Page 238 - An Index to the Qur'an

You who believe! What is the matter with you the Arabs, asking for news of you. If they were
that when you are told, ‘Go out and fight in the with you they would only fight a very little.
way of Allah,’ you sink down heavily to the (33:20)
earth? Are you happier with this world than the Allah sent back those who disbelieved in their
hereafter? Yet the enjoyment of this world is very rage without their achieving any good at all.
small compared to that of the hereafter. (9:38) Allah made it unnecessary for the believers to
If you do not go out to fight, He will punish you fight. Allah is Most Strong, Almighty. (33:25)
with a painful punishment and substitute another Therefore when you meet those who disbelieve
people in your place. You will not harm Him in strike their necks. Then when you have deci-
any way. Allah has power over all things. (9:39) mated them, tie their bonds tightly and set them
Go out to fight, light-armed and heavy-armed, free or ransom them, until the war is finally over.
and strive with your wealth and yourselves in the That is how it is to be. If Allah willed, He could
Way of Allah. That is better for you if you only avenge Himself on them. But it is so that He can
knew. (9:41) test some of you by means of others. As for those
If Allah returns you to a group of them, and they who fight in the Way of Allah, He will not let
ask you for permission to go out, say, ‘You will their actions go astray. (47:4)
never go out with me, nor will you ever fight an Those who believe say, ‘If only a sura could be
enemy with me. You were happy to stay behind sent down.’ But when a straightforward sura is
the first time, so stay behind with those who are sent down and fighting is mentioned in it, you
left behind.’ (9:83) see those with sickness in their hearts looking at
Allah has bought from the believers their selves you with the look of someone about to faint from
and their wealth in return for the Garden. They fear of death. More fitting for them would be
fight in the Way of Allah and they kill and are obedience and honourable words. Once the
killed. It is a promise binding on Him in the matter is resolved upon, being true to Allah
Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’an and who is would be better for them. (47:20-21)
truer to his contract than Allah? Rejoice then in Say to the Arabs who remained behind: ‘You will
the bargain you have made. That is the great vic- be called up against a people who possess great
tory. (9:111) force whom you must fight unless they submit. If
You who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers you obey, Allah will give you an excellent re-
who are near to you and let them find you im- ward. But if you turn your backs as you did be-
placable. Know that Allah is with those who fore, He will punish you with a painful
guard against evil. (9:123) punishment.’ (48:16)
Permission to fight is given to those who are If those who disbelieve should fight you, they
fought against because they have been would turn their backs and then find no one to
wronged–truly Allah has the power to come to protect or help them. (48:22)
their support–those who were expelled from If two parties of the believers fight, make peace
their homes without any right, merely for saying, between them. But if one of them attacks the
‘Our Lord is Allah’ (if Allah had not driven some other unjustly, fight the attackers until they revert
people back by means of others, monasteries, to Allah’s command. If they revert, make peace
churches, synagogues and mosques, where between them with justice, and be even-handed.
Allah’s name is mentioned much, would have Allah loves those who are even-handed. (49:9)
been pulled down and destroyed. Allah will cer- And how is it with you that you do not give in the
tainly help those who help Him–Allah is All- Way of Allah, when the inheritance of the heav-
Strong, Almighty), (22:39-40) ens and the earth belongs to Allah? Those of you
They think that the Confederates have not de- who gave and fought before the Victory are not
parted and if the Confederates did appear then the same as those who gave and fought after-
they would wish they were out in the desert with wards. They are higher in rank. But to each of
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