CONGRUITIES AND INCONGRUITIES
BETWEEN
THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN


WAR IN THE QUR'AN

Conditions for War, Assistance of God to Believers, Jihad and laws on Killing

Conditions for War

« To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid;- (They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah.. Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause); for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).» (Surah 22/39, 40)

During the first years of the propagation of Islam the Meccan heathens tortured the poor Muslim folk, slaves and concubines. They had stripped Bilal the Ethiopian naked and exposed him to the scorching sun for hours in the midst of the desert before dragging him in the streets. Yasir, father of the slave Ammar had been rent asunder tied to two camels athwart. Concubine Sumayyah had been killed by an arrow thrown by Abu Jahl. The heathens waged a terrible war against the Muslims compelling them to immigrate leaving behind their assets towards Afghanistan and Madinah. The attempt to kill Muhammad had been the last straw. War had become imperative and indispensable. Unless they struggled against them they would be exterminated.

« … So wrong not yourselves therein, and fight the Pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves. »(Surah 9/36)

« Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject Faith Fight in the cause of Evil: So fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.» (Surah 4/76)

« … but if they fight you, slay them» (Surah 2/191)

« Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors». (Surah 2/190)

« And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah. but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression» (Surah 2/193)

« And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah. but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression;and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people »(Surah 5/32)

God's Assistance to Believers

« They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah.. Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).» (Surah 22/40)

The Creator prevents the evil that certain men may perpetrate through believers. The good will be aided by God and eventually sweep the victory. Had it been otherwise, the monasteries, the churches, the synagogues and the mosques where God's name is more often pronounced would be razed to the ground.

« Allah had helped you at Badr, when ye were a contemptible little force; then fear Allah. thus May ye show your gratitude.» (Surah 3/123)

« It is not ye who slew them; it was Allah. when thou threwest (a handful of dust), it was not thy act, but Allah.s: in order that He might test the Believers by a gracious trial from Himself: for Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things). »(Surah 8/17)

« Help comes only from God. That He might cut off a fringe of the Unbelievers or expose them to infamy, and they should then be turned back, frustrated of their purpose.» (Surah 3/127)

JIHAD

« Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask thee for no exemption from fighting with their goods and persons. And Allah knoweth well those who do their duty.» (Surah 9/44)

Jihad is a war aiming at rescuing the innocent people from the cruelties perpetrated by cruel people. « And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!" »(Surah 4/75)

Although war is reprehensible it is indispensable against the cruel people. « Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not. »(Surah 2/216)

« Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them with the utmost strenuousness, with the (Qur'an).» (Surah 22/52)

Jihad is also waged with words. The disbelievers shall not be obeyed. Before launching an attack, the persons against whom war is scheduled to be waged are warned and admonished. Among them there may be those who will be pacified by words. « O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell,- an evil refuge indeed.» (Surah 9/73) Muhammad waged war against the Meccan pagans that had expelled him from his country.

In Arabia there were small communities of Christian and Jews. God's Messenger had not addressed hem as they were believers and had their books.« And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say, "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)."» (Surah 29/46)

Jihad for political ends

Fanaticism of supremacy introduced into Islam by the Arab-Omayyad tyranny played a crucial role throughout history in passion for power. This has been the mainspring in the exploitation of this misinterpretation the world over.

The concept of Jihad is misused 'in the name of Allah'. This movement initiated by the Omayyads, who based themselves on a wrong interpretation of the Qur'an, has caused disintegration and dismemberment among Muslims. It has enlarged its dimensions and expanded outward, stretching out to other nations and regions.

Jihad is but one of the dimensions of war. It's the last dimension. The war is permitted only for the purpose of defending the rights of the wronged, since otherwise it becomes cruelty. The reasons for Jihad are given in Surah 4/75 and in Surah 22/39-41. (See Prof. Dr.Yaşar Nuri Öztürk, İslam Nasıl Yozlaştırıldı, s. 137)

LAWS ON KILLING

« On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. »(Surah 5/32)

Unjust killing of a man causes the crimes to increase and conduces to the spread of enmity between communities; as a consequence thereof the social order will undergo corruption. God Almighty pays the same attention to the life of the individual as if he were the entire mankind.

« O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty. »(Surah 2/178)

« In the Law of Equality there is (saving of) Life to you, o ye men of understanding; that ye may restrain yourselves. »(Surah 2/179)

Lex talionis is applied to cases wherein a tort is in question. A person who intends to kill someone will be thwarted from his intention if he knows that he shall be put to death in turn. This will reduce the number of homicides and blood feuds. . « The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah. for ((Allah)) loveth not those who do wrong. »(Surah 42/40) Unintentional killing does not require reprisals.

Prof.Dr. Yaşar Öztürk, in his book entitled Kur'an'ın Temel Kavramları (p.313) makes the following statement: “Killing a human being in self-defense or killing a murderer for punishment should not be considered as reprisals; it would be a contribution to life. No divine revelation could have come to any prophet for conniving at a murderer. Christianity's giving the matter such a shape is but a deviation of a provisional strategy and imposition of it as a permanent principle. The providence has turned the Church into an organization that has been instrumental in shedding the greatest amount of blood in history. The cruelties of the inquisition, the massacres of the Crusades, the World Wars triggered by the children of the Church, and last but not least the tragedy of Hisroshima are enough evidences.” (Kur'an'ın Temel Kavramları, s. 313).


SUMMARY