WAR IN THE QUR'AN & other holy Books

[Muslim Woman]

I seek refuge in Allah (The One God) from the Satan (devil) the cursed, the rejected

With the name of ALLAH (swt) -The Bestower Of Unlimited Mercy, The Continously Merciful


Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh (May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you)


&&&


ISLAM DENOUNCES TERRORISM



God calls to the Abode of Peace and He guides whom He wills to a straight path
(Qur’an, 10:25)



HARUN YAHYA



WAR IN THE QUR'AN


...Only after the following revelation, the Prophet commanded his people to prepare for war:



Permission to fight is given to those who are fought against because they have been wronged – truly God has the power to come to their support – those who were expelled from their homes without any right, merely for saying, “Our Lord is God”… (Qur’an, 22:39-40)


... In other verses, Muslims are warned against the use of unnecessary provocation or violence:



Fight in the Way of God against those who fight you, but do not go beyond the limits. God does not love those who go beyond the limits. (Qur’an, 2:190)



.... The Messenger of God also clarified the attitude Muslims must adopt even when they are in the middle of a raging battle:
Do not kill children. Avoid touching people who devote themselves to worship in churches! Never murder women and the elderly. Do not set trees on fire or cut them down. Never destroy houses


... You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just.
Be just. That is closer to heedfulness. Heed God (alone). God is aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 5:8)


The Meaning of the Concept of "Jihad”
..The exact meaning of “Jihad” is “effort”. Thus, in Islam, “to carry out jihad” is “to show effort, to struggle”.


The Prophet Muhammad (p) explained that “the greatest jihad is the one a person carries out against his lower soul”. What is meant by “lower soul” here is selfish desires and ambitions.




Assessed from the Qur’anic point of view, the word “jihad” can also mean a struggle carried out on intellectual grounds against those who oppress people, treat them unjustly, subject them to torture and cruelty and violate legitimate human rights.



The purpose of this struggle is to bring about justice, peace and equality.


{ Insha Allah , to be continued :statisfie }

[afriend]

Do not kill children. Avoid touching people who devote themselves to worship in churches! Never murder women and the elderly. Do not set trees on fire or cut them down. Never destroy houses

If we look the actions of modern day soldiers, and use the Quran as a ground to compare them upon, most soldiers are barbaric. I think the Islamic way of fighting should be implemented in every organised army.

Terrorism however, is not allowed in Islam.

They are terrorists those who do not obey the above rulings on war and fighting that is in the Quran, Muslim or non Muslim.

You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just.
Be just. That is closer to heedfulness. Heed God (alone). God is aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 5:8)

Allah is most just. We should always be just and be careful not to be biased in our judgements.

May Allah make me act upon what I have said and make you all followers of the Quran and Sunnah. Ameen.

ma'salaam.

[Woodrow]

From reading this it seems that all weapons of mass destruction are anti-Islamic. I can not see how most modern weapons and explosives can be used in an Islamic manner.

I wonder if maybe we are loosing the concept of war and replacing it with justification for distruction. One of the most formidable weapons of warfare was available to the Prophet(PBUH), yet I have never seen any reference as to where it was every used by Him in warefare. This was "Greek Fire" a very fearsome weapon very similar to napalm but used more like a flame thrower.

It had been used by the Pagan Arabs prior to Islam and it had been used against Muslims. But, nowwhere can I find any evidence that the early Muslims ever used it in warfare.

While there has been much speculation involved in preparation of Greek Fire, no one to date has been able to successfully recreate this concoction. The closest would be the Arabian armies, who eventually created their own version (opinions differ as to exactly when this took place, presumably sometime between the mid-seventh century and the early tenth), but the formula was inexact and, compared to the original Byzantine substance, was relatively weak. This did not stop it from being one of the most devastating weapons of the era. The Arabs used the Greek Fire in very effective ways; much like the Byzantines, they used brass tubes aboard ships and upon castle walls. They also filled small glass jars with the substance, allowing them to hurl it by hand at their opponents. Arrows and spears would be used to carry the mixture further onto the battlefield and gigantic war engines could be used to hurl large amounts of the substance over a castle wall.

Perhaps we would have better outcomes of war if we all stuck to the guidlines of war and stopped trying to expediate them into more efficient wars.

For those that do not know what "Greek Fire" is here is a link:

http://stronghold.heavengames.com/sc/history/greekfire

[Muslim Woman]

salaam /peace ;


ISLAM DENOUNCES TERRORISM


---- HARUN YAHYA


http://www.harunyahya.com


Compassion, Tolerance and Humanity in the History of Islam

.... British historian Karen Armstrong, a former nun and an expert on Middle East history. In her book Holy War, which examines the history of the three divine religions, she makes the following comments:

When Mohammad sent his freedman Zaid against the Christians at the head of a Muslim army, he told them to fight in the cause of God bravely but humanely. They must not molest priests, monks and nuns nor the weak and helpless people who were unable to fight.......


...the declaration of protection given to the Nestorian Patriarch Yeshuyab III (650 - 660 AD) again guaranteed that churches would not be demolished and that no building would be converted into a house or a mosque.



