islam: the religion of peace?

10.2478/jriss‐2013‐0022 The Journal of Rotterdam Islamic and Social Sciences, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2011

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Islam:theReligionofPeace?

HayatiAYDIN1

Abstract

ThewordislamasaverbisderivedfromtheinfinitiveArabictrilateralrootofsilm,salamet(peaceandsecurity).So,ifIslamischaracterizedbypeaceandsalvation,howcanwe interpret jihad verses? This article focuses on this point. Iwill discuss thesubjectandtheimpactofthisapparentparadoxwithreferencetoIslamaccordingtoQur’anictexts.TheinterpretationofjihadthatIwillexplorebestfitsthereligionthatischaracterizedbypeaceandsalvation.The intention of this article is to show evidence from religious sources that assertthat Islam isnot a religion that endorses terrorismbut one that emphasizespeaceandsalvation.

1.INTRODUCTION

Asanoun,thetermislamisasystemofbeliefsrevealedbyAllahtoMuhammad.But,asaverb,islamisderivedfromtheinfinitiveofthetransitivefourthcategoryofverbs,namelyif’al.Islamistheinfinitive formef’ale‐yüf’ilu.The rootof thisalso comes from the infinitiveArabic trilateral rootofsilm, salamet (peace and security). For this reason Islam is not only submission,2 resignation3(oneselforone’spersontoGodorthewillofGod),orsurrendertothewillofAllah(God),asR.Bell,H.A.R.Gibb,A.J.Wensinckandsomewritersclaim,4butalsohasthetransitivemeaning(ta’diyat)ofbecoming(sayrurat),becomingofanythingoveranadjectiveandpreteriteion(ta’ridh).Thus,Islamis not only submission, the believer’s submission to Allah, but also enjoying peace, safety, andconveying peace to others. It is therefore not only a benefit to the individual but also to society,includingthatindividual.

AccordingtoMustafaSadıqAl‐Rafi’î,Arabicterms,especiallythoseintheQur’an,areveryrichinmeaningandcontainsmanyderivatives,sincethewordswerecreatedbyAllahintheirprimaryuse.Forthisreason,themeaningoftheword islamcomesfromitsdivinecharacter.5Thisisthe i'jazof

1 ProfessoratFacultyofDivinityofYuzuncuYilUniversityinVan,Turkey. 2 Richard Bell, Bell’s Introduction to the Qur’an (Completely Revised and Enlarged byW.MontgomeryWatt),

(Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1970), p. 119; H.A.R. Gibb,,Mohammedanism, (New York: OxfordUniversityPress,1953),p.1;Wensınsck,“Müslim,”İslamAnsiklopedisi(Encyclopediaofİslam),(Istanbul:M.E.B.,1993);DarkotBesim,“İslam,”İslamAnsiklopedisi(Encyclopediaofİslam),(Istanbul:M.E.B.,1993).

3 T.W.Arnold,“Islam,”FirstEncyclopaediaofIslam(Leiden:Brill,1987),p.539;FaruqSherif,AGuidetoContentsoftheQur’an(Garnet,1995),pp.117‐18;ThomasPatrickHuges,ADictionaryofIslam,(Lahore:PremierBookHouse),p.220.

4 Bell,op.cit.,p.119;H.A.R.,Gibb,Mohammedanism,p.1;Wensinsck, ibid.,Darkot, ibid.,H.A.R.Gibb,and J.H.Kramers, Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam (Leiden and London: Brill, 1953), p. 176; The New EncyclopaediaBritannica,vol.6,p.409;M.Arkoun,EncyclopaediaoftheQur’an,vol.2(Leiden/Boston:Brill,2002),p.565.

5 Mustafá Sādıqal‐Rafi’ı,TarikhAdābAl‐Arab,4thed.,vol.1(Beirut:Daral‐kitabal‐arabî,1974),pp.178‐79.

Mustafá Sādıqal‐Rafi’ı, saysabout thissubject:“Ifsomeoneseriouslygiveshimself/herself to themysteryoftheArabiclanguage,inquiresaboutitswords,contemplatestheirways,examinestheirplaceinthelanguage,setseachexampletotheplaceswherenecessaryinaccordancewiththeaimandplacesthemaccordingtotheircategories and measures, he/she obtains most ofwadh’ (the setting down, placing of nouns in first time),mysteries (of the Arabic language); (then), unbelievably, he/she unveils the wisdom that is found in thefineness of this strange language, understands that this language is the languageof natural intelligence.But

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theQur’an,i.e.thatinimitableellipticismthatoftendeliberatelyomitsintermediateclausesinorderto express the final stage of an idea as pithily and concisely as possiblewithin the limitations ofhumanlanguage.Thismethodisapeculiar, integralaspectoftheArabiclanguage,andhasreachedperfectionintheQur’an.6

As already stated, the word islam is very polyvalent. But I want to focus on its meaning of“becoming”(sayrurat).Itisthisdimensionthathasbothindividualandsocialimplications.Here,tosay “aslama”means “sare zâ silmin/to find confidence and to reach safety.”7 On the basis of thisetymology,weunderstand, first, thattobeMuslimisto findconfidenceandsecurity, to findcalm.Therefore, Islamgives confidence and security to the souls. For instance, theProphetMuhammad(p.b.u.h.)wrotealettertoHarakliusthatincludedthefollowingcrucialstatement:

Feinnîad’ukabidi’ayatial‐Islam.Aslimtaslim/IinviteyoutobeMuslim.BeMuslimandfindpeaceofmind.8

Asseeninthisletter,beingaMuslimmeansfindingpeaceofmind.Soitisimplyingthat,ifoneisaMuslim,onewillattainhigherstatesofexistencethatyieldstranquillityandserenity,calm.TobeaMuslimistoreachanewfulfillingworldofthesoul.Becausereligioustermsaresymbolic,thetermsalam conveys many functional meanings from the angle of safety, security, and salvation. Sincesalamisevidenceofbeingsafe,secure,andagreetinginIslam,itissalamthatcomesfromthesameroot as safety, security (silm). For example, the other form of this term (salam) is to be far fromphysicalandspiritualdisaster.9Thecomplementofthisanditsinternal,spiritualdimensionofimancomesfromthee‐m‐nroot.E‐m‐nisthesoul’sconfidenceandthedisappearanceoffear.10ThisiswhyMuhammadIqbalsays:“Imanisnotmerelyapassivebeliefinoneormorepropositionsofacertainkind;itislivingassurancebegottenofarareexperience.”11

So, Isutsu elaborates on this meaning, namely, the meaning of becoming (sayrurat), and inparticularthatislamistohaveanewlife:

GodHimselfhaschosen thisas thenameof thenewArabianreligion.But it isalsoduetothefactthatIslam,asaninnerpersonalreligiousexperienceofeachindividualperson,meanstheoccurrenceofanimportanteventthatmarkstheinitialpointfromwhichrealobedienceandhumblenessbegin.Itmarksadecisiveturningpointinthelifeofman.Aturningpointthereligioussenseofwhichcutshiswholelengthoflifeinto twohalves (A,B) thatwillhence forwardstanddiametricallyopposed toeachother.Grammaticallyspeaking,theverbaslamabelongstoaparticulargroupofverbscalled inchoative. Inotherwords, insteadofdenotingpermanentnature, itsignifiessomethingnewthatcomes intobeingforthe first time; itmarksthebeginningofa

nature is steadily exposed to a divine plane. This language shows the origin of the perfection in it, notperfectionitself.Thislanguageisvirtuallyamiracle.IfapersonsaysthatthislanguagewasestablishedbyAllahatthepointof‘harmonyandinspiration,’thisisnotanexaggeration.TheimpactofthisisbroughtupinQur’an”(al‐Rafi’ı,vol.1,pp.178‐79).

6 SeeMuhammadAsad,TheMessageoftheQur’an(Gibraltar:Daral‐andalus,1980),pp.V‐VI. 7 See Sad al‐DinMasud ibnUmar ibnAbdAllah al‐Taftazani,Tadrijal‐AdaniSharhAl‐Zanjani (İstanbul: Salah

Bilici.A.H.p.24. 8 AbuJa’ferMuhammadibn1407),p.130;HamidullahMuhammad,Al‐Vesaiqas‐Siyasiyyah(Beirut:Daral‐nafais,

1985),p.109;MuhammadHamidullah,TheProphetofIslam(WastranslatedintoTurkishby:SalihTuğ)4thed.,vol.I(Istanbul:İrfanp.h.,1980),p.361.

9 Abul‐Qasim Husayn ibn Muhammad Al‐Raghib al‐Isfahani, Al‐Mufradat fi gharib al‐Qur’ân (Beirut: Dâr al‐ma’rifa,p.239.

10Al‐Isfahani,op.cit.,p.239. 11MohammadIqbal,TheReconstructionofReligiousThoughtinIslam(Lahor:ShaikhMuhammadAshraf,1954),p.

109.




