The Dark Danger: Bigotry: Verses about War and the Interpretation Thereof

After seeing the definition of war in the Qur'an, let us now examine the verses about war that are misused by some radicals and used for criticism of Islam by some opponents of Islam:

Examination of Verse 191 of Surat al-Baqara:

This verse was sent down after Muslims were subjected to severe persecution and violence and were forced to migrate from Mecca to Medina. The conditions we discussed in detail above came about and Muslims received the command to defend themselves against direct attacks. They were forced to use the method of the oppressor community against them, in other words they were forced to defend themselves, because that community insisted on oppression, refused to be reasoned with and ignored calls of peace or negotiation.

However, the verse also contains a reminder of the rules of war: "Do not fight them in the Masjid al-Haram until they fight you there. But if they do fight you, then you also fight them." As we have seen, the only condition for fighting is for the other side to have attacked first. If they do not wage war, if they do not attack, then it is absolutely unlawful for Muslims to fight.

It is of course very suspicious how the radicals and opponents of Islam who distort this verse ignore this rather important provision. The verse explicitly grants Muslims only the right to self-defense: The verse is not therefore commanding warfare and aggression.

In verse 191 of Surat al-Baqara, Muslims are only given the right to defend themselves. According to the Qur'an, war is allowed only in the form of self-defense when there is an attack. THESE HATEFUL IMAGES DO NOT REFLECT ISLAM Another important element in the verses is revealed as follows: "Fitna [sedition, strife] is worse than killing." Inciting communities, encouraging hatred, spreading hatred, anarchy and terror by engaging in slander and outright falsehoods thereby producing hostile masses of people is fitna, and the verse tells us that fitna is worse than killing; thus, the communities that attack Muslims are the ones that engage in actual, psychological and covert fitna and the harm they do is very great. Muslims naturally defend themselves when such aggression rears its head.

The way that some fanatics are taken in by hearsay or superstition and declare individuals, societies or faiths to be spreading fitna and then seek supposed evidence for their perversions from verses of the Qur'an is of course exceedingly pitiful. Fitna involves actions that will lead to corruption, such as spreading division among Muslims, leading them into loss and sin by inflicting all kinds of troubles on them, then establishing the infrastructure for mass rebellions and engaging in physical and verbal assaults on Muslims. Therefore, in order to be able to accuse someone of fitna, they have to have committed one or more of these actions. Those who seek to accuse Jews or Israel by branding them as engaging in fitna thus fly in the face of this verse.

According to the Qur'an, it is a sin to accuse all Jews or Israel of engaging in fitna. People who spread fitna may emerge from any religion or country. Yet in the same way that it is impossible to brand all Arabs, Turks or Muslims as spreaders of fitna simply because there are some Arabs, Turks or Muslims who engage in fitna, there is also no question of branding all Jews or all Israelis as spreaders of fitna. According to the Qur'an, a Muslim can dine in the home of a Jew, can be his guest and friend, and can even marry a Jewish (or Christian) woman (This will be clarified in detail in another chapter).

Marriage is the closest union one can ever establish with another person. It makes two different families relatives. It is clear that an individual who agrees to kinship with a Christian or a Jew would not pronounce them as a menace, or assume an aggressive or oppressive attitude towards them. That being the case, it is impossible for a Muslim to unconditionally brand a Jew as a spreader of fitna. People who make such sweeping claims know nothing of the Qur'an, as we said at the beginning, and are acting out of ignorance resulting from being raised under the influence of countless fabricated hadiths regarding fitna and the Jews. The hadiths in question and the position of the People of the Book according to the Qur'an will be examined in due course in later chapters.

Jews and Christians are defined as the People of the Book in the Qur'an. Muslims are obliged to approach the People of the Book with love and compassion.