The letter written by the patriarch to the bishop of Fars (Persia) after the conquest is most striking, in the sense that it depicts the tolerance and compassion shown by Muslim rulers to the Book of People in the words of a Christian:


They [Abbasids] have not attacked the Christian religion, but rather they have commended our faith, honored our priests... and conferred benefits on churches and monasteries

{ Insha Allah , to be continued }:statisfie

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[brenton]

Armstrong is very favourable toward Islam, trying to put early Islamic violence into a proper context. I appreciate her perspective, though I often disagree.

I believe no war is holy.
I appreciate the thread.

[*charisma*]

Hey,

I believe no war is holy.
I appreciate the thread.

Even if there wasn't Islam, war would still occur.

Islam atleast puts boundaries and limits on war unlike other religions because Allah knows humans will fight each other for whatever reasons.

The world cannot live in peace, ever. It's a beautiful thought, but let's face the facts, people love to belittle each other to give themselves height, whether religion is involved or not. Because this is true, you need something that has a strong stance when it comes to violence, and Islam does alhemdulilah.

peace

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;

Armstrong is very favourable toward Islam, trying to put early Islamic violence into a proper context. I appreciate her perspective, though I often disagree.

I believe no war is holy.
I appreciate the thread.

-- why u think a Chrsitian lady is very favourable toward Islam ?

I often disagree.

----with which logic ?

I appreciate the thread

--thank u :statisfie

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;

brenton : Armstrong is very favourable toward Islam, trying to put early Islamic violence into a proper context


----Islam is against violence . Even in war field , Muslims are told to ' ESCORT' enemies if they want to hear the words of God Almighty. ( Chapter 9 , verse 6 ).

http://www.islamicity.com/MOSQUE/ARA...AYAT/9/9_6.htm

Sura 9 - Ayat 6

At-Tauba (The Repentance)

(Click on Ayat to hear it recited)


English (Yusuf Ali): (Recite)


9:6 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.



Turkish:
9:6 Eger müsriklerden biri, senden 'eman isterse', ona eman ver; öyle ki Allah'in sözünü dinlemis olsun, sonra onu 'güvenlik içinde olacagi yere ulastir.' Bu, onlarin elbette bilmeyen bir topluluk olmalari nedeniyledir.


French:
9:6 Et si l'un des associateurs te demande asile, accorde-le lui, afin qu'il entende la parole d'Allah, puis fais-le parvenir à son lieu de sécurité. Car ce sont des gens qui ne savent pas.


German:
9:6 Und wenn einer der Götzendiener bei dir Schutz sucht, dann gewähre ihm Schutz, bis er Allahs Wort vernehmen kann; hierauf lasse ihn die Stätte seiner Sicherheit erreichen. Dies weil sie ein unwissendes Volk sind.


Spanish:
9:6 Si uno de los asociadores te pide protección concédesela, para que oiga la Palabra de Alá. Luego, facilítale la llegada a un lugar en que esté seguro. Es que son gente que no sabe.

[brenton]

charismaI do not believe that war is "holy," but I sometimes believe it is necessary. I appreciate the limits that Judaism & Islam (and later Christian princes) put on war, but it is still not holy, IMHO.

muslimwomanI don't know why Armstrong is favourable toward Islam. I think she is a fan, especially of Muhammad. I don't know if she is Christian anymore, but I don't think she has converted to Islam.

On Islamic violence, an example. In her history of Islam, her chapter on Muhammad is all positive. She puts two events into a larger context:
1. The raids on caravans by Muslims
2. The slaughtering of 700 Jewish traitors and selling their wives and children to slavery by Muhammad.
In both cases, she takes what look like difficult events and explains the history around them, the reasons for them, and how they were not so horrific at the time.

Why do I disagree with her sometimes? On the logic of how I see history and religion. I disagree with her view on fundamentalism (logos & mythos), but her attempt is so clear and helpful it makes a good starting point. I disagree with how she reads the growth of Islamic empire, and the reasons behind terrorism today. I disagree with how she reads Genesis in one way (the documentary hypothesis), but enjoy the way she brings Jewish, Christian & Muslim readings together.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace ;

..... One of the most formidable weapons of warfare was available to the Prophet(PBUH), yet I have never seen any reference as to where it was every used by Him in warefare. This was "Greek Fire" .....

---that's interesting but how can we know that if Muslims had this weapon ?

[Woodrow]

Salaam/peace ;




---that's interesting but how can we know that if Muslims had this weapon ?

The Arabs had it. It was only after they accepted Islam that they stopped using it.

While there has been much speculation involved in preparation of Greek Fire, no one to date has been able to successfully recreate this concoction. The closest would be the Arabian armies, who eventually created their own version (opinions differ as to exactly when this took place, presumably sometime between the mid-seventh century and the early tenth), but the formula was inexact and, compared to the original Byzantine substance, was relatively weak. This did not stop it from being one of the most devastating weapons of the era. The Arabs used the Greek Fire in very effective ways; much like the Byzantines, they used brass tubes aboard ships and upon castle walls. They also filled small glass jars with the substance, allowing them to hurl it by hand at their opponents. Arrows and spears would be used to carry the mixture further onto the battlefield and gigantic war engines could be used to hurl large amounts of the substance over a castle wall.

