Of the twenty-two topics covered in this book, this is one of great interest
because of the 9-11 attacks on the United States of America. The following is a
broad collection of ninety verses from throughout the Qur'an on the subject of
both peace and warfare. Each passage has been paraphrased in modern English.
If there seems to be an evolution in the Qur'an verses on warfare and peace,
it might be due to something that was covered in chapter one on the history of
the Qur'an. It is worth repeating here that for ten years Mohammed recited
verses in Mecca that did not include passages on warfare. Then Mohammed and his
followers migrated to Medina where “Jihad” or “holy war” verses were introduced.
Jihad increased in importance as time went on, so the verses on warfare became
more and more harsh and generalized in the later passages in the Qur'an. It is
true that Mohammed applied Jihad in a literal way but the question for Muslims
today is, ”When is a Jihad appropriate?” Mohammed ordered raids on Meccan
caravans, attacks on those who opposed Islam and was himself so involved in the
battles that his head was severely wounded in the battle of Uhud in AD 625.
Mohammed is criticized by many westerners who compare his emphasis on war
with the non-violence of their Lord Jesus Christ. They cite the surrender of the
Jewish tribe in Medina, the Banu Quryzah, whose 600 to 900 men were all executed
while their women and children were taken as slaves. The harshness of this
massacre was so severe that even the warlike tribes of Mohammed’s day were
shocked. On the other hand, when Mohammed’s forces captured Mecca, the idol
worshipers were amazed that a general amnesty was graciously given to the vast
majority of those who had violently opposed Islam.
Muslim forces experienced many victories in Mohammed’s lifetime and during
the early Islamic expansion. The tactics of the Islamic armies terrorized
non-Muslims. Some countries, such as Ethiopia and Lebanon, withstood their
conquest. Others, like Spain, expelled their Muslim conquerors. On the other
hand, some countries accepted Islam without armed conflict as Muslim merchants
spread their beliefs.
Some Muslims suggest that the Bible condones violence as well. It is true.
Before the birth of Jesus, the people of God were a nation with civil laws,
armies and territories. In those days Yahweh would use one nation to punish
another through warfare. Sometimes the nation of Israel was used to punish
specific perverted cultures, which were full of all kinds of wickedness. This
was the case as God gave the Holy Land to the Children of Israel. Other times
Israel was defeated and taken into captivity, for a prescribed period of time,
because of its sins. One major difference between the Jewish Scriptures and the
Qur'an is that Yahweh never gave the nation of Israel an unlimited license to
wage war until Judaism prevailed over all faiths.
The Jewish people, who reject Christianity, continue to be loved by God
because of the faith of their ancestors (Romans 11:28-29), yet Christians
believe there was a dramatic change after the coming of the long awaited
Messiah. Jesus Christ announced that the Kingdom of God would no longer be
limited to a place but would exist in the hearts of his chosen people, the
global church. Christians believe that he was and continues to be the Head of
the Church (Colossians 1:15-20) which exists without territorial boundaries.
God’s redeemed are to go the extra mile, turn the other cheek and love their
enemies. This love is the hallmark of the church around the world today.
Does this love prohibit criminal punishment or military action? In the
Christian faith, the authority of secular governments to use violence to punish
criminals and evildoers is respected and those who serve in law enforcement and
the military are called “ministers of God” who keep order in society (Romans
13:1-7). As for the church, there is no literal “call to arms” for the cause of
Christ in the New Testament. Actually, the overwhelming emphasis in the Bible
calls for love and mercy between one’s brothers and even for one’s enemies. This
amazing love is a gift from God that works through the believer in Jesus. When
Christians are unmerciful, they are not following the commands of God that are
found in the Holy Scriptures (Romans 12:14-21).
Many Muslims point to the Crusades as an illustration of violent church
action. It is true that many unethical acts were done during the military
campaigns of the Crusades. It was a time in history that scholars have labeled
the “Dark Ages.” Muslim forces had been attacking Christian countries for
centuries. Their conquests included the “Holy Land” of Israel. The motivation
for the Crusades found its root in reports that Muslims were desecrating
Christian holy sites and persecuting Christians on pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The first knights took their vows in AD 1095 when Pope Urban II organized the
troops to “liberate the Holy Land from the Muhammadans.” Many of the Crusaders
went beyond their mission and forgot their Christian ideals as they sought
earthly revenge and treasure. Their atrocities, however, were not motivated by
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Many Muslims would claim the same thing about the numerous atrocities done,
throughout world history, in the name of Islam. They say that the Qur'an teaches
a religion of peace. For evidence, they cite the many Islamic nations who were
immediate allies in the “war on terrorism” which followed the 9-11 attacks. Does
the Qur'an condone terrorist acts or is Jihad limited only to self-defense? The
following topical study will help you decide for yourself.