بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

This post is a continuation of the preceding post on the same topic of non physical i.e ideological fighting. We will continue to review Ayas which are interpreted by some, to mean physical fighting and see what is implied in their instructions:

2:8-12   وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ  يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ  فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ  وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ  أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ

Of the people there are some who say. “We believe in Allah and the Last Day;” but they are not (really) with the believers. They  deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves, and realize (it) not! In their hearts is a disease; and Allah has increased their disease. And grievous is the penalty they (incur), because they are false (to themselves). When it is said to them. “Do not make mischief/violence on the earth,” they say. “Why, we are the reformers!” Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief/violence, but they realize (it) not.

In the above Ayas, Allah exposes those who are actually the violence mongers on Earth. These are those who say that we believe in Allah and the Hereafter, however, they do not themselves know that they are deceiving themselves. The love of violence in their hearts is termed as a disease and Ayas of Allah, increase their disease. When they are told, not to do violence on Earth, they say that we are doing it for a noble cause.

4:60  أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَن يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا

Have you not seen those who assume with pride that they believe in what has been sent down on you and to that before you? Their intention is to resort for judgment to the Taghut (Rebellious/Violent one), though they were ordered to reject him. But Satan’s intention is to lead them astray far away (from the right).

The above Ayat states that there are people who assume that they are a believer of what has been revealed on the Messenger, however, they still want their judge to be the Taghoot/violent one, and indeed they are ordered in this Revelation to reject the Taghut/violent one. The word Taghut is from ‘Tughian’ and in it roots, implies crossing limits, rebellion and violent unjust harshness. So, these people think that they believe in the Messenger and what has been revealed on the Messenger, but actually they end up following the judgment of the violent, rebellious, Taghut.

22:40  الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّا أَن يَقُولُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

Those who have been expelled from their circles unjustly,- because of their statement that, “Our Lord is Allah”. If it were not that Allah defended one set of people with another, there would surely have been destroyed silos, businesses, prayers, and mosques, in which Allah’s name is remembered in abundance. Allah will certainly aid those who aids in His (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).

Those people who make Allah their Lord (they do not take instructions and orders other than from Allah), they are hated by people bent on violence and war-mongering activities, and they are ousted out of their circles of faith by the disbelievers. The disbelievers label them as an ousted caste. Had Allah not defended the people of the world from these war mongers, violent people, there would have been great destruction in the world. The violent war mongers terrorists would not even leave people going to prayers and mosques, they try to bomb them also.

 8:60  وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِن شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ

And for them you prepare (i.e. in establishing the judgment of Allah which is Islam / Peace) to what you have the capability from strength and the bindings of the horses, (i.e. to check your impulsiveness and to remain calm) so that you terrorize with it to the enemies of Allah and your enemies and others besides them. You do not know them Allah knows them, and whatsoever you spend from anything in the way of Allah, you will be repaid in full and you will not be oppressed.

Enemies of the believers  are the terrorists, the violent war-mongers. So, Allah’s order is to terrorize your enemies with great preparations (deep pondering in Quran, remember Jihad e Akbar is with Quran 25:52). Terrorize them with all your restraint akin to controlling a violent horse with reins i.e to display dignity, calm and steadfastness. Terrorist, whose wrong interpretation of Allah’s Book increase them in violent activities (5:64), will be terrorized of you, if all their violent interpretations of Quran are responded with true Quranic spirit of peace. 

4:75-76  وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا  الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًامِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا

And what is the matter with you that you do-not fight in the way of Allah and the weak among- Men, women, and children, those who say. “Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and appoint from your nearness a wali/protector/guardian for us; and appoint from your nearness a helper for us.

Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject fight in the cause of Taghut/trangression/rebeliousness. So you fight against the patrons of Satan. Feeble indeed is the scheme of Satan.

The terrorists and violence mongers on earth if they gain control over certain region and establish their rule on that land they will persecute people with draconian laws of their own understanding and interpretation. Allah asks, why would the believers not fight with them so that they might leave their deviant way. In recent past, world has witnessed atrocities on weak women, children and men committed by violent groups who share common ideology of violence and war fare. 

The believers engage in ideological fight in the way of Allah the way of peace and security, and the rejecters of this Islam/Peace fight in spreading transgression and ware fare on earth. 