The source is the link I posted in the earlier post. The Arabs were very skilled Chemists and historicaly there is much reference to their use of Greek fire and other devastating weapons, including explosives. This stopped when they all accepted Islam. I think historicaly it is worthy to note they did not use any of these type weapons against the crusaders.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam;

The Arabs had it. It was only after they accepted Islam that they stopped using it.



The source is the link I posted in the earlier post. The Arabs were very skilled Chemists and historicaly there is much reference to their use of Greek fire and other devastating weapons, including explosives. This stopped when they all accepted Islam. I think historicaly it is worthy to note they did not use any of these type weapons against the crusaders.

thanks bro :bravo: for the wonderful info......i had no idea about this. I wonder , why it's not mentioned in other Islamic sites i regularly visit ? Perhaps they also don't know ? :confused:

[Muslim Woman]

charismaI do not believe that war is "holy," but I sometimes believe it is necessary. I appreciate the limits that Judaism & Islam (and later Christian princes) put on war, but it is still not holy, IMHO.

muslimwomanI don't know why Armstrong is favourable toward Islam. I think she is a fan, especially of Muhammad. I don't know if she is Christian anymore, but I don't think she has converted to Islam.

On Islamic violence, an example. In her history of Islam, her chapter on Muhammad is all positive. She puts two events into a larger context:
1. The raids on caravans by Muslims
2. The slaughtering of 700 Jewish traitors and selling their wives and children to slavery by Muhammad.
In both cases, she takes what look like difficult events and explains the history around them, the reasons for them, and how they were not so horrific at the time.

Why do I disagree with her sometimes? On the logic of how I see history and religion. I disagree with her view on fundamentalism (logos & mythos), but her attempt is so clear and helpful it makes a good starting point. I disagree with how she reads the growth of Islamic empire, and the reasons behind terrorism today. I disagree with how she reads Genesis in one way (the documentary hypothesis), but enjoy the way she brings Jewish, Christian & Muslim readings together.

Salaam/peace;


I did not read her that book u mentioned. Few lines on the ralated issues: Jews were punished according to their own holy book. A Jewish Judge gave the verdict regarding .....i forgot now ...most probably Duet . If u want , i will Insha Allah ( God Willing ) collect more info.


The Last Prophet (p) forgave the killer of his own daughter & uncle who always supported him in danger , he forgave ( when he was capable of taking revenge ) those who tortured & forced him to leave his birthplace holy Macca.

If anybody compares the Do's & Dont's of soldiers in the war found in the major holy books , i m sure nobody can complain against Quran anymore. :statisfie

Only one example : regarding Duet , not even in war time , if people are idol worshipper , a city must be totally destroyed & ALL citizens ( that surely includes babies ) must be killed . When even in war times , Muslims were not allowed to kill ALL but to ' ESCORT ' enemies if they want to hear the words of God. Hope , at least u appriciate this verse :D


**Murdering a person for no reason is one of the most obvious examples of mischief. God repeats in the Qur’an a command He formerly revealed to Jews in the Old Testament thus:


... if someone kills another person – unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth – it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind... (Qur’an, 5:32)


As the verse suggests, a person who kills even a single man, “unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth”, commits a crime as if he had murdered all mankind


...Do not corrupt the earth after it has been put right. Call on Him fearfully and eagerly. God’s mercy is close to the good-doers. (Qur’an, 7:56)


watch the film : Islam Denounces Terrorism

http://www.islamdenouncesterrorism.com/film.htm

Documentary Film

Download Mpeg File:

FULL VERSION (28.7 MB)

This film is produced by the sponsorship of the Science Research Foundation, in Istanbul, Turkey.

This site is based on the works of Harun Yahya, one of the leading Muslim scholars of our time. His books and articles are available on line at http://www.harunyahya.com

[Woodrow]

Salaam;



thanks bro :bravo: for the wonderful info......i had no idea about this. I wonder , why it's not mentioned in other Islamic sites i regularly visit ? Perhaps they also don't know ? :confused:

My Assumption is because the Islamic sites are dedicated to the portrayal of the truth of Islam and have simply over looked how much Islam has changed the Arabs from the days they were pagans.

We read some examples as how much Islam has changed the people, ie Treatment of women, practices of infatricide etc.

Because the Arabs were pagans does not mean they were not technically advanced.

Perhaps to really see how much Islam changed the Arab world we should look and see what the early Muslims had available for fighting wars and they did not succumb to the temptation of using any of it.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace ;

God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them. God loves those who are just.


God merely forbids you from taking as friends those who have fought you over religion and driven you from your homes and who supported your expulsion... (Qur’an, 60:8-9)



All forms of barbarism, unnecessary acts of violence and unjust aggression are forbidden by Islam. In another verse, God warns Muslims against this and explains that rage felt towards enemies should not cause them to fall into injustice:


You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to heedfulness. Heed God (alone). God is aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 5:8)



…The exact meaning of “Jihad” is “effort”. Thus, in Islam, “to carry out jihad” is “to show effort, to struggle”. The Prophet Muhammad (p) explained that “the greatest jihad is the one a person carries out against his lower soul”.