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new situation, the birth of newnature.Only in theparticipial formMuslimdoes itsignifyamoreorlesspermanentattribute.Buteventhentheimplicationisthatitisanattributewhichhasensuedfromthedecisivesteptaken.12

BecauseIslamprovidesaverygoodspiritualconditionforthesoul,itsritualshaveanimmenseeffect.Sincethebiggestdhikrisprayer(salat),theprayertransmitsthehuman’ssoulfromthisbodytoaspiritualrealm.Owingtothispeculiarityoftheprayer,theProphetMuhammad(p.b.u.h.)saidtoBilal13atthetimeofazan“(OBilal)standup,makeusquietbyazan.”14AsMuhammadIqbalsaid,thetimingofthedailyprayerrestoresself‐possessiontotheegobybringingitintoclosertouchwiththeultimatesourceoflifeandfreedomandisintendedtosavetheegofromthemechanisingeffect.15

It is thisdimensionofprayer thatprovidescalmness; the tesbihat startsby repeating the firstrosary after prayer “Allahümma ante salamu ve minkessalam/ My Allah you are provider ofsoundness and calmness, the soundness and calmness is from you.” Essentially, this tesbihat is atransmissiontothenameofAllah“as‐Salam/whogivessoundness,calmness”whichisfoundintheverse23ofal‐Hashr(59).16

Thisdimensionhasa close relationshipwith the socialdimension too. If the individualsof anassociation are restless, then the social structure of this association will be in crisis and chaotic.Naturally,thebasicelementsofsocialtranquility,serenity,andastructureofcalmareindividuals,soiftheindividualsarerestlesstheywillinfecttheassociation.

2.Asforthebasisofsocialassociation,tobeMuslim,toenterintosafety, impliessilm(peace),namely, to be in social reconciliation. When Muhammad Hamdi Yazır explains the expression ofislam,hedescribes itas “amutualentering intosafety.”17Nevertheless, the Islamicexpression isatemplaterelatingtoif’alvazin(measure)andthisbab(category)oftransmittingpeacetoothersdoesnotimplypartnershipandsurrender.Itimplies,asMuhammadHamdiYazırholds,thatthemeaningof theexpression requiresa secondparty tobe the receiverof thepeace inorder tomove fromapurely individual state to a social state. Thus, it implies the meanings of both partnership andsurrender.Thebestexampleofthisdimensionalmeaningcanbefoundinthefollowingsayingoftheprophet:SomepeopleaskedAllah’sApostle(p.b.u.h.)18“WhoseIslamisthebest?”i.e.whoisaverygoodMuslim?Hereplied:“AlMuslimumensalimaal‐Muslimuneminlisanihiveyadihi/TheMuslimistheonewhosehandortongueneedbefeared.”19Someoneaskedhim“Whatsortofdeedsor(what

12IzutsuToshihiko,GodAndManInTheKoran(Ayer,1987),p.200 13BilalwasafriendoftheProphetMuhammad(p.b.u.h.).Whenitwastimeforprayer,hecalledpeopletoprayer

byazan(theinvitationtoprayer). 14AbuDawudSulaymanibn.Ash’athal‐Azadial‐Sijistani,Sunan/Al‐Adab,(İstanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992)nos.4985,

4986;AhmadibnHanbal,Sunan,vol.5:(İstanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992),p.364. 15Iqbal,op.cit.,p.109. 16Inthisverse,theterm“al‐Salam”isanouninfinitivethatemploysahyperbolicmeaning.Inthefirstdimension,

themeaning is (He it is)“who is far fromdeficiency”, and second (He it is) “who gives tranquillity, serenity,calmness”Mahmudibn‘Umaral‐Zamakhshari,Al‐Kashshâf’anHaqâ’iqal‐Tanzîlwa‘Uyunal‐AqâwilfiWujuh’al‐Ta’wil, vol. 4 (Beirut: Dâr Al‐Kitab Al‐Arabî, 1987), p. 509; Fakhr al‐Din al‐Razi,Al‐Tafsiral‐Kabir,vol.10 (Tahran: Dâr al-kütub al-ilm), p. 513; Maḥmūd ibn ʻAbd Allāh al-Ālūsī,RuhAl‐Ma’ânifîat‐Tafsiral‐Qur’ânal‐Azîmwaal‐Sab’al‐Mathânîvol.28:(Beirut:Daral‐fikr,1987),p.63.

17MuhammadHamdiYazır,HakDiniKur’ânDili,vol.2(Istanbul:Eserp.h.,1979),p.1062. 18Bukhârî,Iman/Belief,10,Riqâq/TomaketheHeartTender,26(Istanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992);Muslim,İman/Belief,

64‐65(İstanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992);AbuDawud,Jihâd,2;Tirmidhi,Qıyâmah,52(Istanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992);Al‐Dârimi,Riqâq,4,8 (Istanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992);Ahmad ibnHanbal,Sunan (Istanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992),2:160,163,178,191,193,195;5:2,206,209,212.

19Bukhârî,Iman/Belief,10,Riqâq/TomaketheHeartTender,26;Muslim,İman/Belief,64‐65;AbuDawud,Jihâd,2;Tirmidhi,Qıyâmah,52;Al‐Dârimi,Riqâq,4,8;AhmadibnHanbal,Sunan,2:160,163,178,191,193,195;5:2,206,209,212.




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qualitiesof)Islamaregood?”TheProphet(p.b.u.h.)replied,“Tut'imu’t‐teamevetakrau’s‐salamealâmenaraftewemanlemta’rif/Tofeed(thepoor)andgreetthosewhomyouknowandthosewhomyoudonotknow,”20bywhich theProphetemphasized that thebestof theMuslimsare thosewhoreinforcethesocialpeaceandharmonyasaprerequisiteofIslam.

AnotherHadithsays,“Lâtadkhulune’l‐Jannatahattatü’minuwalatü’minuhattatahâbbu.Avalaadüllükümalâşey’inidhâfealtümuhûtehababtüm.Afşüsselâme/Spreadsalam.Aslongasyoudon’tbelieve(inGod)youwillnevergotheheaven.Youcannotbeabelieveruntilyouloveoneanother.DoInotshowyouathingwhenyoudoit,thatyouloveoneanother.Spreadsalamamongyou.”21

TheQur’ansaysthefollowing:

Oyouwhohavebelieved,enterintosilm(peace)completely;AnddonotfollowinthefootstepsofSatan.Indeed,heistoyouaclearenemy.(Al‐Baqarah[2]:208)

This verse implies that the religion of Islam aims at finally bringing a universal peace tohumanity, uniting all humankind. This is community in which everybody respects the rights ofothers,andallloveoneanotherlikebrothers.Muslimsplayanimportantroleinthisuniversalpeace,and it is stipulated that believersmust strive for global reconciliation. This silm expression in theverseshowsthatIslammeansreconciliation.22Therefore,characterizingIslamas“surrender”arisesindeed because it contains the notion of surrender. According to Fakhr al‐Din Al‐Razi, silm isgenerallyusedforreconciliation,forceasingtoengageinwarfare.Usingitwiththismeaningimplliesthat,inreconciliation,eachofthetwopartiessubmitstotheother.23Inthatcase,itismoreprecisetounderstandthatthisQur’anicexpressionmeansbothsurrenderandreconciliationtogether.Thatis,thiscommonglobalsilm canonlybeachieved through Islam. In thesameway,MuhammadHamdiYazırunderstandstheverseinthiswayandsaysthatitisimpliedonthebasisofthisversethatAllahwantsallbelieverstoenterintoacommon,globalreconciliationwiththeIslamicreligion.Thisversepartlywishestoexpressthat.Believerswillestablishsuchaperfectsocialorganization,suchperfectreconciliation and peaceful environment by submitting to Allah’s prescriptions, and nothing willarisethroughinsurrection,separation,anoffenseagainstAllah’srightsandhisservantsamongthem.Everyonewillliveinreconciliationandpeace;everyonewilldotheirtasksinsafetyandloveandinanentirepresence,wintheirworldandfuturelife.Theywillthwartdisturbancesanddefeatismsthatvitiatethis.24

IntheHadith(mentionedabove)aMuslimdescribeditinthisway:

20Bukhârî,İman/Belief,20,İstizan,9,19;Muslim,İman/Belief,63;AbuDawud,Al‐Adab,131;Nasaî,Iman/Belief,

12(Istanbul:Çağrıp.h.,1992);ibnHanbal,op.cit.,2:169. 21Bukhârî,İman/Belief,20;Tirrmidhî,At’ima,45. 22Onthestatement’scomingtomeansurrenderandpeaceseeAbuAbdillahMuhammadibnAhmadAl‐Qurtubi,Al‐Jâmilî‐Ahkâmal‐Qur’ân,vol.3(Beirut:DârAl‐KütubAl‐İlmiyye,1988),p.17;

AbdAllahibnUmaral‐Baydawî,Anvaral‐tanzilwaAsraral‐ta'wil(MinHashiyatiShaikhzâde),vol.1(Istanbul:Hakikatp.h.,1991),p.510.

ForexampleRazisaysthatthestatementhascometomeansurrenderandpeace.Forthis,ifwetaketheversetomeanpeace,thiswouldmeanendingwaranddisputes.Theversethereforecanbeinterpretedasfollows:

“O Believers, enter into silm [complete peace], namely with the help of religion and for sake of Him resistdifficulties,beinharmony,don’tfollowinthefootstepsofSataninbeinginclinedtotheworldandencouragingargumentsamongoneanother,youracknowledgedfoe”(Al‐Baqarah[2]:208).

Razi,op.cit.,2,p.353. 23SeeRazi,op.cit.,2,p.352. 24Yazır,op.cit.,5:736.




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Al Muslimu men salima al‐Muslimune min lisanihi ve yadihi/The Muslim is onewhoseneitherhandnortongueneedstobefeared.25

IntheHadith,thehandrepresentsbodilyaction,thetonguespiritual.SoMuslimsbringsecurityandsafetytosocietythroughbodyandsoul.Thewordislamincludesthemeaningssilmandsalamet,whichshowsIslam’sfunctionregardingsecurityandsafetyfortheindividualandsociety.So,wecansee that thosebelieving in Islamaimat creating apersonwhose soul is at peace, and a society atpeace.Islam’sperfectheartistheheartofthehuman.

