An Introduction to Real Islam and Jihad (Part 3/15)


[Readers, please note: the original author of this ‘Book’ sent me the draft
for a review and commentary. Having carefully reviewed and having made some
minor corrections/alterations of the draft , I felt compelled to circulate
this basic book on ‘Real Islam’ in the Internet, so that anyone who is
interested in ‘Real Islam’ and Islamic Terrorism may benefit from its rich
content. The original author prefers to remain anonymous at this stage,
until possibly when a publisher agrees to publish this book at an
appropriate time. Due to its prolix nature, I have divided this ’Book’ into
15 parts. This is part 3/15; the remaining parts will be posted as they
become available. Please feel free to comment on this ‘Book.’ All comments
should be sent to abul88@.... Happy reading—Abul Kasem, the
reviewer.]

Chapter 6

The QUR’AN and JIHAD: Offensive and Defensive Verses:

Historically Muhammad and his movement did not initially use force to
induce the Jews, Christians and pagans to accept Islam; however force was
justified for defence. Later, when he began to gather an army to himself and
was able to go on the offensive, he did so. Then when people or
circumstances turned against him he told his followers that the latest
"revelations from Allah" instructed him to: "Prophet, make war on the
unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be
their home." (9:73). Thus Muhammad’s career of warring in the name of Allah
began as soon as it became a viable option, and then did not cease. Those
defeated by Muhammad’s military actions were offered protection if they
would submit to the dictates of Islam or pay tribute (ie Jizya tax or
protection money). Those that refused those options had no "choice" but to
be put to death. Non-Muslims were Dhimmis (the people of obligation) and, as
such, were to be "utterly subdued". Such a recipe guaranteed the expansion
of Islam.

Encarta Encyclopedia ‘99’ states: "The remarkable speed of [Islam’s]
religious expansion can be attributed to the fact that it was accomplished
primarily through military conquest. Muhammad drew Arabs of the Arabian
Peninsula to Islam by his forceful personality, the promise of salvation for
those who died fighting for Islam, and the lure of fortune for those who
succeeded in conquest. The caravan raids of the early years of Islam soon
became full-scale wars, and empires and nations bowed to the power of this
new religious, military, political, economic, and social phenomenon."

Below are some of the many Qur’anic verses that reference violence and
Jihad. At the end of each passage of selected verses, comments and reference
material will be added. Qur’anic passages, unless otherwise noted, are taken
from The Noble Qur’an, [15]. Note that for clarification the translators
sometimes added words in parenthesis.

PASSAGE ONE: SURA 22:39 – 41 and 2:193
22:39 Permission to fight is given to those (i.e. believers against
disbelievers), who are fighting them, (and) because they (believers) have
been wronged, and surely, Allah is Able to give them (believers) victory.
22:40 Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because
they said: "Our Lord is Allah." - For had it not been that Allah checks one
set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and
mosques, wherein the Name of Allah is mentioned much would surely have been
pulled down. Verily, Allah will help those who help His (Cause). Truly,
Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.
22:41 Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they)
order for Iqamat-as-Salat. [i.e. to perform the five compulsory
congregational Salat (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakat and
they enjoin Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one
to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islam
has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur'an as the law of their country in all
the spheres of life]. And with Allah rests the end of (all) matters (of
creatures).
2:193. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and
worshipping of others along with Allah) and (all and every kind of) worship
is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression
except against Az-Zâlimûn (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.) [Same
verse from Dawood’s Koran [16] 2:193 states: “Fight against them until
idolatry is no more and God’s religion reigns supreme. But if they desist,
fight none except the evil doers.”]

The context and background of the above passages can be found in Ibn
Ishaq’s and Tabari’s work. What follows is from the biographical work of Ibn
Ishaq’s "Sirat Rasulallah", op cit, pages 212, 213. [NOTE: two passages from
the Qur’an are referenced: [a] Sura 22:39-41, and [b] Sura 2:193].

"THE APOSTLE RECEIVES THE ORDER TO FIGHT

The apostle had not been given permission to fight or allowed to shed
blood before the second Aqaba [a place where a pledge was made between
Muhammad and his followers from Medina]. He had simply been ordered to call
men to God and to endure insult and forgive the ignorant. The Quraysh [a
leading group of Meccans] had persecuted his followers, seducing some from
their religion and exiling others from their country. They had to choose
whether to give up their religion, be maltreated at home, or to flee the
country, some to Abyssinia, others to Medina.

When Quraysh became insolent towards God and rejected His gracious
purpose, accused His prophet of lying, and ill treated and exiled those who
served Him and proclaimed His unity, believed in His prophet and held fast
to His religion, He gave permission to His apostle to fight and to protect
himself against those who wronged them and treated them badly.

