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Articles Section > Articles by Dr. Basharat Ahmad > The Quranic
Commandments Regarding War/Jihad [Misconceptions regarding
Jihad/Islamic war cleared]
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.
This page was printed from the 'Official Website of the Ahmadiyya
Anjuman Isha'at-e-Islam Lahore (Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for
the Propagation of Islam)'
located at http://aaiil.org
or http://www.aaiil.org