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Preparing for Peace The website of the Westmorland General Meeting 'Preparing for Peace' initiative
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Saturday 18th May 2002Islam
and Ethics of War and Peace*
IMAM
Dr Abdul Jalil Sajid
The
evil attacks on the United States on 11th September, 2001, apparently by a
religiously inspired people, brought worldwide discussion on Islam, the question
of Jihad and war, and led a few misinformed and misguided individuals to confuse
the Islamic concept of Jihad (struggle against oppression, temptation, evil, and
to bring peace and justice) with the medieval concept of "holy war".
The equation of the two is erroneous and misleading. Holy wars were fought in
Medieval Europe in the name of God against infidels, because the latter were
perceived to stand against God. Jihad, on the other hand, is fought to repel
aggression and lift the oppression of a brutal force, and is never directed at
the other's faith. The fact that both are based on religious motivation does not
make them equal. I, therefore, do hope that this paper will contribute to a more
meaningful discussion of the notion of Jihad, the conception of war (Qital) and
peace (Salam) in Islamic tradition. I also hope to be able to illustrate that
Islamic worldview and values stand at the side of world peace and global
justice, and against aggression and brutality.
Islam
and Muslims Let
me begin from the very outset to clarify Islam from Muslim. Most people treat
Islam and Muslims as synonymous and mutually interchangeable terms, often saying
Islam where they ought to say Muslims and vice versa. In my opinion the word
"Islam" should be used exclusively for the "Divine way of
Life" based upon its divine sources: The Book known as Qur'an, "the
word of God" and Sunnah, "the proven practices of the Prophet"
(peace and blessing of God be upon him). "Muslims" as human beings are
free to abide or deviate from Divine Guidance, as they feel fit according to
their own conscience. Islam never claimed to be a new faith. It is the same
faith, which God ordained with the creation of the first man sent to earth.
Islam confirms almost all Biblical and Hebrew Prophets as the Prophets of Islam
and their messages as the messages of Islam as long it is confirmed in the
Qur'an the Book of Islam. The moral and ethical code of Islam is similar to
Judaism and Christianity. The only difference is in theology, concepts and
practices in method of worship of the One and the Only One God and methodology
how the morality and ethics should govern all spheres and aspects of our human
life. The
main sources of Shariah (Islamic law) are the Qur'an (The Book - word of God)
and the Sunnah (the proven practices of the Prophet of Islam), the two chief
sources of Islamic jurisprudence. Ijtihad in fact is a rational elaboration of
laws either based on the sources or stipulated through human reasoning and
self-exertion. Ijma (Ijtihad jamai) or Qias (Ijtihad faradi) etc. are all
inter-related, not only under the main heading of Ijtihad but also with the
interpretation of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Political
Theory of ISLAM: Din, Dunya and Dawla The
general theory of an Islamic State begins with a consideration of application of
Islamic Shariah in daily life. According to Islamic teachings, the Creator not
only laid down laws governing the natural universe but rules for human conduct
in all aspects of life. Unlike natural order, which follows its predetermined
laws, mankind has the freedom to rebel and follow its own "man-made"
laws, which is, however, a form of unbelief (shirk). Non-submission to the will
of Allah is not only an act of ingratitude (kufr) for divine mercies, but also a
choice for evil and misery in this world and punishment in the life hereafter.
In Islam, all aspects of natural life have been God-willed, therefore, the
ultimate purpose of all creation are the compliance of the created with the will
of the creator. Islamic
way of life can be summarised in three words 1) Din (religion), 2) Dunya
(Community), 3) Dawla (State). Islamic Shariah covers all of theses three
aspects. From Islamic point of view, life is a unity. It cannot be divided into
watertight compartments. Islamic Shariah gives directions to all aspects of life
in its entirety. Islamic Shariah is a complete scheme of life and an
all-embracing social order where nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking.
Therefore there is no separation between state and church. Secularism, in
Muslims view, destroys the transcendence of all moral values. In Qur'anic words
"those who forget God eventually forget themselves" (59:19) and their
individual and corporate personalities disintegrate. Muslims
are required to observe religious rules in the community and establish Islamic
State to achieve man's righteousness. It
is the duty of every Muslim to cooperate with others for seeking common good. It
is the duty of Islamic state to establish a just social order based on
principles of harmony, respect, freedom and dignity where all human beings are
accepted with all of their differences. Diversity is not only recognised but
also appreciated in Islamic Society. Muslims can discharge this responsibility
collectively with establishing an Islamic State with power to command (amr) and
prohibit (nahy). Thus Islamic State is an indispensable condition of Islamic
life in the true sense of the word "Islam".
Sanctity of life One
of the distinctive features of the present world is the overwhelming presence of
violence in our societies. The nature of indiscriminate and senseless violence
is considered one of the prime threats to the world peace and security. I must
make it clear that Islam upholds sanctity of human life, as the Qur'an declares
that killing one innocent human being is like killing the entire human race (Qur'an
5:32, 6:151, 17:33), like all other faith traditions. Islam considers all life
forms as sacred. The first and foremost basic right of a human being given by
God is the right to live in peace and security. However, taking a criminal's
life by the state in order to administer justice is allowed in Islam as it
upholds the rule of law, and helps maintains 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. The accused must be given full facilities under the law 'the right of
defence'. Extra judicial killings are strictly prohibited in Islam. Suicide killing So
what about suicide bombing, is this approved in Islam? Suicide bombing and killing one's own self is undoubtedly
forbidden in Islam (Qu'ran 4:29), as it is an abuse of the Divine gift of Life.
According to Islamic Law those who commit or try to commit suicide are
committing a major sin and will be sent to the fire of hell. Even patients who
are in severe pain are prohibited to wish death. Holy Prophet said: "Do not
harm yourself or injure others"; "Do not wish death even on the death
bed" (Bukhari & Muslim). The
Qur'an says clearly: "You
shall spend in the cause of God; do not throw yourselves with your own hands
into destruction. You shall be charitable; God loves the charitable". (Qur'an
2:195)."O you who believe do not consume each other's properties illicitly
- only mutually acceptable transactions are permitted. You shall not kill
yourselves. God is Merciful towards you". (Qur'an: 4:29)"Anyone who
commits these transgressions, maliciously and deliberately, we will condemn him
to Hell. This is easy for God to do". (Qur'an 4:30)Suicide is a state of
disbelief and loss of faith that is condemned by God in the Qur'an. God commands
the believers never to despair or lose hope and instead work for a brighter
future. "... None despairs of God's grace except the disbelieving
people." (Qur'an 12:87) The
warning in the Qur'an even extends to the surprise that will face those who in
despair of God's mercy commit these acts; "The day will come when each soul
will find all the good works it had done brought forth. As for the evil works,
they will wish that they were far, far removed. God alerts you that you shall
reverence Him alone". (Qur'an 3:30). "God advocates justice, charity,
and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and transgression. He
enlightens you, that you may take heed. (Qur'an16:90) "O
people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct
peoples and tribes, that you may recognise one another. The best among you in
the sight of God is the most righteous."(Qur'an 49:13) The
Qur'an does not call on young volunteers to strap explosives to their bodies and
set them off in crowded public areas. The Qur'an does not promise Heaven
(Paradise) as these suicide bombers were taught, but rather warn of condemnation
to Hell. No promises of paradise or of virgin wives for those suicide bombers
can be found in the Qur'an. That much is clear. Suicide bombers are waging a
distinctly modern type of warfare not sanctioned in any faith. Many Muslim
clerics and scholars have criticized the theology of suicide bombers, and the
practice is very controversial within Islam. In
the past year alone, the supreme religious leader and Grand Mufti of Saudi
Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al Sheikh, said: "He feared that
using explosives in this manner is a form of suicide, and therefore
condemned". Sheikh Al-Azhar Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, said: "Bombers who
detonate explosives among civilians are not fighting a true war and cannot be
considered martyrs". These voices are not often heard because the Muslim
community is united in the moral caused of the Palestinian and Kashmir people.
Let me clarify the Islamic position: "Hurt
no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your
Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds." (From the last sermon of
Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). "Hijacking
Planes, terrorizing innocent people and shedding blood constitute a form of
injustice that can not be tolerated by Islam, which views them as gross crimes
and sinful acts." Shaykh
Abdul Aziz al-Al-shaikh, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Senior
Ulama, on September 15th, 2001 "The
terrorists acts, from the perspective of Islamic law, constitute the crime of
hirabah (waging war against society)." September
27, 2001 - Fatwa, signed by Many scholars such as: Shaykh
Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Grand Islamic Scholar and Chairman of the Sunnah and Sira
Council, Qatar Judge
Tariq al-Bishri, First Deputy President of the Council of preachers, Egypt Dr.
Muhammad s. al-Awa, Professor of Islamic Law and Shari'a, Egypt Dr.