9:122-125  وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُوا كَافَّةً ۚ فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم مِّنَ الْكُفَّارِ وَلْيَجِدُوا فِيكُمْ غِلْظَةً ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ  وَإِذَا مَا أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَٰذِهِ إِيمَانًا ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ  وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَىٰ رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ

It may not be (possible) that all believers go forth together (in faith). if a contingent from every group  devote themselves to studies in Din/Judgment, and admonish the people when they return to them,- thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil).  O ye who believe! fight the unbelievers who gird you about, and let them find firmness in you. and know that Allah is with those who fear Him. Whenever there comes down a Sura, some of them say. “Which of you has had his faith increased by it?” , those who believe,- their faith is increased and they do rejoice. But those in whose hearts is a disease,- it will add un-cleanliness to their un-cleanliness, and they will die in a state of rejection.

The above Ayas towards the end of Sura Tuaba (9), indicate that striking out in the way of Allah, is about devoting to studies in matters of Din/Judgment. Those people who have disease in their hearts were exposed earlier in Quran in Aya’s 2:8-12, that when they are asked not to make fasad/mischief on Earth they say we are only doing corrections, and they themselves don’t know that they are the problematic ones. So these people interpret the above Ayas as Allah asking them to wage war on earth and the disease and uncleanliness in their hearts keep on increasing. As Allah’s intention of Peace are revealed and clarified to believers in Quran, their faith increases, but the people bent on violence, their disbelief increases in the opposite direction.

4;84  فَقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَكَ ۚ وَحَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَكُفَّ بَأْسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ وَاللَّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْسًا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلًا

Then fight in Allah’s cause – There is no hardship in it for you except for your souls (nafs) – and rouse the believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the strength of the Unbelievers; for Allah is the severest in strength and severest in punishment.

Fighting in the way of Allah is not physical fight, it is ideological fight. There is no hard ship in it except on your Nafs/phyche. The believers will prevail in this psychological fight as they are advised to be patient and the non believers are those who don’t have knowledge (of Spirit of Al-Quran)

8:65-66  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ ۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ  الْآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

O Apostle! rouse the believers to the fight . If there are twenty patient ones amongst you , they will overpower two hundred. if a hundred, they will overpower a thousand of the Unbelievers. For these are a people without understanding. For the present, Allah has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is some weakness in you. But (even so), if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will overpower two hundred, and if a thousand, they will overpower two thousand, with the leave of Allah. for Allah is with the patient ones

Consider an example conversation; ‘you are able to jog about 10KM, however, as you are starting now, your stamina is not up-to the mark at this time, therefore in the start you will be able to cover up-to 2 KM and if you keep on practicing you can achieve your capacity of 10KM.’  As the believer’s faith increases and the Sprit of Al-Quran increase their understanding of the message of Quran, they will be able to take more and more of the unbeliever’s interpretation of Quran in their ideological fight against them.

لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِي أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَذًى كَثِيرًا ۚ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

Certainly you shall be tested in your wealth and in your selves (psyche); and you shall certainly hear  from those who were given the Book before you and from those who joined partners (with Allah) a lot of annoying things. And if you persevere patiently, and take guard against evil,-then surely that is of the strengthened resolve.

The people who join others (instructions of others) with Allah and his instructions, they will be always be taunting believers for their judgment. The believers are told to be patient and take guard.

8:67-71  مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ  لَّوْلَا كِتَابٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ  فَكُلُوا مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّمَن فِي أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ الْأَسْرَىٰ إِن يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًا مِّمَّا أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  وَإِن يُرِيدُوا خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُوا اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

It is not fitting for an apostle that he has Isra’s/captives unless he is thoroughly made immovable/helpless in the land. You people look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah intends for the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

Had it not been previously written down by Allah, a severe penalty would have reached you for what you people have taken. So, enjoy what you have saved, lawful and good. but fear Allah. for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. O Apostle! say to Isras/captives,  “If Allah finds any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you,  for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” But if they have intentions of treachery against thee, (O Apostle!), they have already been treacherous against Allah, and so He had them stay put, and Allah has knowledge and wisdom.

