Fatwa
On the importance of the right interpretation of the holy Qur’an and the inadmissibility of its use for the justification of political extremism
In Allah’s name, His mercy is infinite and eternal! Hoping on the Single God, the Posessor of true knowledge and wisdom, I pray to Him for strength and skills to express a humble judgement that would correspond to the truth of God’s Word, and not to the temporal knowledge of this age.
The confessioners of extreme political views reckoning themselves among Muslims and allegedly representing Islam often try to justify and ground their aggressive behavior against non-Muslims by means of referring to Divine Revelation. For this sake they often use the 9th sura of the Holy Qur’an
“at-Tawba” (“Repentance”). Here is the translation of the first six ayat of thes sura:
“1. A declaration of immunity by Allah and His apostle to the idolaters with whom you have made agreements:
2. For four months you shall go unmolested in the land. But know that you shall not escape the judgement of Allah, and that Allah will humble the unbelievers.
3. A proclamation to the people by Allah and His apostle on the day of the greater pilgrimage:
Allah and His apostle are free from the obligation to the idolaters. If you repent it will be well with you; but if you give no heed, know that you shall not escape His judgement.
Proclaim a woeful punishment to the unbelievers,
4. except those idolaters who have honored their treaties with you and aided none against you. With these keep faith, until their treaties have run their term. Allah loves the righteous.
5. When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters [who violated the treaties with you] wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and pay the alms-tax, let them go their way. Allah is forgiving and merciful.
6. If an idolater seeks asylum with you [seeks your neighborhood], give him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and then convey him to safety, For the idolaters are ignorant men”.
In order to draw canonically correct conclusions on these ayat from the point of view of Islamic science, one should compare them with each other and pay special attention to the time of their revelation and their correlation with other ayat and ahadith.
The 1st and the 2nd ayat imply under “immunity” the denial of security on the part of Muslims to the polytheists attributing a partner to the Single God.
Why do the believers, who must set the example of peaceable disposition to people around, suddenly show hostility? For one of the authentic ahadith reads:”A Muslim [obedient to the Lord and abiding by His laws] is he whose tongue or hand will protect Muslims” (a hadith from Ibn’Amra; the holy ahadith from al-Bukhari, Abu Daud and an-Nassai).[1] Another hadith reads:”A true believer [mu’min, who has believed in God with his heart] is he with whom people [regardless whether they are believers or polythiests] feel secure and safe” (a hadith from Fadal ibn ‘Ubayd; the holy ahadith from Ibn Madj).[2]
Let us remember the prehistory of the revelation of these ayat.
Analyzing the stages of the prophetic mission of Muhammad (may the Lord greet and bless him) we see that such a tough measure as military operations was taken only after the infidels, who had originally oppressed Muslims, violated the peace treaty signed with Muslims. The truce was not concluded due to the weakness of Muslims; on the contrary it was made in the time when Muslims possessed great power and a mighty army. Muslims signed it with those who from the first days of the prophetic mission of Muhammad (may the Lord greet and bless him) had exposed Muslims to physical sufferings and oppressed them, damaged their honor and dignity, driven them out of their homes, made them leave their property and move to other places; with those who not only wanted but also actually tried to murder the Prophet (but this plan was bound to fail). With these people Muslims possessing all possibilities to revenge agreed to conclude a truce, the terms of which were the security and immunity of both sides.
Yet when Prophet Muhammad (may the Lord greet and bless him) together with his companions were preparing for another battle with enemy tribes (the battle of Tabuk) the infidels broke the truce and united with the enemies of Muslims hoping by joint efforts to defeat the believers (mu’min) whose power and authority grew quickly and endangered polytheism. The infidels realised that if Truth would come in its grandeur, falsehood was bound to be discomfited (the Holy Qur’an, 17:81).
In any society a betrayer deserves death penalty, especially if the treachery takes place in wartime. But Islam is the universal teaching of the Lord, Who is equally fair in punishment and mercy. You should like to note how great His mercy in the described situation is: the infidels who fought against Muslims, then concluded a truce with them and violated it unilaterally, were [are] given four months of free travel both on their territories and on the territories of Muslims. I.e. after such dreadful action merchants and travelers from among the pagans can feel safe during four months (this comment is given by at-Tabari[3] and other authoritative interpreters of the Holy Qur’an)!