Haytham al-Khayyat, Islamic scholar, Syria Shaykh
Fahmi Houaydi, Islamic scholar, Syria Shaykh
Taha Jabir al-Alwani, Chairman, North America High Council "Neither
the law of Islam nor its ethical system justify such a crime." Dr
Zaki Badawi, Principal of the Muslim College in London. Cited in Arab News,
September 28, 2001. "It
is wrong to kill innocent people. It is also wrong to praise those who kill
innocent people." Mufti
Nizamuddin Shamzai, Pakistan. Cited in the New York Times, September 28, 2001. From
what has already been stated above, it is clear that suicide or indiscriminate
killing is not from Islam. However, unfortunately some Muslims have taken
suicide bombing as being a virtuous act by which one receives reward. This could
not be further from the truth. The Prophet said:" Those who go to extremes
are destroyed". Even
in the rules of Islamic warfare, we find no sanction for such an act from the
behaviour and words of the Prophet Muhammed and his companions. Unfortunately,
today (some misguided) Muslims believe that such acts are paving the way for an
Islamic revival and a return to the rule of Islam's glorious law. However, they
fail to bear in mind that the Prophet said:" Do not be delighted by the
action of anyone, until you see how he ends up". More Muslims killed and
persecuted. How can we be delighted with such an end? What really hammers the
final nail in the coffin of this act, is that it is suicide- something, which is
clearly forbidden in Islam. The
Messenger of Allah said: "He who kills himself, Allah will torment him with
that in the fire of Hell" Some are under the misconception that by killing
oneself for an Islamic cause, one commits an act, which deserves Paradise. Once
when a man killed himself, the Prophet (saws) said: "He is a dweller of the
Fire". The taking of ones life, which God has given as a trust, is a great
sin. Likewise the taking of other lives (which is so often the case with suicide
bombing) is also forbidden, as human life is indeed precious". If anyone
killed a person, ....it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind. And
(likewise) if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the whole of
mankind" (Qur'an 5:32) Thus, all other types of extremities such as hostage
taking, hijacking and planting bombs in public places, are clearly forbidden in
Islam.
Islam's call for Peace Islam
is a religion of peace. This fact is borne by both Islamic teachings and the
very name of "Islam." The term Islam essentially means to submit and
surrender one's will to a higher truth and a transcendental law, so that one can
lead a meaningful life informed by the divine purpose of creation, and where the
dignity and freedom of all human beings can be equally protected. Islamic
teachings assert the basic freedom and equality of all peoples. Islam stresses
the importance of mutual help and respect, and directs Muslims to extend
friendship and good will to all, regardless of their religious, ethnic, gender,
cultural, linguistic or racial background. Islam,
in fact, makes of peace at every greeting, which Muslims exchange whenever they
meet by saying, "Peace be unto you" (Assalamu 'Alaykum). The Muslim
also utters this statement at the end of every ritual prayer. From its
inception, the Qur'an emphasized peace as an intrinsic Islamic value. In fact,
the terms "Islam" and "Peace" have the same root, salaam.
Furthermore, God has chosen the word peace (salaam) as the Muslim's greeting to
reminds believers as one of God attributes. Islam,
on the other hand, permits its followers to resort to armed struggle (Qital) to
repel aggression, and indeed urge them to fight oppression, and injustice. But
for some Jihad or Qital is nothing less or more than a "holy war",
i.e. a war to enforce one's religious beliefs on others. Most Muslims would
reject the equation of Jihad with holy war. There are still small and vocal
groups of Muslims who conceive Jihad as a divine license to use violence to
impose their will on anyone they could brand as an infidel, including fellow
Muslims who may not fit their self-proclaimed categorisation of right and wrong. Peace
in Islam does not mean the absence of war, but the absence of oppression,
corruption, injustice and tyranny. Islam considers that real peace can only be
attained when justice prevails. Islam therefore justifies war against regimes
that prevent people from choosing their ideals and practicing their beliefs. It
does not, however, justify war against non-Muslim entities. The Islamic society
should thus maintain peace with those who show goodwill to Muslims. In
international law, there is a set of well-established rules concerning the
obligations of nations towards each other in times of war and peace. The first
of these is that a country should base its relations with other countries on
terms of peace so that it may exchange benefit and cooperate with others in
order to promote humanity to utmost perfection. Peaceful ties like these, they
say, should not be broken except in extreme urgencies that necessitate war,
provided that all peaceful steps have failed in terminating the cause of
dispute. This
is what Islam has always been working for, and the relations of Muslims with
others are primarily based on peace. Muslims refuse to fight merely because
others do not embrace a faith, nor Islam allow Muslims to fight against those
who disagree with them on any religious basis. Islam urges its followers to
treat such people kindly: "God does not enjoin you from befriending those
who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from your homes.
You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. God loves those you are
just and equitable." (Qur'an: 60:8).
In
another place, God says: ...Therefore, if they leave you alone, refrain from
fighting you, and offer you peace, then God gives you no excuse in fighting
them". (Qur'an 4:90. Muslims are told, " If they resort to peace, so
shall you, and put your trust in God" (Qur'an 8:61). Instructions like
these pave the way for the establishment of peace, and helps to set down
principles that call for the abolishment of war. Reviewing
the early Muslim era and reflecting on the experience of the early Muslim
generations, one can clearly see that peace was always the original position of
Muslims, and that war was either a punitive measure to annihilate tyranny and
oppression, or a defensive measure to stop aggression. From the very beginning,
Prophet Muhammad was instructed to use a friendly and polite approach to call
people to Islam. Invite to the way
of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways
that are best and most gracious. (Qur'an 16:125) Despite
the violent opposition of the Quraysh, the Prophet proceeded to summon people
peacefully to Islam, and the Muslims were further commanded, for prudential
reasons, not to respond to the violence of the Quraysh. Muslim pacifism during
the Makkan period was a political tool to influence change and to protect
Muslims from mass destruction. After the immigration to Madinah, the Muslims
were permitted to fight against those who declared war against them. The
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was the peacemaker of his
time. He endured torture, hunger and the killing of his loved ones by his
enemies, but he remained a merciful person. In his bloodless conquest of Makkah
he forgave his archenemies. In his 23 years of struggle for Islam, the total
number of people who lost their lives from all sides was less than 700 in wars
that were imposed upon him. Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. There is
an abundance of Quranic and historical evidence to show that it does not approve
of coercion. Throughout the thirteen years of his mission in Makkah, the Prophet
disallowed the use of force by his followers even though non-believers
persecuted them.
Peaceful
coexistence: An early example The
relationship between Abyssinia and the early Islamic state is an excellent case
study for rebutting the classical conception of the two territories (Dar al
Islam and Dar al harb), which calls for a permanent war against non-Muslim
political communities. Malik ibn Anas, the founder of the Maliki school of law,
advised that the Muslims should not conquer Abyssinia predicating his opinion on
a Hadith of the Prophet: "Leave the Abyssinians in peace so long as they
leave you in peace." He acknowledged that he was not sure of the
authenticity of the statement, but said: "People still avoid attacking
them." Abyssinia
had maintained its Christian identity long after Islam was established in Arabia
and North Africa. Few Muslim families could be found in the fourth Hijri
century. From the beginning, Abyssinians showed their good will to the early
Muslims who, escaping the persecution of Quraysh, had sought refuge in
Abyssinia. The Muslims were welcomed by the Abyssinians and were further
protected from their persecutors who sent a delegation to bring the Muslim
escapees back home. Good relations between Abyssinia and the Muslims of Arabia
continued, the former being the only nation to acknowledge Islam at that time. The
peaceful relationship between Abyssinia and the Islamic state is very
significant for rebutting the concept of the two territorial division of the
world, and its corollary conception of a permanent state of war, which does not
permit the recognition of any non-Muslim state as a sovereign entity. Some
Muslim sources claim that al Najashi, the king of Abyssinia during the time of
the Prophet, had embraced Islam after receiving the invitation of the Prophet.
Ibn al Athir, for instance, wrote in this regard: "When al Najashi received
the letter of the Prophet, he believed in him, following his (instructions), and
embraced Islam in the presence of Ja'far ibn Abu-Talib. The story about al
Najashi's accepting Islam did not affect the status of Abyssinia as a territory
in which Islam did not rule.
Arab
Christians The
campaign of Dawmah al Jandal, the first campaign against the northern Christian
tribes, which were Byzantine protectorates, was a punitive expedition to avenge
the attacks on the Muslim caravans to al Sham (Syria), such as Qada'ah and Banu
Kalb. Likewise, the campaign of Mu'tah was also a punitive expedition to avenge
several grave violations against the Muslim messengers and missionaries who were
killed by Arab Christians. For example, the Prophet sent al Harith ibn 'Umayr to
the governor of Busrah. Upon reaching Mu'tah, Harith met with Sharhabil Amir ibn
al Ghassani, who asked him"! "Are you a messenger of Muhammad? Al
Harith answered: Yes. Then Sharhabil ordered his men to kill him, and he was
executed." The
Prophet also sent "five men to Banu Sulayman who were cold-bloodedly
murdered by their hosts. Only their leader managed to escape, and he did so
purely accidentally. He also sent fifteen men to Dhat al Talh on the outskirts
of al Sham (Syria). They, too, were put to death in cold-blood." It was
also reported that the northern Christian tribes killed those among them who had
professed Islam, leaving the Muslims therefore no choice but to fight them for
their aggression and tyranny. These incidents, and others, triggered the
campaigns of Mu'tah and al Hudaybiah, and led eventually to the conquest of al
Sham and al 'Iraq.
Jews
of Madinah The
original position of Muslims concerning the Jews of Madinah was also based on
the principle of peaceful coexistence. A few months after the Prophet arrived in
Madinah, he concluded a covenant of friendship, alliance, and cooperation
between the Muhajirun and the Ansar on one side and the Jews and others on the
other side. The covenant not only recognised the freedom of religion of the Jews
and assured their security, but also provided them with complete autonomy, bound
with certain duties and obligations, mutually applicable on both Jews and
Muslims, as the following excerpt of the document reads: . . .
As
the Jews fight on the side of the Muslims, they shall spend of their wealth on
equal par with the Muslims. The Jews have their religion and the Muslims theirs.