The first verse which was sent down on this subject from what I have
heard from Urwa b. Al-Zubayr and other learned persons was: "Permission is
given to those who fight because they have been wronged. God is well able to
help them, --- those who have been driven out of their houses without right
only because they said God is our Lord. Had not God used some men to keep
back others, cloister and churches and oratories and mosques wherein the
name of God is constantly mentioned would have been destroyed. Assuredly God
will help those who help Him. God is Almighty. Those who if we make them
strong in the land will establish prayer, pay the poor-tax, enjoin kindness,
and forbid iniquity. To God belongs the end of matters [a]. The meaning is
"I have allowed them to fight only because they have been unjustly treated
while their sole offence against men has been that they worship God. When
they are in the ascendant they will establish prayer, pay the poor-tax,
enjoin kindness, and forbid iniquity, i.e., the prophet and his companions
all of them." Then God sent down to him: "Fight them so that there be no
more seduction," [b] i.e. until no believer is seduced from his religion.
"And the religion is God's,", i.e. Until God alone is worshipped."

When God had given permission to fight and this clan of the Ansar had
pledged their support to him in Islam and to help him and his followers, and
the Muslims who had taken refuge with them, the apostle commanded his
companions, the emigrants of his people and those Muslims who were with him
in Mecca, to emigrate to Medina and to link up with their brethren the
Ansar. "God will make for you brethren and houses in which you may be safe."
…
Ibn Ishaq’s work details the chronological and historical context of
the above verses. Generally, Muhammad is now going to fight in self-defence.
But, if we look closely, we find that Muslims will be allowed to a) "fight
them so that there be no more seduction" – i.e., others trying to dissuade
Muslims from Islam, and b) "the religion is God’s, i.e. Until God alone is
worshipped." The seeds for future aggression to further Islam by using
violence were now planted.

Tabari also documents this event. (Note: Tabari often used Ibn Ishaq’s
work as a basis for parts of his history). Below is an except from Tabari,
op cit, volume 6, page 137, on the time of the revelation of the above
passage.

The seventy representatives chiefs of those who had accepted Islam,
came to the Messenger of God from al-Madinah met him during the pilgrimage,
and swore an oath of allegiance to him at al-Aqabah. They gave him their
pledge in the following words: "We are of you and you are of us; whoever
comes to us of your Companions, or you yourself if you come to us, we shall
defend you as we would defend ourselves." After this the Quraysh began to
treat them harshly and the Messenger of God commanded his Companions to go
to al-Madinah. This was the second trail, during which the Messenger of God
told his Companions to emigrate and himself emigrated. It was concerning
this that God revealed:

And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for
God. [Note: This verse (8:39) was probably not revealed until after the
battle of Badr. The almost identical verse 2:193 seems not to have been
revealed until shortly before the conquest of Mecca.]

Tabari adds on page 138:
Those members of the Aws and the Khazraj who took the oath of
allegiance at the second al-Aqabah took the pledge of war, when, in contrast
to the terms of the first al-Aqabah, God permitted fighting. The first was
the pledge of women, as I have mentioned above on the authority of Ubadah
al-Samit. The second pledge of al-Aqabah was to wage war against all men
[Note: That is, on anyone who attacks Muhammad.], as I have mentioned above
on the authority of Urwah al-Zubayr.]

Regarding 2:193, the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, op cit, page 117, 118, states

Then Allah orders Muslims to kill the disbelievers "until there is no
more Fitnah." According to Ibn Abbas and others, "Fitnah" means polytheism,
"And religion (worship), is for Allah" meaning Allah’s religion should stand
supreme and overshadowing the rest of the religions. In the Sahihayn, it is
reported that the Prophet said: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight the
people till they say: "None has the right to be worshipped by Allah, and
whoever says it will save his life and property from me except on breaking
the law (rights and conditions for which he will be punished justly), and
his accounts will be with Allah"".

Therefore, PASSAGE ONE provides us with the allowance of fighting and
the works of history and Sira provide us with their chronology – early
during Muhammad’s time in Medina. These verses are primarily defensive, but
there is also a component of aggression in "And fight them until persecution
is no more, and religion is all for God." It appears that Muhammad
envisioned that there would come a time when he would no longer be on the
defensive, but on the offensive. Thus, his early words depict his later
actions.

PASSAGE TWO: SURA 2:216 & 217
2:216 Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims)
though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good
for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you
do not know.

