This was one of the Questions which puzzled me and made me an atheist before I became a Muslim. Why would a religion orders war, wouldn’t that war cause someone to die? Isn’t Islam a religion of peace? When I discovered the answer, I felt that question is “amateur-question” But yet, it is good to question to ask. A person may ask such type of question because he/she hates killing, suffering, destroying… of others. And that is sourced by a good heart. So let’s see why it is permitted war in Islam.
The answer is Yes, there is a war. Islam allows war in order to defend ISLAM. Here is the verse:
Quran 22:39
Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.
Sometimes in order to understand the situation, we have to be in that situation. So let’s assume one scenario. Let’s say before 1000 years there was a powerful atheist king (or any religion which you think it’s fair) of a country with 6 Million people. Out of 6 Million people, 400,000 are soldiers to protect the country. Let’s say the king was fair, whom was loved by the people and everybody was happy in that country. One day, his neighbourhood king wanted his land to be joined to their land and create a joint country. The neighbourhood king wanted a joint country to control the kings land which was rich of natural resources. The atheist king sent a letter to the neighbors that he doesn’t accept their request. The neighbourhood king started to plan how to invade the atheist king’s country. The atheist king didn’t want any disputes to happen. The atheist king is as mentioned, powerful. After some time, slowly the neighbourhood country start invading his land.
Question: If you are in the king situation what would you do?
- You are good atheist king, don’t want to kill people. Therefore, let them invade and take your land.
- I would start a justice war.
The best thing you can do is to acknowledge them you don’t want war, to eliminate losing people’s life. But if they transgress, then whether the king is an atheist or Muslim he would start a war. Unfortunately killings will be there. This scenario can happen to atheist to atheist country, religious to atheist, atheist to religious or religious to religious countries. Why would the atheist king made 400,000 soldiers ready as precaution if war would not required. People nature are different, some want peace, some think about money, some want justice, some are controlled by greed and corruption so on… in this world which have more than 7 billion people, we have to predict there are enemies who hate people’s peace. Some rulers would agree with the other rulers and start a war just for selling weapons and get profit out of it. They would never care if people’s live are lost or not. And sometimes, the solders doesn’t know the real reason behind the war. They just think they are fighting for their country’s freedom.
However, if the ruler of a country is wise, he would apply some justice rules. In islamic war, there are very fair rules which you can’t transgress while in war.
1. Do not kill any child, any woman, or any elder or sick person. (Sunan Abu Dawud)
2. Do not practice treachery (betrayal of trust.) or mutilation (inflict a violent and disfiguring injury on). (Al-Muwatta)
3. Do not uproot or burn palms or cut down fruitful trees. (Al-Muwatta)
4. Do not slaughter a sheep or a cow or a camel, except for food. (Al-Muwatta)
5. If one fights his brother, [he must] avoid striking the face, for God created him in the image of Adam. (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
6. Do not kill the monks in monasteries, and do not kill those sitting in places of worship [Islamic and non Islamic places of worship]. (Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)
7. Do not destroy the villages and towns, do not spoil the cultivated fields and gardens, and do not slaughter the cattle. (Sahih Bukhari; Sunan Abu Dawud)
8. Do not wish for an encounter with the enemy; pray to God to grant you security; but when you [are forced to] encounter them, exercise patience. (Sahih Muslim)
9. No one may punish with fire except the Lord of Fire [you can’t punish an enemy with fire]. (Sunan Abu Dawud).
10. Accustom yourselves to do good if people do good, and to not do wrong even if they commit evil. (Al-Tirmidhi)
Imagine if all the rulers while in war have followed all the above criteria. How many people’s lives, buildings, gardens, trees could have been saved? You may say, why dont the middle eastern muslim countries not follow the all mentioned criteria? It is their fault for not following it, and you are a muslim doesn’t mean that you can kill any person wrongly and go to heaven. No! Everyone is accountable in the day of Judgement for his/her deed whether he is a muslim or non-muslim.
Quran 5:32 says:
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
Notice the verse doesn’t say that “who ever kills a Muslim” rather it says “Whoever kills a soul”. “Whoever” means that whether you are a believer or not and “kills a soul” means you can’t kill any human being with any religion without a reason, falsely, whether a Muslim or not.
Read Quran fully and open minded, so that you will understand the major purpose of our life.