Both enjoy the security of their own populace and clients except the unjust and
the criminal among them. The unjust or the criminal destroys only himself and
his family. The
friendly relationship between the Jews of Madinah and the Muslims continued
until 'Abdullah ibn Salam, a rabbi and a prominent Jewish leader, embraced
Islam. This incident, evidently, sparked grave panic among Jewish leaders, who
became apprehensive about the Muslim presence in Madinah and feared that Islam
would penetrate their ranks and files. It was at this stage that Jews began
their campaign against Muslims; first through a war of words, aimed at refuting
the Qur'anic teaching and inducing a state of suspicion about the Prophet and
his message, and later through conspiring with the enemies of Islam.
The
first confrontation between Jews and Muslims took place after the Battle of Badr
when some Jews of Banu Qaynuqa' violated the right of a Muslim woman by
forcefully exposing her nakedness. This incident developed into fighting between
a Muslim passer-by and the Jewish assailants in which a Jew and the passer-by
were killed. Consequently, general fighting between the clan of the murdered
Muslim and Banu Qaynuga' erupted. When the Prophet was informed of the
confrontation, he sent word to Banu Qaynuqa; asking them to stop the attacks and
keep the covenant of mutual peace and security. Banu Qaynuqa' responded by
ridiculing the Prophet's request, leaving the Muslims no option but to fight.
Likewise, the campaign against Banu al Nadir was triggered by their misconduct.
Justification of WAR in Islam Like
Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defence, in defence of religion, or
on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays
down strict rules of combat that include prohibitions against harming civilians
and against destroying crops, trees and livestock. For Muslims, injustice would
be triumphant in the world if good people were not prepared to risk their lives
in a righteous cause. Christianity made a complete prohibition of war. In the
Gospel of Matthew, Christ says: "I tell you: Do not resist the wicked, and
if one slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other." Similarly,
those in favour of absolute prohibition of war rely on the words of Christ to
Peter: "Return your sword to its sheath, for all those who grab the sword,
shall by the sword be slain." Some
Christians sacrificed their lives in the cause of prohibiting war; rather say
the prohibition of the military professions itself. Other Christians made
tremendous efforts to reconcile Biblical teachings and the necessities of the
society, and their efforts resulted in a differentiation between permissible war
and prohibited war. A war is fair and just, according to them, when the prince
declares it or ruler, provided his motive is truthful without greed or cruelty.
In the fourth century, which is after having established a State under the
leadership of Constantine, the Roman Emperor had to use force in order to uproot
paganism from the Roman Empire. This was declared as the "just war". For
Muslims the Qur'an declared: "Fight in the cause of God against those who
fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors."
(Qur'an 2:190) "And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion
is for God. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against
wrongdoers." (Qur'an 2:193) "If they seek peace, then you seek peace.
And trust in God for He is the One that hears and knows all things." (Qur'an
8:61) War
is therefore the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid
down by the sacred law of Shariah. The often misunderstood and overused term
'Jihad' literally means "struggle" and not "holy war" (a
term not found anywhere in the Qur'an or Hadith or in anywhere in the Shariah
law). Jihad, as an Islamic concept, can be on a personal level--inner struggle
against evil within oneself; struggle for decency and goodness on the social
level; and struggle on the battlefield, if and when necessary.
ISLAM and the International Law concerning war Islam
permits war but keeps it within the strict rules and limits. Islam has set down
certain rules, the most merciful and considerate to people, and required Muslims
to observe them. Such rules go in line with the principles of international law
in many ways. The principle of international law lacks divine authority that
ensures putting them into practical effect. The Muslim rules, though they aim at
justice and mercy, have the faith of Muslims as an authority to ensure them
being carried out. A.
International law determines that the citizens who are not regular members of an
army are not considered as fighters, and hence should not be inflicted with
harm; only regular soldiers (or armed men engaged in a war) are considered as
fighters. For the Qur'an says: "Permission
to fight in the cause of God against those who attack you, but do not aggress as
God does not like aggressors". (Qur'an: 2:190) It is an act of
transgression to when believers fight those who do not fight them, people like
their enemy's children and wives, as well as their sick, old and clergy. B.
International law forbids killing the wounded, torturing the enemy, destroying
them by treachery or deception, or using bombs, missiles or weapons which add to
their torture. It also prohibits the poisoning of wells, rivers and foods; it
recommends that the corpses of the dead be respected, and prohibits any severity
or mayhem be inflicted on them, regardless of the nationality of dead people.
Islam applies the same principles, for when the Prophet appointed an army or
troop leader he instructed him to follow the Qur'anic laws closely, not to be
the aggressor or transgress the limits. C.
International law prescribes a number of principles regarding the proper
treatment of captives. They should not be killed, injured, ill treated or
humiliated if they surrender or if they are deprived of their freedom. Islam
also urges the polite treatment of captives in general, and God commends the
righteous who treat such people hospitably, saying: "They donate their
favourite food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive by saying that we feed
you for the sake of God; we expect no reward from you, nor thanks". (Qur'an:
76:8-9)
Jihad in Islam Jihad
is one of the most misunderstood of Islamic terms used today, and many Muslims
are as confused by it as non-Muslims. Few
words carry as much power to install fear or hatred. That's because the news
media have widely interpreted Jihad to mean "holy war," linking it
with extremism and terrorism in the public consciousness. The
concept of Jihad has nothing to do with aggressive warfare or "Holy
war". The word Jihad finds its origin in the verb jahada, which means to
struggle one's utmost effort to remain Muslim and to exert to establish peace
and justice. The word Jihad has a few different connotations, since struggle can
occur on several levels. Muslims understand these levels based not only on the
words of Allah in the Qur'an, but also on the authentic statements of the
Prophet Muhammad as recorded in our oral traditions, preserved as ahadith. Jihad
refers to any effort, mental, moral or physical, made to make God's Word
supreme. It covers a wide range of activities, from fighting inside oneself
against one's own evil promptings to being engaged in war for the cause of
Islam. Here are the levels of Jihad: Personal
Jihad: Prophet Muhammad Ibn 'Abdullah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) said, "The most excellent Jihad is that of the soul." This
Jihad, called the Jihadun-Nafs, is the intimate struggle to purify the soul of
satanic influence -- both subtle and overt. It is the struggle to cleanse one's
spirit of sin. This is the most important level of Jihad because one fights
against ones own temptations, ignorance and weakness. Verbal
Jihad: On another occasion, the Prophet said, "The most excellent Jihad is
the speaking of truth in the face of a tyrant." He encouraged raising one's
voice in the name of Allah on behalf of justice. Physical
Jihad: This is combat waged in defence of Muslims against oppression and
transgression by the enemies of Allah, Islam and Muslims. Muslims are commanded
by God to lead peaceful lives and not transgress against anyone, but also to
defend ourselves against oppression by "fighting against those who fight
against us." This Jihad with the hand" is the aspect of Jihad that has
been so profoundly misunderstood in today's world. Jihad
is an all-round struggle and makes it obligatory for a Muslim to exercise all
his powers, be these in the form of intellectual and physical capacities, or his
gift of speech or his moral strength, courage and steadfastness in the face of
hardship, or his worldly riches. We reproduce below a few of them in order to
explain the true nature and significance of Jihad in Islam: - "The
believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Apostle and
thereafter doubted not, and struggled hard with their riches and their persons
in the cause of Allah. Those! They are the truthful". (Qur'an 49:15)
"And strive hard for Allah, as is due unto Him hard striving. He has chosen
you, and has imposed no hardship on you in the (matter of) religion, the faith
of your father Ibrahim". (Qur'an 22 : 78) These
verses sum up the spirit of Jihad in Islam. It is a striving in the way of
Allah, and has far wider scope than mere fighting. The Prophet of Islam, once
when explaining the true qualities of a mujahid (the one who strives in the path
of Allah), significantly remarked: - "The mujahid is one who tries to
struggle against his self, i.e., evil self." Ibn Qayyim in his explanation
of this aspect of Jihad has observed: "The Jihad (struggle/striving)
against the evil tendencies, which have dominated his mind and heart, is more
important than fighting against the enemies in the outside world. It is in fact
the basis on which the struggle in the path of God can be successfully
launched." Since Jihad is an all-round struggle, a struggle directed to so
many channels, it necessitates the employment of different methods for its wide
and varied responsibilities. According to Imam Raghib, a Muslim is required to
fight against three foes:
Ibn
Rushd in his famous Bidayahtul Mujtahid maintains that the believer may fulfil
this struggle in four ways: with his heart, by his tongue, by his hands, and by
the sword. The first of these implies that a Muslim should develop his
sensitivities to the point of excellence, so much so that nothing, which is
evil, should find its way either into his heart or into his mind. He should have
a deep-rooted aversion to evil and a strong desire to fight it tooth and nail,
whether it is found in his own self or in the world outside.
