20 world religions and faith practices 110

The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume Military effort is a last resort and not “to spread Islam by the sword.” The Qur’an commands Muslims to stick up for themselves in a defensive battle (i.e., if an enemy army attacks, then Muslims are to fight against that army until they stop their aggression) All of the verses that speak about fighting/war in the Qur’an are in this context There are some specific verses that are very often snipped out of context, either by those trying to malign the faith or by misguided Muslims themselves who wish to justify their aggressive tactics.20 For example, one verse (in its snipped version) reads: “•Žƒ› –Š‡ ™Š‡”‡˜‡” ›‘— …ƒ–…Š –Š‡” (Qur’an 2:191) But who is this referring to? Who are “they” that this verse discusses? The preceding and following verses give the correct context: ‹‰Š– ‹ –Š‡ …ƒ—•‡ ‘ˆ ‘† –Š‘•‡ ™Š‘ ˆ‹‰Š– ›‘—ǡ „—– †‘ ‘– –”ƒ•‰”‡••Ž‹‹–•Ǣ ˆ‘” ‘† Ž‘˜‡• ‘– –”ƒ•‰”‡••‘”•Ǥ † •Žƒ› –Š‡ ™Š‡”‡˜‡” ›‡ …ƒ–…Š–Š‡ǡƒ†–—”–Š‡‘—–ˆ”‘™Š‡”‡–Š‡›Šƒ˜‡ –—”‡† ›‘— ‘—–Ǣ ˆ‘” –——Ž– ƒ† ‘’’”‡••‹‘ ƒ”‡ ™‘”•‡ –Šƒ •Žƒ—‰Š–‡”Ǣ „—– ˆ‹‰Š– –Š‡ ‘– ƒ– –Š‡ ƒ…”‡† ‘•“—‡ǡ —Ž‡•• –Š‡› ሺˆ‹”•–ሻ ˆ‹‰Š– ›‘— –Š‡”‡Ǣ „—– ‹ˆ –Š‡›ˆ‹‰Š–›‘—ǡ•Žƒ›–Š‡Ǥ—…Š‹•–Š‡ ”‡™ƒ”†‘ˆ–Š‘•‡™Š‘•—’’”‡••ˆƒ‹–ŠǤ —– ‹ˆ –Š‡› …‡ƒ•‡ǡ ‘† ‹• ˆ–Ǧ ˆ‘”‰‹˜‹‰ǡ ‘•– ‡”…‹ˆ—ŽǤ † ˆ‹‰Š––Š‡‘—–‹Ž–Š‡”‡‹•‘‘”‡ –——Ž–‘”‘’’”‡••‹‘ǡƒ†–Š‡”‡’”‡˜ƒ‹Ž• Œ—•–‹…‡ ƒ† ˆƒ‹–Š ‹ ‘†Ǣ „—– ‹ˆ –Š‡› …‡ƒ•‡ǡ Ž‡– –Š‡”‡ „‡ ‘ Š‘•–‹Ž‹–›‡š…‡’––‘–Š‘•‡™Š‘ ’”ƒ…–‹…‡‘’’”‡••‹‘Ǥ (Qur’an 2:190–193) It is clear from the context that these verses are discussing a defensive war, when a Muslim community is attacked without reason, oppressed, and prevented from practicing their faith In these circumstances, permission is given to fight back, but even then, Muslims are instructed not to transgress limits and to cease fighting as soon as the attacker gives up Even in these circumstances, Muslim are only to fight directly against those who are attacking them, not innocent bystanders or noncombatants Any verse that is quoted out of context misses the whole point of the message of the Qur’an Nowhere in the Qur’an can be found support for indiscriminate slaughter, the killing of noncombatants, or murder of innocent persons in payback for another people’s alleged crimes ~ 109 ~