Ofcourse,withtheIslamiccreed,beliefintheOnenessofGodleadstotheunityandbrotherhoodofhumankind,andthisdestroysallofthebarriersseparatinghumans.Forexample,tawheedmeanstoseeGodasone.TheindividualsofsocietyuniteintheOne(Allah)andthisyieldstheunificationofsouls.

Inmy opinion, in this context, one of the great functions of Islam is to constitute a powerfulconscienceandsoulthatacceptssocietyasafamilyofindividualsinsociety.Thisconscienceandsoulhave ledthemtogreatdevotionandheroism.Butthisphenomenonwasseenonly intheperiodofMuhammad,AbuBakr,andUmar.TheperiodofUthmanandpartofAli’swerecompletelydifferentbecauseofinnerwarfareanddisturbances.Islambringsthisconscienceandsoulintobeingthroughfaithandworship.

Islam aims to bring about a unified community (wahdat community). According to commonunderstanding,ifonewantstounderstandanachievementwell,onemustgothroughtheprocessinwhich such achievements were gained. So, for the best understanding of Islam’s contribution topeacewemustgotothetimeofMuhammad.

InEasterncultures(asinthehistoryofWesternsociety),enmitiescontinueacrossgenerations.AtthetimeofMuhammad(p.b.u.h.),thereweretwotribes,theAwsandKhazraj.Theenmitybetweenthese tribes extended across generations, as confirmed by Jung’s common collective unconscioustheory (the verse mentioned above uses a style to confirm this). This enmity brought about aphenomenon that was incorporated into the chromosomes of the two tribes. This collectiveunconscious operated in a small way, and, consequently, there was a great deal of bloodshed. Inaddition, the tribe’sprideand thecultureof ignorance (thecultureof jahiliyah) fed theenmity. Inspiteofthis,Islamreconciledthem.Thiswasanamazingrevolution.

ThepowerofIslamtobringaboutpeaceatthetimeofMuhammad(p.b.u.h)manifestsitself inthefollowingverseandshowshowithastheabilitytouniteenemiesandallowthemtoliveinpeace.

Andbroughttogethertheirhearts.Ifyouhadspentallthatisintheearth,youcouldnothavebroughttheirheartstogether;butAllahbroughtthemtogether.Indeed,HeisExaltedinMightandWise.(Al‐Anfâl[8]:63)

So,theIslamicfaithcausedamajorrevolutionintheirsouls,softenedtheirheartsandunitedthem.This verse mentioned above explains the eternal enmity that had existed between the Aws andKhazrajwasstoppedbyIslam,andthemercywroughtbyIslamwasintensifiedinthecommunity.

ThewordIslamisderivedfromthewordsforpeace(silmandsalamet),sothereligionofIslammeanstoliveinpeace.ThisiswhyIslamdoesnotpermitterrorism.Butsomepeople,byreferringtothewarswagedinIslamichistory,attempttoequateIslamwithviolenceandterrorism.26Ifonelooks

25Bukhâri,Riqâq,26;Muslim,İman/Belief,64‐65;AbuDawud,Jihâd,2;Tirmidhi,Qıyâmah,52;Al‐Dârimi,Riqâq,

4,8;AhmadibnHanbal,Sunan,2:160,163,178,191,193,195;5:2,206,209,212. 26Many Western authors have a prejudicial approach to Islam and Muslims (Gibb, Mohammedanism; see

Firestone, op. cit., p. 13; Rudolph Peters, Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam [Princeton: Markus WienerPublishers,2005],pp.5‐7,103.7;Peters,op.cit.,p.5‐6)TheyclaimthattheIslamicstate,whichisregardedasthe instrument for universalizing a certain religion, must perforce be an ever‐expanding state. The Islamic




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at the lifeofMuhammad(p.b.u.h.), itwill beevident that theProphetMuhammadwagedwars fordefensivepurposesandwhenitwasunavoidable.Thefollowingversesubstantiates thisclaimthatIslamisareligionofpeaceandsalvation.

Becauseofthat,WedecreedupontheChildrenofIsrael(fortheirbookbeingthefirstdivinebook)27thatwhoeverkillsasoulunlessforasoulorforcorruption[done]intheland–itisasifhehadslainmankindentirely.Andwhoeversavesone–itisasifhehadsavedmankindentirely….(Al‐Mâ’idah[5]:32)

Islamicscholarsinterpretthisverseasfollows.Allspiritshavetherighttolife;tokilloneofthemisanoffenseagainst theright to life thateveryonehas.Tokillapersonunjustly isacrimeagainsthumanity:killingonepersonislikekillingallhumanity.28

Thisemphasizesthesanctityofhumanlife.Itisessentialforthepreservationofhumanlifethateveryone should regard the lives of others as sacred and help to protect those lives. Anyonewhotakes the life of another unjustly does not only commit an injustice against that person but alsoprovesthathehasnofeelingforthesanctityofhumanlifeandmercyforothers.Hence,heismostsurely the enemyof thewholehuman race, for if every individual suffered from the samekindofhard‐heartedness, thewhole human racewould come to an end. On the contrary, if one helps topreserveasinglehumanlife,heisindeedahelperofallhumankind,forhepossessesthosequalitiesonwhichthesurvivalofwholehumanracedepends.29Takingalifeaffectsallofhumanitywhereassavingoneman’slifeislikesavingallhumanity.

According to Islamic scholars, the aim of the simile in the two rulings of this verse is toemphasizethesanctityofhumanlife,toindicatethatkillinghumanbeingsiswrong,thatthereisapublicadvantagetopreservinglifeinaclearandeffectualway,todiscouragehumansfrommurder,andtoencouragepreservinglives.30Ifapersonwhokillszealouslythinksthatitisaswrongaskillingallpeople,hewillgiveupkilling,andifhethinksthatpreservingaperson’slifehasanadvantageasgreataspreserving the livesofallpeople, then(bywaivinghisright toretaliation)hiswishesandwillingnesstoforgivemurderandhelpingthosewhoareindangerincreases.31

So if this iswhat the termmeans, i.e.,peaceandsalvation,howareweto interpret theversesaboutjihad?

state,whoseprincipal functionwastoputGod’s lawintopractice,sought toestablishIslamasthedominantreigningideology1955],p.51;BernardLewis,"PoliticsandWar":theLegacyofIslam [Oxford:1974],p.175;ÜlkenHilmiZiya,İslamDüşüncesineGiriş[Istanbul:İbrahimHorozp.h.,1954],p.17,note2).

TheyalwaysviewMuslimssuperciliouslyandthinktheirworld issuperiortotheMuslimworldandthatthelatterdependsontheformer(Edward,W.Said,Orientalism[PenguinBooksp.7;ValeryKennedy,EdwardSaid:ACritical Introduction [PolityPress],p.23).Theyalwayswant todominate, restructure,andrule theOrient.This is theirmethodconstantly(Said,op.cit.,p.3;Kennedy,op.cit.,p.21).ThisperspectivebetweenEuropeandtheOrientresultedintheEuropeanexpansionthatcamewithimperialismandcolonialism(Kennedy,op.cit.,p.22).

27İbnAl‐ArabiandBaydawisaythathavingtheruleofKabil’smurderintheOldTestamentforthethefirsttimeisanindicationofitsbeingthefirstdivinebook(seeAbuBakrMuhammadibnAbdillahİbnAl‐Arabi,Ahkâmal‐Qur'ân,vol.2[Beirut:Dâral‐kütubal‐ilmiyye,1988],p.88;Baydawi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.210).Ifthisstatementwasa general unwritten statement before the Old Testament, one should deduce that it should be a generalanonymousstatement.İbnAl‐Arabî,op.cit.,vol.2,p.88.

28QutubSayyid,FîZılâlAl‐Qur'ân,vol.2(Cairo:Dâral‐shuruk,1980),p.877. 29Al‐Baydawi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.210;Yazır,op.cit.,vol.3,p.1658;S.AbulA’laMawdudi,TheMeaningoftheQur’an,

3rded.,vol.1(IslamicPublicationsLtd.,2002),p.447. 30Zamakhsharî,op.cit.,vol.1,p.627;Baydawî,op.cit.,vol.2,p.210;Razî,op.cit.,vol.4,p.344;MuhammadAliibn

Muhammadal‐San’aniash‐Shawkani,FathAl‐Qadir,vol.2 (Egypt:Mustafaal‐babîal‐halabi,),p.34;Yazır,op.cit.,vol.3,p.1658;Mawdudi,op.cit.,vol.1,p.421.

31Zamakhsharî,op.cit.,vol.I,p.627;ash‐Shawkani,op.cit.,vol.2,p.34.




