By Kamal Mustafa Azhari for New Age Islam
Translated from Urdu by Newageislam.com
2 Jun 2021
Islam Enshrines Rules and Conditions for the Legitimate Fighting
Main Points
Inflicting oppression or cruelty on human beings including non-Muslims is a crime in Islam
Objective of fighting in Islam is not to annihilate the enemy but to avoid their danger
Islam permits the fighting only against the fighters and not against those who are unarmed and peaceful
Islam prefers peace-treaty but permits fighting when the treaty is violated
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Doubt No. 5: An insult to the purity of Islam is that every religion has terms and conditions of war, whereas in Islam, there are no such rules, conditions and teachings, but Islam only commands to kill through Jihad!!!!
How would the people such as Narsinshanand and Wasman Rafizi know the realities of Islam, who are regularly wasting their time looking for shortcomings in Islam and do not want to come close to Islam?
“Lazzate mah na shanaasi ba khuda tan nah chshi” (Persian)
(Meaning in Urdu: Sharab-e-Muhabbat Jab Tak Chakhoge Nahi Uski Lazzat se Aashnaai mumkin nahi
Meaning in English: Unless you taste the drink of love, you can’t get acquainted with the pleasure of love)
We will orderly present here the basic principles and realities of the Islamic position on the concept of war.
Idhar aa sitamgar hunar azmayein
Tu teer aazma hum jigar azmayein
Meaning:
Come here, O tyrant, let us challenge our skills
You use an arrow, I will use my heart
The First Fact
Inflicting oppression or cruelty on anyone without any just cause is a great crime that is strictly forbidden in Islam. As a Muslim, if someone is involved in this crime, even if it is against the infidel, it is an act of oppression and transgression. Allah Almighty says in the Quran,
“Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors.” (2:190)
The Tafsir-e-Baghwai comments under this verse, “The divine command, “Do not transgress” means ‘do not kill women, children, old, priests and monks and those who seek peace with you”.
Allah Almighty says, “And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress” (5:2)
The Second Fact
The purpose of fighting in Islam is not to annihilate the enemy but to avoid their danger. Therefore Islam does not permit the continuation of war after the danger has been avoided by the treaty or when the enemy surrenders or escapes. Allah says in the Quran,
“Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors.” (2:193)
By reconciling with the Quraysh, the Prophet (peace be upon him) set a great example of the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah. For the benefit of his cause, the Blessed Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not pursue the Romans when they had escaped in the battle of Tabuk.
The Third Fact
The fighting is only against the aggressors and fighters on the battlefield and there is no war against those who are unarmed, or away from the battlefield, or those who seek peace or withdraw. Allah says in the Quran,
“Except for those who take refuge with a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty or those who come to you, their hearts strained at [the prospect of] fighting you or fighting their own people. And if Allah had willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a cause [for fighting] against them.” (4:90)
Because of this divine command, the aforementioned people are exempt from this rule.
The Fourth Fact
If any party breaks the treaty, it is only then that the war is declared because it has broken the agreed covenant. Thereafter, the delay in the reckoning of the traitor is tantamount to promoting tyranny, spreading corruption, destructing peace, security and trust between nations. The State governed by Islam actually prioritizes peace and security. As for the fighting, it is temporarily prescribed, but when the covenant is broken, then Islam is not tolerant of transgressors.
The Fifth Fact
The objective of legitimate and just fighting in Islam is to eradicate the evil of the enemy and to remove oppression from the weak. In all ages, all these laws of the State governed by Islam are to be preserved and upheld in favour of the oppressed, as Allah, the Exalted, indicated in the first command of fighting that it is indeed the right to defend the lives of the oppressed believers.
He Almighty says, “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right - only because they say, "Our Lord is Allah." And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.” (22:39-40)
So in this verse too, the command of war is meant for the defence of the oppressed. However, in those places where Muslims are safe from evil, they are not allowed to wage Jihad due to lack of conditions.
The Sixth Fact
The verses in which the fighting was commanded to be waged have not abrogated the verses which command patience and perseverance when facing persecution from enemies, which are 114 verses in 48 Surahs.
War is waged in times of need and after the adoption of sufficient resources.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “O People! Do not wish to face the enemy (in a battle) and ask Allah to save you (from calamities) for health and security. But if you should face the enemy, then be patient and let it be known to you that Paradise is under the shades of swords.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2966)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) first commanded to refrain from the war under normal circumstances and when the conditions were not favourable and there was no chance for peace and reconciliation, he ordered war in return.
How can these enlightened facts of Islam be observed by those whose ears, eyes and hearts are completely sealed, as Allah says in the Quran, “Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.
Related Article:
Removing Doubts Concerning Verses of Jihad in Quran: Is Jizya in Islam an act of oppression? Part 2
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4:23 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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