2:217 They ask you concerning fighting in the Sacred Months (i.e. 1st, 7th,
11th and 12th months of the Islamic calendar). Say, "Fighting therein is a
great (transgression) but a greater (transgression) with Allah is to prevent
mankind from following the Way of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent
access to Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah), and to drive out its inhabitants,
and Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And they will never cease fighting you
until they turn you back from your religion (Islamic Monotheism) if they
can. And whosoever of you turns back from his religion and dies as a
disbeliever, then his deeds will be lost in this life and in the Hereafter,
and they will be the dwellers of the Fire. They will abide therein forever."

So it appears that not only death in this life, but the classical
Hollywood eternal damnation in a lake fire will face those who abandon the
faith, … pretty severe. Helmet Gatje in "The Qur’an and its Exegesis", page
213, [18], presents a quote from Baidawi’s Tafsir on this verse. Baidawi was
one of the greatest early commentators on the Qur’an. Gatje’s words are in
parenthesis.

"They will question thee concerning the holy month": It is related
that, in the month of Jumada l-Akhira, which was two months before (the
battle of) Badr, the Prophet sent out his paternal cousin Abd Allah ibn
Jahsh with an expeditionary force, in order to be on the look-out for a
caravan of (the tribe of) Quraish in which were Amr ibn Abd Allah al-Hadrami
and three (other) men. They killed Amr, took two of his men captive, and
drove away the caravan, which contained the goods of trade from at-Taif.
This happened at the beginning of (the month of) Rajab, while Abd Allah and
his people believed it was (still) the (month of) Jumada l-Akhira. Regarding
this, the (people of the tribe of) Quraish said: "Muhammad has (unlawfully)
regarded the month in which raids and warlike acts are forbidden, so that
the fearful can be safe and men can move freely everywhere for the sake of
their livelihood, as permissible (for such forbidden acts). This fell hard
upon the members of the expeditionary force, and they said: "We will not
submit until compensation comes down for us." At this, Muhammad gave back
the caravan along with the captives. According to Ibn Abbas (however it is
related) that the Messenger of God accepted the booty when this verse came
down. This is supposed to have been the first booty in Islam. Those who
question (Muhammad about the holy month) were the unbelievers, who thereby
sought to ascribe to him calumny and profanation (of a holy month). Others
say (however) that they were the members of the expeditionary force (who
asked Muhammad about the holy month)….

"Say: Fighting in it is a heinous thing": that is, a heinous sin. For the
most part, in opposition to Ata, it is held that this statement is abrogated
by the following words of God: "If they do not leave you alone and offer you
peace and stop hostilities, then take them wherever you find them and slay
them" (Sura 4:91/93). In this case the more specific (that is, the
prohibition against fighting during the month of Rajab) would be abrogated
by the general order (that is, the general command to kill the unbelievers).
However, there is a contradiction in this. It lies nearest (the truth) to
reject (the interpretation that the present verse declares an absolute
prohibition against fighting in the holy month. Although (the word)
"fighting" is indefinite here, it is fixed in scope; and thus, (the fighting
here) not (to be understood as fighting) in general…

These passages display clearly what Muhammad ordered at the time these
verses were revealed. Just after arriving in Medina, Muhammad issued
commands and they attacked and stole other people’s possessions. His
followers were also later justified when, during that process, they ended up
murdering a man.

This action took place during a period of recognized "peace" within the
Arab community. They had an understanding, a code of honor if you will, that
all would honor the sacred months and not make war upon others. Muhammad’s
men broke this code. And to justify this and other deeds, Muhammad received
a timely "revelation" justifying the robbery and murder these men committed.
Even with these few verses regarding Jihad and violence, duplicity is
apparent. It appears that in the earliest stages of the movement, that as
circumstances changed, Islam changed as needed to fit the new reality.

Also note how this passage contradicts or "abrogates" passage one.
2:216 and 217 allow offensive attacks but 2:190-194 primarily command
defensive actions. Here, Muhammad’s actions were a raid upon some travelling
merchants who had goods that were not from the city of Mecca.

PASSAGE THREE: SURA 4:94, 95

4:94 O you who believe! When you go (to fight) in the Cause of Allah,
verify (the truth), and say not to anyone who greets you (by embracing
Islam): "You are not a believer"; seeking the perishable goods of the
worldly life. There are much more profits and booties with Allah. Even as he
is now, so were you yourselves before till Allah conferred on you His Favors
(i.e. guided you to Islam), therefore, be cautious in discrimination. Allah
is Ever Well Aware of what you do.

