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The
Quranic Commandments Regarding
War/Jihad:
[Misconceptions
regarding Jihad/Islamic War
Cleared]
(An English Rendering of an Urdu Article Appearing in
Basharat-e-Ahmadiyya Vol. I, p. 228-232, by Dr. Basharat
Ahmad)
Question:
The Holy Quran clearly
commands:
"So when the sacred months have
passed, slay the idolaters, wherever you find them" -
Holy Quran: Chapter 9, Verse 5.
Can we, in accordance with the above
verse, kill any idolater? Please give a detailed and
reasonable response.
Answer:
First of all let us review the
basic principle established by the Holy Quran regarding war.
The Quran states:
"And fight in the way of
Allah against those who fight against you but be not
aggressive. Surely Allah loves not the aggressors." -
Holy Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 190.
This establishes that war is only
permissible against those people who fight against you. To
fight against those who do not fight against you is being
aggressive, which God, Most High, strongly
dislikes.
Read the Quran in the light of this
principle – you will find the matter
clarified:
The idolaters of Arabia were
implacable enemies of Islam and were bent upon extirpating
the Muslims. Under pressure, they would sometimes agree to a
peace treaty, but whenever an opportunity presented itself,
they would ignore these treaties and attack the Muslims. The
Quran has therefore described their behaviour in the
following words:
"Those with whom thou
makest an agreement, then they break their agreement
every time, and they keep not their duty." –
Holy Quran, Chapter 8, Verse 56.
The Attacks
of the Enemies of Islam:
The mischief of these people
knew no bounds: The Holy Prophet, on hearing of the advance
of the Roman army, set out to repel this attack by marching
along with most of his Companions to the northern frontier
area of Tabuk. At this juncture, the polytheists of Arabia,
seeing the City of Medina virtually defenceless, cast aside
all their treaties of peace, and prepared to exterminate the
Muslims. This was a critical situation. On one side the
great empire of Rome stood ready to crush the Muslims, while
on the home front, the entire polytheistic population of
Arabia, casting aside all the peace treaties they had with
the Muslims, were getting ready to extirpate Islam. If
God’s Hand had not stretched out to help Islam, then
undoubtedly the Muslims would have been massacred. God
caused the Emperor of Rome to be intimidated (by the
advancing Muslim army) and he aborted his attack. The plans
of the polytheists were dashed, but it had become necessary
to deal with a people who, at such a critical juncture, had
acted traitorously and broken their agreements. The
civilised nations of today, would declare martial law and
execute hundreds; homes (of the traitors) would be bombed
and demolished. Islam did no such act.
The
Declaration of War:
On the day of Hajj (the
greater pilgrimage), war was declared in a just and
civilised manner. A notice period of four months was
granted. The enemies were given respite to finish their
pilgrimage and prepare for war. At the end of this period
battle would be done as the polytheists had proven
themselves unworthy of being treated as a noble enemy with
whom a peace treaty could be established. Instead it had
become necessary to subjugate them under a just Islamic
Government, so that the country could be free from their
mischief and trouble making. The freedom of these people had
led to nothing but chaos and lack of security over the
entire country. They did not respect their agreements and no
man’s life and honour was safe. So, it had become
necessary that they be brought under the rule of law so that
the nation could be made free from their poisonous
undertakings. For this reason, a clear exemption was made
for those who did not break their agreements:
"Except those of the
idolaters with whom you made an agreement, then they have
not failed you in anything and have not backed up any one
against you; so fulfil their agreement to the end of
their term. Surely Allah loves those who keep their
duty." (Holy Quran, Chapter 9, Verse 4).
The declaration of war was with those
people about whom it is stated:
"How (can it be)? And if
they prevail against you, they respect neither ties of
relationship nor covenant in your case. They
would please you with their mouths while their hearts
refuse; and most of them are transgressors." (Holy
Quran, Chapter 9, Verse 8).
In short, the idolaters of Arabia were
declared unworthy to be trusted due to their traitorous
behaviour, and for repeatedly helping and joining together
with external enemies, with the purpose of destroying the
Muslims. The only remedy of their constant mischief and
trouble making, was the establishment of a stable Government
for the Arabs, so that treachery and mischief would be
terminated and peace would prevail. This could only be done
by no longer leaving these people free, but by subjugating
them under a Muslim Government. So, with perfect justice, a
notice period of four months was given on the day of Hajj.
