Page 70 - Islam Denounces Terrorism

68 Islam Denounces Terrorism

tion in that particular war. Therefore, all the verses about war in the
Qur'an were specially revealed as referring to the particular attacks
taking place at that time to enable us to see the difficult conditions of
the time and the justice of our Prophet (pbuh).

Who Were Battles Fought Against
in the Time of the Prophet (pbuh)?
A Muslim Can't Be Anti-Semitic

One important point that needs to be remembered regarding the
battles described in the Qur'an is "the other side" in the fighting. Some
religious and historical sources say that the battles fought in the time
of our Prophet (pbuh) were against the Jews. Some people who read

those sources then go on to look for anti-Semitism in the Qur'an, claim-
ing that the verses revealed for specific battles in the Qur'an are gener-
ally directed against the Jews. That is a grave error, however.

It was the pagans who engaged in that persecution against our
Prophet (pbuh) and Muslims. A great many of these were idol-wor-
shipers. Their aim was to prevent any harm from coming to their idols
and perverse beliefs. Some were hypocrites and polytheists who had
come out of Jewish communities but it would be very wrong to refer to
these as Jews. In the same way that it would be very wrong to regard
a polytheist or hypocrite who emerged from a Muslim community as a

"Muslim," it is equally wrong to regard polytheists and hypocrites who
emerged from among Jews and began spreading violence as "Jews." It
is impossible for a true Jew to start fighting and take the lives of believ-
ers.

The Qur'an curses anti-Semitism. For that reason, those who look
for expressions of enmity toward the Jews in the Qur'an return empty-
handed; people who interpret the verses in question as referring to
fighting against the Jews need to understand this. Our Prophet (pbuh)
always enjoyed good relations with Jews. He treated them with respect