The fifth ayah reads as follows:
”When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters [who violated the treaties with you] wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and pay the alms-tax, let them go their way. Allah is forgiving and merciful”.[4]
Thus, after four months have expired Muslims are entitled to the so called jus talionis (the retribution right) – to annihilate the infidels everywhere. Mercy can be shown only in case if the infidels repent and embrace faith in the Single God and confirm their faith through action – perform the obligatory prayer and pay the poor-due – zakah.
Isn’t it cruel? Does it not contradict the principle of free confession proclaimed in the Holy Qur’an:”There shall be no compulsion in religion...” (the Holy Qur’an, 2:256)? Does it not contradict the commandment that one should call for God’s path with wisdom and good admonition:”Call men to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kindly exhortation. Reason with them [infidels and polytheists] in the most courteous manner” (the Holy Qur’an, 16:125)? Can murder and violence be the best ways of proving one’s rightness?
Here it would be relevant to refer to the comment by Sayid Kutb[5] who is regarded by some ignorant people as the ideologist of “islamic extremism”. Commenting on the adduced ayah he writes:”It can be clearly seen that the call for murder is not universal; it should not be applied to all infidels and polytheists; it implies only those infidels who had fought against Muslims, then concluded a truce with them and after some time violated it. This ayah does not restrict or abolish such basic principles as the freedom of religion (the Holy Qur’an, 2:256), the call for the path of the Lord with wisdom and kindly exhortations (the Holy Qur’an, 16:125), the call for reasoning with them in the most courteous manner (the Holy Qur’an, 29:46, 16:125), etc. The sura “at-Tauba” reads:”...so long as they keep faith with you, keep faith with them. Allah loves the righteous” (the Holy Qur’an, 9:7)”.[6] It should be noted that this interpretation fully corresponds to the Islamic understanding of the issue.
In addition to what has been said above one should remember that the sura “al-Mumtahana” reads:”It may well be that Allah will put good will between you and those with whom you have hitherto been at odds. Allah is mighty. He is forgiving and merciful. Allah does not forbid you to be kind and equitable to those who have neither made war on your religion nor driven you from your homes” (the Holy Qur’an, 60:7,8).
We all know the principle: that which is not prohibited, is permitted. And generosity and justice are not only permitted, but also encouraged in Islam, for they can serve as a reason for that others would also aspire for Truth. We know from an authentic hadith that if a Muslim contributes to the convertion of a man to the right religion, the reward that he will receive from the Creator will be more precious than all worldly riches.
Yet “He forbids you to make friends with those who have fought against you on account of your religion and driven you from your homes or abetted others so to do. Those that make friends with them are wrongdoers” (the Holy Qur’an, 60:9).
And again. Does not the following phrase from the fifth ayah point at coercing a man into believing:”... if they repent and take to prayer and pay the alms-tax, let them go their way. Allah is forgiving and merciful”?
When on closer examination it becomes clear that this proposition is by no means a constraint but the manifestation of mercy and indulgence of the Creator.
So, what is the point? Let us ruminate, is it possible that a criminal sentenced to death for very serious crimes before the society and the state, would suddenly obtain mercy due to his repentance? It is impossible according to the code of human laws, but it is possible under Divine laws! Those who broke the truce and took aggressive measures towards Muslims had another chance to obtain mercy after a sincere repentance and the confirmation of the sincerity of their intentions through a pious behavior. If the infidels had not violated the truce, that they had signed themselves, an oral repentance would have been sufficient. But in that case due to their unpredictability they could obtain merit from God only if they would have confirmed their sincerity by performing a prayer and paying zakah, thus ensuring future peace on their part.
Let us adduce an example from the modern history. Shortly before World War Two Germany and the USSR had signed a treaty on peace and non-aggression. Germany violated this treaty and the USSR had to go to war. Can one denounce the actions of the Soviet Union when it had to take measures on defending itself and destroying the enemy? No, for the situation became critical and the conflict could be settled only through military actions. Just as one should not look at Islam in a narrow-minded manner: the military settlement of an issue is admissible only in case if all possible measures have already been taken.
The sixth ayah reads as follows:
“If an idolater seeks asylum with you [seeks your neighborhood], give him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and then convey him to safety, For the idolaters are ignorant men”.