What is meant by “lower soul” here is selfish desires and ambitions.


Assessed from the Qur’anic point of view, the word “jihad” can also mean a struggle carried out on intellectual grounds against those who oppress people, treat them unjustly, subject them to torture and cruelty and violate legitimate human rights. The purpose of this struggle is to bring about justice, peace and equality


.. Killing Oneself, In Other Words Committing Suicide, is Forbidden in the Qur’an

Another important matter that arose in the wake of the latest terrorist assaults against the United States is that of suicide attacks.


Some people who are ill-informed on Islam have made utterly erroneous statements to the effect that this religion of peace allows suicide attacks, whereas in Islam killing oneself and killing other people are both prohibited. In the words, “Do not kill yourselves.” (Qur’an, 4:29)

God has declared suicide to be a sin. In Islam it is forbidden for anyone to kill himself or herself, for no matter what reason.


The Prophet reveals suicide to be a sin in a parable, when he says that those who commit suicide will be punished:


Insha Allah , to be continued :

Compassion, Tolerance and Humanity in the History of Islam

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace ;

“We have made you a Middle Nation”

(Holy Qur’an, Surat al-Baqara:143)



Compassion, Tolerance and Humanity in the History of Islam



To sum up the facts we have seen so far, we can say that the political doctrine of Islam (in other words, Islamic rules and principles regarding political matters) is exceedingly moderate and peace-loving.




This truth is accepted by many non-Muslim historians and theologians. One of these is the British historian Karen Armstrong, a former nun and an expert on Middle East history.

In her book Holy War, which examines the history of the three divine religions, she makes the following comments:



... The word 'Islam' comes from the same Arabic root as the word 'peace' and the Koran condemns war as an abnormal state of affairs opposed to God's will… Islam does not justify a total aggressive war of extermination… Islam recognises that war is inevitable and sometimes a positive duty in order to end oppression and suffering.



The Koran teaches that war must be limited and be conducted in as humane a way as possible. Mohammad had to fight not only the Meccans but also the Jewish tribes in the area and Christian tribes in Syria who planned on offensive against him in alliance with the Jews.




Yet this did not make Mohammed denounce the People of the Book. His Muslims were forced to defend themselves but they were not fighting a 'holy war' against the religion of their enemies. When Mohammad sent his freedman Zaid against the Christians at the head of a Muslim army, he told them to fight in the cause of God bravely but humanely.



They must not molest priests, monks and nuns nor the weak and helpless people who were unable to fight. There must be no massacre of civilians nor should they cut down a single tree nor pull down any building


Website:
http://www.harunyahya.com

http://www.islamdenouncesterrorism.com

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;




In a verse God commands the following:
God commands you to return to their owners the things you hold on trust and, when you judge between people, to judge with justice. How excellent is what God exhorts you to do! God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (Qur’an, 4:58)


Canon Taylor, one of the mission leaders of the Anglican Church, expresses the beauty revealed by the Islamic morality in one of his speeches as follows:



It [Islam] brought out the fundamental dogmas of religion – the unity and greatness of God, that He is merciful and righteous, that He claims obedience to His will, resignation and faith.



It proclaimed the responsibility of man, a future life, a Day of Judgment, and stern retribution to fall upon the wicked; and enforced the duties of prayer, almsgiving, fasting and benevolence.



It thrust aside the artificial virtues, the religious frauds and follies, the perverted moral sentiments, and the verbal subtleties of theological disputants… It gave hope to the slave, brotherhood to mankind, and recognition to the fundamental facts of human nature



The false assertion that people in conquered countries converted to Islam under threat has also been disproved by Western researchers, and the justice and tolerant attitude of Muslims has been confirmed. L.Browne, a Western researcher, expresses this situation in the following words:
Incidentally these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings that the Muslims, wherever they went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword.( . L. Browne, The Prospects of Islam, p. 11-15)


In his book The Prospects of Islam, Browne goes on to say that the real motive behind the Muslims’ conquests was the brotherhood
of Islam.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;

The Sanctity of Human Life

The Glorious Qur’an says:


…take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom. (Al-An`am 6: 151)




Islam considers all life forms as sacred. However, the sanctity of human life is accorded a special place. The first and the foremost basic right of a human being is the right to live.




Allah says in the Qur’an says: … if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. (Al-Ma’idah 5: 32)


Such is the value of a single human life, that the Qur’an equates the taking of even one human life unjustly, with killing all of humanity.



Thus, the Qur’an prohibits homicide in clear terms. The taking of a criminal’s life by the state in order to administer justice is required to uphold the rule of law, and the peace and security of the society.



Only a proper and competent court can decide whether an individual has forfeited his right to life by disregarding the right to life and peace of other human beings.