72.JIHAD

TheArabicword jihad isaverycomprehensiveterm: it includeseverykindofeffort,exertion,struggle,conflict,andwar. Jihadisderivedfromtheroot j‐h‐d,whichmeansdoingone’sutmostorexertingoneselftotheutmostwithrespecttoefforts,endeavours,toil,orhardwork,andtheabilitytocontendwithanobjectofdisapprobation.32Becausetherootcarriesthismeaning, ijtihad,whichcomes from the same root,meansoneworks at achieving something that is difficult.Al‐Tahanawisaysforthereasonthatthiswordisusedespeciallywithrespecttothedifficultyinvolved.Arabssay“Ijtahadafihamlial‐hajar/Hestruggledbearingtherock.”Theydonotusethiswordforeasytasks.That is, they do not say things like as “Ijtahada fi hamli al‐Khardala/He struggled bearing themustard.”33Theoriginalmeaning isused, for instance, in thesentence“Jahadaash‐Shakhsu: Jadde,kaneyajhaduli’anyukmiladirasatahufiwaktinmubakkirin.s’aahattawasalailaal‐ghaya/Themanstruggled (Jadde, kane yajhadu) to finish his lesson early and finally reached his goal.”34 So, jihadreferstothemaximumstruggleandsacrificeofaMuslim–physically,orally,mentallyandmaterially–inthecauseofIslam;oneshouldstriveforAllah,asthestruggleforHimdemands.35

So, jihadnotonlymeans the struggle against enemiesbuthasothermeaningsaswell.This iswhy jihad isused inHadith sourceswith the followingmeanings: “ the(true)believerandhewhostruggles againsthisnature” (Tirmidhi,Fadâ’ilAl‐Jihad, 2), “Themostdeserving fight is (to speak)justwordsbeforeaniniquitoussovereign”(AbuDawud,al‐Malâhim,17;Tirmidhi,al‐Fitan,13),“Anindividual’s combatagainsthis self/personality inservinghisparent is jihad”(Bukhari, Jihad,138;Müslim,Kitabal‐Birr, 5), “The best jihad accepted is the pilgrimage toMecca” (Bukhari, Jihad, 1),“Mumin(Believer)combatbyhisswordandtongue”(AhmedibnHanbal,Musnad,3:124).

Althoughtheuseofthewordjihadshowsthatitgenerallymeanswaragainstenemies,thisisnotitsonlymeaning.Thismisunderstandingisaconsequenceofwarscarriedoutonthebasisofaverybroad interpretationof themeaningof the term,which is in factonlyavery small element.Othermorepeaceful interpretationsaregenerally ignored. Jihad isused in theQur’angenerally tomean“struggle.”Anotherword,qital isusedfor fightingandwar.Qital is toengageinwarat thetimeofaggressionbyenemies.Thisqitalorwarispurelyinself‐defensetocounteraggression.Sincefightingin self‐defense in accordancewithGod’s commandalso involves a struggle, this came to be calledjihadaswell.36Qitalisoneaspectofjihad,butisitsfinalstage.Qitaliswagingholywarinthedefenseof one’s life, religion, country, home, property, or religious brotherswho are being oppressed, i.e.againstanyaggressors.

In reality, thedoctrineof jihadmobilizesandmotivatesMuslims todefensiveness inall areas.ThismobilizationandmotivationarestronglynurturedbytheQur’an.Ifapersonactsinaccordance

32Muhammad Ibn Manzur Abu Al‐Fadl Jamaluddin, “Jahd,” Lisan Al‐Arab, vol. 3 (Beirut:, 1955), pp. 133‐35;

MuhammadAli ibnAli ibnMuhammadAl‐Tahanawi,Kashshafu istlahatial‐Funun,vol.1(Beirut:Daral‐kutubal‐ilmiyya,1998),p.267;LouisM’aluf,Al‐Munjid(Beirut:Al‐Matbaaal‐katulikiyya,1951),p.101;Steingass,Ph.D.,Arabic‐EnglishDictionary(London:1884),p.250;JemaatunminalKubarai’‐Lugaviyyinal‐Arab,Al‐Mu’camal‐Arabiyyahal‐Asasiyyah(MatbaatuliAt‐TerbiyyetiwaAs‐Sakafa,1989),pp.281‐82;BaalbakiRohi,Al‐Mawrid(Daral‐ilmlilmalayin,1997),p.437,ReuvenFirestone,Jihad:TheOriginofHolyWarinIslam(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1999),p.16;FaridaKhanam,“Jihad,”in:N.K.‐SinghandA.R.Agwan(eds.),EncyclopaediaoftheHolyQur’an,vol.2(Delhi:GlobalVision,p.h.2000),p.669.

33Al‐Tahanawi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.267. 34JemaatunminalKubara‐i’‐LugaviyyinAl‐Arab,op.cit.,p.281. 35Al‐Tahanawi,op.cit.,vol.1,p.267;RegisBlachereetal.,DictionaireArabe‐Francais‐Anglais,vol.3(Paris:G.‐P.

MaisnneuveetLarose,1976),p.1823;Louis,ibid.,p.101;AfzalurRahman,IslamIdeologyandtheWayofLife(London:SeerahFoundation,1988),p.170.

36Khanam,op.cit.,vol.2,p.670.




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with Qur’anic verses and obtains God’s consent, he will go to paradise. Jihad manifests its truecharacterintheQur’anwhenitdepictsachangefromaimlessnesstoanaimforthesakeofAllah.ThecharacteristictermusedintheQur’anis“Jihadfisebiliallah/StriveinthewayofAllah,”whichshowsthattheaimofjihadhastobeforthesakeofAllahinwaraswell.

Thereare certainverses in theQur’an that convey thecommand togo towar (qital) (Al‐Hajj[22]:39).Thefirstpointinthisconnectionisthatthelaunchingofanoffensivebythebelieversisnottotallyforbidden.Itispermissibleundercertainconditions.Forexample,“Fight(faqatilu)inthewayofAllahagainstthosewhofightyou(yuqatilukum)butdonottransgress.Indeed,Allahdoesnotliketransgressors” (Al‐Baqarah [2]:190). This clearly shows that defensive war is permitted in Islam.Believers are allowed to fight in self‐defense. Acording to the verse, Muslims are not allowed toinitiatehostility.

Inparticular,therearetwoversesintheQur’anthatarenormallyquotedbythosemosteagertocriticize theQur’anic teachingonwar:Al‐Baqarah(2):191andAt‐Taubah(9):5; the latter is calledthe SwordVerse. This verse has become the basis of the critique of Islam.But according to someIslamicscholars, thetrueswordverse isAt‐Taubah(9):36,37whereassomeotherscholarssaythatbothorotherversesareswordverses.38

Inmyview,everyversethat includesqital (war)hasahistoricalcontextandarevealedcause(sababal‐nuzul)thatisrelatedprimarilytoitsfirsteventandmanifestsacharacterthatpertainstothis event. To understand these verses properly, we need to look at their historical background.ThesetwoverseswererevealedinMedina,especiallyAt‐Taubah(9):5revealedinthelaterperiodinMedina.Thecontentsof thesura arerelated toeventsarising fromtheTreatyofHudaybiyah.TheancientJahiliyahtribeofArabiaresortedtodesperateactsofbelligerency.OthertribesloyaltotheJahiliyahmustered theirmilitary forces at the Battle of Hunayn in a bid to prevent the spread ofIslam’sreformativerevolutionthat,afterthecaptureofMecca,hadalmostreacheditszenith.39

TheenemiesofIslam,boththeidolatersandPeopleoftheBook,refusedtoallowtheMessagetobespreadpeacefullyandengagedinwarwithIslaminafightthatwasboundtoendintheirdefeat.They refused to acknowledge the truth and to refrain from aggression, behaving like a fox whopretends to be dead in order to gain time and resume its treachery and killing. Individuals andgroupsformedcoalitionshamperingandattackingMuslims.40

TheMuslimshave always kept andwill continue to keep thepeacewith thosewhokeep thepeacewiththemandmakewaronthosewhomakewaronthem,asunderstoodonthebasisofAl‐Baqarah (2):190. For example, during the 22 years before the revelation of Sura at‐Taubah, Arabpaganismwas dealt with in the wisest andmostmerciful way. InMecca, Islamwas an outlawedreligionwithoutanypossibilityofself‐defense.AftertheHijratoMedina,Muslimsengagedinabout30battlesandexpeditionsagainsttheirenemies,inthecourseofwhichonlyabout200unbelieverswerekilled.41

In reality, the first permission given forqital is found in Al‐Hajj (22):39‐40.42WhenMuslimswerepersecutedbyallandthreatenedbytheQurayshofMeccawhowerenowwagingwaragainstthem, God gave permission to fight back in thesewords: “Permission [to fight] has been given to

37Zamakhshari,op.cit.,vol.1,p.235. 38MuhammadRashidRida,Al‐Manar,vol.10(Beirut:Daral‐marife,p.166. 39Mawdudi,op.cit.,vol.3,p.177. 40Muhammad,AJourneyThroughtheQur’anThemesandMessagesoftheHolyQur’an(Daral‐takva,1998),p.115. 41Ghazali,op.cit.,p.117. 42SeeMuhammad ibn Jerir al‐Tabari, Jami ‘Al‐Bayan fiTafsirAl‐Qur’an,vol.9 (Beirut:Daral‐ilmiyya,1999),p.

161.




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thosewhoarebeingattacked,because theywerewronged.And indeed,Allah iscompetent togivethemvictory.[Theyare]thosewhohavebeenevictedfromtheirhomeswithoutright–onlybecausetheysay:“OurLordisAllah”(Al‐Hajj[22]:39‐40).ThiswasthefirstpassageintheQur’antoallowMuhammad and his companions to defend themselves against their enemies by force and wasrevealedsometimebeforetheemigrationtoMedina.