The enemy were told that they could prepare for war as the
Muslims would no longer make any agreements with them, but
instead by vanquishing them, subjugate them under the laws
of their government, so that in the future they would not be
able to create any trouble or turmoil. The order was thus
proclaimed:
"So when the sacred months
have passed, slay the idolaters, wherever you find them,
and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait
for them in every ambush. But if they repent and keep up
prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way fee. Surely
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."
"And if anyone of the idolaters
seek thy protection, protect him till he hears the word
of Allah, then convey him to his place of safety. This is
because they are a people who know not." (Holy Quran,
Chapter 9, Verses 5 & 6).
The Ways of
War:
When a war is begun, there
remains no set theatre. Wherever a member of one side meets
a member of the other party, battle is done. Killing,
imprisonment, and not allowing an enemy entry into
one’s territory are the three methods used in war. If
an enemy is encountered, a soldier will try to either kill
him, or take him a prisoner, or at the least keep him out of
one’s territory. These three ways are mentioned here
(in the Quran).
"…slay the idolaters,
wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege
them." (Holy Quran, Chapter 9, Part of Verse
5).
It is beyond my understanding, that in
these present peaceful times, how any one can justify, on
the basis of this verse, the killing of any idolater. This
verse only gives the three means of waging war. Thus it is
also stated "and lie in wait for them in every ambush."
For in war, ambush is an essential and vital method of
attacking one’s enemy.
The
Conditions for Peace:
Further on the method by which
peace could be made with these troublesome treaty-breakers
is stated. There are basically two ways. Firstly, peace
could be made, if the opponents sincerely accepted Islam and
thus become a part of the ruling nation and share in the
aims and purposes of the Muslims. In such a case, trust
would necessarily be re-established, as they would be
considered brothers in Islam. The other method would be if
the opponents sought protection from the Muslims, and
accepted being ruled by a Muslim Government. These two
methods are mentioned here in the Quran. First it is
stated:
"But if they repent and
keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way
free. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (Holy
Quran, Chapter 9, Verse 5, last part).
That is, if they genuinely turn to
Islam by establishing prayer and paying the poor rate, and
they are not just buying time by professing Islam, then do
not war with them. The second method for peace is described
as follows:
"And if anyone of the
idolaters seek thy protection, protect him till he hears
the word of Allah, then convey him to his place of
safety. This is because they are a people who know
not." (Holy Quran, Chapter 9, Verses 5 &
6).
Thus, the Muslims are required to give
refuge to any Idolater who seeks their protection.
Furthermore, as these people were unaware of the Word of
God, the Muslims were commanded to instruct their vanquished
foes thereof – so that they may profit
thereby.
The True
Purpose of the War:
A common misunderstanding
exists that the purpose of the war was to convert the
idolaters to Islam. This misperception is due to the fact
that one of the ways that the war could be terminated, was
if the idolaters accepted Islam. This perception is however
absolutely wrong. The purpose of the war was to cut off the
mischief of a people who by their constant traitorous acts
and breaking of treaties had been proven unreliable. Peace
in the country could only be established by subjugating them
under a regular established Government. Just as the Quran
forbade war with those idolaters who did not break their
treaties, similarly war was terminated with those idolaters
who repented and entered Islam. (For this reason, in
addition to "repentance" the Quran requires
"Establishment of Prayer and paying the poor rate"
as a condition of peace.) That is the idolaters should not
just pay lip service to becoming Muslim, but by their deeds
establish their sincerity and thus become worthy to be
trusted. That is why, war is forbidden on their accepting
Islam. However, if the purpose of the war was only to
convert the idolaters, then the command to protect the
idolaters would be meaningless – and no protection
should be given except to those who became Muslims. The very
fact that protection is commanded to be given to idolaters,
establishes that the real purpose of the war was not to
convert the idolaters. The purpose of the war was thus only
to have the treaty breaking idolaters to sue for peace and
thus to be brought under an established Islamic Government,
after which there would be no need for further battle. The
idolaters, if they did accept Islam, would gain as they
would become part of the ruling nation, and by demonstrating
sincerity could regain the trust they had lost due to their
repeated violation of their treaties.
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The
Quranic Commandments Regarding War/Jihad [Misconceptions
regarding Jihad/Islamic war cleared]
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