Then comes the function of the power of expression, which has a vital
role to play in the establishment of a sound and just social order, free from
all kinds of exploitation. This power has a double responsibility in the sense
that it has to clothe in noble words the noble ideals and sentiments, which
surge up in the mind and heart of man, and then by dint of his eloquence,
imprint their superiority in the minds of other people. Moreover, this gift of
expression is to be used for protesting against evils in human life. The Qur'an
shows the way, how the power of expression is to be used for inviting people to
the path of Allah: - Invite
(all) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue
with them in ways that are best and most gracious; for your Lord knows best who
have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance. (Qur'an16: 125) In his
characteristic style, the Prophet of Islam has explained that Jihad consists not
only of using the sword, but that even when a Muslim uses his tongue for
protesting against the atrocities of tyrants, he is waging Jihad. He once said:
- "Whoever
amongst you sees something abominable, he should endeavour to change it with his
hand, in case he has the power to do it; but if he lacks the requisite power he
should then use his tongue, and if he is powerless in this also, he must then
hate it from the heart of his heart, and this in fact is the weakest (state) of
the faith." Then
in another tradition, which is narrated on the authority of Abu Sai'd al-Khudri,
the Prophet significantly remarked: - "The
best of Jihad is the uttering of the word of truth in the face of a tyrannical
ruler." This
would make it abundantly clear that Jihad in Islam is not necessarily an act of
violence. It is in fact an all-round struggle in the path of Allah. Qital
fi sabil-Allah (fighting for sake of Allah) Qital
(fighting and waging war), a word often used in the Qur'an, is the highest form
of Jihad. It is not an act of aggression for the sake of material interests or a
wanton display of national or tribal power, but it is a sacred duty assigned to
every Muslim in the interests of humanity so that there should be peace and
justice in the world. The word Jihad is often confused with the word qital
(fighting) and these are used in one and the same sense, whereas the Qur'an has
made a clear distinction between
qital and Jihad fi Sabil Allah (fighting for the sake of God). The Qur'an has
also clearly pointed out that Jihad denotes two kinds of strivings; striving
with the help of God-given faculties, both mental and physical, and striving
with the help of resources which one has at one's command. In
this all-round struggle, however, which covers all aspects of life, Islam has
assigned a special place to qital (fighting) as well. Circumstances do arise in
which the use of arms becomes a dire moral necessity and even a slight show of
weakness on such occasions can lead to disastrous results. The Holy Qur'an
stresses the need for rising to such occasions and has exhorted Muslims to face
the dangers that might thus beset them bravely and manfully. Thus the use of
force is not only permitted in Islam, but its need has been duly stressed in the
Qur'an and the Sunnah. But it should be made clear that even qital in Islam is
not an act of mad brutality. "It represents in Muslim law what is known
among western jurists as 'just way'." In order to understand the true
nature of qital in Islam, we must first analyse the different motives, which
incite people to fight: - 1)
The desire for material benefits is the principal impulse for warlike
aggression: "Territory, with the attendant booty of various kinds, has been
the usual stake in war, coveted alike by peoples and by dynasties." 2)
"The fear of injury as well as the resentment due to actual injury has
unfailingly prompted defensive war when resistance was possible and often when
it might well be deemed hopeless. The interests which nations have usually been
prepared to defend at all costs are, in addition to their territory, their
jurisdiction and their honour." 3)
The desire for power and glory has been the dominant motive of the great
conquerors and their armies. It is a fact that ambitious men have again and
again resorted to the use of force as means of appropriating territory and
increasing their own wealth and that of the people whom they represent. However
there is no denying the fact that nations as well as individuals find
satisfaction in the exercise of power as an end in it. This desire manifests
itself in the attempt of a nation or class to acquire dominion over others. 4)
"The passions of hatred and revenge have also furnished a relatively
independent motive. A nation can take up an attitude that is still on a lower
plane than brutal selfishness; it can become inspired by a hatred of the
diabolic kind, which makes it disregard even the counsels of self-interest for
the satisfaction of inflicting deadly injury on a loathed enemy. The spirit of
hatred has sometimes even been engendered by centuries of conflict or
oppression." Qital
in Islam has no evil design behind it. Islam has the greatest respect not only
for the lives of human beings but even for those of animals and plants. It is
only for the achievement of some nobler ends and those too, through noble means,
that a Muslim has been exhorted to lay hands upon them. There are many verses in
the Qur'an, which speak eloquently of the sanctity of life: - And there is not
an animal on the earth, not a bird that flieth with its two wings, but are
communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book; then they (all)
shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. ( Qur'an 6:38). It
must be said that the meaning of Jihad, as a 'holy war', is something that is
totally foreign and not only from Islam. By simply looking into the sources of
Islam, one is able to know that the true meaning of Jihad is to strive/make
effort in the way of Allah. Thus striving in the way of Allah can be both
peaceful and physical. The Prophet Muhammed (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) said: "The best Jihad is (by) the one who strives against his own self
for sake of Allah, The Mighty and Majestic" By
controlling and fighting against ones desires, the Muslims can then also
physically exert themselves in the path of Allah. It is this physical or
combative Jihad, which receives so much criticism. Because of the sheer
ignorance of this type of Jihad Islam is regarded as terror, and Muslims are
regarded as terrorists. However, the very purpose of this physical jihad is to
raise the word of Allah uppermost. By doing this, it liberates and emancipates
all those who are crying out for freedom all over the world. If the likes of the
pacifists of this world had their way, then the world would indeed be full of
anarchy and mischief. Jihad
is something, which is commanded by God upon the Muslims. Through this command
the oppressed and weak are rescued from the tyranny of the world: "And
what is the matter with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and for
those weak, ill treated and oppressed among men, women and children whose only
cry is; 'Our Lord, rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors and
raise for us from you one who will protect us...." (The Qur'an 4:75) Anyone
who knows the early history of Islam will know that all those nations and
empires, which came under the fold of Islam, were indeed previously oppressed.
When the companions of the Prophet Muhammed went out for the Jihad against the
Egyptians, the Persians and the Romans, we find that the people did not resist
against them at all. Rather, they welcomed Muslims as the liberator from
oppressed people, liberation from centuries of tyranny. In fact, with the
Byzantine Egyptians and the people of Spain, the Muslims were even beckoned to
come and liberate these lands from the oppression of their kings. By
looking at the rules and regulations of this combative Jihad it will be clear to
any sincere person that this is indeed the religion of truth. When fighting an
unjust enemy, no matter how unjust they are, it is forbidden by Islam that their
retreating forces are mutilated, tortured or slaughtered. The treacherous
violation of treaties and carrying out assassinations after a cease-fire, are
also prohibited. Allah says in the Qur'an: "And fight in the way of Allah
those who fight you. But do not transgress the limits. Truly Allah loves not the
transgressors" (Qur'an 2:190) Not
transgressing the limits means not to kill women and children, for the Messenger
of Allah (saws) "forbade the killing of women and children". Not
transgressing the limits means that the elderly, the sick, monks, worshippers
and hired labourers are not attacked. Not transgressing the limits means not
killing animals wantonly, burning crops and vegetation, polluting waters and
destroying homes, monasteries, churches and synagogues:" Allah does not
forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on
account of religion, nor drove you out of your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those
who deal with equity" (Qur'an 60:8) After
reading such passages from the Qur'an and knowing about what Islam commands and
prohibits in Jihad, the rules of warfare are given a new meaning; a meaning of
justice. How sad it is then, that whilst Islam is condemned for striking terror
into the hearts of the people, the likes of the Serbs, the Indian army in
Kashmir and the Israeli soldiers in Palestine are left untarnished for the
atrocities they have committed in the name of warfare.
The
Qur'an on war, peace and justice The
aim of war according to the Qur'an is not to propagate or spread Islam, nor is
it to expand the territory of the Islamic State or dominate, politically or
militarily, non-Muslim regions. Rather, the aim of war is to establish and
assure justice, and to annihilate oppression and abolish tyranny. It is true
that the right to communicate the message of Islam is protected under Islamic
law, and the Islamic society must, therefore, respect and defend this right. But
the obligation to protect the right of Muslims, and for this matter all
religious communities, to promote their belief and values should be carried out
through peaceful means and in a friendly manner. The assurance of justice and
destruction of tyranny are therefore the underlying objectives of war. However,
since the terms "justice" and "tyranny" cover wide ground
and permit broad interpretation, they need to be translated into more concrete
forms. We can distinguish five situations where the violation of the principle
of justice and the excessive misconduct of tyranny call the Islamic society to
war and justify its use of violence against the political entity that is
implicated in such practices.
1.
War against oppression It
is incumbent upon Muslims to challenge any political authority that either uses
its free exchange of ideas, or prevents people to freely professing or practice
the religion they chose to embrace. "And
fight them until there is no more persecution and religion is only for
Allah" . . . (Qur'an 2:193) "And
why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are
oppressed - men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord, rescue us
from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Thee one who
will protect; and raise for us from Thee one who will help." (Qur'an 4:75)
It
should be made clear here that oppressiveness of a particular regime is not to
be determined by comparing the values and conduct of that regime with Islamic
norms and standards, but rather by its toleration of the Muslim interaction with
its subjects and the communication of Islam to the general public. Corruption
and mismanagement should not be considered, therefore, the criteria that
classify a particular regime as oppressive, deserving, thus, to be fought,
because, it may be recalled, Muslims are commanded to invite mankind to Islam
through friendly and peaceful means and effect social and political change using
the peaceful methods of education and moral reformation. Only when their
peaceful efforts are frustrated and met with violence, are they justified to use
violence to subdue the aggressive party. As it was shown above, the Prophet did
not resort to war against the Pagan Arabs until they persecuted the Muslims and
violated their lives and properties; nor did he fight the Jews of Madinah until
they betrayed the Muslims and conspired with their enemies. Similarly, the
Prophet declared war against Byzantium and its Arab allies only when they killed
the messengers and missionaries who were sent to peacefully summon people to
Islam and introduce to them the new revelation of God.
2:
War in defence of Muslims When
wrong is inflicted on a Muslim individual by a member, or members, of another
community, whether this wrong is done to his person, by assaulting or murdering
him, or to his property by robbing or unjustly confiscating it, the Islamic
state is obligated to make sure the individual, or his family, is compensated
for his suffering, and that his rights are upheld. Because it is beyond the
scope of this paper to discuss the legal procedure of this matter, it suffices
to say that the Islamic state should ensure that justice has been done to the
wronged Muslim, even if that takes a declaration of war against the political
community that tolerates such an aggression, provided that the authority of the
political community has refused to amend the wrong inflicted on the Muslim
individual after it has been formally notified and given reasonable time to
respond. " . . . Whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury
on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your
duty) to Allah and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil)".
( Qur'an 2:194). Upon
examining closely the Qur'anic passages in which God permitted Muslims to fight,
we find them to clarify that war should be a means to drive away aggression and
tyranny. God says: "Permission is granted to those who are being
persecuted, since injustice has befallen them, and God is certainly able to
support them. They were evicted from their homes unjustly, for no reason other
than saying "our Lord is God." If it were not for God's supporting of
some people against others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques -
where the name of God is commemorated frequently - would have been destroyed. As
for victorious Believers, God says, "They are those who, if we appointed
them as rulers on earth, they would establish the system of obligatory regular
prayers (Salah) and the obligatory charity (Zakat), and would advocate
righteousness and forbid evil, God is the ultimate authority".
(Qur'an, 22:39-41). Military
victory should not lead to expansion or dominance as the case is with colonial
regimes, nor should it lead to control over sources of wealth, or to arrogance
in the land to raise a race above another. Victorious believers had better
"establish regular prayers" to attain spiritual exaltation by
worshipping God, and to purify their spirits. They "establish the
obligatory charity" and thus establish social justice by supporting the
right of the needy to live a decent life. They "advocate righteousness
" by spreading benevolence and right among people, and " forbid
evil" by fighting against evil and corruption and uprooting them from
society. The Prophet fought only to drive away aggression, after having received
his divine orders: "You may fight in the cause of God against those who
attack you, but do not accede the limit as God does not like aggressors" (Qur'an
2:190).
3.War
against foreign aggression The
clear-cut case of foreign aggression is a military attack on the Islamic state
or its allies. The Muslims, however, are not obliged to wait until the enemies
launch their attack, to respond. Rather, the Islamic state can initiate war and
carry out a pre-emptive strike if the Muslim authorities become convinced beyond
a shadow of a doubt that the enemy is mobilizing its forces and is about to
carry out an offensive, or if a state of war already exists between the Islamic
state and its adversaries. If
aggression is committed against another political entity with which the Islamic
state has entered into mutual alliance, or has signed a treaty that stipulates
protection, the Islamic state is also obliged to fulfil its commitment to its
ally and provide the military support needed. The conquest of Makkah was
precipitated by Quraysh's attack on Khuza'ah, which was an ally of the Islamic
city-state of Madinah, thereby violating a provision of the Treaty of al
Hudaybiyah that prohibited such an act. Polytheists used different methods to
inflict harm on Muslims. Finally they decided to kill the Prophet. When the
latter learned of the intention, he immigrated to Medina and was warmly welcomed
by its people who pledged allegiance to him in the cause of Islam. The atheists
were not content with trying to kill the Prophet, but also provoked non-Muslim
tribes against him in order to put an end to his Message. When the case reached
this stage, God gave permission to Mohammed to fight.
4.
Fighting for the cause of Justice and Truth The
Muslims are commanded to establish justice and peace on earth. This requires
Muslims to stand in the face of injustice and oppression, wherever they may be,
and eradicate their causes, and not to take hold of the earth, or enslave people
or dominate their welfare, but establish the Word of God on earth, without
doubtful intentions. In Islam, this is called the "strife in the cause of
God" and the "Fight in the cause of God." (Qur'an 2:244 and
22:78). The cause of God is the
cause of justice. Every fight in the cause and support of freedom in religion is
a fight in the cause of God; and every fight to drive away oppression and
support the oppressed against the oppressor, or to support right and justice, is
a fight in the cause of God. Every effort done to attain or protect justice is
also done in the cause of God. The
Qur'an demands believers to fight in the cause of God, without any worldly
intentions. The following verses, sent down to the Prophet in Medina, clarify
the aims of war: Those who readily fight in the case of God are those who
forsake this world in favour of the hereafter. Whoever fights in the cause of
God, then gets killed, or attains victory, we shall surely grant him a great
recompense. Why should you not fight in the cause of God when weak men, women,
and children are imploring: "Our Lord, protect and save us from this
community whose people are oppressive, and be You our Lord and Master".
(Qur'an: 4:74-75). A hint is made here that, in Islam, war is not for
oppressing or enslaving people; it is waged for the cause of God and weak
people, like those in Makkah who were persecuted and oppressed by the Makkan
atheists. It is the duty of every believer to support people like these and
relieve them from oppression, people who no longer have any supporter and thus
turn to God for refuge. Then God says: Those who believe are fighting for the
cause of God , while those who disbelieve are fighting for the cause of tyranny.
Therefore, you shall fight the devil's allies; the devil's power is nil. (Qur'an
4:76) Evil
means transgression of limits. Thus when one transgresses limits and behaves
arrogantly in the land, enslaves others and deprives them of their rights or of
having a share in the riches of the earth, he is said to be fighting "in
the cause of Evil" which God criticizes severely and considers as the motto
of atheists. The aim of fighting in the cause of God is to spread Divine Law
(which calls for justice and freedom of religion) in the world without there
being any selfish intent or arrogance in the land, as God wants the case to be:
"We reserve the abode of hereafter for those who do not seek exaltation on
earth, nor corruption. The ultimate victory belongs to righteous" (Qur'an:
28:83). To
this effect, Mohammed sent his delegates to eight neighbouring rulers with
messages calling them to embrace Islam. The appeal was rejected. Some of them
even killed the Prophet's delegates, and some tore the message and threatened
the delegates who had brought it. The rulers of the time were a clear obstacle
in front of the individuals' freedom and their right to live in justice and to
choose their religion freely. Islam was the civilised step in the development of
humankind. Islam declared war against an obsolete form of tyrannical governing.
If Islam used force, then only to enforce justice that resulted in fascinating
civilizations in every area where Islam entered.
5.
War of law enforcement When
a proportion of the population residing within the boundaries of the Islamic
state breaks the rule of law, or threaten the territorial integrity of the
Islamic state, the Muslim authorities are justified in using armed force to
subdue the rebellion. It should be emphasised, however, that what is at issue
here is not just opposition to a particular public policy, but an insurrection
that attempts to achieve its goals through military tactics, threatening thereby
the lives and property of other members of the society. Three types of
dissension, however, should be differentiated, two of which are merely causes of
rebellion, which can be forcefully subdued, while the third is a case of
legitimate political opposition that should be dealt with in a peaceful manner
The
principles of peace and its Strategy If
war is justified in the situations described above, a question arises as to
whether Muslims are obligated to fight in these situations, no matter what the
circumstances are, or whether it is simply a matter of permissibility or
choices, and hence up to the Muslim community to exercise its right to declare
war in such situations? To answer this question we need to differentiate between
the principle of Jihad as a permanent obligation incumbent upon Muslims, and the
method of Jihad which is to be determined after assessing the prevailing
conditions of the moment, and selecting the most appropriate method of Jihad to
effectively deal with these conditions. In other words, while the Muslim Ummah
is obliged to uphold the principle of Jihad and satisfy its requirements, the
method of honouring this principle is a question of strategy. Eliminating
oppression and protecting human life, defending Muslim sovereignty and upholding
the Islamic law, are objectives of the Islamic Ummah. The principle of Jihad
obligates the Muslims to maintain and achieve these objectives. The best way to
achieve these objectives, and most appropriate method of upholding the principle
of Jihad is, however, a question of leadership and strategy.
Throughout
the Makkan period, the Muslims maintained a pacifist approach in dealing with
their adversaries, despite the physical abuse and mental anguishes inflicted
upon them by Quraysh. For pacifism was then the best method to effectively
achieve Muslim objectives. Some might argue that Muslims did not resort to
violence during the Makkan period because they were not permitted to fight at
that time- an argument easily overturned when we realise that the absence of the
principle of self-defence during the Makkan period was a temporary suspension of
the principle's application, rather than its nullification or rejection.
Certainly, the Qur'an unequivocally states that the principle of self-defence
and military deference is an essential element of social life and a fundamental
principle around which human civilization has evolved ".
. . . and had it not been (the Will of) Allah that one set of people is repelled
by another, certainly the earth would have been in a state of disorder". (Qur'an
2:251) ".