Examination of Verses 89, 90 and 91 of Surat an-Nisa':

Except for those who seek shelter with people with whom you have a treaty, or who come to you greatly perturbed at the prospect of fighting either you or their own people. If God had willed, He could have given them the upper hand over you and then they would have fought you. If they keep away from you and do not fight you and submit to you, God has not given you any way against such people. (Qur'an, 4:90) You will find others who desire to be safe from you and safe from their own people. Each time they are returned to fitna they are overwhelmed by it. If they do not keep away from you or submit to you or refrain from fighting, seize them and kill them wherever you find them. Over such people We have given you clear authority. (Qur'an, 4:91)

These verses refer to hypocrites. These are creatures who say they are Muslims, who live among Muslims and appear to be one of them, but who actually harbor a great hostility toward God and Islam, and seek to stab Muslims in the back. God reveals that those who die as hypocrites are cast into the lowest circle of hell. As can be seen, because of its two-faced and treacherous nature, hypocrisy is an especially dangerous and despicable human trait, quite unlike traits of the deniers or the polytheists.

It is forbidden in verse 89 of Surat an-Nisa' to adopt as friends hypocrites, who abandon Muslims and who strive to make Muslims fall into the same perversions as themselves. What justifies fighting against them is the state in which the hypocrites in question engage in physical attacks on Muslims. We can see this from the verse that follows, verse 90. As is clear from the words "If they keep away from you and do not fight you and submit to you," there is nothing to be held against a community that does not engage in attacks. The community the killing of which is permitted is quite clearly one that has declared war on Muslims first. Muslims are clearly given the right to defend themselves in the face of attacks here.

In addition, verse 90 of Surat an-Nisa' is another manifestation of the just, forgiving and affectionate language, that always favors peace, of the Qur'an. Some hypocrites, who until then had always stabbed Muslims in the back and betrayed them but who later adopted a peaceful attitude toward Muslims are also immune, as we can see from the words; "Except for those who seek shelter with people with whom you have a treaty, or who come to you greatly perturbed at the prospect of fighting either you or their own people." In the same verse God says, "If they keep away from you and do not fight you and submit to you, God has not given you any way against such people," again emphasizing their immunity. This is the very definition of justice.

Verse 91 contains a situation described on the basis of the same conditions. Hypocrites who repent and who say they do not want to fight later return to fitna and begin attacking Muslims again. In that event, the provision regarding war is recalled in the Qur'an, saying that these people are not to be touched as long as they do not attack, but that if they do, then self-defense is legitimate.

We need to remember that the situation described in the verse was a specific one that came about during the Battle of Uhud and concerns those hypocrites who engaged in treachery on the battlefield and caused the martyrdom of scores of Muslims. Examination of Verse 5 of Surat at-Tawba:

In order to understand the conditions in the above verse we need to start reading from verse 1 of Surat at-Tawba; in that way, we see that the polytheists deserving to be counter-attacked are not "all polytheists" but those perpetrating savage attacks on Muslims and who then come to agreements in order not to fight during the sacred months. The polytheists here are the ones who have cunningly tried to hunt Muslims down and have continued to attack them during the sacred months and have taken Muslims' lives, although they have made a fair agreement with Muslims and they very well knew that Muslims would not get into a war during the sacred months.

Under these conditions, Muslims are given the right in this verse to defend themselves against savage attacks. As shown in the verse, although the polytheists carried out their savage attacks in the sacred months, Muslims did not respond during those months, as commanded by God. They exhibited patience during those months and only began defending themselves once the sacred months were over. We also see that the verse describes the method that needs to be adopted in defense: seizure, siege and lying in wait on all roads. The primary conditions in wars based on international law are siege and seizure. The passages required for the siege are taken and held and the other side is thus prevented from moving. This verse therefore described the method adopted and now regarded as legitimate under international law. The only difference is that it is not Muslims doing the attacking; they are simply trying to put an end to the attacks against them.

There is also no question in this verse of engaging in any fight against those who stop their attacks and repent. They must be released; that is explicit.