The settlement of an issue by military actions is admissible towards those who have declared war on Muslims. As for those who do not show hatred or hostility towards Muslims, they are guaranteed safety on Muslim territories. The Lord orders His Apostle to give them refuge unless they hear the Word of the Lord – the Holy Qur’an and unless they realize the meaning of the call for Truth. After this Muslims are commanded to accompany these polytheists or infidels to a secure place. Imagine, Muslims, who have come to believe in the Single God, take responsibility for the safety of the infidels (!) and ensure their free movement across their territory!
History has supplied us with plenty of examples when many empires and states under various pretences oppressed and annihilated people of a different trend of thought. Islam does not approve of such methods. Thus, for example, during the formation of the Islamic caliphate the centre of which was first Medina in the times of Prophet Muhammad (may the Lord greet and bless him), and then Mekka, Muslims lived in close neighbourhood with Christians, Israelites and pagans. Nobody of them was ever oppressed. Each time when the caliph got to know that in some area of the caliphate there was some sort of social discrimination against non-Muslims, the governor of the area was dismissed from his post. During the annexation of new territories to the caliphate Muslims did not destroy the temples of the representatives of other religions; they built mosques near them and thus entitled the local population to free choice. For example, later, in the time of the Kordowa Caliphate, it was the Muslim Spain that gave refuge to the Jews oppressed in Europe.
As for the cases being an exception to the rule and violating the law, they have occurred in all times, among all peoples and followers of various religions.
To sum up everything that has been said above it should be noted that the political philosophy of Islam is expressed in the eternal commandments of the Quranic Revelation and in the great example of the political activity of Prophet Muhammad (may the Lord greet and bless him) who developed a truly Islamic approach to the settlement of political issues. A Muslim who is involved in politics must thoroughly study the religious, philosophic, political and other aspects of the Islamic teaching, for it is only the lack of sufficient religious knowledge that causes “Islamic extremism” that in its turn is first of all the manifestation of extremism towards Islam itself. A Muslim politician should compare his knowledge and experience to the heavy responsibility that he takes towards God representing Islam and speaking on behalf of Muslims.
I beg God, He is the Compassionate and the Merciful, to accept this work which has been produced only with the hope for His kindness and forgive me my probable mistakes and sins, for the only intention I had was to bring good to people who follow His path, He is worshipped by everyone and everything that is in heaven and on earth.
[1]As-Suyuty Dj. Al-djami’ as –sagyr. P. 551, hadith ¹ 9208, “sahih”.
[2]Ibid. P. 548, hadith ¹ 9144, “hassan”.
[3] Abu Dja’far Muhammad ibn Djarir at-Tabari (839-923) – a historian, mufassir, muhaddith, fakih of the shafi’it school of thought. Born in the city of Amun in Tabaristan (Iran), lived and died in Baghdad. The author of a number of works on history, tafsir and fiqh, including “Djami’ al-bayan fi tafsir al-qur’an”, “Tarih al-umam wa al-muluk”, “Ihtilyaf al-fukaha’ ”, “Adab al-kuda”, “Tahzib al-assar”,
[4] In human history one of the main requirements of the Lord to those who have believed in Him was fight against pagans and polytheists:”And He said: ...take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves” (Exod. 34:10, 12,13).
The Bible contains a great number of examples when the Israelites drove the peoples of Canaan away from their lands: those who did not join the Israelites, were bound to be destroyed and driven out of Palestine (Exod. 23:23, 24, 27-33).
Thus, for example, the Bible narrates that the Israelite king Saul was ordered by the Lord to annihilate the tribes of the Amalikits:” Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (1 Sam. 15:3). This is how the seizure of Libnah by Joshua is described:” ...and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it” (Josh. 10:30). The fight against the infidels, who did not believe in the Single God, did not presuppose mercy and indulgence for them:”... for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord” (Isa. 26:9,10). In the Holy Qur’an the Creator enjoins Muslims toleration; He admits fight against the polytheists only as a response to violence and treachery on their part and calls upon Muslims for indulgence and mercy in case if the infidels repent and accept the truth of monotheism.
[5] Sayid Kutb (1903-1966) – a Muslim religious figure and philosopher from Egypt. Executed for political activity. His tafsir “Fi zylal al-qur’an” is one of the most popular comments on the Holy Qur’an in the 20th century.
[6] Kutb S. Fi zylal al-qur’an [In the shade of the Qur’an]: 6 volumes, Cairo-Beirut: ash-Shuruk, 1994, p. 1590.
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