Islam: The Great Unifier

Far from being a militant dogma, Islam is a way of life that transcends race and ethnicity. The Qur’an repeatedly reminds us of our common origin:



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 honored of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (Al-Hujrat 49: 13)




The above quotation is excerpted with some modifications from: http://www.whyislam.org


You can also read:

Islam versus Terrorism

Arab-American Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism

Was Islam Spread at the Point of Sword?

Do Muslims Kill Their Opponents?

Levels of Jihad

Jihad: Not Only Physical Struggle

Jihad: Its True Meaning and Purpose

Jihad and Peace in Islam

Is Jihad Synonymous with Aggression?


May Allah guide you to the straight path, and guide you to that which pleases Him, Amen.




Allah Almighty knows best.

Search:

http://www.islamonline.net/English/L...ah/index.shtml

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;



Does the Qur'an Teach Violence?

http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/archive...ang=E&id=31288




Q: Does Islam really teaches peace? I am a Christian and I do not hate Muslims, but I read in the Qur'an verses like, "And slay them wherever ye catch them." (2:191) and "But if they turn away, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks." (4:89).



How can a peaceful religion teach these things? How do you explain these verses? These quotations from your Holy Book do really make us very uneasy with your faith. I would appreciate your reply.




( pl. visit link to read the full answer )


Answer by Dr. Muzzamil Siddiqui--Ex-President of ISNA---Islamic Society of North America


……The answer is simple and that is you should read these verses in their textual and historical context. You should read the whole verse and it is better that you read few verses before and few after.




Read the full text and see what is said: "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors.



And kill 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, kill them.


Such is the reward of those who reject faith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.




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 practice oppression.



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." (al-Baqarah 2:190-194)




For your second quotation also read the full text: "They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they):



so take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (from what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks.



Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people.


If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then Allah hath opened no way for you (to war against them).



Others you will find that wish to gain your confidence as well as that of their people: every time they are sent back to temptation, they succumb thereto; if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them; in their case We have provided you with a clear argument against them." (Al-Nisa' 4:89-91)




Now tell me honestly, do these verses give a free permission to kill any one anywhere?
God to Prophet Muhammad (p) revealed these verses at the time when the non-Muslims of Makkah attacked Muslims on a regular basis.



They were frightening the Muslim community of Madinah. One may say using the contemporary jargon that there were constant terrorist attacks on Madinah and in this situation Muslims were given permission to fight back the "terrorist".



These verses are not permission for "terrorism" but they are a warning against the "terrorists." But even in these warnings you can see how much restraint and care is emphasized.





It is important that we study the religious texts in their proper context. When these texts are not read in their proper textual and historical contexts they are manipulated and distorted.




It is true that some Muslims manipulate these verses for their own goals. But this is not only with Islamic texts, it is also true with the texts of other religions. I can quote dozens of verses from the Bible, which seem very violent, if taken out from their historical context.




Many violent Jewish and Christian groups have used these Biblical texts. Crusaders used them against Muslims and Jews.



Nazis used them against Jews. Recently Serbian Christians used them against Bosnian Muslims. Zionists are using them regularly against Palestinians.

Let me mention just a few verses from the Old Testament and New Testament and tell me what do you say about them:




"When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girga****es and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you.


And when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. (Deuteronomy 7:1-2)



"When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you.




However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. When the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword.


Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself;


and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the LORD your God has given you. Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes (Deuteronomy 20:10-17)



Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. But all the girls, who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves. (Numbers 31:17-18)



Even in the New Testament we read the following statement attributed to Jesus saying to his disciples:


"I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence. (Luke 19:26-27)

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;


Scope of Amicable Dealings with Non-Muslims


.. the eminent Muslim scholar Sheikh Al-Qaradawi states in his well-known book 'The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam':


First of all, we would like to stress that Islam does not prohibit Muslims from being kind and generous to peoples of other religions, even if they are idolaters and polytheists.



However, Islam looks upon the People of the Book, that is, Jews and Christians, with special regard, whether they reside in a Muslim society or outside it.

The Qur'an never addresses the Jews and Christians without saying, "O People of the Book" or "O You who have been given the Book," indicating that they were originally people of a revealed religion.



For this reason, there exists a relationship of mercy and spiritual kinship between them and the Muslims, all having in common the principles of the one true religion sent by Allah through His Prophets (peace and blessings are upon them all):


He says, He has ordained for (the Muslims) the same religion which He enjoined on Noah, and that which We have revealed to thee (Muhammad) and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: that you should establish the faith and make no division in it.... (Ash-Shura 42: 13)



He Almighty also says: O you who believe, do not take My enemy and your enemy as friends, offering them affection, even though they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth, driving out the Messenger and yourselves because you believe in Allah, your Lord...
(Al-Mumtahinah 60:1)


This verse was revealed in connection with the pagans of Makkah, who declared war against Allah and His Messenger driving the Muslims out of their homes simply because they said,

"Our Lord is Allah." With this type of people, friendship and alliance cannot be permitted.