When we look at the very next verse, we find a very important statement that describes the loving and protective spirit of the Qur'an. This verse eliminates all the claims made about Muslims by the opponents of Islam. The verse reads:

Through this verse, Muslims are advised to help a polytheist who has taken shelter with them and seeks their help, even if that endangers their own lives. The verse even suggests that such a Muslim should use himself as a shield to protect such polytheists. To In verse 6 of Surat at-Tawba, Muslims are told to help an idolater who seeks shelter with them and asks for their help, even at the cost of endangering their own lives.

put it another way, he has a responsibility to risk his own life to protect someone who denies God and to carry him to safety. This is what the Qur'an commands. According to that commandment, someone is not to be killed for not believing in God. On the contrary, he must be protected, even at the cost of Muslims' lives. Therefore, the justification for war has nothing to do with whether the other side believes in God or not or belongs to another faith. The justification for war is that the other side engages in assaults and torture, and takes people's lives. Another fact set out in the verse is that all people must be under the protection of Muslims so long as they do not attack or engage in extreme behavior, irrespective of their religion, language, ethnicity or beliefs. A Muslim has a responsibility to protect the People of the Book, or an atheist or a communist, in the same way that he does other Muslims; this is a requirement of being a Muslim; this is the description of a Muslim in the Qur'an. If someone says, "I am a Muslim," he must be protective of others.

Examination of Verse 13 of Surat at-Tawba:

This verse is another of those that show the commandments regarding fighting in the Qur'an. When a polytheistic community that had come to a truce with Muslims, in other words, that lived in peace with them as required under those agreements, broke the truce and started attacking, when they tried to force our Prophet (pbuh) to leave his own land and go into exile and when, as the verse explicitly states, they have initiated hostilities, Muslims had the right to fight back against them.

Examination of Verse 33 of Surat al-Ma'ida:

The reprisal against those who wage war on God and His Messenger, and go about the earth corrupting it, is that they should be killed or crucified, or have their alternate hands and feet cut off, or be banished from the land. That will be their degradation in the world and in the hereafter they will have a terrible punishment. (Qur'an, 5:33) The subject we have particularly stressed in all the verses about warfare is also noticeable in this verse. The characteristics of the community to be fought against are set out in great detail here: they wage war on God and His Messenger and go about the world corrupting it. These people do not merely engage in physical attacks on Muslims; they also spread corruption across the world. The verse is speaking of a community that represents a problem for the whole world, that everyone regards as a perverse, corrupt and warlike society. As in all wars, killing is possible in resisting a community that has actively declared war on Muslims, so long as it is a last resort, and one of the measures that can be imposed is to force those people from their lands. To put it another way, according to the verses of the Qur'an, Muslims are permitted to do things that would normally be forbidden – killing and forcing people into exile – only in the event of such a state of war.

Examination of Verse 57 of Surat al-Anfal:

So if you come upon such people in war, make a harsh example of them to deter those coming after them so that hopefully they will pay heed. (Qur'an, 8:57) We also need to assess this verse in the light of the perspective and evidence we have been looking at in detail. It must not be forgotten that the Medinan period when some verses were sent down was a time of intense fighting. This was purely the result of injustice perpetrated against Muslims "who were expelled from their homes without any right, merely for saying, 'Our Lord is God'…" (Qur'an, 22:40) as stated in one verse. Moreover, as the verse goes on to say, "If they keep away from you and do not fight you and submit to you, God has not given you any way against such people." Muslims have a responsibility to stop the fighting and not to insult the other side when it does come to an end.

Looking at a few verses before verse 57 of Surat al-Anfal, we see that they reference communities with which Muslims had already reached agreements. As almost every verse that gives permission for legitimate self-defense states, these communities are ones which had broken their truce with Muslims and then immediately attacked them.

It is important to produce a deterrent force in the face of that community which engages in one attack after another, refuses to listen to reason and creates corruption by constantly breaking peace agreements. Then those communities that have become accustomed to spreading corruption will no longer have the strength to do so and other groups of polytheists preparing to follow their lead and create corruption and start attacking will thereby lack the courage to do so. This is a necessary and important precautionary measure against that community that breaks every peace treaty, and one that will prevent subsequent conflict. Great importance is attached to sanctions being "deterrents" in the constitutions of just about all countries of the world and in international law. These precautions in international law are extremely appropriate, and it is unjust, as well as a violation of both common sense and fairness, for people who regard them as necessary for states of law to oppose the same measures when it comes to Islam.

