Page 84 - Bigotry: The Dark Danger

Bigotry:
The Dark Danger

There Is No Justification for War in

Islam Except for Self-Defense

Those who allege that Islam is a religion of war must realize that
such a perspective is in fact diametrically opposed to the teachings
of Islam. According to the Qur'an, there is no justification for attack-
ing the other side. As we have seen with evidence from the Qur'an

throughout the book, Muslims only have the right to defend them-
selves. If Muslims are unable to subdue and take away the weapons
of an attacker that attacks them, they have the right to defend them-
selves. However, the conditions of the defense are clearly established
and are fully compatible with the contemporary international laws
of war. The Qur'an provides the very finest description of democracy

and freedoms. In a climate of democracy and freedom there is no
question of denouncing the other side as the enemy or seeking to
silence it. That climate is one in which everyone is respected and
everyone can speak freely, and Islamic Sharia describes just that
environment. Therefore, there is no justification for offensive war-

fare in the Qur'an. Let us examine this fact through the words of
verses of the Qur'an:

War to Enforce Conversion to Islam?

Those who employ war, force or coercion to impose Islam on
someone are betraying the Qur'an. One of the most explicit state-
ments in the Qur'an is that "there is no compulsion in the religion":

There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned....
(Qur'an, 2:256)

This is an explicit commandment of the Qur'an. No Muslim can

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