Islam
teaches its follower to always maintain
peace between every being. Only under certain condition that war
becomes necessary. It is well known that God creates the human race in
different color, races and communities so that everyone to know each other
and live in peace.
13. O mankind! We created you from a single
(pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and
tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise
(each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of
Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has
full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (Quran
49 :13)
Satan wishes to sow enmity and hatred between you with
intoxicants and gambling.
(Quran
5:91)
Allah also state in the Quran that those
who belief in His religion and maintain peace shall gain His reward.
Never did He encourage waging war when the condition doesn't make it
necessary to wage one.
55.
Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work
righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the
land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before
them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the
one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their
state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security
and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught
with Me. 'If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious
and wicked.
(Quran 24:55)
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out
clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah
hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks.
And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.(Quran
2:256).
It can be
seen that during the Prophet's lifetime, war was waged only for
self-defense or to pre-empt an imminent attack. The people were told to
restrain themselves from fighting and endure with patience.
77. Hast thou not turned Thy vision
to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but
establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity? When (at
length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a
section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should
have feared Allah. They said: "Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordered
us to fight? Wouldst Thou not Grant us respite to our (natural)
term, near (enough)?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this
world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: Never
will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least! (Quran 2:77)
Obligation for Jihad.
With a
righteous intention and a just cause, jihad becomes an obligation. When
religious freedom is abused or when oppression is taking place, it
becomes a duty to help the people abused and oppressed.However, even
after was becomes an obligations, one should not misuse it to take
advantage and show bad conduct to the enemy. Rewards in the afterlife
and maintaining justice should be the goals.
Permission is given to those who fight because they have been
wronged, and God is indeed able to give them victory; those who
have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they
said, "Our Lord is God"-for had it not been for God's repelling
some men by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues
and mosques, in which the name of God is much mentioned, would
certainly have been destroyed. Verily God helps those that help
Him - lo! God is Strong, Almighty - those who, if they are given
power in the land, establish worship and pay the poor-due and
enjoin what is good and forbid iniquity.Quran (Quran 22:39-41)
190. Fight in the
cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress
limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. (Quran 2:190)
72. Those who
believed, and adopted exile, and fought for the Faith, with
their property and their persons, in the cause of Allah, as well
as those who gave (them) asylum and aid,- these are (all)
friends and protectors, one of another. As to those who believed
but came not into exile, ye owe no duty of protection to them
until they come into exile; but if they seek your aid in
religion, it is your duty to help them, except against a people
with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance. And (remember)
Allah seeth all that ye do. (Quran 8:72)
The Sword Verse.
There is a famous verse called the "Sword Verse" that is widely talk
about and misinterpreted out of its context.
Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the
idolators wherever you find them, take them and besiege them
and prepare for them every ambush. (Quran 9:5)
The main clause of the sentence "slay
the idolators"
is taken out on its own out of its context by some Western scholars to
represent the Islamic attitude to war. In 9:1-15, the full story and
context are given which provide many reasons for the order to fight such
polytheists : They continuously broke their agreements and help others
to go against the Muslims, they started hostilities against the Muslims,
stopped others from becoming Muslims, expelled Muslims from the Holy
Mosque and even from their own homes.
1. A (declaration) of immunity from Allah and His
Messenger, to those of the Pagans with whom ye have contracted
mutual alliances:-
2. Go ye, then, for four months, backwards and
forwards, (as ye will), throughout the land, but know ye that ye
cannot frustrate Allah (by your falsehood) but that Allah will
cover with shame those who reject Him.
3. And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger,
to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,-
that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with
the Pagans. If then, ye repent, it were best for you; but if ye
turn away, know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah. And proclaim
a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith.
4. (But the treaties are) not dissolved with those
Pagans with whom ye have entered into alliance and who have not
subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided any one against you.
So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term:
for Allah loveth the righteous.
5. But when the forbidden months are past, then
fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them,
beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of
war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and
practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah
is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
6. If one amongst the Pagans ask thee for asylum,
grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah. and then
escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are
men without knowledge.
7. How can there be a league, before Allah and His
Messenger, with the Pagans, except those with whom ye made a
treaty near the sacred Mosque? As long as these stand true to
you, stand ye true to them: for Allah doth love the righteous.
8. How (can there be such a league), seeing that if
they get an advantage over you, they respect not in you the ties
either of kinship or of covenant? With (fair words from) their
mouths they entice you, but their hearts are averse from you;
and most of them are rebellious and wicked.
9. The Signs of Allah have they sold for a miserable
price, and (many) have they hindered from His way: evil indeed
are the deeds they have done.
10. In a Believer they respect not the
ties either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who have
transgressed all bounds.
11. But (even so), if they repent,
establish regular prayers, and practise regular charity,- they
are your brethren in Faith: (thus) do We explain the Signs in
detail, for those who understand.
12. But if they violate their oaths
after their covenant, and taunt you for your Faith,- fight ye
the chiefs of Unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: that
thus they may be restrained.
13. Will ye not fight people who
violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger, and took
the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear
them? Nay, it is Allah Whom ye should more justly fear, if ye
believe!
14. Fight them, and Allah will punish
them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory)
over them, heal the breasts of Believers,
15. And still the indignation of their
hearts. For Allah will turn (in mercy) to whom He will; and
Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
(Quran 2: 9-15)
Jihad in the Quran.
The
verses of the Quran dealing with Jihad :
78.
And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive, (with sincerity
and under discipline (Quran, Surah 22 : 78)
20.
Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and
main, in Allah.s cause, with their goods and their persons, have
the highest rank in the sight of Allah. they are the people who
will achieve (salvation). (Quran 9 : 20)
A famous
translator of the Quran, Yusuf Ali stated that the verse serve as a good
description of Jihad. He stated that
"may require fighting in God's cause, as a form of self-sacrifice. But
its essence consists in a true and sincere faith, which so fixes its
gaze on God, that all selfish and worldly motives seem paltry and fade
away, and an earnest and ceaseless activity, involving the sacrifice (if
need be) of life, person, or property, in the service of God, is
manifest. Mere brutal fighting is opposed to the whole spirit of Jihad,
while the sincere scholar's pen or preacher's voice or wealthy man's
contribution may be the most valuable form of Jihad."
Another verses tha explicitly state to
fight only when fought.
190.
Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not
transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.
191.
And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from
where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are
worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque,
unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay
them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.
192.
But if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
193.
And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression,
and there prevail justice and faith in Allah. but if they cease,
Let there be no hostility except to those who practise
oppression.
194.
The prohibited month for the prohibited month,- and so for all
things prohibited,- there is the law of equality. If then any
one transgresses the prohibition against you, Transgress ye
likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is
with those who restrain themselves.
195.
And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not
your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good;
for Allah loveth those who do good.
(Al-Baqarah; 190-195)
And also:
52.
Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them
with the utmost strenuousness, with the (Qur'an). (Quran 25 :52)
20.
Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and
main, in Allah.s cause, with their goods and their persons, have
the highest rank in the sight of Allah. they are the people who
will achieve (salvation). (Quran 9 : 20)