War is a bitter yet inevitable phenomenon in human history that has its roots in the realities of the terrestrial world. The Noble Qur'an, as a realist scripture, neither denies this truth nor evades it; rather, it addresses it with clarity and explicitness. Verse 190 of Surah Al-Baqarah, as one of the pivotal verses concerning combat, elucidates the ethical and divine frameworks of war. This section, employing a scientific and systematic approach, analyses this verse alongside related concepts within philosophical, sociological, and psychological contexts.
The Noble Qur'an recognises war as an inescapable reality within the terrestrial realm and regulates it within ethical and divine frameworks.
وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ
Translation: Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not love the transgressors.
The word "Qtil" is derived from the mutual form, indicating continuity and reciprocity in combat. This linguistic structure emphasises a constant readiness to defend against enemies. The phrase "f sabl Allh" confines war to a sublime objective, namely the preservation of religion and human felicity. Furthermore, the prohibition "l tatad", serving as an ethical limitation, prevents any form of excess or transgression in warfare.
War, as friction and attrition in the terrestrial world, is a reality that does not exist in the celestial and spiritual realms. This phenomenon is part of the natural order of creation that cannot be denied. Just as illness, death, and hunger are inescapable in the terrestrial domain, war is likewise an indispensable aspect of the survival of beings in this world. Denying these realities results in sophistry, which in Islamic philosophy is indicative of mental deviation and a disregard for truth.
War, like illness and death, is among the realities of the terrestrial realm, the denial of which leads to sophistry and neglect of the system of creation.
Those who deny the realities of the terrestrial world are either deluded or conceal the truth through political manoeuvring. Such groups, under the guise of deceptive slogans of peace and reconciliation, sometimes commit greater atrocities. Contrary to this approach, the Noble Qur'an explicitly addresses the reality of war and regulates it within ethical boundaries.
Verse 190 of Surah Al-Baqarah acknowledges war as an inescapable reality in the terrestrial world but restricts it with ethical and divine constraints. By emphasising the terms "f sabl Allh" and "l tatad", the verse establishes a sacred framework for combat that prevents unregulated violence.
Certain critics, citing the frequent repetition of combat-related terms (more than 190 instances in the Noble Qur'an), accuse this divine book of promoting violence. Such criticisms arise from a failure to comprehend the context and historical background of the verses. The combat verses were revealed within the framework of defence and response to aggression, not as commands for indiscriminate violence.
Criticism of the combat verses stems from disregarding their historical and ethical contexts.
Under external pressures and feelings of humiliation, some Islamic groups have resorted to extremist measures such as suicide bombings. From a social-psychological perspective, this phenomenon results from external pressures and internal weaknesses. The Noble Qur'an does not endorse such approaches; rather, it limits warfare to legitimate defence and fighting in the cause of Allah.
Religious scholarly institutions, due to isolation and lack of awareness of global issues, have been ineffective in responding to criticisms. The purported freedom of thought in these institutions sometimes does not correspond with reality. This weakness underscores the necessity of reconstructing the religious educational system.
The repetition of terms such as "qatl" (killing) may have detrimental psychological effects on the human mind, whereas positive words like "mahabbat" (love) and "lutf" (kindness) exert constructive influences. This view highlights the importance of lexical choice in religious texts and reflects the human souls sensitivity to language.
Although combat-related terms are frequently present in the Noble Qur'an, they are employed within an ethical framework and for legitimate defence.
Criticisms of the combat verses result from misunderstandings and ignoring their historical and ethical contexts. The weaknesses of religious scholarship in addressing these criticisms, along with the psychological impact of language, are other focal points of this section, highlighting the necessity of re-evaluating religious exegesis and education.
All beings, from ants to humans and even the Most Holy Essence of God, seek survival. This inclination originates in the love of existence, known in Islamic philosophy as Ishq-e Hefz al-Mawjd (the love for the preservation of the existing) and Shawq-e Kasb al-Mafqd (the desire to regain the lost). War, as one of the instruments of survival, is meaningful within this framework.
The love of survival is an innate motivation in all beings, rendering war a tool for the preservation of existence.
Certain creatures, such as scorpions, are innately killers and form part of the system of creation. A narration from the Holy Prophet (PBUH) recounts that the scorpion was cursed because it stings indiscriminately, showing no distinction between believer and disbeliever: May Allah curse you for not differentiating between the believer and the disbeliever. This narration points to the divine wisdom behind the creation of predatory beings.
For survival, beings either flee or confront threats. In humans, such confrontation may manifest as dialogue, reconciliation, or ultimately war. The Noble Qur'an prescribes war as the last resort for survival against enemies.
Prophets and the saints of God, such as the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Commander of the Faithful (Al ibn Ab Tlib, peace be upon him), participated in defensive wars. Dhul-Fiqar, the double-edged sword of the Prophet (PBUH), later passed to Al (peace be upon him), symbolises fighting in the cause of Allah. This history attests to the legitimacy of war in defence of religion.
The principle of survival is an innate motive in all beings, which turns war into an instrument for preserving existence. The Noble Qur'an, by limiting war to "f sabl Allh" and forbidding transgression, offers an ethical framework for this natural reality.
In early Islam, due to the rudimentary nature of society, war was the primary method of confronting enemies. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) defended the religion and the Islamic nation with specialised military tactics. These tactics were sometimes so intricate that adversaries found them incomprehensible.
In the modern world, dialogue and politics have become alternatives to war. However, some contemporary wars, such as the interventions in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria, constitute acts of aggression rather than legitimate defence. These wars are justified under deceptive slogans but in reality pursue personal and colonial interests.
Contemporary wars sometimes lead to aggression and colonialism under the guise of peace and reconciliation, while the Noble Qur'an limits war to legitimate defence.
Peace slogans accompanied by political manoeuvring often lead to greater atrocities. These slogans contradict the explicitness of the Qur'an and conceal the realities of the terrestrial world.
War in early Islam was an instrument for defending religion, whereas in the modern world it has sometimes become a tool for aggression. The Noble Qur'an provides a balanced ethical approach to regulating war through clear restrictions.
This treatise, through the analysis of verse 190 of Surah Al-Baqarah, examined war as an inescapable reality in the terrestrial world. The Noble Qur'an addresses this reality with clarity and explicitness, regulating it within ethical and divine frameworks. The limitations of "f sabl Allh" and "l tatad" confine war to legitimate defence and human felicity. Critiques of sophistry, unrealistic peace slogans, and the weakness of religious scholarship in responsiveness constitute the central themes of this analysis. This text, adopting a scientific and exalted approach, provides a tool for deeper comprehension of the Islamic rulings on war.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
