Page 98 - Seekers Guide Book

Islam and the Quran
a restricted sense; they are not of general applicability.
Observe the following verse:

And fight in God’s cause against those who
wage war against you, but do not commit
aggression – for surely God does not love
aggressors. Slay them wherever you find
them [those who fight against you]. (Quran
2:190-91)

Fight them until there is no more fitna
[religious persecution] and religion belongs
to God alone. If the desist, then let there
be no hostility, except towards aggressors.
(Quran 2:193)

The above verses do not convey the general command of
Islam. The truth of the matter is that the Quran was not
revealed in the complete form in which it exists today.
It was revealed from time to time, according to the
circumstances, over a period of 23 years. If this is divided
into years of war and peace, the period of peace amounts
to 20 years, while that of war amounts only to 3 years.
The revelations during these 20 peaceful years consisted
of the peaceful teachings of Islam as are conveyed in
the verses regarding the realization of God, worship,
morality, piety, justice, etc.

This division of commands into different categories is
a natural one and is found in all religious books. For
instance, the Gita, the holy book of the Hindus, pertains
to wisdom and moral values. Yet along with there is
also an exhortation by Krishna to Arjuna, encouraging
him to fight (Bhagavad Gita 3:30). This does not mean

97