ProphetMuhammad(p.b.u.h.)hadnotbeengivenpermissiontofight(qital)norwasheallowedtoshedbloodbefore therevelationof thisverse.He (p.b.u.h.)hadsimplybeencommanded tocallpeople to God and to endure insult and to forgive the ignorant.43 Until that time, the ProphetMuhammad(p.b.u.h.)hadexhortedMuslimstosuffertheinjuriesofferedthemwithpatience,whichis also commanded inmore than 70 different places in the Qur’an. Commentators say that Allahconnectedthecauseofthispermissiontopersecution.Untilthistime,Muhammad’scompanionshadbeencomingtoHim(p.b.u.h.)wounded.He(p.b.u.h.)hadalwaysadvisedthemtobepatientandsaid:“Ihaven’tbeen commanded toengage inwar.”44This,was the first verse that allowedMuslims toengageinwaraftersome70verseshadbeenrevealed(sentdown)thatrejectedgoingtowar.45

The translator of Ibn Ishaq, A. Guillaume, explains this period as follows. The Apostle (Hz.Muhammad [p.b.u.h.]) had not been given permission to fight or to shed blood before the second‘Aqaba. He had simply been commanded to callmen to God and to endure insult and forgive theignorant. TheQurayshhadpersecutedhis followers, seducing some to abandon their religion, andexilingothersfromtheircountry.WhentheQurayshbecameinsolenttowardsGodandrejectedHisgraciouspurpose,accusedHisprophetoflying,andmistreatedandexiledthosewhoservedHimandproclaimed His unity, believed in His prophet, and remained faithful to His religion, Allah gavepermission to His apostle to fight and to protect himself against those who wronged them andtreatedthembadly(Al‐Hajj(22):40‐42).46

TherewereonlythreeinstancesofMuslimsactuallyenteringthefieldofbattle:Badr,Uhud,andHunayn.Onallthreeoccasionswarhadbecomeinevitable.Theprophet(p.b.u.h.)wascompelledtofighttheaggressorsinself‐defense.TheQur’anallowslimitedviolenceandkillingonlyinwar.Allthebattles that took place during the Prophet’s lifetime, under the guidance of the Qur’an and theProphet,havebeenstudiedandshowntohavebeenwagedonly inself‐defenseor topre‐emptanimminent attack. For more than ten years in Mecca Muslims had been persecuted, but beforepermission was given to fight they were instructed to restrain themselves and to endure withpatienceandfortitude(Al‐Baqarah[2]:109;An‐Nahl[16]:41‐42)AftertheMuslimswereforcedoutoftheirhomesandtheirtownsandthosewhoremainedbehindweresubjectedtoevenmoreabuse,GodgaveHispermissiontofight(Al‐Hajj[22]:39‐40).47

Clearly, this command to fight back was given to the Muslims for self‐preservation and self‐defense.ItshouldbenotedthattheQur’an,intreatingthethemeofwar,aswithmanyotherthemes,regularlygivesthereasonsandjustificationsforanyactionitdemands.TheQuransays“Permission

43SeeA.Guillaume,TheLifeofMuhammad:AnintroductiontoIshaq’sSiratRasulAllah(London:Oxforduniversity

Press,1955),p.212. 44AbuHasanAliibnAhmadal‐Wahidi,AsbabAl‐Nuzul(Dimashq:Daruibnkathir,1988),p.258;AlauddinAliibn

MuhammadibnIbrahimal‐Khazin,TafsirAl‐Khazin(LubabAI‐Ta’wilfiMa’aniAl‐Tanzil),vol.3(Beirut:Daral‐fikr,),p.291;AbuMuhammadAl‐HuseynibnMas’udal‐Baghawi,TafsirAl‐Baghawi(Maa’limAl‐Tanzil),vol.3(Beirut:Daral‐ilmiyye,1993),p.344;Ash‐Shawkani,op.cit.,vol.3,p.456.

45Zamakhshari,op.cit.,vol.3,p.160;Baydawi,op.cit.,vol.3,p.386;Razi,op.cit.,vol.8,p.228;Al‐AndulusîAbuHayyan,Al‐BahrAl‐Muhit,vol.6(Beirut‐Lebanan:Daral‐kutubal‐‘ilmiyya,2001),p.346;Alusi,op.cit.,vol.17,p.162.

46A.Guillaume,op.cit.,p.212 47MuhammedAbdelHaleem,UnderstandingtheThemesandStyle(London,NewYork:I.B.Tauris,1999),p.61.




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[tofight]hasbeengiventothosewhoarebeingattackedbecausetheywerewronged.”PermissionhadbeengiventothembecauseMuslimswerebeingoppressedandtreatedcruelly.Thistellsusthattheremust be valid justifications forMuslims to participate inwar and strict conditionsmust befulfilled.So,becauseofeventslikethese,warmaysometimesbecomenecessaryforMuslimstostopattacks against them. Under these circumstances, fighting becomes obligatory for all Muslims toprotectnotonlytheirideologyandbeliefsbuttheirhomes,lives,property,andeverythingelse.Thus,whenever aMuslim state is attackedby anyother stateor states, it becomes the religiousdutyofeveryMuslimofthatstatetojoininfighting(qital)theinvaders.48

Thus,undersomeconditionswarsbecomenecessary.Forexample,wecanseefrom(Al‐Baqarah[2]:217‐18)thatfightingisnecessaryindefenseofsacredthingsandfaith.IfMuslimpeoplearefacedwithpeoplewhoaredetermined tomake themabandon their religion, theyhavenochoicebut tofightandwillbeheldaccountableforitiftheydonot.

Thus,theQur’anteachesthatwarbecomesanobligationforself‐defense(aswediscussedabovein connection with Al‐Baqarah [2]:190, Al‐Hajj [22]:39‐40), defending religious freedom (Al‐Hajj[22]:39‐41),anddefendingthosewhoareoppressed:men,women,andchildrenwhocryoutforhelp(An‐Nisâ [4]:75). Similarly, it is the duty ofMuslims to help oppressedMuslimswho cry for help,exceptagainstpeoplewithwhomtheyhaveatreaty(Al‐Anfal[8]:72).

Thus,weunderstandthattheuseofjihaduseisdifferentfromqitalintheQur’an.Actually,therootofjihadisj‐h‐d,whichmeans,asstatedabove,strivingone’sutmost.Forinstance,inArabicwesay, “Bazala juhdahu” (I struggle to theutmost”); jihad or ijtihad thusmeans “striving to do one’sutmost in any matter.”49 For that reason, jihad does not onlymean fighting and killing for thepropagation of Islam. Faith is amatter of conviction and conscience, and no amount of force andcoercioncaneverbringsomeonetobelieveinsomethingofwhichheisnotconvinced.Faithcannot,therefore, be thrustuponanyoneby forcenor is thismethod recommendedby Islam (Al‐Baqarah[2]:256).50NowhereintheQur’anischangingpeople’sreligionacauseforwagingwar.TheQur’anstatesclearlythatthereisnocompulsioninreligion(Al‐Baqarah[2]:256).Humanswillalwayshavedifferentreligionsandways,andthisisanunalterablefact(Al‐Mâ’idah[5]:48).51

IfwelookcarefullyattherevealedcauseoftheversesoftheQur’aninquestionandreadthemaccording to a background of the Qur’an as whole, we will see that qital is an attempt againsttransgressorswhowrongedMuslimpeopleand treated thembadly. “And if theybreak theiroathsaftertheirtreatyanddefameyourreligion,thenfight[faqatilu]theleadersofdisbelief”(At‐Taubah[9]:12). In this verse,which seems to commandMuslims to fight unbelievers unconditionally, thegeneralconditionthatfightingisonlyallowedasdefensecanbedetectedhere.“Andwhenthesacredmonthshavepassed,thenkill[faqtulu]theidolaterswhereveryoufindthem,andcapturethemandbesiegethemandsitinwaitforthemateveryplaceofambush”(At‐Taubah[9]:5).

But there are differences in the interpretation of these verses concerning war (qital). SomeclassicalMusliminterpretationsholdthatthisSwordVerse,withtheunconditionalcommandtofightunbelievers,abrogatedallpreviousversesconcerningrelationswithnon‐Muslims.52

48SeeAfzalurRahman,op.cit.,p.173. 49Muhammad ibn Ya’kub al‐ Firuzabadi, “Jahd,” Al‐Qamus Al‐Muhit (Isa al‐babi al‐halabi), vol. 1, p. 286; Ibn

Manzur,op.cit.,“Jahd,”vol.3,pp.133‐35;Az‐Zabidi,SharhAl‐QamusAl‐MusammaTajuAl‐ArusminJawahirAl‐Qamus,vol.2,p.329;Khanam,op.cit.,vol.2,p.669.

50Rahman,op.cit.,p.174. 51Haleem,op.cit.,p.61. 52Peters,op.cit.,p.2;Rida,op.cit.,vol.10,p.166.




