First Qur’anic Verse Regarding Jihad — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 2
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding First Qur’anic Verse Regarding Jihad.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: II – Commencement of Jihad by the Sword and Fundamental Discussion on Jihād
Pages: Book pp. 61–63 (PDF pp. 85–87)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Causes of War] | Next: [Holy Qur’an as the Most Authentic Historical Evidence] »
Historical Account
the sword was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa on 12 Ṣafar 2 A.H., or 15 August 623 A.D., when a period of approximately one year had elapsed since the arrival of the Holy Prophetsa to Madīnah. That verse is as follows:
[Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 2, p. 218, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)]
[At-Taufīqātul-Ilhāmiyyatu Fī Muqāranatit-Tawārīkhil-Hijriyyah, By Muḥammad Mukhtār Pāshā, p.]
“Permission to fight is granted to the Muslims against whom the disbelievers have taken up the sword because they (i.e., the Muslims) have been wronged – And Allāh indeed has power to help them – Those who have been driven out of their homes unjustly, only because they said, ‘Our Lord is Allāh’ – And if Allāh the Exalted did not repel some men by means of others (by granting permission for defensive war), there would surely have been pulled down cloisters belonging to monks and Christian churches and Jewish synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of God is oft-commemorated. And Allāh the Exalted will surely help one who helps Him. Undoubtedly, Allāh the Exalted is Powerful, Mighty.”
[Al-Ḥajj (22:40-41)]
The clarity and lucidity with which these verses of the Holy Qur’ān exhibit the fundamental purpose of the initial Islāmic wars and the state of the Muslims at the time requires no explanation. If one contemplates, four things are evident from this verse. Firstly, in this war, it was the disbelievers who took the first step as is evident from the word َ .یُقَ اتَلُوْنSecondly, that the disbelievers severely wronged the Muslims, and it was these very cruelties which were the cause of war, as has been mentioned in the words, .بِ�أنَّھُ مْ ظُ لِمُ وْاThirdly, the purpose of the Quraish was to annihilate the religion of Islām as indicated in the word ْ .لَھُ دِّمَ تFourthly, the purpose of the Muslims announcing war was selfdefense and protection, as indicated in the words َ .لَوْ لَ ا دَفْعُ اللّٰهِ النَّاسTherefore, this verse of the Holy Qur’ān, which is the very first verse on Jihād by the sword, states with extreme clarity that it was the disbelievers who had initiated these wars, and they desired to expunge Islām by force. It was the Muslims who had been wronged, and it was only in self-defense and protection that they took up the sword. I believe this sole verse to be a sufficient response to all those allegations which have been levelled by the opponents of Islām, in relation to
Jihād by the sword. If only one choses to understand.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Section: II – Commencement of Jihad by the Sword and Fundamental Discussion on Jihād | Navigation: « Previous: [Causes of War] | Next: [Holy Qur’an as the Most Authentic Historical Evidence] »