Yet in spite of this, the Qur'an did not dismiss the hope that one day there might be a reconciliation; it did not declare utter disappointment in them but encouraged the Muslims to kindle the hope of better understanding and improved relationships, for in the same surah Allah says:

It may be that Allah will bring about affection between you and those who are your enemies from among them.
And Allah is All-Powerful, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Al-Mumtahinah 60: 7)

This Qur'anic statement gives the assurance that this bitter hostility and deep hatred is something that may pass way, as it is also stated in the hadith, "Hate your enemy mildly; he may become your friend one day." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi)

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized the duties of Muslims toward Dhimmis, threatening anyone who violates them with the wrath and punishment of Allah.


The Prophet is reported to have said: "He who hurts a Dhimmi hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys Allah." (Reported by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat with good chain of narrators.)

He also says, "Whoever hurts a Dhimmi, I am his adversary, and I shall be an adversary to him on the Day of Resurrection." (Reported by Al-Khatib with authentic chain of narrations.)



"On the Day of Judgment I will dispute with anyone who oppresses a person from among the People of the Covenant, or infringes upon his right, or puts a responsibility on him which is beyond his strength, or takes something from him against his will." (Reported by Abu Dawud)

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Contemporary Issues > Interfaith, Intercivilizational & Intercultural

From Holy War to Holy Peace

By Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti**

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Annihilation at the Order of God
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From Just War to Holy War
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Sometimes Just but Never Holy
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Playing the Empire Game
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From Holy War to Holy Peace
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Foundations of Holy Peace

Peace is holy, war is not. Nevertheless, holy war is today a main theme in the Western media. Wrongly seen by Westerners as an Islamic innovation, for Muslims it is a bitter reminder of the Crusades of the 12th and 13th centuries. But the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) have more to say about holy peace than holy war, and this is what we need to better explore in our religious and political discourse.

Annihilation at the Order of God

The roots of holy war are to be found in the Torah (which constitutes the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or Christian Old Testament) where the Israelites' experience after their Exodus from Egypt was presented in a bloody sacredness. Though the term holy war is not used in the Old Testament, other close terms were used such as "the battles of the Lord" (1 Samuel 25:28) and "the wars of the Lord" (Numbers 21:14).

Thousands of innocent people, including women and children, were indiscriminately slaughtered in order to prepare the ground for the Israelites' entry into the Holy Land. These Israelite wars of extermination were not in any sense justifiable self-defense, but an offensive war at the order of God — a God Who is presented in the Torah as a warrior: "The Lord is a warrior" (Exodus 15:3); and a soldier fighting on behalf of Israel: "The Lord will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14).

The idea of God supporting His people in the battlefield is not strange in any of the three Abrahamic faiths, nor is territorial expansion novel in the history of Christianity or Islam. What makes the Hebrew experience scripturally distinctive in this context is the legitimization of the indiscriminate extermination of a whole population through slaying every human soul in the defeated towns. The Jews believed they were given a divine order to kill every human being who became an obstacle in their way: "in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you" (Deuteronomy 20:16–17).

The warrior-God of the Torah warned the Israelites against showing any mercy or pity: "When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations … then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy" (Deuteronomy 7:1–2). This "divine" order was followed to the letter: "At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women and children. We left no survivors" (Deuteronomy 2:34).

Illustrating the texts of the Torah, British scholar Karen Armstrong concluded that "in a Jewish holy war, there was no question of coexistence, mutual respect, or peace treaties. … When the Jews had to establish themselves in the Promised Land, ordinary morality ceased to apply" (8).

From Just War to Holy War

The idea of holy war was not conceivable in Christianity for almost a thousand years because Jesus was pacifist. But the destruction of the Roman Empire pushed Saint Augustine and other Christian theologians to look for scriptural justification for waging war. They developed a concept of just war strikingly similar to that of Islam.

The idea of holy war was not conceivable in Christianity for almost a thousand years because Jesus was pacifist.

Only a few verses in the New Testament would help a warmonger, such as these verses that make Jesus (peace be upon him) say "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34); "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Luke 12:49); "Do not think I came to bring peace on earth; No, I tell you, but division" (Luke 12:51); "those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them — bring them here and kill them in front of me" (Luke 19:27).

Some non-Christians took these verses as evidence of moral deficiency or logical inconsistency of the message of Jesus (peace be upon him), but most Christian theologians interpreted these texts metaphorically or understood them as an apocalyptic prediction, not a moral approval of violence. The "sword" and the "fire" in these verses were interpreted as the powerful word of Jesus and his spiritual light. The whole context of the words and deeds of Jesus (peace be upon him) supports such peaceful interpretations of the war language of the Gospels, though Jesus in his Second Coming will be far from pacifist — at least if we take seriously what some American evangelicals are saying about him today.

The criteria that make a war just in Christian classical theology include just cause, right intention, proportionality, probability of success, and immunity of non-combatants. These are very important principles from the moral and practical perspectives. But Christians did not give much attention to these principles during their Crusades against the Islamic world and the Byzantine Empire in the 12th and 13th centuries, and during their expansion throughout the New World and beyond. The guide to the Western wars since the 12th century is the extermination of Joshua and David, not the theology of Saint Augustine or Thomas Aquinas.