4:95 Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those
who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame, etc.), and those who
strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with their wealth and their
lives. Allah has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with
their wealth and their lives above those who sit (at home). Unto each, Allah
has promised good (Paradise), but Allah has preferred those who strive hard
and fight, above those who sit (at home) by a huge reward;

These two verses show how important Jihad and fighting are in Islam.
Apparently Jihad is highly commendable, and those that fight are rated high
in Allah’s eyes, and they will be greatly rewarded. This also shows clearly
the aggressive intentions of Jihad. Ali’s Koran starts 4:94 with, "Oh you
who believe, when you go abroad in the cause of Allah…" From our
chronological tables we see that this chapter was also revealed during the
Medinan period. In Rodwell’s Koran, [19], the notes for chapter 4 state:
"Most of the events alluded to in this Sura fall between the end of the
third and the close of the fifth year after the flight to Medina."


Now, let’s look at another Muslim scholar’s commentary. From the
Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, op cit, pages 145 – 150, (not re-quoting the verses)

Quoting Ibn Abbas: "Some Muslims chased a man for his booty, who said
to them: "Assalamu Alaykum." They killed him and seized his booty.
Consequently, the above verse was revealed. It is mentioned in a biography
that his brother Fazzar emigrated to the Prophet in compliance with his
father’s command to call on Fazzar people to embrace Islam. On his way, one
of the Prophet’s brigades found him at night. He had already informed them
that he was a Muslim, but they rejected his admission, and killed him. His
father said: "I went to the Prophet and he gave me one thousand dinars and
other compensation, and sent me back." Then, the above verse was revealed.

Al-Bukhari narrated, on the authority of Ibn Abbas: "The Prophet said
to Al-Miqdad: "When a believer conceals his Faith among a people who are
disbelievers and he has disclosed his Islam, then you have killed him,
didn’t you, too, conceal your Islam in Makkah before? (1). Narrated by
Al-Bukhari in this way (summarized and Mu’allaq).

Iman Ahmed quoted Ibn Abbas as saying: "A man from Banu Saalim who was
herding his sheep, passed by a group of the Prophet’s companions, and
greeted them. They said: "He only greeted us in order to seek our
protection." They went to him and killed him. Afterwards, they brought his
sheep to the Prophet and the above verse was revealed."" (2)

Note from Ibn Kathir’s quote. 1) Muslims were allowed to attack
non-Muslims and plunder their possessions. It is quite clear that the poor
shepherd was treated badly by any standard. He greeted them, poised no
threat, but he was murdered because the Muslims thought he was not a ‘true’
Muslim. In other words, it was totally permissible to attack non-Muslims at
this time in Islam’s history. The murdering Muslims were not then reproached
for having attacking others of the same faith, instead they were reproached
for attacking a person who greeted them – as a Muslim would do, but whom
they thought was not a true Muslim. Had the shepherd not greeted them,
Muhammad would have had less difficulty in justifying his murder, and it
probably would not have merited mention of any kind at all. One wonders why
it took the murder of a Muslim for Allah to "reveal" this Muslim-sensitive
protective verse to Muhammad? Obviously it would have been better if Allah
could have revealed this to Muhammad earlier so as to prevent a potential
brother from being murdered.

Let’s continue with Ibn Kathir’s commentary. Regarding verse 4:95 it says,
"Al-Bukhari quoted Al-Barra as saying: "When the above verse was revealed, the
Prophet called Zaid Ibn Thabit and ordered him to write it down. Ibn Umm Maktum
came to the Prophet and explained to him his
disability. Then, Allah revealed: "Except those who are disabled."

Note here that once again, it took an unforeseen change in human
circumstances and predicaments for Allah to complete a revelation to answer
it. Jihad was ordered for Muslims to be sanctified as good followers, but it
was pointed out that some Muslims were unable to fight – such as blind men.
Consequently, Allah had to modify his prior revelation to Muhammad with
another revelation – exempting the disabled from Jihad.

Thus far, three Qur’anic passages have been considered. The first was
revealed around the time Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina; the second,
just a few months after his arrival in Medina and the third, from between
the 3rd and 5th year of Muhammad’s stay in Medina.


REFERENCES:

[1] http://answering-islam.org/Silas/
[2] Mir, Mustansir, "Dictionary of Qur’anic Terms and Concepts", Garland,
New York, NY, 1987.
[3] Jeffery, Arthur, "Islam: Muhammad and His Religion", Bobs Merril
[4] "Encyclopaedia of Islam", published by Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands.
[5] http://answering-islam.org/Silas/mo-death.htm
[6] Kassis, Hanna, "Concordance of the Qur’an", University of California
Press, Los Angeles, CA, 1983.
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Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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[33] Fregosi, Paul, "Jihad", Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York, 1998
[35] Rehman, Afzal, "Subject Index of the Holy Qur’an", published by
Classical Printers, Delhi, India, 1987


This essay continues in part 4/15