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According to Islamic scholars, Al‐Baqarah (2):190 is directed against the Quraysh.53ZamakhsharisaysthattheverseisdirectedagainsttheQurayshidolaterswhoattackedMuslimsandnot against the Quraysh idolaters who did not attack Muslims. On this point 2:190 has beenabrogatedbyAt‐Taubah(9):36.According toRabi ibnAnas, theverse is the firstonwar thatwasrevealedinMedina.54Qurtubiisofthesameopinion.Accordingtohim,Al‐Baqarah(2):190isthefirstversethatconcernsengaginginwar.WarwasprohibitedbeforeHicre(byAl‐Mâ’idah,An‐Nisâ[4]:13,Fussilat [41]:34, Al‐Muzzammil [73]:10, Al‐Ghashiyah [88]:22). Like 2:190, none of the versesrevealed in Mecca allowed Muslims to instigate war. The verse Al‐Baqarah [2]:190 was revealedwhentheProphetMuhammadmovedtoMedina.55AccordingtoZamakshsari,theProphet(p.b.u.h.)onlyfoughtagainstthosewhofoughtagainstHimuntilAt‐Taubah(9):36.56But,accordingtoQurtubi,theProphetcontinuedtoactthiswayuntilAt‐Taubah[9]:5.Thisverse,however,wasabrogatedbyAt‐Taubah[9]:36andhadcontainedcommandstogotowaragainstallidolaters.57AccordingtoIbnAl‐Arabi, there isnoabrogation.According tohim, the firstverseonwar isAl‐Hajj (22):39,and itgave permission forwar, whereas in the second verse, 2:190, the permission turns to obligation,includingwaragainstallthosewhoattackedMuslims.Thethirdverse,9:5,commandedMuslimstofightallidolaters.58

Suyuti didnot accept any abrogation of the verses thatmentioned relationswith themushrik(idolater)either.Hedefined thiskindofQur’anicverse in the traditionalunderstandingof Islamictheology,namely,munşaat.Thismeansthatwhenthesituationandtheconditionofnecessityarose,whateverQur’anicversescoincidedwiththoseevents,theycouldbeappliedtotheirownmeaninginthe context of time. The systematic method of Qur’anic interpretation evaluates verses underdifferentconditions.ButweuseoneofthepropositionsoftheQur’anichermeneuticalmethod:iftheprimarycategoricalconditiondisappearsonanyoccasion,thesecondarycategoricalQur’anicversescouldbeappliedintheirownmeaningsinthecontext.Forinstance,theQur’anadvisedtheMuslimshow to deal with idolaters. When the Muslims were in a weaker position, such verses advisedMuslimstobepatient;butwhentheirpowerincreased,theywereinstructedtodefendthemselvesortofightaginsttheiroppressors.59So,regardingthewisdomofthegradualintroductionoftheverses,Fakhral‐DinAl‐RaziandIbnKathirsaythatthefirstemergedduringthefirstperiodofIslam.Duringthistime,Muslimswereweak,andtheconditionsofthetimerequiredthiskindbehavior.ButoncethestrengthofMuslimsincreased,Taubah[9]:5commandedthemtofightagainstallidolaters.60

ButAsh‐Shankitianalyzestherealityaccordingto lawsofthesoulandsaysthewisdomofthegradualchangeisthis:whenAllahdesiresbehaviorthatishardonsouls,itslegalizationisaccordedgradually(tadric),otherwisetherealityofthenewlawbeingimposedsuddenlywouldbetoohardonthoseobligedto followit. Jihad is likethisbecause jihad isveryhardonsouls,since it involvesdeathandthesurrenderofproperty.TherealityofjihadisthatMuslimswerefirsttold“Permissionisgiventothose…”(Al‐Hajj[22]:39).Lateron,whenthemindsofthepeoplewereusedtojihad,theywerecommanded“Fight in thewayofAllah thosewho fightyou” (Al‐Baqarah [2]:190). It changesfrompermissionintoaspecificproposal.Finally,whensuchpeoplewereevenmoreusedtothenew

53Wahidi,op.cit.,p.46;Zamakhshari,op.cit.,vol.2,p.289. 54Zamakhshari,op.cit.,vol.1,p.235. 55Qurtubi,op.cit.,vol.2,pp.231‐32. 56Zamakhsharî,op.cit.,vol.1,p.235. 57Ourtubi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.232. 58IbnAl‐Arabi,op.cit.,vol.1,p.144. 59Jalalal‐DinalSuyuti,Al‐ItqanfiUlumal‐Qur’an,vol.2(Beirut:Daribnkathir,1987),pp.703‐04. 60Razi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.288;IbnKathir,TafsiruAl‐Qur’anAl‐Karim,vol.5(Cairo:Daral‐hadis,2002),pp.446‐47.




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condition(namely,actingaccordingtowarascommandedinAl‐Baqarah[2]:190),Godcommandedtothemtofightagainsttheirenemiescompletely.

“Andwhen the sacredmonthshavepassed, thenkill the idolaterswhereveryou find them…”(At‐Taubah[9]:5),and“fightagainstthedisbelieverscollectivelyastheyfightagainstyoucollectively…” (At‐Taubah [9]:36), etc. The reality is a gradual progression in all the requirements of difficultconductintheQur’an.Theprohibitionagainstalcoholandfastingislikethisaswell.61

Islamic scholars giving these explanations show thatAt‐Taubah (9):5,36are the latest versesconcerningwar62 and concern the struggle against theQuraysh’s idolaters and their partners. Buttheseversesdonotsimplycontainacommandtokill;theyalsocommandthatslavesandprisonersbetakenandlookedafterappropriately.63AccordingtoIslamicscholars,thePeopleoftheBookandZoroastriansarenottobeattackeduntiltheyhavebrokentheirpromisesandhavecausedharmandhavetopayaprotectivetax(jizya/jaziyah)64accordingtoAt‐Taubah[9]:29,65butwomen,children,

61MuhammadibnMuhammadAsh‐Shankiti,Adwa’u’l‐‐BayanfiIydahiAl‐Qur’anbiAl‐Qur’an,vol.5(Beirut:‘Alam

al‐kutub,),pp.700‐01.Theprohibitionagainstalcoholisasfollows:tostopdrinkingishardonpeople.Forthisreason,whenAllahwantedtoprohibitalcoholHeprohibiteditgradually.First,Hetoldabouttheharmalcoholcauses:“Theyaskyouof(intoxicants,)wineandgambling.Tellthem:‘Thereisgreatenervationthoughprofitinthem formen;buttheirenervation isgreaterthanbenefit…’”(Al‐Baqarah[2]:219).Later,whentheybecomeusedtoit,thenegativeeffectsaregreaterthanthebenefits.Allahprohibitedalcoholduringprayer:“Oyouwhobelieve,donotperformyourserviceofprayerwhenyouareintoxicated…”(An‐Nisâ[4]:43).Afterthisversewasrevealed,peopledrankalcoholonlywhen itseffectswouldnot continue intoprayer time.These timeswereaftertheIsaandfecrprayer.Theprohibitionwasgradualandbeganwiththeexplanationoftheharmfuleffectsof alcohol. When people became used to these prohibitions, Allah prohibited it completely by saying: “Obelievers,thiswineandgambling,theseidols,andthesearrowsyouuseasdivination,areallactsofSatan(evil);sokeep away from them. Youmay haply prosper” (Al‐Ma’idah [5]:90). Similarly, with fasting Allah graduallylegislatedfasting,fortheabstinencefromlustandfoodwasdifficultforthepeopletocomprehendcompletelyand suddenly. First,He gavepeople freedom to fast or give food to thepoor “Thosewho find ithard to fastshouldexpiatebyfeedingapoorperson.Forthegoodtheydowithalittlehardshipisbetterformen.Andifyoufast it isgood foryou, ifyouknew”(Al‐Baqarah[2]:184).Whenpeoplehadbecomeaccustomedto this,Allahcommanded fastingassuch:“Sowhenyousee thenewmoonyoushould fastthewholemonth…”(Al‐Baqarah[2]:185).Cf.Ash‐Shankiti,op.cit.,vol.5,p.701.

Somescholarssaythelegislationoffastinghappenedinthreestages.First,Allahcommandedpeopletoengageinlightfasting,suchasAsurafasting;everymonthpeopleweretofastforthreedays.Later,whenAllahwantedfasting during Ramadan, He imposed this command gradually, as we stated above, in two stages. Cf. Ash‐Shankiti,op.cit.,vol.5,p.701.

62SeeAlusi,op.cit.,vol.1,p.74;QurtubîsaysthatSuraAt‐TaubahwasrevealedabouttwoyearsafterAl‐BaqarahQurtubi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.234.

63Rida,op.cit.,vol.10,p.166;MuhammadJamaluddinQasimi,Tafsiral‐Qasimî(Mahasinal‐ta’wil),vol.7(Beirut:DaralFkir),p.132;MustafaMaraghi,op.cit.,vol.10,p.57.

64SeeTabari,Jami ‘Al‐Bayan,vol.2,p.190;Alusi,op.cit.,vol.1,p.76.TheseversesdonotconcernthePeopleofBook. According to Islamic scholars, the People of the Book have to pay the poll tax under the Islam ruler.(Alusi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.236).Theyarefreetopracticetheirreligion.(ThisrealityissupportedbysomeofthePeopleoftheBook)ThePeopleoftheBookwerenottobeconvertedbyforcebutallowedtoliveasprotectedpeoples(dhimmis) if theypaidaspecialtaxandlivedhumbly(seeFirestone,op.cit.,p.53).Forexample, theJewsofMedinawerenotattackedby theMessengeruntil theyhadbroken theirpromiseandbegan toofferresistance,justasthepolytheistshaddonebefore.TheMessengerfoughtonlythosewhofoughthim,andhisfightinghadnootheraimthanrepellingoppression,wardingoffrebellionandaggression,andputtinganendtoreligious persecution (seeMahmud Seltut,Al‐Qur’anWaAl‐Kital [Cairo:Matbaatu’n‐nasr, 1948], pp. 60‐61).TheletterofUmarb.KhattabtothepeopleofJerusalem(636‐37)supportsthis:

“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. This is the assurance of safety (amman) which theservantofGod,Umar,theCommanderoftheFaithful,hasgrantedtothepeopleofJerusalem.Hehasgiventhemanassuranceofsafetyforthemselves,fortheirproperty,theirchurches,theircrosses,thesickandthehealthyofthecity,andforalltheritualsthatbelongtotheirreligion.Theirchurcheswillnotbeinhabited(byMuslims)andwillnotbedestroyed.Neitherthey,northelandonwhichtheystand,northeircross,northeirpropertywilldamaged.Theywillnotbeforciblyconverted.NoJewwilllivewiththeminJerusalem.Thepeopleofthe(other)cities,andtheymustexpeltheByzantinesandtherobbers.Asforthosewhowill leavethecity,theirlivesandpropertywillbesafeuntiltheyreachtheirplaceofsafety;andforthosewhoremain,theywillbesafe.