. . and had it not been (the Will of) Allah that one set of people is repelled
by another, certainly there would have been pulled down monasteries, churches,
synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant
measure." ( Qur'an 22:40) Thus,
it is up to the Muslim leadership to assess the situation and weigh the
circumstances as well as the capacity of the Muslim community before deciding
the appropriate type of jihad. At one stage, Muslims may find that Jihad,
through persuasion or peaceful resistance, is the best and most effective method
to achieve just peace, as was the case during the Makkan period. At another
stage, fortification and defensive tactics may be the best way to achieve these
objectives. The selection of the method of Jihad, however, is not an arbitrary
decision, but one that takes into account the general conditions of both the
Muslim community and its adversaries, including the military balance between the
Muslims and their enemies and the morale of the Muslim army. The
Qur'an circumscribed the Muslim ability to militarily confront its adversaries
by two ratios (ten-to-one and two-to-one) that sets the upper and lower limits
of the Muslim forces in terms of their manpower. "O Prophet, rouse the
believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and
persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a
thousand of the unbelievers: for these are people without understanding". (Qur'an
8:65) "For the present, Allah
hath lightened your (task), for He knows that there is a weak spot in you: but
(even though), if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will
vanquish two hundred, and if a thousand, they will vanquish two thousand, with
the leave of Allah: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere" (Qur'an
8:66) These
verses vividly state that given favourable conditions and high morale, Muslims
could, by virtue of their faith, win against odds of ten to one. But when their
organisation and equipment are weak, and their morale falls short of the optimal
situation, they are obligated to tackle no more than odds of two to one. Let
us examine some verses of the Quran, which unfortunately has led many to
misunderstand the Islamic conduct of war. One cannot understand Qur'anic verses
without knowing their reference to context and period of revelation and
circumstances when the verses were revealed. Below is a clear explanation that
can help clarify misconceptions. When it comes to the Islamic conduct of war,
some of the verses of the Qur'an that have often been quoted to
"prove" Islam promotes violence and bloodshed are found in Chapter/Surah
2 verses 190-194: "Fight
against those who fight against you in the way of Allah, but do not transgress,
for Allah does not love transgressors. Kill them whenever you confront them and
drive them out from where they drove you out. (For though killing is sinful)
wrongful persecution is even worse than killing. Do not fight against them near
the Holy Mosque unless they fight against you; but if they fight against you
kill them, for that is the reward of such unbelievers. Then if they desist, know
well that Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Compassionate. Keep on fighting against
them until mischief ends and the way prescribed by Allah prevails. But if they
desist, then know that hostility is only against the wrong doers. The sacred
month for the sacred month; sanctities should be respected alike (by all
concerned). Thus, if someone has attacked you, attack him just as he attacked
you, and fear Allah and remain conscious that he with those who guard against
violating the bounds sets Allah." (Qur'an 2:190-194).
The historic context and nature of the Qur'an The
Qur'an comprises of revelations from God to Prophet Muhammad over a period of
twenty-three years (610 C.E. - 632 C.E.). The first 13 years of the prophet-hood
of Muhammad were at his hometown of Makkah, where he and his fellow Muslims were
severely persecuted by the pagans of Makkah. During that time, Muslims were not
ordered to fight back, but bear the persecutions. Finally, God ordered the
Prophet and his fellow Muslims to immigrate to the city of Madinah, about 400
kilometres away. This
emigration, known as the Hijrah, marked the beginning of an Islamic society in
Madinah, in which the Prophet became the head of the state. It was not long
before the polytheists of Makkah marched towards Madinah to wage war against
Muslims and destroy the Islamic state of Madinah. This battle is known as the
Battle of Badr. The verses 2.190-2.194, above were perhaps the first injunctions
from God to Muslims to prepare themselves for fighting. It was obviously a war
in the defence of their homeland and their Faith. In verse 2.190, God instructs
Muslims to fight back, but not to transgress, and remain just even during the
battle. "They are told that material interests should not be the motivation
for their fighting, that they should not take up arms against those were not in
opposition to the true faith, that they should not resort to unscrupulous
methods or to the indiscriminate killing and pillage which characterized the
other wars. The excesses alluded to in this verse are acts such as taking up
arms against women and children, the old and the injured, mutilation of the dead
bodies of the enemy, uncalled for devastation through the destruction of fields
and livestock, and other similar acts of injustice and brutality. The Prophet
prohibited all these acts. The real intent of the verse is to stress that force
should be used only when its use is unavoidable, and only to the extent that is
absolutely necessary." God,
in whom the believers have faith, is forgiving and ready to pardon even the
worst criminals and sinners after they have renounced their arrogant defiance
towards Him, It is suggested that this attribute of God should be reflected in
the behaviour of the believers as well. Hence, whenever the believers have to
resort to armed conflict, they should do so not for the sake of quenching their
thirst for vengeance but in the just cause of their defence. Their conflict with
any group should last only as long as that group is fighting them. As soon as it
gives up this fight the hostility should cease. It
should be emphasised that so many revelations in the Holy Qur'an came down to
provide guidance to Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims based on what they were
confronting at that time. Therefore, it is important to understand and know the
historic context of the revelations for a proper understanding of these verses. In
accordance with Qur'anic verse 256 of Chapter 2, the acceptance of Islam by any
individual must be based on that individual's free choice. Any attempt to force
a non-Muslim to accept the faith of Islam is a grievous sin. Furthermore, the
Muslim community (Ummah) has no right whatsoever to undermine either the social
structure or the religious and cultural freedom of the non-Muslims living in its
midst, or to deprive them of their civic rights. After the establishment of the
Islamic community in Madinah, Islam continued to forbid its followers from
initiating any aggression against others. Although Islam recognises the periodic
necessity of war subject to the constraints of Shari'ah, which permits war only
inasmuch as it is just, Qur'anic verse 190 of Chapter 2 clearly states:
"Fight in God's way against those who fight against you. But do not commit
aggression. Truly, God loves not the aggressors." In accordance with these
teachings, contemporary mainstream Islamic groups clearly dissociate themselves
from violence, condemning it and considering those who perpetrate it to have no
proper understanding of teachings and objectives of Islam.
Avoid War and cycle of wars at all costs In
a war or war-like situation the effort to avert bloodshed and find out ways and
means to promote negotiated settlement is far more important. The Prophet (PBUH)
always tried all possibilities of negotiated settlement and resorted to war in
self-defence only if all efforts to find a negotiated settlement failed. The
best example of this is what is known in the history of Islam as
sulh-i-Hudaibiyah (Peace agreement made at Hudaibiyah). This is a major
contribution by the Prophet of Islam in promoting a negotiated settlement and
averting needless bloodshed. He even accepted terms, which were not apparently
favourable to Muslims. The terms of peace appeared to be even humiliating to his
senior companions. The Prophet accepted these terms to avoid human slaughter and
in the interest of peace. Sulh-Hudaibiyuyah
is of fundamental significance in the interest of peace. Peace is the real
objective and war only a necessary evil in certain unavoidable situations. Also
it is a wrong assumption that it is duty of the Muslims to fight against all
non-believers or kafirs (infidels). The Qur'an itself mentions about treaties
with unbelievers and according to the Qur'an and hadith it is the duty of all
Muslims to honour all treaties and alliances with non-believers. The Muslims
must respect all such alliances until non-Muslims dis-honour these.
Respecting
Individual Freedom of Belief The
war is not the instrument of the Islamic state to propagate Islam and extend its
territory. The question one needs an answer now: "Does Islam recognise
individual freedom of conscience i.e., are people free to accept or reject
Islam?" The answer to this question is an emphatic yes. The principle of
the freedom of belief has been unequivocally established in two Qur'anic verses:
If it had been the Lord's will, all those who are on earth would have
believed will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe? (Qur'an
10:99) Let there be no compulsion
in religion: Truth stands out clear from error. (Qur'an 2:256)
The
first verse (10:99) was revealed in Makkah before Hijrah, while the second was
revealed in Madinah after Hijrah. As al Qurtubi mentioned in his Qur'anic
commentary, and some commentators claim that the second verse (2:256) has been
abrogated by the verses of Surah Bara'ah, which permitted the Muslims to fight
the "People of the Book", while others ascertain that it has not been
abrogated. Al Qurtubi quotes Abu Ja'far's interpretation of this verse:
"The meaning of 'let there be no compulsion in religion' is that no one is
to be forced to accept Islam. The al has been added to the world din so that
their combination al din would indicate Islam." As
this principle appeared in Qur'an, this cannot be abrogated by the hadith:
"I have been commanded to fight people until they say: 'There is no god but
Allah' for as it was indicated above, the hadith embodies a particular rule (hukm
khass) which is applicable only to the Pagan Arabs. Even if we were to
hypothetically treat the hadith as a general rule, it could not be used to
abrogate a Qur'anic verse. For while the previous hadith is an exclusively
narrated hadith (hadith ahad) and therefore uncertain (zanni al dalalah), the
verse, like all other Qur'anic verses, is extensively narrated (mutawatir) and,
therefore, certain (qat'i al dalalah). The
claim of abrogation is clearly flawed; for both verses embody firm rule (muhkam).
The first verse points out in unequivocal fashion that it had not been God's
that mankind should be forced to believe; and the second verse provides more
explanation as to why people should not be compelled to accept Islam by
indicating that "Truth stands out clear from error." Because God's
will is not subject to change, and because truth stands always clear from error,
the two verses are not, therefore, subject to abrogation.
