190- AND FIGHT IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH THOSE WHO FIGHT YOU, BUT DO NOT TRANSGRESS, FOR ALLAH DOES NOT LOVE THE TRANSGRESSORS.

191- AND KILL THEM WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM, AND TURN THEM OUT FROM WHERE THEY TURNED YOU OUT, FOR PERSECUTION IS WORSE THAN KILLING.  AND DO NOT FIGHT THEM BY THE SACRED MOSQUE UNTIL THEY FIGHT YOU THERE, IF THEY FIGHT YOU, SLAY THEM, THIS IS THE RECOMPENSE OF THE DISBELIEVERS.

192- BUT IF THEY STOP, ALLAH IS MOST FORGIVING, MOST MERCIFUL.

193- AND FIGHT THEM UNTIL THERE IS NO PERSECUTION, AND FAITH BECOMES ALL FOR ALLAH, BUT IF THEY STOP, THERE SHOULD BE NO HOSTILITY EXCEPT AGAINST THE UNJUST.

194- A SACRED MONTH FOR A SACRED MONTH AND FOR ALL THINGS SACRED THRER IS RETRIBUTION.  THEREFORE WHOEVER ATTACKS YOU; ATTACK THEM LIKEWISE, AND BE PIOUS AND GUARD YOURSELF FROM ALLAH’S DISPLEASURE.   KNOW THAT ALLAH IS WITH THOSE WHO ARE PIOUS.

Allah the Highest commands the Muslims to fight in His Cause.  What does this mean?  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whoever fights to make Allah’s Word Supreme, he is in the cause of Allah”.  (B: Jehad; 15 & M: Emarah; 149 & D: Jihad; 24 & N: Jihad; 21)

 This fighting to defend Islam and the Muslims is a duty upon us.  It is necessary to defend the nation, do defend our faith and our way of life.  No one likes to fight, but it is necessary for the protection, integrity and welfare of the Muslim nation.  Allah the Highest said: “FIGHTING HAS BEEN MADE A DUTY UPON YOU, WHILE YOU DISLIKE IT.   MAY BE YOU DISLIKE SOMETHING WHILE IT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND MAY BE YOU LIKE SOMETHING WHILE IT IS BAD FOR YOU”.  (S: 2 A: 216)

There are rule and limits in this fighting.  We should fight those who fight us first of all.  Those who fight us are those who fight us as people, fight our faith, our security and safety.  There are limits and rules however.  In the course of fighting, the Muslims should not kill women, children, priests and people of the cloth, farmers and old people.  Should not destroy plants, places of worship and homes, should not take things from people without paying.  If they kill, they should not mutilate.

Abd Allah Ibn Abas, Allah’s messenger companion said that “Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him found a woman killed in battle, then he forbad the Muslims killing women and children”  (Mal:Jihad;9 & D:Jihad;111 & Ma:Jihad;30 & Da:Serah;25 & A:2;22,23)

Also Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Go out in the name of Allah, fight in the cause of Allah those who disbelieve in Allah.  Do not transgress over Allah’s limits, do not betray, do not mutilate, do not steal, and do not kill children or hermits”.  (D & A: 1; 300)

“PERSECUTION IS WORSE THAN KILLING” Persecuting people and forcing them to change their faith or preventing them from practicing their faith is ruining their life and Hereafter.  Killing ruins the victim’s life only.  Therefore, Allah the Highest is commanding us to fight those who persecute the Muslims anywhere until they stop.

Because of this persecution, the early Muslims had to leave their homes in secret, leaving all or most of their possessions behind.  This was in order that they do not give any sign or hint that they are leaving, and then they would have been stopped and hurt.

“AND DO NOT FIGHT THEM BY THE SACRED MOSQUE UNTIL THEY FIGHT YOU THERE”

It has been mentioned before that Allah the Highest and His messenger prayer and peace upon him forbad us from fighting at the site of the sacred mosque.  This means the whole of Makah.  We can fight in the Sacred Mosque only in cases of self defense. 

This means defending the Muslims in this part in general from any threat or attack. 

This does not mean that criminals or murderers can hide there or use the sacred mosque as a sanctuary.  They can be attacked and taken from there to be brought to justice, as mentioned in the Hadith before.

THE SACRED MONTHS:

Out of the twelve lunar months, there are four sacred months.  They are Rajab, Zo Al-Qedah, Zo Al-Hejah and Moharam.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The year is twelve month, four of them are sacred, and three of them are in sequence; Zo Al-Qedah, and Zo Al-Hejah then Moharam”.  (Taw heed; 34 & M: Qesamah; 29 & D: Manasek; 67 & A: 5; 37)

The Arabs had a rule of never fight or kill during these four months.  This allowed reconciliation, trade, and general peace and tranquility. 

Allah the Highest commands us to observe this rule.  However, we are allowed to retaliate if attacked during the sacred month, and to treat those who attacked us the same way they treated us.  This applies to whether it is attacking in the sacred months or attacking any thing we consider sacred, like places or worship, children, women, old people, etc.  Allah the Highest warns the disbelievers and gives us this license to use only if we attached and assaulted in such fashion.  It is a license for special circumstances which we should not misuse.

“AND BE PIOUS AND GUARD YOURSELF FROM ALLAH’S DISPLEASURE.   KNOW THAT ALLAH IS WITH THOSE WHO ARE PIOUS”

Allah the Highest reminds us that the most important thing for the believer is his or her relationship with Allah the Highest, his only and greatest supporter.  What matters most of all in order to maintain their strength and to fight all evil is their righteousness and piety. 

The Muslims throughout their history were not strong because of their numbers or weapons.  The Muslims did not have victory because of their superior force, but because of their righteousness and piety.  When we lost these two most powerful weapons, we weakened and were overcome by the weak.  Allah was with us when we were pious “KNOW THAT ALLAH IS WITH THOSE WHO ARE PIOUS”

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi