'If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been
reading the Book from before thee....' (Surah
10, Yunus, verse 94)
The Concept of War in the Quran and the Bible
A. Abraham
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1. INTRODUCTION
2. ISLAMIC VIEW OF WAR
3. THE CHRISTIAN VIEW OF
HOLY WAR
4. CONCLUSION
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1. INTRODUCTION
In this study we shall
first of all consider what the Quran (Yusuf Ali's translation) and the Tafseer-
e- Uthmani, one of the most respected Sunni
Muslim commentaries, have to say on the subject of Jihad, holy war. The latter
has universally been acknowledged by the religious authorities of
2. ISLAMIC VIEW OF WAR
AL-BAQARA 2,190:
'Fight in the cause
of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgressors.'
Quotation from Tafseer - e - Uthmani commentary:
'From the time of Hazrat Ibraheem (Alayhissalaam) Makkah was the
city of peace. No one would fight even with his enemy in Makkah.
Similarly, the Four Holy Months (Ziqa'd, Zil Hajjah, Muharram and Rajab)
were the months of peace. The whole
Arberry has given the following translation
of verse 190: 'And fight in the way of Allah with
those who fight with you, but aggress not; Allah loves not the aggressors.'
Here 'aggress not' and
'aggressors' is a wrong translation and against the real spirit and reference
of the verse. The Arabic denotes two separate senses. The first one restrains
the Muslims from transgression of limits while fighting with the Infidels in
answer to their aggression, because, the Idolaters were by treaty bound to be
at peace while Muslims performed the Umrah. The
second sense is related to the Treaty itself. I.e. the Muslims were advised not
to break the Treaty, which demanded mutual peace and no-war. If the Muslims had
started fighting, it would have been a breach of contract. Consequently Muslims
were instructed not to break the limits of justice and fair sense while
fighting with the idolaters, nor break the terms of the Treaty by starting war
against them. Generally aggression means first attack. Aggression is generally
used in a bad sense and an aggressor looked down and condemned from all sides,
because aggression carries the sense of tyranny and cruelty. But the reason
knows that first attack is not always bad and oppressive. Sometimes the
circumstances demand that first attack should be made on a certain party. Islam
permits the first attack for two major purposes:
(1) for
the sake of Allah (in the way of Allah) ; and
(2) for
the sake of subjugated people under oppression of a certain power, as said in
the following verse:
AN-Nisa 4,75:
'How is it with you
that you do not fight in the way of Allah and for those who are under
subjection -men, women and children- who say, 'O! Our
Lord bring us forth from this city that the people thereof are oppressors and
make for us from Thee a supporter and make for us from Thee a helper'?
Quotation from Tafseer - e - Uthmani commentary:
'For the sake of Allah'
includes the propagation of Islam, the survival of Islam, the extermination of
those hindrances that impede the progress and expansion of Islam. The first attack, which is made
for the first or the second purpose or for both, is not aggression as spoken
and used in modern International Law. Islam calls it Jihad. There is no proper
equivalent to this word in English language or in any Modern System. If the
Muslims fight for the sake of self-defence it is also Jihad. But the real Jihad
is the former undertaken in the way of Allah or for the deliverance of the
oppressed people in a certain country. The Muslims, therefore, should
not be misguided about Jihad. The Orientalists and
the Perverted Muslims have tried to taboo the 'Real Jihad' and only allowed the
self-defensive war. Even cats and dogs fight for the sake of self-defence. Islam
wants to electrify the Muslims to exterminate Kufr
(Infidelity) and Fasad (corruption) from the Earth
and establish the system of Islam all over the world. Where Jihad by pen is
fruitless there Jihad by sword is successful.
One thing, however,
should be noted that some pseudo-Islamists advocating world peace say that
Islam means peace. It is a very dangerous fallacy. All the forces that are
directed against Islam and all the systems that are against Islam are declared
by the word of Fasad (corruption) in the Quran. The Muslims are ordered to eradicate Fasad (corruption) on Earth. The modern conception of peace
leads to nothing but to the status quo of Fasad,
while the right conception of Islam leads to the eradication of the very roots
of corruption on Earth (Tr.) 'Do not wrong anyone' means that children, women and old men should not
be killed intentionally during the war and fight should not be started first by
the Muslims because they were bound to honour the Treaty.'
AL-BAQARA 2,191:
'And slay them
wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out;
for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the
Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay
them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.'
Quotation from Tafseer - e - Uthmani commentary:
'Wherever
you find them' i.e. whether you find them within Harem or outside Harem. 'From where they
expelled you' i.e. from Makkah. 'Fithna'
here means deviation from Islam or apostasy from Islam or barring other people
from Islam. It also implies the efforts of subversion of religion itself. Prevention
from Islam is a far greater sin than slaughter in the holy month. The practice
of idolatry and the practice of urging others to idolatry by the infidels is much more detestable than war within the Harem of Makkah. So the Muslims should not demur and answer tit for
tat. 'Makkah', no doubt, is a place of
peace; but when they started the fight and persecuted you and vexed enmity on
your Islam (an action more heinous than slaughter), they lost security and
peace. So kill them wherever you find them. When Makkah
was occupied the Holy Prophet had declared, 'Kill him who takes out his
weapons' and all the rest were given security.'
'Fight those who
believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that
forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the
religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay
the Jizya with willing submission, and feel
themselves subdued.'