Qur'an
and Hadith on Religious Persecution No
compulsion in religion This
part has two sections. The first is a brief explanation of Qur'anic verses that
are often mistaken as instructions to persecute Non-Muslims. The second section
features verses from the Qur'an and Hadith that vehemently insist on religious
tolerance and the idea of "no compulsion in religion." God willing,
Non-Muslims as well as our Muslim brothers and sisters who resort to violence,
will take these verses into consideration. Anti-Islamic people often use the
following verses to justify the stereotype that Islam is a religion of violence
and intolerance, which was spread by the sword. The explanations here were aided
by Abdullah Yusuf Ali's commentary on the Holy Qur'an. 8:12
"Remember thy lord has inspired the angels with the message. Give firmness
to the believers and instil terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. Smite
them above their necks and smite the fingertips of them." This verse is
about a BATTLE - the Battle of Badr - not just some daily affair. A battle takes
two sides to occur. Are you under the impression that while these 'horrid'
Muslims were fighting, the enemies were simply standing there like good little
peaceful men? 9:5
"When the sacred months have passed, kill the idolaters wherever you find
them." This verse is interesting. Non-Muslims almost invariably quote verse
5 but leave out verse 4 and 6. Why? Because verse 4 says, "But the treaties
are not dissolved with those pagans with whom you have entered into alliance and
who have you subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided anyone against you. So
fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for God loves the
righteous". And verse 6 says, "If one among pagan ask from asylum,
grant to him so that he may hear the Word of God; and then escort him to where
he can be secure and safe 47:4
"When you encounter the unbelievers, Strike off their heads. Until you have
made a wide slaughter among them tie up the remaining captives." This verse
was revealed during the first year of Hijrah when the Muslims were under *threat
of extinction* by invasion from Makkah. So
basically this is what has been done so far: 1. The background to each verse was
shown. One cannot take a verse revealed for a battle and insist it is if for the
daily affairs of Muslims or commands for peaceful times.
2. It was shown how Non-Muslims who wish to attack Islam; conveniently
leave out verses before and after their quoted verse. Above, I have shown only
one of the many examples. Second
Section: This
long list of verses from the Qur'an and the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad (may
peace be upon him) show that Islam at its core and at its source is a religion
of peace. Terrorists who persecute innocent people because of their faith are
not welcome - their use of Islam as a political excuse, does not make it Islamic
what they portray it to be. 11:28:
He (Noah) said "O my people! Think over it! If I act upon a clear direction
from my Lord who has bestowed on me from Himself the Merciful talent of seeing
the right way, a way that you cannot see for yourself, does it follow that we
can force you to take the right path when you definitely decline to take
it?" 17:53,
54: "And tell my servants that they should speak in a most kindly manner
(unto those who do not share their beliefs). Verily, Satan is always ready to
stir up discord between men; for verily; Satan is mans open foe.... Hence, We
have not sent you (Unto men O Prophet) with power to determine their
Faith". 21:107
to 109: (O Prophet?) "We have not sent you except to be a mercy to all
mankind:" Declare, "Verily, what is revealed to me is this, your God
is the only One God, so is it not up to you to bow down to Him?' But if they
turn away then say, "I have delivered the Truth in a manner clear to one
and all, and I know not whether the promised hour (of Judgment) is near or
far." 22:67:
"To every people have, We appointed ceremonial rites (of prayer) which they
observe; therefore, let them not wrangle over this matter with you, but bid them
to turn to your Lord (since that is the main objective of religion). You indeed
are rightly guided. But if they still dispute you in this matter, (then say,)
`God best knows (the value of) what you do." 88:21,
22; also see 24:54: "And so, (O Prophet!) Exhort them your task is only to
exhort; you cannot compel them to believe". 48:28:
"He it is Who has sent forth His Messenger with the (task of spreading)
Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to the end that tie make it prevail over
every (false) religion, and none can bear witness to the Truth as God
does". 36:16,
17: (Three Messengers to their people) Said (the Messengers), "Our
Sustainers knows that we have indeed been sent unto you, but we are not bound to
more than clearly deliver the Message entrusted to us." 39:41:
"Assuredly, We have sent down the Book to you in right form for the good of
man. Whoso guided himself by it does so to his own advantage, and whoso turns
away from it does so at his own loss. You certainly are not their keeper" 42:6,
48: And whoso takes for patrons others besides God, over them does God keep a
watch. Mark, you are not a keeper over them. But if they turn aside from you (do
not get disheartened), for we have not sent you to be a keeper over them; your
task is but to preach...." 64:12:
Obey God then obey the Messenger, but if you turn away (no blame shall attach to
our Messenger), for the duty of Messenger is just to deliver the message. 67:25,
26 And they ask, "When shall the promise be fulfilled if you speak the
Truth?" Say, "The knowledge of it is verily with God alone, and verily
I am but a plain Warner." 60:8-9
Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith
nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them. Allah
only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive
you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to
them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these
circumstances) that do wrong. The
following are teachings of the Prophet on how you and I should treat our
Non-Muslim friends and neighbours on a day-to-day basis as well as how a
government should treat a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state. "He
who believes in God and the Last Day should honour his guest, should not harm
his neighbour, should speak good or keep quiet." (Bukhari, Muslim) "Whoever
hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me
annoys God." (Bukhari) "Indeed
the religion is man's treatment of other fellow-being" (Bukhari) "The
best among you is who do good deed in serving other people and they get benefits
from him" (Ahmed & Tabrani) "He
who hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I am his adversary, and I
shall be his adversary on the Day of a Judgement." (Bukhari) "Beware
on the Day of Judgement; I shall myself be complainant against him who wrongs a
Non-Muslim or lays on him a responsibility greater than he can bear or deprives
him of anything that belongs to him." (Bukhari and Muslim) "Anyone
who kills a Non-Muslim who had become our ally will not smell the fragrance of
Paradise." (Bukhari) "None
of you truly believes until he wishes for others what he wishes for himself ...
Treat other the way you wanted to be treated" (Bukhari-Muslim)
WAR
for Peace and Social Justice Those
who work for social justice are as good as mujahidin i.e. warriors in the way of
Allah. Thus we find in Sahih al-Bukhari: The Prophet (PBU) said, "The one
who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior
fighting for Allah's cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays
all the night." Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said as above. Thus
anyone striving for social justice and working for ameliorating the plight of
the poor is like a warrior in the way of Allah. Thus those who spend their own
money or collect from others and spend for the poor in the way Allah is no less
than a mujahid. According to the Qur'an Zakat money is to be spent on poor,
widows, needy, paying off the debt of indebted and for liberation of slaves.
These are all weaker sections of society. It is thus a great merit to help these
poorer and weaker sections and to work for them is as meritorious as waging
Jihad in the way of Allah. One
must remember that much of the conflict in the world is because of poverty,
hunger and unemployment. If these problems are solved much of the conflict will
be resolved. One should wage war against poverty in all possible ways - by
increasing production, by ringing about redistribution of economic resources and
by not allowing wealth to be circulated only among the rich. (Qur'an 59:7) Even
when first permission was given to fight in the Qur'anic verse 4:77 it was
basically to defend the rights of weak from among the old men, women and
children. We
have examined in some detail the basic rules of war that Islam has conferred on
man. Let us now find out what rights and obligations Islam recognizes for an
enemy.
The
Rights of the Non Combatants Islam
has first drawn a clear line of distinction between the combatants and the
non-combatants of the enemy country. As far as the non-combatant population is
concerned such as women, children, the old and the infirm, etc., the
instructions of the Prophet are as follows: "Do not kill any old person,
any child or any woman" (Abu Dawud).
"Do not kill the monks in monasteries" or "Do not kill the people
who are sitting in places of worship" (Musnad of Ibn Hanbal). During
a war, the Prophet saw the corpse of a woman lying on the ground and observed:
"She was not fighting. How then she came to be killed?" From this
statement of the Prophet the exegetics and jurists have drawn the principle that
those who are non-combatants should not be killed during or after the war. Among
the principles of Islam, which reveal tolerance toward the enemy in the time of
war, is that it allows individuals and groups of the enemy who actively fight
against Islam, to get in touch with Muslims and to reside in Muslim lands under
the protection of the Islamic law, which is known as the "Law of
Protection" Islam ensures the protection of such people and requires
Muslims to protect them with all they can afford as long as they are in Muslim
territories. It even offers them certain privileges and releases them from
certain obligations, which Muslims have to observe. The purpose of this Law of
Protection is to give these people a chance to learn the truth about Islam. In
this way, Muslims could effectively spread the message of their faith. The
origin of this rule is in Qur'an: "If one of the idol worshipers sought
safe passage with you shall grant him safe passage, so that he can hear the word
of God, then send him back to his place of security. That is because they are
people who do not know" (Qur'an: 9:6). One may add with a scholar "if
they accept the Word, they become Muslims and brethren on faith, and no further
question arises. If they do not see their way to accept Islam, they will require
double protection: (1) from the Islamic forces openly fighting against their
people, and (2) from their own people, as they detached themselves from them.
Both kinds of protection should be ensured for them, and they should be safely
escorted to a place where they can be safe." Islam
deals with this point at length and permits the Muslim individuals to settle a
covenant with non-Muslims. In this measure of protection and guarantee Islam
does not make specific demands regarding such measures, except that ensures
safety and protection of Muslim.
The
Rights of the Combatants Now
let us see what rights Islam has conferred on the combatants.
1.
Torture with fire Prophet
of Islam said that: "Punishment by fire is except the Master of the
Fire" (Abu Dawud). It is deduced from this saying is that no one should not
be burnt alive. 2.
Protection of the wounded "Do
not attack a wounded person"- said the Prophet. This means that the wounded
soldiers, who are not fit to fight, nor actually fighting, should not be
attacked. 3.
The prisoner of War should not be slain "No
prisoner should be put to the sword"- a very clear and unequivocal
instruction given by the Prophet. 4.
No one should be tied to be killed "The
Prophet has prohibited the killing of anyone who is tied or is in
captivity." 5.
No looting and destruction in the enemy' country The
Prophet has also instructed Muslims that if they should enter the enemy's
territory, they should not indulge in pillage or plunder nor destroy the
residential areas, nor touch the property of anyone except those who are
fighting with them. It has been narrated in the hadith: "The Prophet has
prohibited the believers from loot and plunder" (al-Bukhari; Abu Dawud).