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oldpeople,menwhowantliveinpeace,monks,menwhohavemadeapromise,andsickpeopleareexcludedfromfightingunderallconditionsaslongastheyhavenotbeeninvolvedinprivateactionagainstMuslims.

IslamprotectsthePeopleoftheBookaslongastheypaythejizya/jaziyahandremainpeaceful.WhenUmarsawaJewbegginginthestreets,hecalledtheappropriateofficialfromtheBaytal‐Malandsaid,swearingbyGod,thathewouldnotallowanoldpersonwhohadbeenusefulinhisyouthtoperish in his later years. He ordered him to find and make list of all such people,66 which is anextraordinaryhistoricalanecdote.

Again, when Ibn Taymiyah met Kutlushah, the commander of the Mongols, to negotiateregardingtheslavesbeingheld,hestronglydeclaredthat“unlessthelastoftheMuslim,Jewish,andChristianslavesarereleased, thewarwillgoon. JewsandChristiansareunderourprotection.Wedon’tacceptanysingleoneofthemremainingaslave.”Inresponsetothisdeterminedattitudeandnotdaringtoriskanewwar,theMongolcommanderKutlushahreleasedallprisoners.67

The following statement by Abu Bakr reveals the sensitivity of Muslims towards otherminorities.WhenAbuBakrsentUsamah’sarmytowar,hesaidtothem:

Oarmy,stopandIwillorderyou(todo)ten(things); learnthemfrommebyheart.Youshallnotengageintreachery;youshallnotactunfaithfully;youshallnotengageindeception;youshallnotindulgeinmutilation;youshallkillneitherayoungchildnoranoldmannorawoman;youshallnotfellpalmtreesorburnthem;youshallnotcutdown(any)fruit‐bearingtree;youshallnotslaughterasheeporacoworacamelexceptforfood. Youwill pass peoplewho occupy themselves inmonks’ cells; leave them alone,what they busywiththemselves inwhicharevarietiesof food; ifyoueatanythingfrom(thosedishes),mentionthenameofGodoverthem.68

So,accordingtotheinterpretationsbyclassicalscholars,Taubah[9]:5and36abrogatedallthe124versesthatencouragedpositiveattitudessuchasforgiveness,refrainingfromevil,establishing

TheywillhavetopaythepolltaxlikethepeopleofJerusalem.ThoseofthepeopleofJerusalemwhowanttoleavewiththeByzantines,taketheirproperty,andabandontheirchurchesandtheircrosseswillbesafeuntiltheyreachtheirplaceofsafety.Thosevillagers[ahlal‐ard]whowereinJerusalembeforethekillingofso‐and‐somayremaininthecityiftheywish,buttheymustpaythepolltaxlikethepeopleofJerusalem.ThosewhowishmaygowiththeByzantines,andthosewhowishmayreturntotheirfamilies.Nothingwillbetakenfromthembeforetheirharvestisgathered.Iftheypaythepolltaxaccordingtotheirobligations,thenthecontentsofthis letterareunderthecovenantofGod,aretheresponsibilityofHisProphet,ofthecaliphs,andof faithful.ThepersonswhoattesttoitareKhalidibnal‐Walid,Amribnal‐Asi,Abdal‐RahmanibnAwf,andMu’awiyahibnAbi Sufyan. This letter was written and prepared in the year 15/636‐37” (Abu Ja’fer Muhammad ibn JerirTabari,TheHistoryofAl‐Tabarî,trans.andannotatedbyYohananFriedmann,vol.12[Albany:StateUniversityofNewYorkPress,1992],191‐92).

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) ordered that jizya should be collected from the Hajar people who wereZoroastrians(seeIbnal‐Arabî,op.cit.,vol.10,pp.156‐57).TheHajarpeopleconfirmthattheywerelivingasaPeopleoftheBook:“‘UmaracceptednotributefromtheZoroastriansuntil‘Abdar‐RahmanibnAvftestifiedthattheProphet(p.b.u.h.)hadcollected tribute from theZoroastriansofHajar (insouthernBahrayn)andhadsaid:‘Establishforthemthesamecustomasforthepeopleofthebook,fortheyhaveasimilarbook’.”Thus,theyareregardedaspossessingtheBook.SeeHelmutGatje,TheQur’ananditsExegesisSelectedTextswithClassicalandModernMuslim Interpretations, trans. anded.byAlfordT.Welch (LondonandHenley:RoutledgeandKeganPaul,1971),pp.138‐39;Alusi,op.cit.,vol.10,p.79.

65“FightthosePeopleoftheBookwhodonotbelieveinGodandtheLastDay,whodonotprohibitwhatGodandHisapostlehaveforbidden,noracceptdivinelaw,untilallofthempayprotectivetaxinsubmission”(Taubah[9]:29).Jaziyahisataxleviedonnon‐Muslimsforprotectionandotherservices.

66AbuYusufYa’kubibnIbrahim,Kitabal‐Kharaj(Maktabatal‐mishkatal‐islamiyya,),p.126. 67Ahmad Emin, Yevm al‐Islam/Islamin Bugunu, translated into Turkish by Abdulvahhab Ozturk (Ankara:Publisher,1977),p.137.

68Tabari,TheHistoryofal‐Tabarî,vol.10,p.16.




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goodrelationsandworkingtowardspeace.69ExamplesoftheversesthataimatestablishinggoodinthisworldareAl‐Baqarah[2]:190,217,An‐Nisâ[4]:90,94,Al‐A’raf[8]:61,Al‐Mumtahinah[60]:11.70Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthisclassicalandradicalinterpretationimpliesthat90%oftheversesonthe same themewere abrogated. Indeed,withdue respect, this cannot be accepted. The failure ofthesegreatcommentatorsisthattheydidnotadoptaholisticandintegratedapproach,despitetheirimmensecontributiontothehermeneuticsoftheQur’an.IfwetakeIbnAl‐Arabi’sopinion(withoutabrogation) on the subject, which inmy view is themost logical approach,we can see there is agradualchangethatinfersIslamdoesnotwantwar.Thisopinionisthebestopiniononthesubject,according to theQur’anicperspective, and itsholisticbackgroundasawholebecause theQur’anicuniversalruleis“thereshallbenocompulsionin[acceptanceof]thereligion”(Al‐Baqarah[2]:256).

So,Taubah[9]:5and36arereferringtotheQurayshandtheidolatersoftheArabPeninsulawhowerepersecutingMuslims,exhibitingextremebehavioragainstthem,breakingtheirpromises,andbeginning to offer resistance, wanting new Muslim converts to revert to being idolaters. All thisshowedthattheywereagreatdangertothenewreligion.ThatiswhyweunderstandTaubah[9]:5and36tobereferringtotheQurayshandtheidolatersoftheArabPeninsula.

Accordingtothisview,anyunabrogatedversesofferanexplanationandyieldameaningintheircontext.Thisisthebestinterpretationsinceitfitsthereligionthatispeaceandsalvation.Moreover,IbnAl‐ArabisaystheSwordVerse(At‐Taubah[9]:5)referstotheidolaterswhoattackedMuslims.71Similarly,Jassassays“Waannadhalikeinnamakanekhassenfiqavminminhumkanuahlaghadrinvekhiyanatin/theverseisaspecificratherthangeneralverse,theaimofwhichistheidolaterswhohadbeenmisleadingMuslims.”72ThiswasbecausetheywereinitiatingthisandoppressingMuslims,theywantedMuslimstoconvert,tobelikethem,i.e.idolaters.73ThisviewisthemostappropriateoneinthecontextoftheQur’an’sholisticbackgroundasawhole.Indeed,itisrevealedassuchintheQur'anfortheotheridolaters:“Allahdoesnotforbidyoufromthosewhodonotfightyoubecauseofreligionanddonotexpelyoufromyourhomes–frombeingrighteoustowardthemandactingjustlytowardsthem.Indeed,Allahlovesthosewhoactjustly”(Al‐Mumtahinah[60]:8).