Quotation from Tafseer - e - Uthmani commentary:
'When the story of
Polytheists was over, order was sent down to break down the power of the Jews
and Christians so that they might not hinder the expansion of Islam. The
Polytheists and Idolaters were primarily aimed to be totally exterminated from
the soil of
'Go ye forth,
(whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods
and your persons, in the cause of God. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew.'
Quotation from Tafseer - e - Uthmani commentary:
'When there is general
proclamation of Jihad no lame excuse is acceptable so all the able-bodied
persons poor and rich, young and old, horsemen and foot-men, should come out
for Jihad in all circumstances, because Jihad is better for them from the
viewpoint of the World and the Hereafter.'
AS-SAFF 61,4:
'Truly God loves
those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented
structure.'
Quotation from Tafseer - e - Uthmani commentary:
'.... It is said in the
traditions that once some Muslims were assembled somewhere (in
Questions regarding the Quranic view of holy war
3. THE
CHRISTIAN VIEW OF HOLY WAR
The Christian approach to
war and peace is found in the character of God. The Bible describes Him as the 'God
of peace' (Heb
Teaching of the Torah
(Old Testament)
God is passionately
opposed against all forms of injustice, wrongdoing and sin. He is deeply immersed in battle
against these forces of evil which hold captive the people He created. In the
Old Testament we read the story of how He selected the Jewish people to set
them free from the evil one and his influence. Ultimately this blessing was to
come to the whole world (Gen 12:3) through the Jewish 'Messiah' translated as
'Christ' in English. God re-conquered the
The battles the Israelites
fought in the Old Testament were therefore the Lord's holy war, undertaken
at a particular time in history. God gave His people under Joshua no
commission or licence to conquer the world with the sword but only a unique,
limited mission. The conquered land itself would not become
Teaching of the Injil (New Testament)
War is a terrible curse
that the human race brings on itself as it seeks to possess the earth by its
own unrighteous ways.
But it pales before the curse that awaits all those who do not believe in
God and His word. The meaning of the Hebrew name 'Joshua' is 'God saves.' The
English version of that name is 'Jesus'. For a time He now reaches out to the
whole world by calling everyone to believe that He died for their sins at the
cross. Those who trust in Him by doing what He says are guaranteed eternal life
in heaven (1Joh 5:13) Soon, however, Jesus himself, the second Joshua, will
wield the sword of His judgement at His second coming upon those who do not
believe in Him (Rev 19:11-16).
Since we still live in the
time of God's undeserved favour where His Good News is preached let us examine
the ministry of Jesus to see what kind of warfare He modelled for His
followers. In His works He was in conflict with the various disorders which
imprison people; in His words He battled with sin, especially the
hypocrisy and practical godlessness of religious people. The final showdown
came in His death when He met the full fury of evil and 'made peace through
the blood of His cross'. His first words to His disciples after his resurrection
were 'Peace be with you', signalling that His victory had brought harmony and
reconciliation between God and those who accepted it. Jesus' followers too are
involved in God's present kind of war. They need to be very disciplined like soldiers (1 Tim
Jesus answered, 'My
kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my
followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But
as it is, my kingdom is not from here.' (John 18:36)
When it comes to
maintaining law and order in this world, force may be used as a last resource
by the governing authorities:
Let every person be
subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from
God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists
authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur
judgement. For rulers are not a terror
to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then
do what is good, and you will receive its approval; for it is
God's servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid,
for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to
execute wrath on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:1-4)
This passage does not
contradict earlier ones which forbid revenge and ask to overcome evil with good
(12:14.21). Those verses are directed to private, individual Christians.
However, at the same time they can also be state officials. In the latter role,
followers of Christ who work as police or prison officers, as judges or
soldiers become God's agents in the punishment of evil doers. One way in which
He executes His judgement on them is through the state. In some emergency
situations, when no policeman is present, it may be right for a Christian to
intervene in a fight, protect an innocent person against assault or arrest a
burglar. Then he would become temporarily an arm of the law. Members of the
ruling authorities who became followers of God were not encouraged to leave
their positions (Luk
Violence will always be
the last resort. When
evil comes in its starkest forms which will not listen to the voice of reason,
which refuse to negotiate, and which trample down the innocent and defenceless,
then there may be cause for self defence. This view known as the 'Just War'
argument is held by a majority of Christians today. It asserts that war is
only ever justified when four conditions are met. The cause must be just; war
must be absolutely the last resort, when all other avenues to avoid conflict
have failed; conflict must not involve non-combatants (Prov
But the Christian's primary
commitment is, of course, to peace, and it should be their earnest desire to
play a full part in God's battle against the visible and invisible forces which
tear this planet apart. Christians are called to be the light of the world (Mat
4. CONCLUSION
Jesus said: 'Do not
suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring
peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a
daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a
man's enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves his
father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or
daughter more than me is not worthy of me.' (Matthew 10:34-37)
While Jesus, the Prince of
Peace, brought peace between the believer and God and peace among men, the
inevitable result of his coming is conflict. War has broken out between him and
his enemies, between light and darkness, between his children and the devil's
children. This conflict can occur even between members of the same family. After
comparing the Christian and the Muslim view of war the reader is now left with
having to make an awesome choice. His preference will determine whether or
not he might have to go and murder in the name of Allah those who oppose Islam.
Moreover, where he will spend his eternal life will also depend on it. I
urge you in the light of these terrible consequences not to let this matter
rest until you find true peace with God through Jesus Christ,
'For there is one
God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus,
himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all--this was attested at the
right time.' (1Timothy 2:5-6)
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Copyright
© 2001, 2003, by Rev. Andrew Abraham. This publication may be reproduced in part or
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