Is Islam Religion of violence? Islam has been much maligned today as religion of war, not peace and compassion. The acts of terrorism on the part of some international terrorist groups who indulge in needless and wanton killing has further aggravated this image in the contemporary world. During medieval ages also crusades threw up an image of Islam which pictured Muslims as sword in one hand and Qur’an in the other. But these are all unfair and a false image of Islam. [1] Coming to the Qur’anic theory of war, it is important to say that war is sanctioned only in exceptional circumstances and peace is the norm. The permission for war in Qur’an is given reluctantly in extreme conditions of persecution and oppression. War is not permissible if people of other persuasions, religious faith and nationality are part of any treaty or causing any kind of harm to Muslims. Also, to begin with Muslims should only preach their faith peacefully and even put up with resistance and opposition and bear adverse conditions with patience and endurance of high degree. [1] Patience, is projected as great virtue and Qur’an says :”Surely Allah is with those who are patient”. And also Qur’an says, « By the time, surely man is in loss, except those who believe and do good and exhort one another to Truth, and exhort one another to patience. » (Chapter 110) Thus it would be seen that truth and patience go together and one cannot be bearer of truth without inexhaustible patience. Truthful have often to suffer as they come in clash with those whose interests are harmed. Thus Qur’an resorts to morality as truth is basically a moral category. War advocated in Qur’an is not for propagation of truth as alleged by those who promote stereotype of sword and Qur’an. Truth and war can never go together. Truth goes only with patience. War is advocated, as we will see to fight oppression and persecution only and secondly to defend against aggression. [1] In Mecca the Prophet (PBUH) and his followers bore with great patience, utmost humiliation and persecution without any retaliation. The Prophet himself suffered insults and personal injuries from the hands of his persecutors. He was prevented from offering his prayers, he allowed himself to be spat upon, to have dust thrown upon him, and to be dragged out of Ka’ba by his own turban fastened to his neck. The Prophet bore all this with utmost patience as he was convinced of truth of his message and did not retaliate even once. After the death of his uncle Abu Talib who had extended his protection to him, a conspiracy was hatched to assassinate him and had he not fled from his bed at dead of the night, he would have been assassinated. Along with the Prophet his followers also bore even more indignities and torture but never gave up their faith. Islam had given them a new spiritual message and it was spiritual and moral teachings of Islam which had given them inner strength to bear all this. Thus even Sir William Muir who was not very favorably inclined towards Islam accepts that it was a great spiritual movement for which its followers, like early Christians, were ready to sacrifice everything including their lives. So there was no question of preaching it with sword. They suffered rather than make others suffer. [1] Justice is very central in Islam and is one of the most fundamental values so much so that Allah’s name is ‘Adil. And Muslims were subjected to gross injustices; so permission to fight was given and again the words of the verse clearly shows, it had nothing to do with spreading of religion. Thus Qur’an says: « And what reason have you not to fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children who say: Our Lord, take us out of this town., whose people are oppressors, and grant us from Thee a friend, and grant us from Thee a helper » (4:75). This verse is quite clear as to why Muslims should fight. Had people of Mecca not committed such gross injustices and persecuted helpless Muslims in minority, there was no question of permission being granted to fight. [1] From above verse also it is clear that in Islam nature of war can only be defensive, not aggressive. And during Prophet’s (PBUH) lifetime Muslims fought all wars in defense. It is people of Mecca who attacked Muslims in Medina without any provocation. [1] It is also important to note that fighting in defense of faith is not mentioned even once in the Qur’an as alleged by opponents of Islam. Fighting has been permitted to defend those who believed in Islam. These two things are very different. And as for faith Qur’an clearly lays down that « there is no compulsion in religion » (2:256). If there is no compulsion where is the question of spreading it with sword? Also, for spreading faith Qur’an says: « Call to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner. » (16:125).What the opponents of Islam or those with half-baked knowledge of Qur’an do is not to read Qur’an in totality but in pieces and pick and choose verses as suits them and out of context. That is how they prove their case. [1] Like opponents of Islam, al-Qaida and other terror groups also quote Qur’anic verses very selectively and very cleverly to mislead young Muslims to prepare them for becoming suicide bombers. There is great need to refute their point of view which is political and not at all religious, spiritual and moral as advocated by Qur’an. These verses on war, as shown above, deal with the situation prevailing in Arabia and apply it to today’s situation. They are thus doing greatest disservice to Islam than all opponents of Islam put together. History demonstrates that Muhammad’s rules of war-when applied with justice-lead to peace. If applied today, Muhammad’s rules can end not only collateral damage, but war itself. [1] The Prophet in those years of pagan attacks did not abandon his option for peace but moved toward a doctrine of just war similar to that of Cicero and late-antique Christian