His injunction is: "The loot is no more lawful than the carrion" (Abu
Dawud). Abu Bakr al-Siddiq used to instruct the soldiers while sending them to
war, "Do not destroy the villages and towns, do not spoil the cultivated
fields and gardens, and do not slaughter the cattle." The booty of war,
which is acquired from the battleground, is altogether different from this. It
consists of the wealth, provisions and equipment captured only from the camps
and military headquarters of the combatant armies. 6.
Sanctity of property The
Muslims have also been prohibited from taking anything from the general public
of a conquered country without paying for it. If in a war the Muslim army
occupies an area of the enemy country, and is encamped there, it does not have
the right to use the things belonging to the people without their consent. If
they need anything, they should purchase it from the local population or should
obtain permission from the owners. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, while instructing the
Muslim armies being despatched to the battlefront would go to the extent of
saying that Muslim soldiers should not even use the milk of the milky cattle
without the permission of their owners. 7.
Sanctity of a dead body Islam
has categorically prohibited its followers from disgracing or mutilating the
corpses of their enemies as was practised in Arabia before the advent of Islam.
It has been said in the hadith: "The Prophet has prohibited us from
mutilating the corpses of the enemies" (al- Bukhari; Abu Dawud). 8.
Return of Corpses of the Enemy In
the Battle of Ahzab a very renowned warrior of the enemy was killed and his body
fell down in the trench, which the Muslims had dug for the defence of Medina.
The unbelievers presented ten thousand dinars to the Prophet and requested that
the dead body of their fallen warrior may be handed over to them. The Prophet
replied, "I do not sell dead bodies. You can take away the corpse of your
fallen comrade". 9.
Prohibition of Breach of Treaties Islam
has strictly prohibited treachery. One of the instructions that the Prophet used
to give to the Muslim warriors while sending them to the battlefront was:
"Do not be guilty of breach of treaties and faith." This order has
been repeated in the Qur'an and the hadith again and again, that if the enemy
acts treacherously let him do so, you should never go back on your promise.
There is a famous incident in the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when after the
settlement of the terms of the treaty, Abu Jandal came, fettered and
bloodstained, rushing to the Muslim camp and crying for help. The Prophet told
him "Since the terms of the treaty have been settled, we are not in a
position to help you out. You should go back with your father. God will provide
you with some other opportunity to escape this persecution." The entire
Muslim army was deeply touched and grieved at the sad plight of Abu Jandal and
many of them were moved to tears. But when the Prophet declared that "We
cannot break the agreement", not even a single person came forward to help
the unfortunate prisoner, so the unbelievers forcibly dragged him back to Makkah.
This is an unparalleled example of the observance of the terms of agreement by
the Muslims, and Islamic history can show many examples of a similar nature. Treaties
have always been an important means to strengthen relations and settle disputes
peacefully. They are based on mutual confidence between parties, without which
peace collapses. Islam reserves special respect to treaties and give all
possible guarantees, so that Muslims may rise with such treaties above personal
desires and passions. This is why, in many Qur'anic verses, Islam requires
Muslims to abide by their covenants: "You shall fulfil your covenants, for
a covenant is great responsibility". (Qur'an 17:34) In describing the
qualities of truthful believers, God says that: When it comes to deposits
entrusted to them, as well as any agreements/covenants they make, they are
trustworthy (Qur'an: 23: 8). In the view of Qur'an, refusal to keep up trusts is
like rejecting the virtues of humanity "The worst creatures in the sight of
God are those who disbelieve; You reach agreements with them, but they violate
their agreements every time; they are not righteous" (Qur'an: 8:55-56).
"By honouring covenants with others, Islam does not mean to gain colonial
authority or make stratagems to cheat people so as to attain strength over other
nations -- but to establish peace". (Qur'an 16:91-92). The
Quran charges Muslims to keep up their covenants, even if it might prevent them
from rushing to the support of their brethren who live in a non-Muslim State
with whom they have a treaty, though the Qur'an considers that Muslims, in spite
of their different races and nationalities, constitute one Nation, and that
every aggression inflicted on one Muslim community is an aggression against the
Muslim Ummah as a whole. God says: " However, if they need your help, as
brethren in faith, you shall help them, expect against people with whom you have
signed a peace treaty". (Qur'an 8:72. However, if such people violate the
terms of the treaty, the Muslims are allowed to fight them: "If they
violate their oaths after pledging to keep their covenants, and attack you, you
may fight the leaders of mischief mongers - you are no longer bound by your
covenant with them - they may refrain" (Qur'an 9:12. 10.
Rules about Declaration of war It
has been laid down in the Qur'an: "If you apprehend breach of treaty from a
people, then openly throw the treaty at their faces" (Qur'an 8:58). In this
verse, Muslims have been prohibited from opening hostilities against their
enemies without properly declaring war against them, unless of course, the
adversary has already started aggression against them. Otherwise the Qur'an has
clearly given the injunction to Muslims
that they should intimate to their enemies that no treaty exists between them,
and they are at war with them. The present day 'international law' has also laid
down that hostilities should not be started without declaration of war.
Forgiveness: A different outlook and a new start In
Islamic history one may find an outlook of a different nature. When the Romans
conquered any country, the first thing they would do is mass massacre. When the
Muslims entered any country, they would give guarantees of life, property and
honour to all the non-belligerents. Even in war a Muslims are not allowed to
kill an old person, a woman, and a child, those who are crippled or disabled.
Not only that, even trees are not to be cut and crops are not to be burnt. The
entire Islamic history does not know of the concept of mass killing or massacre
of enemies. One cannot find one single example of any Inquisition or ethnic
cleansing on the name of Islam. I
draw your attention to look to the actions of the Holy Prophet of Islam when he
entered Makkah as victor. Everyone was offered complete amnesty. When Caliph
Umar entered Jerusalem he was not even prepared to pray in a Church for fear
that those who came after him may treat the place as a mosque and take it away
from the Christians. But when the Crusaders there took the city of Jerusalem was
total massacre of the population. What happened in Spain? Not a single Muslim or
Jew was left unexecuted or un-exiled. It was the same in Sicily where all the
mosques were demolished. Even in the last century the same practice was adopted
in Bosnia, Kosovo and Chechnya and many other parts of the world
Ends
cannot justify means Another
point is that Islam is very unique and firm in asserting that the ends cannot
justify the means. This means that to achieve even good ends you could resort to
evil means. The principle that Islam has enunciated is that "Good
and bad are not equal. Replace evil by good". (Qur'an 41:34) If
you fight falsehood with falsehood it is falsehood that prevails. If you replace
vice with vice, it is vice which triumphs. If you change evil by evil, it is
evil which is victorious. Islam says that evil is to be eliminated by good. If
you pursue this technique then only you would be able to fill the earth with
goodness, and justice, and peace and fellow feeling. As far as the wrong (munkar)
is concerned, you are permitted to eliminate it. But as far as the truth and
virtue (ma'ruf) is concerned, it is not to be enforced by power.
Global
Ethics and Interfaith Dialogue I
am reminded the words of Professor Hans Kung "No peace among nations
without peace among the religions and no peace among the religions without
dialogue between the religions". I add "No peace without Justice and
no Justice without forgiveness and compassion". Dialogue and agreement must be conscientiously applied and
maintained, so to create bonds of love, care, trust and confidence. Its
prerequisite is proper education and learning from one another.
We must speak and act truthfully with compassion. We must treat others as
we wish others to treat us. Every human being must be treated, fairly, humanly
and with dignity without any fear or discrimination. I
admire the work of Prince Hassan El Talal over the years for promoting better
understanding between different faiths and advocating dialogue for resolving
conflicts. His short book "Continuity, innovation and Change" is must
read for every Muslim. I not only share his vision but also say that he
represents true Islamic scholarship in the current debate on the issue of World
peace. The building of peace requires an attitude of sanctity and reverence of
life, freedom and justice, the eradication of poverty, dissolution of all forms
of discrimination and the protection of the environment for personal and future
generations. The ideals of peace include fundamental and global directives such
as:
I
confirm that Islam is faith of moderation and girder of unity for all mankind
and blessing for mankind because Muslim model communities where:
The
world will not change for the better unless the conscience of individuals is
changed first. Remember, Remember, Remember. Evil is not in the body. Evil is in
the mind, Therefore harm no body. Just change the mind. Lord
You said and your word is true! Love is stronger than hate. O God Almighty You
are peace and from You peace comes. Bestow upon all of us Your peace and make
our final destiny in your eternal abode of peace. Let there be respect for the
earth, peace for is people, love in our lives, and delight in the good,
forgiveness for our past wrongs and from now on a new start.
Conclusion This
is a brief sketch of those rights, which fifteen hundred years ago Islam gave to
mankind, to those who were at war with each other. The world has not been able
to produce juster and more equitable laws of Islam that were given 1500 years
ago. On the other hand it hurts one's feelings that Muslims are in possession of
such a splendid and comprehensive system of ethics of War and peace and yet they
look to guidance to those leaders who could not have dreamed of attaining those
heights of truth and justice. Even more painful than this is the realisation
that throughout the world the rulers who claim to be Muslims have made
disobedience to their God and the Prophet as the basis and foundation of their
own government. May God have mercy on them and give them the true guidance. May
God guide us all and show us the right path of true and everlasting peace in
this world in our lifetime. Amen
IMAM
Dr Abduljalil Sajid JP Muslim
Council for Religious and Racial Harmony The
Brighton Islamic Mission
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