ThisshowsusthatthosewhohavegoodrelationswithMuslimsdonotwagewar,andtheQur’ansuggests that any action against themwill adversely affect their good relationswith them.That iswhyAbuHanifa’sidolatersintheArabPeninsulahadtobecomeMuslimorbekilled;nojizyawouldbecollectedfromthem.Therewasnootheralternativeforthem.Thisisarigidview(ijtihad).74

Onthispoint,thebestanalysisisthatofIbnQayyımAl‐Jawziyya.HesaysinhisbookAhkamAhlAl‐Dhimma, that jizya (theprotectiontax)wascollectedfromallunbelievers.Nounbelievershouldbeexemptfromjizya;itshouldnotonlybethePeopleoftheBookwhopayit.AccordingtoaHadith,75

69Qasimi,op.cit.,p.134;Rida,op.cit.,vol.10,p.166. 70AbuJafarAhmadibnMuhammadal‐Nahhas,Al‐NasihwaAl‐Mansuh(Muassasatual‐risale,1991),pp.487‐88;

Suyutî,op.cit.,vol.2,p.712. 71Ibnal‐Arabî,op.cit.,vol.2,p.457;VahbaZuhayli,al‐Fiqhal‐Islamiyyawaadilatuhu,vol.10(Dimashq:Daral‐

fikr,1989),p.110. 72AbuBakrAhmadibnAliJassas,Ahkamual‐Qur’an,vol.3(Dimashq:Daral‐fikr,1993),p.126;Zuhayli,op.cit.,

vol.10,p.111. 73SeeRazi,op.cit.,vol.2,p.291. 74Alusi,op.cit.,vol.10,p.79;IbnQayyimAl‐Jawziyya,Ahkamal‐Dhimma(Beirut:Daral‐ilmlial‐malayin,1961),

p.3;seealsoZuhayli,op.cit.,vol.10,p.108. 75IthasbeenreportedaboutSulaimanb.Buraidthroughhis fatherthatwhentheMessengerofAllah(p.b.u.h.)

appointedsomeoneastheleaderofanarmyordetachmenthewouldchargehimspecificallytofearAllahandtobegoodtotheMuslimswhowerewithhim.Hewouldsay:“FightinthenameofAllahandinthewayofAllah.Fightagainst thosewhodisbelieve inAllah.Makeaholywar,donotembezzle thespoils;donotbreakyourpledge;anddonotmutilate(thedead)bodies;donotkillthechildren.Whenyoumeetyourenemieswhoare




15

when theMessenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) appointed somone as leader of an army or detachment hewouldspecificallyexhorthim:“Ifthey[theunbelievers]refusetoacceptIslam,demandtheypaythejizya.Iftheyagreetopay,acceptitfromthemanddonotharmthem.”

SocollectingjizyafromthePeopleoftheBookonlyisinlinewiththeQur’an,76butcollectingitfromunbelieversingeneralis inaccordancewiththeSunnah.TheApostleofGod(p.b.u.h.)himselfcollected jizya from the Zoroastrians, and there is no difference between the Zoroastrians andidolaters.IfoneisaskedwhytheApostleofGod(p.bu.h.)didnotcollectjizyafromthemeventhoughthereweremanywarswithidolaters,onecanaffirmthathedidnottakejizyafromthem.

ThisisbecausetheverseconcerningjizyawasrevealedintheyearofTabuk,i.e.theninthyearofHicrahaftertheArabPeninsula’sidolaterswereconvertedtoIslam.AftertheversewasrevealedtotheApostleofGod(p.b.u.h.),hecollectedjizyafromZoroastriansandChristians.Atthattimetherewerenoidolatersinthepeninsula.Afterrevealingtheverse,theApostleofGod(p.b.u.h.),collectedjizya fromtheZoroastriansandChristianswhoremainedon thepeninsula.After thearrivalof theApostleofGod(p.b.u.h.)inMedina,Hedidnotcollect jizya fromMedina’sandHaybar’sJewseitherbecause theApostle ofGod (p.b.u.h.) hadmade an agreement of peacewith thembefore the jizyaversehadbeenrevealed.77

Thisshowsustherightsidolatersweregrantediftheypaidjizya.Theverseswithinthecontextof the killing of idolaters were revealed before the verses of jizya and addresses mainly thoseidolaterswhowereantagonistictoIslam.

In spite of all these premises, inmy view, the interpretation by some classical commentatorswhosaythatidolatershavenotbeengiventherighttoliveisapsychologicalconsequenceoflivingunderconditionsofwar.But,accordingtomodernistauthors,this isduetotheprevalentsituationduringthefirstcenturiesof Islam,sincetheIslamicstatewasthensurroundedbyhostileenemies.Thebelieverswereatwar.78Sincethesecondhalfofthenineteenthcentury,modernistauthorshaveasserted that the relationshipbetween the Islamicandother states and tribeswasessentiallyof apeacefulcharacter.TheyarguethatthisprincipleisfirmlyrootedintheQur’anandcitethefollowing

polytheists, invitethemtothreecoursesofaction. If theyrespondtoanyoneofthese,youalsoaccept itandwithholdyourself fromdoingthemanyharm. Invite themto(accept) Islam; if theyrespondtoyou,accept itfromthemanddesistfromfightingagainstthem.TheninvitethemtomigratefromtheirlandstothelandofMuhajirsandinformthemthat,iftheydoso,theyshallhavealltheprivilegesandobligationsoftheMuhajirs.Iftheyrefusetomigrate,tellthemthattheywillhavethestatusofBedouinMuslimsandwillbesubjectedtotheCommandsofAllah likeotherMuslims,but theywillnotgetanyshare fromthespoilsofwarorFai' exceptwhentheyactuallyfightwiththeMuslims(againsttheunbelievers).IftheyrefusetoacceptIslam,demandtheypaythejizya.Iftheyagreetopay,acceptitfromthemandholdoffyourhands.Iftheyrefusetopaythetax,seekAllah'shelpandfightthem.WhenyoulaysiegetoafortandthebesiegedappealtoyouforprotectioninthenameofAllahandHisProphet,donotaccord to themtheguaranteeofAllahandHisProphet,butaccord tothemyourownguaranteeandtheguaranteeofyourcompanionsforitisalessersinthatthesecuritygivenbyyouoryourcompanionsbedisregardedthanthatthesecuritygrantedinthenameofAllahandHisProphetbeviolated. When you besiege a fort and the besieged want you to let them out in accordance with Allah'sCommand,donotletthemcomeoutinaccordancewithHisCommand,butdosoatyour(own)command,foryoudonotknowwhetherornotyouwillbeabletocarryoutAllah'sbehestwithregardtothem.”Muslim,JihadwaSiyar,3;IbnMajah,Jihad,38,no.2858;Al‐Darimi,Siyar,5,8.

76“FightthosePeopleoftheBookwhodonotbelieveinGodandtheLastDay,whodonotprohibitwhatGodandHisApostlehaveforbidden,noracceptdivinelaw,untilallofthempayprotectivetax[jizya]insubmission”(At‐Taubah[9]:29).

77IbnQayyimAl‐Jawziyya,Ahkamal‐Dhimma,p.6. 78Muhammad Asad, TheMessage of the Qur’an (Gibraltar: Dar Al‐Andalus, 1980), p. 256; Muhammad ‘Izzat

Darwaza,Al‐Tafsiral‐Hadith,transl.intoTurkishbyMehmetBaydasandVahdettinInce,vol.7(Istanbul:Ekinp.h.year?), pp. 279‐80;SuleymanAtes,YuceKur’an’inCagdasTefsiri,vol.1 (Istanbul:Yeniufuklarp.h. ), pp.332‐35.




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verses:79 “Allah” “If theywithdraw fromyou, and do not fight you, and offer you peace, thenGodassignnotanywaytoyouagainstthem”(An‐Nisâ[4]:90):“…Donotsaytohimwhooffersyouagreeting[salam,whichalsomeanspeace]‘Thouartnotabeliever,’seekingthechangeingoodsofthepresentlife”(An‐Nisâ[4]:94),and“Andiftheyinclinetopeace,dothouinclinetoit;andputthytrustinGod”(Al‐Anfal[8]:61).

Forexample,MuhammadAsadsays:

Everyverseof theQuranmustbe readand interpretedagainst thebackgroundof theQuranaswhole.TheTaubah,9/5verse,whichspeaksofapossibleconversiontoIslamonthepartof“thosewhoascribedivinitytoaughtbesideGod”withwhomthebelieversareatwar,must,therefore,beconsideredinconjunctionwithseveral fundamentalQur’anicordinances.Oneof them, “ there shallbeno coercion inmattersof faith” (Al‐Baqarah, 2 / 256), lays down categorically that any attempt at a forcible conversion of unbelievers isprohibited–whichprecludes thepossibilityof theMuslims’demandingorexpecting thatadefeatedenemyshould embrace Islamas theprice of immunity. Secondly, theQur’an ordains, “Fight inGod’s cause againstthosewhowagewaragainstyou;butdonotcommitaggression,for,verily,Goddoesnotloveaggressors”(Al‐Baqarah,2/190);andtheverseAn‐Nisâ,4/91.Thus,warispermissibleonlyinself‐defence.80

Thereisnootherwayhere.TheonlywayofMuslimsistoavoidhostility.

Modernist interpreters prefer this view, and I agree with them. Perhaps the classicalinterpretation of the jihad verses had an important function at a certain time. Perhaps the greatexpansionofIslamintheshorttimeafteritsinceptionwaslargelyduetothecombativespiritofthenewfaith.Thejihadversesofthiskindhadalargeroleincreatingaconqueringspiritinthepast,butthismaynotbe the case in today’smodernworld. Jihadexpresses the struggleof intelligenceandpersuasion. IagreewithSaidNursi’sview:“The jihadofthistimeisthatof lovenotbyterror.Theexternal jihad comesby the gloryof the certaintyof Islam.Because external enemies are civilizedpeople,wemustperformjihadthroughevidencesofShari’a.”81

Asaresult,onecanseethatthewordislamcomesfromtherootmeaningpeace,and,becauseofitsroot,Islamaimstobringaboutpeaceintheworld.ThedifferencesamongsomecommentatorsontheissueofjihadstemfromtheirapproachtotheQur’an.SomeofthemholdthattheQu’anicversesarepartialandexceptionstothechronologicalfactoftheverses.Ascanbeseeninotherissuesandsubjects,whentheycommentonversesinlinewiththeQur’anicholisticbackgroundasawholeandthechronological factof theverses, theysee that theQur’andoes justice to thenameof Islamandaimsatpeaceforhumanityintheworld.

79SeePeters,op.cit.,p.112. 80Asad,op.cit.,p.256. 81SaidNursi,Ictima‐iReceteler,vol.2(Istanbul:TenvirNesriyat,1990),pp.273,298.




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islam: the religion of peace?

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