thinkers. He repeatedly sued for peace with a bellicose Mecca, but when that failed, he organized Medina for self-defense in the face of a determined pagan foe. The Qur’an insists that aggressive warfare is wrong and that if the enemy seeks an armistice, Muslims are bound to accept the entreaty. This disallowing of aggressive war and search for a resolution even in the midst of violent conflict justifies the title “prophet of peace,” even if Muhammad was occasionally forced into a defensive campaign. [2] The Qur’an contains a doctrine of just war but not of holy war and does not use the word jihad with that latter connotation. It views war as an unfortunate necessity when innocents, and the freedom of conscience, are threatened. The Qur’an, read judiciously alongside later histories, suggests that during Muhammad’s lifetime, Islam spread peacefully in the major cities of Western Arabia. The soft power of the Qur’an’s spiritual message has typically been underestimated in most treatments of this period. The image of Muhammad and very early Islam that emerges from a careful reading of the Qur’an on peace- related themes contradicts not only widely held Western views but even much of the later Muslim historiographical tradition. [2] Muhammad prioritized nonviolence in the face of harassment, but he did allow retribution for a crime of violence such as injury or murder. In the absence of a state, clan justice prevailed. Even there, however, the Qur’an counsels compassion instead. Meccan chapters restate the “eye for an eye “rule of Deuteronomy 19:21. Consultation 42:40 says, “The retribution for a wrong is a wrong the like of it.” But like the New Testament, the rest of this Qur’an verse points to a higher law, of forgiveness: “But God will recompense whoever pardons and makes peace; surely he does not love wrongdoers.”[ Ibn Sa`d, Al- Tabaqat al-Kubra, 1:131.]. [2] Muhammad preferred the universal form of this rabbinical teaching, equating the murder of anyone of any faith to genocide. Outside of formal defensive war on the battlefield, and outside the structured judicial context of a death penalty for murder or other capital crimes imposed by duly constituted authorities, killing is always wrong, according to the Qur’an. The Women 4:59 instructs, “Believers, obey God and obey the Messenger and those who enjoy authority among you.” That is, the Qur’an forbids vigilante violence. [2] In The Table 5:15, the Qur’an tells the scriptural communities that a new messenger has come from God, who is explaining the Bible and abrogating parts of it. A new book has been revealed, full of light. It then proclaims (5:16), “God thereby guides those who follow his good-pleasure to the way of peace and delivers them from the shadows into light by his leave, and conducts them to the straight path.” It has been shown that this verse is paraphrasing the prophecy of Zechariah in the Gospel according to Luke 1:77–79, in which the father of John the Baptist speaks of his impending birth. [Cuypers, Banquet, 151–152; Ernst, How to Read the Qur’an, 200–201.] Luke wrote, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” As with the prophecy of Zechariah, the Qur’an announces the advent of a new prophet of the Most High, acceptance of whom means adopting a preference for nonviolence. If the Qur’an has a Hypsistarian background, this talk of an envoy of the Highest God would have resonated especially powerfully with Muhammad and his followers. The passage has messianic and apocalyptic overtones. Muhammad is configured as a John the Baptist figure, calling in the wilderness and showing the people to the way of peace. [2] Muhammad responded to the pressures put on his flock by urging on them nonviolence. The Qur’an (Distinguished 41:34) says, “Good and evil are not equal. Repel the latter with the highest good, and behold, your enemy will become a devoted patron.”[Irfan A. Omar, “Jihad and Nonviolence in the Islamic Tradition,” in Peacemaking and the Challenge of Violence in World Religions, ed. Irfan A. Omar and Michael K. Duffey (Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, 2015), 22.]. [2] The scripture celebrates the moral alembic wherein returning good for evil transforms base antagonism into the gold of benefaction. The chapter of The Criterion (25:63) praises Muhammad’s followers for their self-restraint in the face of provocations, speaking of “the servants of the All-Merciful who walk humbly upon the earth—and when the unruly taunt them, they reply, ‘Peace!’” The “unruly” here are those lacking in self-control, and literally the word means “ignorant.” The Qur’an makes wishing your enemies’ peace and well-being one of the signs of piety. [2] The non-violent character of the holy prophet His attractive and good-looking appearance together with his gentle and kind character - contrary to the rough and rude manners of the affluent leaders of Quraysh - had a profound impact on the hearts of the Arabs who were already thirsty for love and respect. His guidance and spiritual charisma compared to the violent and cruel nature of the Meccan tycoons had an incredible impact on attracting people towards Islam. This was exactly in line with how the Holy Qur’an has described the Holy Prophet (s): “In the Apostle of God there is certainly for you a good exemplar, for those who look forward to God and the Last Day, and remember God greatly.” Qur’an, 33:21. The Holy Qur’an considers the Prophet (s) as a radiant lamp sent to mankind and a manifestation of the divine mercy. It considers his affection, kindness and good character to be among the infinite grace of Allah (s) as it addresses him saying, “It is by God’s mercy that you are gentle to them; and had you been harsh and hard-hearted, surely they would have scattered from around you. So excuse them, and plead for forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affairs …”Qur’an, 3:159. He used to give this piece of advice to each and every propagator of his message, “Be lenient to the people in their affairs and do not be rigid; give hope to them and do not cause break up among them.” (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirat al-Nabawiyyah, part two, p. 590.) “Islam is a balanced religion, so be moderate in acting on its commandments. (Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 1, p. 148.) He has also been reported to have said, “The best among you is the best of you in character.” Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat, vol. 1, p. 377. He was more affectionate towards the children than anyone else and he would be the first to greet children whenever he passed by them. Ibid, p. 382. He was extremely approachable and was warm and jovial in their company. The Prophet of Islam was also the embodiment of the Divine benevolence. During the Battle of Hunayn, he had granted forgiveness to six thousand captives at once. He was indeed a messenger of mercy. He would meet hatred and enmity with love and kindness. With such behavior and attitude, he managed to endow human relations with magnificence through the fragrance of love and sincerity, as he had spread the wings of mercy for the believing men and women. Qur’an, 26:215. What non-Muslims say about Prophet Muhammad? Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) Indian thinker, statesman, and nationalist leader. • "....I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These, and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble." [Young India (periodical), 1928, Volume X] Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) considered the greatest British historian of his time. • "The greatest success of Mohammad's life was effected by sheer moral force without the stroke of a sword." [History of the Saracen Empire, London, 1870] Washington Irving (1783-1859) Well-known as the “first American man of letters". • “His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory, as they would have done had they been effected for selfish purposes. In the time of his greatest power he maintained the same simplicity of manners and appearance as in the days of his adversity. So far from affecting regal state, he was displeased if, on entering a room, any unusual testimonial of respect were shown to him, in his private dealings he was just. He treated friends and strangers, the rich and poor, the powerful and the weak, with equity, and was beloved by the common people for the affability with which he received them, and listened to their complaints." [Life of Mahomet, London, 1889, pp. 192-3, 199] Violent speech, prejudice and radicle The Qur’an 49:11–12 points to some grounds for positive peace. These verses say that one people or ethnicity should not laugh at another or make sarcastic comments. Moreover, they should avoid obsessive suspicion of one another. In short, it urges all to avoid the pathological dynamics of any sort of chauvinism. Ensuring the dignity of all is a way, it says, to avoid the grudges and resentments that lead to faction fighting. [2] Prophet hated Violence against women Muhammad was not a man of violence. We must approach his life in a balanced way, in order to appreciate his considerable achievements. The Qur’an forbade Muslims to inflict violence upon one another, and the women began to complain to the Prophet when their husbands hit them, demanding that they be punished as the Qur’an prescribed. Some even started to refuse sex to their abusive husbands. Muhammad was revolted by the very idea of violence towards women. “The Prophet never raised his hand against one of his wives, or against a slave, nor against any person at all,” Ibn Sa‘d recalled. He “was always against the beating of women.”[Qur’an 29:61-63, 2:89, 27:14.] “I cannot bear seeing a quick- tempered man beat his wife in a fit of anger,”[ Qur’an 7:75-76, 39:59, 31:17-18, 23:45-47, 38:71—75-] he said. [3] Is message of Prophet Muhammad, Message of peace for all? As a paradigmatic personality, Muhammad has important lessons, not only for Muslims, but also for Western people. His life was a jihad: as we shall see, this word does not mean “holy war,” it means “struggle.” Muhammad literally sweated with the effort to bring peace to war-torn Arabia, and we need people who are prepared to do this today. His life was a tireless campaign against greed, injustice, and arrogance. But the primary meaning of that word, which we hear so often today, is not “holy war” but the “effort” or “struggle” necessary to put the will of God into practice. [3] Some Muslim thinkers regard the jihad against Mecca as the climax of Muhammad’s career and fail to note that he eventually abjured warfare and adopted a nonviolent policy. Western critics also persist in viewing the Prophet of Islam as a man of war, and fail to see that from the very first he was opposed to the jahili(meaning ignorance era) arrogance and egotism that not only fuelled the aggression of his time but is much in evidence in some leaders, Western and Muslim alike, today. The Prophet, whose aim was peace and practical compassion, is becoming a symbol of division and strife. [3] If we are to avoid catastrophe, the Muslim and Western worlds must learn not merely to tolerate but to appreciate one another. A good place to start is with the figure of Muhammad: a complex man, who resists facile, ideologically driven categorization, who sometimes did things that were difficult or impossible for us to accept, but who had profound genius and founded a religion and cultural tradition that was not based on the sword but whose name—“Islam”—signified peace and reconciliation. [3] References: 1. Engineer, A. (2011). The Prophet of Non-Violence: Spirit of Peace, Compassion & Universality in Islam. 2. Juan Cole, Muhammad, prophet of peace amid the clash of empires. 3. Karen Armstrong, Muhammad A prophet For Our Time
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