3. 06. Cowardice

God says

No human being can die save by God’s leave at a term pre-ordained... Q3:145 ….

and neither did they, [God-devoted men,] weaken nor did they abase themselves [before the enemy] since God loves those who are patient in adversity; Q3:146

If God helps you, none can overcome you: if He forsakes you, who is there after that, that can help you? In God, then, let the believers lay their trust. -- Q3:160

It is but Satan who instills (into you) fear of his allies: so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (truly) believers! -- Q3:175

Prophet said

“The worst of what is in a man is extreme niggardliness and extreme cowardice.” – H: Abu Daud. N: Abu Hurairah

The Messenger of God sought refuge with these words at the end of prayer: “O God! I seek refuge to Thee from cowardice, and I seek refuge to Thee from niggardliness, and I seek refuge to thee from extreme old age, and I seek refuge to Thee from the trials of this world and from the chastisement of the grave” – H: Bukhari . N: Sa’ad

Please always remember to use the honorifics:

After name or title of the Prophet say: “Sal-lal- lahu ‘Alaihi wa Sal-lam”; (peace and blessings be upon him)

After the name or the title of every prophet (nabi) and apostle (rasul) say: “ ‘Alai hissalaam” (peace be upon him or them)

After the name of their family member, as well as a companion, say: “Radi Allahu ‘Anhu—or ‘Anha—or ‘Anhum ” (may God be pleased with him--or her--or them)

And for others, say: “Rahmat-Allah-e-‘Alaih” (God’s mercy be upon him)

3. 05. PREPAREDNESS FOR THE FIGHT

God says

… those who knew for certainty that they were destined to meet God replied: “How often has a small host overcome a great host by God’s leave! For God is with those who are patient in adversity.” – Q.2:149

If God helps you, none can ever overcome you; but if He should forsake you who could help you thereafter? In God, then, let the believers place their trust! – Q.3:160

Verily, God loves [only] those who fight in His cause in [solid] ranks,* as though they were a building firm and compact. -- Q.61:4
* I.e., in unison, with their deeds corresponding to their assertion of faith. This moral necessity is further illustrated – by its opposite – in the subsequent reference to Moses and the unruly among his followers.

Prophet said

BRAVERY& COURAGE : “(God loves) a soldier who encounters the enemies (even) though his companions are routed…” – H:Tirmizi. N: Abdullah-b-Masud

REGULAR TRAINING : “Whoever learns archery and then gives it up is not of us, or is disobedient” – H: Muslim. N: Oqbah-b-Amr.

Now archery is replaced by modern methods in order to continue individual and collective preparedness for self-defense.

UNITY : “…the hand of God is on the united body” – H: Tirmizi. N: Ibn Omar

3. 04 TREATIES OF PEACE

God says

If you have reason to fear treachery* from people (with whom you have made “covenant”), cast it back at them in an equitable manner:** for, verily, God does not love the treacherous! --Q5:58
*The “reason to fear treachery” must not, of course, be based on mere surmise but on clear objective evidence (Tabari, Baghawi, Razi; also Manar x, 58).
** I.e., “renounce the covenant in equitable manner (‘ala sawa)”. Tabari explains this sentence thus: “Before making war on them, inform them that because of the clear evidence of their treachery you have renounced the treaty which existed between you and them, so that both you and they should know that you are at war with them”. Baghawi in his commentary on this verse, gives an almost identical interpretation and adds, “so that they should not be under the false impression that you renounced the treaty after having started the war.” Thus the concluding sentence of this verse – God does not love the treacherous!” – is a warning to the believers as well as their enemies (Manar x, 58 f)

But if they incline to peace, you incline to it as well, and place your trust in God : Verily , He alone is all-hearing and all-knowing! And should they seek but to deceive you [by their show of peace] – Behold, God is enough for you!*.... Q 8:61,62
*The implication is that “even if they offer peace only with a view to deceiving you, this offer of peace must be accepted, since all judgment [of their intentions] must be based on outward evidence alone” (Razi): in other words, mere suspicion cannot be made an excuse for rejecting an offer of peace.


