Page 92 - Islam Denounces Terrorism

90 Islam Denounces Terrorism

national rules of warfare. In addition, it also describes something that
is not applied under the international rules of warfare: the release of
prisoners as soon as the fighting is over. Yet, prisoners of war are still
being held in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba even though the war in
Afghanistan is over, and organisations such as the U.N. and NATO
regard this as legitimate. But the Qur'an does not regard that unlaw-
fulness as legitimate: In the view of Islam, all prisoners must be

released as soon as the fighting is over.
The verses concerning war are clearly describing defensive wars
under the conditions of the time, being waged solely against polythe-

Under Islamic law, war is only permissible
for defensive purposes, and prisoners
must be released when it is over.
This is a practice not even found in the
international law of war. Indeed, prisoners
from past conflicts are still being
kept under harsh conditions in prisons
such as Guantanamo Bay.