Page 224 - Seekers Guide Book

Peace: The Summum Bonum

43 Did the Prophet make any allowance
to go to war?

slam does give permission to do battle. But such
Ipermission is given only in the case of an attack by
opponents in spite of the policy of avoidance being
followed by the Muslims, thus creating a situation
where self-defence becomes necessary. According to
the teachings of Islam, war is to be waged not against
the enemy but against the aggressor. If Muslims hold
someone to be their enemy, that does not give them the
right to attack him. The only right given to them is to
convey the peaceful message of Islam to others. Islam
permits defensive fighting against violent aggression,
but only when all efforts at avoidance and reconciliation
have failed. The Quran states:

Permission to fight is granted to those
who are attacked because they have been
wronged. (Quran 22:39)

At another place the Quran enjoins the believers thus:
Fight in the cause of God against those who
wage war against you but do not commit
aggression. God does not love aggressors.
(Quran 2:190)

A tradition narrates:

God grants to gentleness what He does not
grant to harshness. (Sahih Muslim, hadith
no. 2593)

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