The Gospel of Jesus was not helpful to justify the new wars of extermination, but Christians found what they needed in the Old Testament (which constitutes about 75% of the Christian holy book). The initiators of the Crusades, such as Pope Urban II and Pope Innocent III, used the Old Testament more than the New Testament Gospels as a reference to justify their call for crusading — a call that led to two centuries of atrocities against Muslims of Palestine; brought suffering to Jews, Syrian Christians, and Byzantines; and devastated the Cathars of southern France who were seen as heretics. Needless to say that the barbarity of these 12th- and 13th-century Crusades left a deep wound that has ever since poisoned relations between the Islamic world and the West.

Sometimes Just but Never Holy

The theology of holy war has no place in Islam, and terms like holy war and war of God do not appear in any Qur'anic verses nor in any Prophetic hadith. But the concept of just war was a part of Islamic teaching since its inception. In Islam, God's grace is not to be separated from His justice, and the right of self-defense is a self-evident right. Therefore, war in Islam is a means to establish justice, but never a holy act.

Armstrong sees Islam as a middle way between the pacifism of Jesus and the annihilation of Joshua. Rejecting a common misconception in the West, Armstrong affirms that "Islam does not justify a total aggressive war of extermination, as the Torah does in the first five books of the Bible. A more realistic religion than Christianity, Islam recognizes that war is inevitable and sometimes a positive duty" (36). The Qur'an speaks of three grounds when it comes justification of war:

Armstrong sees Islam as a middle way between the pacifism of Jesus and the annihilation of Joshua.

First, fighting in self-defense. [To those against whom war is made, permission is given to fight, because they are wronged; and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid; those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right, for no cause except that they say "our Lord is Allah"] (Al-Hajj 22:39–40).

Second, defending people who cannot defend themselves from oppression and tyranny. [How should ye not fight for the cause of Allah and of the feeble among men and of the women and the children who are crying: Our Lord! Bring us forth from out this town of which the people are oppressors! Oh, give us from Thy presence some protecting friend! Oh, give us from Thy presence some defender!] (An-Nisaa' 4:75).

Third, safeguarding religious freedom by protecting houses of worship, regardless of the faith of the worshipers. [Had not Allah checked one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure] (Al-Hajj 22:40).

The Qur'an explicitly forbids the expansive use of the right of self-defense to initiate war: [Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loves not aggressors] (Al-Baqarah 2:190). And Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) established war ethics that strictly preserved non-combatants from the perils of war: "Do not be treacherous. Do not mutilate. Do not kill children…" (Muslim) Abu Bakr, his first successor in the leadership of the Muslim Ummah, ordered his army thus: "Do not betray or be treacherous. Do not mutilate. Do not kill the children, the aged, or the women. Do not cut palm trees or fruitful trees. Do not slay a sheep, a cow, or a camel except for your food. And you will come across people who confined themselves to worship in monasteries; leave them alone to what they devoted themselves for." (At-Tabari, volume 3, p. 213)

Playing the Empire Game

Someone might ask, if Islam is against aggressive wars, then why was there this long history of Islamic conquests that led to the establishment of an empire stretching from the borders of China to the heart of Spain? The answer is that in a world divided between empires, wars of expansion were not illegitimate. Empires did not have legally defined borders, nor did they have internationally agreed-upon norms of coexistence and diplomatic relations. What was and remains illegitimate is to annihilate the population or to convert them by force.

Islamic scripture did not ask Muslims to invade other people's lands, but Muslims played the empire game like anybody else when that game was the only available means of survival. No Muslim believes today that imperial expansion and colonization is justifiable because we are no longer living in a world of empires. The international system of today's world, though ineffective and manipulated by the powerful, is morally and legally binding because without it, mankind would go back to the bloody logic of the empires.

History puts Muslims on the highest level of nobility and humane treatment of the defeated.

Muslims subjugated many nations to the authority of their empire in the past, but they never coerced the people to convert to Islam, despite the fact that Islam is a proselytizing religion. The reason for this religious tolerance is unequivocal Qur'anic verses: [Let there be no compulsion in religion: truth stands out clear from falsehood] (Al-Baqarah 2:256); [Say (O Muhammad): This is the truth from the Lord of you all. Then whoever wishes let him believe, and whoever wishes let him disbelieve] (Al-Kahf 18:29). Moreover, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is told in the Qur'an that his mission is to teach and preach, not to impose or compel: [Remind them, for you are only a reminder. You are not a coercer over them] (Al-Ghashiyah 88:21–22); [You are not one to overawe them by force. So admonish with the Qur'an those who fear My Warning!] (Qaf 50:45).

In terms of war ethics, and within the traditions of the empires, history puts Muslims on the highest level of nobility and humane treatment of the defeated. In his book La Civilisation Arabe, the French historian and sociologist Gustav Le Bon affirmed that the world had never known a conqueror more merciful than Muslims.