 In the above Ayas, it seems that a prophet can only have Isra’s/captives when he is thoroughly subdued in the land i.e is not able to accomplish much. Isra’s are captives in the way of belief.  In contrast to ‘Muhajireen’/Migrators who have already migrated in belief from their previous belief system to the path of  Allah’s and Messenger’s, the ‘Isras’ are those, who are captives in that path, i.e they have not yet made the move of abandoning their old system of belief to the new circle of Muhajireen in belief.  Social, family and other taboos and issues prevent them to adopt the new circle of faith. Although they have been thoroughly outwitted and their previous belief system destroyed in ideological fight with believers in the light of Ayas of Allah (see Ayat 47:4 in previous post of this series). The Isra/Captives don’t want to fight with their Nafs/psychology, however, they could be willing to support the cause of the Messenger of Allah with financial support.

5:33-34   إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلَافٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ  إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Surely the reward of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and they move around in the earth to cause corruption/violence, is that they will be killed, or they will be crucified, or their hands and feet will be cut off from the opposite sides or they will be exiled from the land. For them, is disgrace in this world and in the hereafter is a great punishment.  Except those who repent before you gaining control over them, then you should know that surely Allah is all forgiving, all merciful.

Those people who have a declaration of war with Allah and the Messenger and who are doing physical fighting, warmongering and corruption in the world, will automatically meet one of the described fates mentioned in the above Ayat as a result of their violent activities. Except for those on which the believers were able to control by showing their wrong ways and then they doing repentance.  This is not a punishment that believers are asked by Allah to inflict on them. Also, please note there is only one declaration of war/harab by Allah and the messengers in Quran, and that is only on those believers who don’t cease to eat Riba/the increase and the satan has influenced them as such as they look ludicrous in their appearance (see note 1).

47:20  وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَتْ سُورَةٌ ۖ فَإِذَا أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ مُّحْكَمَةٌ وَذُكِرَ فِيهَا الْقِتَالُ ۙ رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ نَظَرَ الْمَغْشِيِّ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ ۖ فَأَوْلَىٰ لَهُمْ

Those who believe say, “Why is not a sura sent down (for us)?” thus when a sura of categorical meaning is revealed, and fighting is mentioned therein, thou wilt see those in whose hearts is a disease looking at thee with a look of one fainting from death, which is more fitting for them-

Believers who are peaceful people, pray that Allah reveals the true meaning of (ideological) fighting in Al-Kitab. When real meaning of Qital/Fighting (ideological fight) is clarified from Sooras/chapters of Quran, the people in whose hearts is a disease (see 2:8-12 for the people whose hearts have disease, are the people who like to wage violence/war in earth and they don’t realize that they are themselves the violence makers). These people don’t like this clarification of Qital verses, which is against their sentiments of war mongering and their faces show death like features, which is in-fact more apt for them as they love violence and to die for it.

Notes 1:

Riba is not interest. The Arabic word for Interest is ‘Faida’. Ar-Riba is that increase which you would make in your wealth by not paying the prescribed ‘Zakat’ charity in Quran. Zakat/charity in Quran is applicable on believers only. Those believers who don’t pay the prescribed Zakat/charity from their wealth are warned to be ready for a war with Allah and his Messenger. The declaration of war in Quran is against the believers who eat the Riba/the increase 2:278-279.

Ayat 275 mentions those people who equate the word ‘Riba’ in Quran with a ‘deal’. Deal is something which is agreed between two parties. Allah is not against the deals that people do in commercial transactions (including bank deals), but He is against those who don’t pay the prescribed Zakat and increase their wealth with this money. So those people who equate Ar-Riba with ‘commercial deal’, they are described as those who appear crazy with the impetus of Satan. They would be appearing and acting ludicrously.

2:275  الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا ۗ وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا ۚ فَمَن جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَانتَهَىٰ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ 

Those who eat AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE  do not take a stand except like he, who stands to madness from the touch of shaitaan / Satan. That is because they say that AL-BAI / THE DEAL  is the example of AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE . And Allah has made AL-BAI / THE DEAL  lawful and has made AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE unlawful so he to whom comes the sermon from his Lord then forbids, that is past for him. And his affair is towards Allah, and whosoever returns , then they are the companions of the fire. They will live forever in it.

278-279  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ  فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ

O’ you who believe, take guard of Allah and leave off, what remains from AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE , if you are believers. Then if you do not, (leave off, what remains from AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE),so take a notice of war from Allah and His messenger. And if you turn back, so for you are the heads of your wealth. You do not oppress and you will not be oppressed.