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ADMONITIONS FROM THE QURAN |  |
JIHAD IN THE QURAN. Jihad literally means striving with force. In the Quran jihad is striving forcefully in the path of God committing possessions and the self. This word doesn't mean "war", or "killing". In Arabic there are different words meaning war (kital, harb). The Prophet didn't command Muslims to make war against heathens or hypocrites and he didn't command Muslims to killing them either. Instead of this he strived to introduce and expand Islam by putting forth superhuman effort."...There is no compulsion in religion..." Baqarah 2/256
O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell. (Taubah9/73)
Do not yield to the disbelievers, but strive diligently against them with this ?Quran?.(Furqan 25/52)
Those who have believed, and have emigrated, and have striven in the way of God with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of God … (Taubah 9/20)
Today the concept of Jihad is misused in the name of God. This tyranny initiated by the Omayyads, has played a crucial role throughout history through passion for power based on a wrong interpretation of the Quran. This has caused fragmentation among Muslims and today fanaticism for achieving supremacy has extended to other nations. This has been the wellspring in the exploitation of this misinterpretation the world over and innocent people are being killed, Islam has suffered harm.
WAR IN THE QURAN
In Islam war is permitted only if it becomes imperative and indispensable for defense against invasion. Unjust war or killing is forbidden. During the first years of the propagation of Islam, the Meccan heathens tortured the poor Muslim people, and forced this minority into the status of slaves and bondmaids. The Muslims who had to immigrate towards Afghanistan and Madinah were able to preserve their lives. Muhammad had to take refuge in Madinah too after the heathens failed in their attempt to kill him. War had become imperative and justifiable, as permission from God had been granted for the Muslims to defends themselves, according to this verse:
Indeed, God defends those who believe. Surely God does not like whoever is deceitful, ungrateful. Permission to fight back has been granted to those who are attacked because they have suffered injustice. Certainly God has power to grant them victory. Those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of their rights, for no reason except that they say, " Our Lord is God." Verily, God will support those who support Him (through striving hard in His Cause). Truly God is All-Strong, All-Mighty. (Hajj 22/38-40)
Meccan heathens sent a strong army to destroy emigrees in Madinah in 624. A small Muslim force faced the enemy which was better equipped in weaponry and superior in numbers. Despite this the Muslims achieved a victory in Badr, with the help of God, leaving many bodies, including Meccan commanders, and taking many others as prisioners. Anfal 8/17: "...You did not kill them; it was God who killed them. You did not throw what you threw, it was God who threw. He did this as a favorable test for the believers. God is All-hearing and All-knowing..."
…Kill them (in defence) if they attack you to kill … (Baqarah 2/191)
Fight in the way of God with those who fight against you but do not exceed the limits. God doesn't like those who exceed the limits. (Baqarah 2/190)
The Quran states the divine law about unjust killing as follows:
...Whoever kills a person who has not committed murder, or who has not committed corruption in the land; then it is as if he has killed all the people! And whoever saves a life, then it is as if he has given life to all the people. … (Maidah 5/32)
LOVE IN THE QURAN