Examination of Verse 4 of Surah Muhammad:

We need to first mention that, as is the case with the other verses, this verse refers to a state of war in which polytheists start to attack after terminating the agreement. Faced with an attack, there exists no option for believers other than responding. However, the phrase, "strike their necks", which exists in the English versions of the Qur'an, does not exist in the original Arabic. The accurate translation is as follows:

The Arabic original phrase in this verse, which is mistranslated as "strike their necks", is "fadarbar riqaab." The word, which is mistranslated as "neck" in the verse is "riqaab", and means "observing, being under observation." One of the Beautiful Names of God is also "Ar-Raqib", which means "the Watchful One." This word comes from the root "r-q-b" and means observing, controlling, guarding and watching. It means that God is All-Observing, and He constantly watches, guards and controls His servants. Therefore, the verse does not mean "striking one's neck" but rather refers to rendering ineffective the operation center of those that attack Muslims in a war. Taking down the operation center from where the war is managed will surely prevent the loss of hundreds of lives in a war. God explains in another verse how "the leaders of disbelief should be fought" in a war in which the unbelievers attack Muslims and try to kill civilians:

If they break their oaths after making their treaty and defame your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief – their oaths mean nothing – so that hopefully they will stop. (Qur'an, 9:12) As this verse also makes clear, Muslims are in a defensive war with the aggressors who violate peace treaties and target the innocent. The verse also explains that the war is a "deterrent" to convince these unbelievers to stop their oppressive ways, and that rendering ineffective those who command, guide and provoke people to war will help end the war within the shortest time possible. This way loss of lives can be prevented. In other words, when Muslims are forced to fight to defend themselves, they should follow a path so as to end the war and make peace as soon as possible.

Verse 4 of Surah Muhammad also describes an important rule, which is today an important part of the international law of war. God orders Muslims to release the prisoners of wars, which although a part of the international law of war, is not followed by many nations today. For example although the Afghanistan campaign is over, the prisoners of war are still kept in Guantanamo, and the UN and NATO among others, do not raise any objections. However, such an attitude is not considered acceptable in the Under Islamic law, war is only permissible for defensive purposes, and prisoners must be released when it is over. This is a practice not even found in the international law of war. Indeed, prisoners from past conflicts are still being kept under harsh conditions in prisons such as Guantanamo Bay.

Qur'an. According to Islam, for the war to officially end, prisoners of war must definitely be released. In other words, if a Qur'an-abiding Muslim is forced to be a party in a war, he cannot give the slightest harm to prisoners of war. On the contrary, he is responsible for taking care of them in the best way possible until the war ends. For example, even if he is hungry, he should give his food to prisoners of war. In other words, he has to put the well-being of the prisoners of war before his own:

They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives. (Qur'an. 4:8)

Examination of Verse 89 of Surat an-Nisa':

The people referred to in this verse are hypocrites. Hypocrites hid themselves among the faithful and carried out acts against Muslims. As the verse explains, they tried to drag the faithful into disbelief like themselves, and tried to persuade them to betray Muslims. God commands Muslims not to trust in these hypocrites' words until they abandon this attitude and side with Muslims.

However, if despite everything, hypocrites continue their attack and hostility, it becomes obligatory for Muslims to declare war against them. As it is made clear in the verse, the hypocrites attack first. In other words, once again, Muslims are allowed to engage in war only for defensive reasons. Indeed in the following verse God describes the hostile nature of the hypocrites and makes a clear distinction about the hypocrites that do not wish to fight:

It is clear that the verses regarding war relate only to the specific conditions and circumstances of the time, which necessitated these defensive wars. It is also clear that those wars were waged only because this was the only option against those hostile, aggressive pagans and hypocrites who initiated the attack and killed innocent people. It is obvious that building and maintaining peace is always the main goal. Furthermore, according to the Qur'an, a person or a group cannot make a rash decision and start a war saying, "I pronounce this country, this society or the members of this religion enemies." Particularly, they can never assault civilians, the innocent who have nothing to do with the wrongdoing. They cannot target places of worship. In other words, the Qur'an has closed all the doors to violence. The main reason why these verses are misinterpreted and used for the hatred policies of the radicals is that hundreds of false hadiths were added to Islam together with the false perspectives of some analysts and certain societies' deep and entrenched cultures of violence.

Yet the Qur'an needs to be read with a pure, clean and enlightened mind, purged of all false hadiths, superstitions and erroneous traditions added to Islam subsequently. Considered in the war-ridden context of the time, the meaning of the verses becomes extremely clear.