From Holy War to Holy Peace

Though the three monotheistic faiths found one way or another to justify war for self-defense, they have much more to say about holy peace than about holy war, and the sanctity of the human life is the core of the teachings of all of these three faiths. Despite the problematic texts of the Torah we quoted before, a fair student of religion cannot ignore the fact that the oldest text on the sacredness of human life in the Abrahamic legacy is a text from the Torah, the fifth commandment that unambiguously warned "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). Peace is presented in the Hebrew scripture as a great bounty from God, though it is not a universal peace for all, but an exclusive peace for Israel: "But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel (Psalm 125:5); "And may you live to see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel" (Psalm 128:6).

In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasizes the virtues of peace saying "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) and telling his followers "Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Mathew 5:39). God is repeatedly presented in the New Testament as "the God of peace" (Romans 15:33 and 16:33; Hebrews 13:20; Philippians 4:9), "the God of love and peace" (2 Corinthians 13:11) and the "Lord of peace" (2 Thessalonians 3:16). The New Testament unequivocally urges Christians to "be at peace with each other" (Mark 9:50) and to live in peace with other human beings: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18).

One of the beautiful names of God in Islam is "the Peace" (Al-Hashr 59:23) and His path is described as "the path of peace" (Al-Ma'idah 5:16). Muslims are invited in the Qur'an to "enter into peace" and to avoid war, which is depicted as a Satanic endeavor: [O ye who believe! Enter into peace whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of Satan; for he is to you an avowed enemy] (Al-Baqarah 2:208).

Muslims are forbidden from waging war except for the aforementioned reasons: [If they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then God gives you no excuse to fight them] (An-Nisaa' 4:90). Muslims also have no option but to accept peace whenever the door to it is open, even when their enemy is not honest in his peaceful inclination: [If the enemies incline towards peace, you must also incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is the One who hears and knows all things. Should they intend to deceive you, then surely Allah is sufficient for you] (Al-anfal 8:61–62).

Foundations of Holy Peace

The way to holy peace is always open, and the three monotheistic faiths provide solid foundations for it. But holy peace requires a commitment to justice, honesty, and wisdom. It also requires a better interpretation of religious texts, by reading these texts within the context of God's grace, mercy, and benevolence.

The way to holy peace is always open, and the three monotheistic faiths provide solid foundations for it.

Justice is the foundation of holy peace. The Qur'an teaches that establishing justice is the goal of all messages and messengers of God: [We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance of Right and Wrong that humans may stand forth in justice] (Al-Hadid 57:25). Oppressors are always asking for "peace" and seeking "stability," but what they want is submission to their wrongdoings, the "peace of the graveyard" as one European philosopher rightly called it.

Honesty is another foundation of holy peace. Honesty means avoiding self-righteousness and self-justification. I was profoundly moved by the graphic description of the Holocaust atrocities in the Night of the great American Jewish novelist and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, and how he and his father passed through a terrifying process that degrades human life and dignity. But I was not impressed by the tone of self-righteousness and self-justification in Wiesel's Dawn, namely when he says "The commandment thou shalt not kill was given from the summit of one of the mountains here in Palestine, and we were the only ones to obey it. But that all over … in the days and weeks and months to come, you will have only one purpose: to kill those who have made us killers" (144).

Every Jew, Christian, and Muslim can claim some true and imagined virtues of the past for his or her people. However, building a holy peace for the future needs everyone to avoid using the past atrocities as a moral justification for the present aggression, occupation, and oppression. Moreover, the Palestinians of today are evidently not responsible for the wrongdoings of the Germans of yesterday.

Wisdom is the third foundation of holy peace. The definition of wisdom in the Arabic language is "putting everything in the right place." Wisdom is a combination of morality and practicality. Some chronic conflicts between individuals and nations are difficult to solve on the basis of justice only. Justice is sometimes too late or too costly. But these conflicts can be solved through wisdom. The goal of conflict resolution based on wisdom is to save the future, not to avenge the past. Since wisdom is a moral process, not a legal one, some level of compassion and forgiveness is necessary to reach a wise solution.

A sound interpretation of the holy texts is another challenge to the holy peace. Religion is a complex phenomenon and can be used as a practical guide for peacemaking and an effective tool for inciting war as well. The intensity of religious texts, and the ease of interpreting them in very different — even contradictory — ways, adds to the complexity of this issue. Because I read the Qur'an differently from some other Muslims, I understand why the pacifist Neturei Karta interprets the Torah differently from the belligerent Yesha Rabbinical Council, and why the pacifist Quakers read the Gospel differently from the apocalyptic Southern Baptists.

Holy peace is the way to discover our common humanity. But it requires a high level of intellectual courage, moral honesty, and a strong desire for forgiveness and reconciliation. A good place to start is to appreciate what the Other has and be honest about one's shortcomings and wrongdoings. No doubt that "it is distressing to examine the sins of one's own culture" (Armstrong xvi), but this painful self-examination is our only way to holy peace in today's world of violence and mistrust.

Works Cited

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Armstrong, Karen. Holy War: The Crusades and Their Impact on Today's World. Anchor, 2001.
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Wiesel, Elie. The Night Trilogy. Hill & Wang, 1987.

** Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti is a Mauritanian writer living in the USA.