Islam and Scimitar 1

[رضا]

Islam and Scimitar -1

During the past decades unfortunately the despiteful historians used all their efforts to relate some how between Islam and Violence. This happens when deceitful or sometimes inconsiderate authors misinterpreted the Holy Quran verses by translating the word “Qital” to Combat (mostly repeated in chapter 2 Baqarah) .

In general Non-Muslims and some Muslims also who have heard the stories of Islam influencing in the world through waging war, commonly believe and say: Islam is equal to bloodshed, retaliation, execution, slaughter, beheading and stoning. In public opinion defeating neighboring nations, destroying civilizations and manipulating domestic cultures ignorantly is part of Islam’s history. What’s strange is to see that Arab Nationalism is campaigning for this false belief insistently.

Recent researches done by the author shows no existence for Sassanid Empire during the Middle East history. Accordingly it is completely non sense to talk about Battles of Nihawand (641 AD), Jalula (637 AD) or Qadisiya (636 AD) and invasion of Iran by Muslims as well. These new findings among hundred of recent researches are published in a complete series of book called “New deliberation in Iran’s history fundamentals”. The institutes, academicians and historians who found themselves disarmed challenged by these new findings and outcomes, try to obstruct against these books knowing that this will end the era of deception and falsifying in nation’s history and indisputably will open a new horizon to the region’s history.

The Saudi official theocracies are the toughest in Arab world who abandon any new research regarding first decades of Islam’s history considering it not necessary, convicting and even infidel to Islam! For the author this position is not based on a myth or inexplicable at all.

In a major Islamic country It’s quite apprehensible to know their view of Islam having the main Islam’s message to the entire world misrepresented in their official flag just next to a sharp sword representing violence and brutality!
Shouldn’t the intellectuals or scholars question what’s the congruity and relation between stating “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God” and a sword in Islam faith?

 Promoting for Islam beside brutality and terror isn’t what the outsiders have been doing for hundreds of years knowingly in the heartland of Islam?
Islamo-Fascism and Islamic Jihad are part of the propaganda put out by institutes with their own agenda [agencies and institutes mostly supported by neo-conservatism and Jews]. This is aimed to spread schismatic and fear among Muslim communities also to make hostility and distrustful dominated between Muslim and non-Muslim nations.

Since there is no archeological evidence of existing any tool for combat and fighting in 7th century in Arabian Peninsula, statement such as “ The scimitar is one of the oldest and best known symbols of Islam “ makes no sense or mentioning Zulfiqar as the sword of the Islamic leader Ali ibn Abi Talib. Independent Historian gives credit to only and only coincident evidences, any citation or narratives made hundreds of years after the event are no longer trustworthy.

The fact is that in the Holy Quran there is no direct indication refers to major combat or war that Muslims were part of it. On the contrary, the so called Jihad verses mostly carry kindness, consideration, understanding, tolerance and avoiding hatred as the main dialect. These concepts were strictly recommended by Muhammad to the extent that Muslims, even for self-defense actions have been required permit from Quran in advance.a


وَقَـٰتِلُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡتَدُوٓاْ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ .وَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ حَيۡثُ ثَقِفۡتُمُوهُمۡ وَأَخۡرِجُوهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ أَخۡرَجُوكُمۡ‌ۚ وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِ‌ۚ وَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُوهُمۡ عِندَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِيهِ‌ۖ فَإِن قَـٰتَلُوكُمۡ فَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ‌ۗ كَذَٲلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ . فَإِنِ ٱنتَہَوۡاْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬  .وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتۡنَةٌ۬ وَيَكُونَ ٱلدِّينُ لِلَّهِ‌ۖ فَإِنِ ٱنتَہَوۡاْ فَلَا عُدۡوَٲنَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ  .ٱلشَّہۡرُ ٱلۡحَرَامُ بِٱلشَّہۡرِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَٱلۡحُرُمَـٰتُ قِصَاصٌ۬‌ۚ فَمَنِ ٱعۡتَدَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَٱعۡتَدُواْ عَلَيۡهِ بِمِثۡلِ مَا ٱعۡتَدَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ‌ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ  .وَأَنفِقُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تُلۡقُواْ بِأَيۡدِيكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلتَّہۡلُكَةِ‌ۛ وَأَحۡسِنُوٓاْ‌ۛ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ.

Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. (190) And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. (191) But if they cease, Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. (192) And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression. (193) The prohibited month―for the prohibited month―and so for all things prohibited there is the law of equality. If then anyone transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves. (194) And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good. (195)  - 2. Surah Al-Baqarah

All is fair in love and war. Is it possible in a battle field to wait for enemy’s attack and damage to happen then taking action to fighting back or revenge? The war has no rules. Slaying and extermination the enemy is the first and last thing that comes to mind in order to conquer and win a victory over enemy. Let’s take a look again on what was commanded by Quran: “unless they (first) fight you there”; “do not transgress limits”; “but if they cease let there be no hostility”. Reading these graceful commandments what will realize an unbiased mind? In all above mentioned verses the spirit and character conform only and only to state of self-defense, considering necessary precautions and conditions. It’s obvious that such commands can not be observed in chaos and circumstances of a classic war. All these precepts and rules - under certain conditions only - allow the Muslims to self-defend against those offenders and oppressor who stop them practicing and presenting their faith. Based on what is said in Quran Self-defense for Muslims is allowed at the Sacred Mosque or at the time of prohibited months only if “unless they (first) fight you there” . It’s clear that none of these verses refer to a battle field or classic war. As it was said before to interpret such verses of Quran as a general permission for war or using any kind of violence against non-Muslims for no reason is completely incorrect understanding and explanation of the text. Again I have to say that these verses in Noble Quran have nothing to do with declaration war against opponents. During the early period of Islam growth in Medina this was only a conditional permission for limited self-defense porpuse.

Through this new reading of Quran which has never been done before, I try to shed light on those parts of Quran which might cause confusion in understanding, especially for non-native speakers who used to get their knowledge on Quran and Islam from unreliable and falsified translations of Quran.b


أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ ظُلِمُواْ‌ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصۡرِهِمۡ لَقَدِيرٌ (٣٩) ٱلَّذِينَ أُخۡرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِم بِغَيۡرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ

Sanction (to fight) is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; and Allah is indeed Able to give them victory; (39) Those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah - 22. Surah Al-Hajj


قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَتُغۡلَبُونَ وَتُحۡشَرُونَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ‌ۚ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمِهَادُ

Say to those who reject Faith: "Soon will ye be vanquished and gathered together to Hell - and worst indeed is that place to rest! (12) - 3. Surah Aal-'Imran


لَن يَضُرُّوڪُمۡ إِلَّآ أَذً۬ى‌ۖ وَإِن يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ يُوَلُّوكُمُ ٱلۡأَدۡبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يُنصَرُونَ

They will do you no harm, barring a trifling annoyance; if they come out to fight you, they will show you their backs, and no help shall they get. (111) - 3. Surah Aal-'Imran


وَلَوۡ قَـٰتَلَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوَلَّوُاْ ٱلۡأَدۡبَـٰرَ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّ۬ا وَلَا نَصِيرً۬ا

If the Unbelievers should fight you they would certainly turn their backs; then would they find neither protector nor helper. (22) - 48. Surah Al-Fath


فَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ وَأُخۡرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمۡ وَأُوذُواْ فِى سَبِيلِى وَقَـٰتَلُواْ وَقُتِلُواْ لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنۡہُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِہِمۡ وَلَأُدۡخِلَنَّهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ ثَوَابً۬ا مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُ ۥ حُسۡنُ ٱلثَّوَاب

so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed in My Cause, verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow; a reward from Allâh, and with Allâh is the best of rewards. (195) - 3. Surah Aal-'Imran


لَّا يَنۡهَٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمۡ يُخۡرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَـٰرِكُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمۡ وَتُقۡسِطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡہِمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ (٨) إِنَّمَا يَنۡہَٮٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَـٰتَلُوكُمۡ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَأَخۡرَجُوڪُم مِّن دِيَـٰرِكُمۡ وَظَـٰهَرُواْ عَلَىٰٓ إِخۡرَاجِكُمۡ أَن تَوَلَّوۡهُمۡ‌ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمۡ فَأُوْلَـِٰٕٓكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ

Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity. (8) It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allâh forbids you turning to them. And whosoever turn to them, then such are the wrong-doers. (9) - 60. Surah Al-Mumtahinah

Content of above verses in Quran direct us to a new era of peaceful advancement of Islam in which Muslims in their community were allowed (only under certain circumstances ) to confront transgressors, those who fought against Muslims Faith, and have driven them out of their homes. Thus the verses so called Jihad or war in Quran require more methodical study and pedantic review. Resistance against enemy or individual fighting back commands in Quran should not be considered as order of warfare in Islam for all time.

Based on Quran moral imperatives, Muslims are not supposed to condemn others of being guilty or enemy for no reason. Non-Muslims and disbelievers who did no harm should be treated with gracious, respect and tolerant. Impartiality, just, fair, consideration, kindness, dialogue, avoiding conflict and bloodshed as much as possible; these are the values every Muslim should take into consideration according to Quran as the sole reference for Islam.

In the Holy Quran the exact word which means conflict and war is Harb not Qital. This will be part of the upcoming article

Islam and Scimitar is a title for series of new studies by Nasser Poorpirar under the subject of the history of Islam. So far 49 articles of the series are released which in each one the author introduces a new image of Islam. The reader will discover new facts of what Islam means and how misinterpretations of the Text throughout the past centuries has led to wrong understanding of Islam among Muslims and non-Muslims.
http://www.naria.ir/view/3.aspx?id=70

The original article was translated from Farsi by Reza