm wIIh a desIre Io
embrace IsIam. II was Ihen IhaI he wroIe IhIs documenI Ior Ihem.
Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee
ZIIhajj 3, l434
OcIober 9, 20l3
l5. Who were mInors aI IhaI IIme.
l6. ThIs was when he decIded Io make an agreemenI wIIh Ihe OhaIn on a IhIrd oI Ihe IruII II Ihey wouId
reIurn Io IheIr Iands and noI assIsI Ihe Quraysh.
l?. These were !yana Ibn aan aI-Iazr, Aqra Ibn bIs aI-Tamm, Abbs Ibn
MIrds aI-SuIam and aIwn Ibn !mayya. He gave Ihem a IoI oI weaIIh (soIIs)
Ior Ihe BaIIIe oI unayn.
l8. ThaI Is, Ihe eace agreemenI shouId noI conIaIn Ierms IhaI render Ihe rohIbIIed IawIuI and vIce
versa.
l9. AccordIng Io some, Ihe correcI vIew Is IhaI Ihey reIurned Io IheIr rIdIng anImaIs Ior consuIIaIIon
among IhemseIves and Ihen decIded Io acceI Ihe auIhorIIy oI Ihe ProheI (buh).