Prophet said

"Whoever has got a treaty between him and (a group of ) people, he must not go against the spirit of the word till its fullest term expires” -- H: Tirmizi and Abu Daud. N: Solaim-b-Amer

“I do neither break a treaty, nor do I make messengers prisoners” — H: Abu Daud. N: Abu Rafe

Peace was the foremost principle taught by the Prophet of Islam. War was undertaken when that became the only way to bring about peace. Even in the midst of war “Whenever there was any offer of peace and cessation of hostility, he at once sheathed his sword along with his followers. – (Al hadis)

3. 03. PROTECTION FOR ENEMY (to be continued)

God says

But when you are greeted with a greeting [of peace], answer with an even better greeting, or [at least] with the like thereof.* Verily, God keeps count indeed of all things. -- Q.4:86
* Lit., “greet with better than it, or return it”. In above context, this obviously refers to an offer of peace by people with whom the believers are at war as well as to individual persons who, while possibly belonging to the enemy, have, to all outward appearances, peaceful intentions. In accordance to with the injunctions, “if they incline to peace, incline thou to it as well” (8:61), and “if desist [from fighting], then all hostility shall cease” (2:193), the believers are obliged to make peace with an enemy who makes it clear that he wants to come to an equitable understanding; similarly, they must show every consideration to individual persons from among the enemies who do not actively participate in the hostilities.

[Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, when you go forth [to war] in God’s cause, use your discernment, and do not – out of a desire for the fleeting gains of this worldly life – say unto anyone who offers you the greeting of peace, “Thou art not a believer”:* for with God there are gains abundant. You, too, were once in the same condition** -- God has been gracious unto you. Use, therefore, your discernment: God is always aware of what you do. -- Q.4:94
* Sc., “and therefore one of the enemies”. This verse prohibits the treating of non-combatants as enemies and using their supposed unbelief as a pretext for plundering them. The injunction “use your discernment” (tabayyanu) imposes on the believers the duty of making sure, in every case, whether the persons concerned are actively engaged in hostilities or not.
** Since the preceding injunction refers to the whole community, it would seem that the above clause, too, bears the same implication: namely, a reference to the time when the Muslim community was, because of its weakness and numerical insignificance, at the mercy of enemies endowed with greater power. Thus, the believers are told, as it were: “Remember your erstwhile weakness, and treat the peacefully-minded among your enemies with the same consideration with which you yourselves were once hoping to be treated.”


Prophet said

I asked: O Messenger of God: My brother, Ali (Ibn Abi Talib), thinks that he would kill son of Hubairah,* whom I have given protection. The Holy Prophet said, “We also give protection whom you have, O Umme Hani” – H: Bukhari and Muslim.
* Hubairah was the infidel husband of Umme Hani from whom she separated after she accepted Islam. Hence, his son, whom refuge was extended by Umme Hani belonged to people warring against Muslims. Yet, it became the duty of every Muslim, the entire Muslim community, to give protection. The rule holds good even today.

3.02. LAWS TO BE OBSERVED (concluded)

God says

It does not behove a prophet to keep captives unless he has unless he has battled strenuously on earth

-- Q.8:67

*I.e., as an aftermath of a war in self defense. As almost always in the Quran, an injunction addressed to the Prophet is, by implication, binding on his followers as well. Consequently the above verse lays down that no person may be taken or for any time retained in captivity unless he was taken prisoner in a just cause of war in defense of Faith or of freedom (regarding which see 2:190 the first verse in this topic two Fridays ago) ñ and that, therefore, the acquisition of a slave by ìpeacefulî means and the keeping of a slave thus acquired, is entirely prohibited: which to all practical purposes, amounts to a prohibition of slavery as a ìsocial institutionî . But with regard to captives taken in war, the Quran ordains (in 47:4) that they should be freed after the war is over.

Had it not been a decree from God that had already gone forth, there would indeed have befallen you a tremendous chastisement on account of all [the captives] you took.* -- Q.8:68

Prophet said

(Prophet) Moses, son of Imran, had asked: O my Lord! Among thy servants, who is most honorable to Thee. God said: He who pardons when he is in the position of power. -- H: Baihaqi. N: Abu Hurairah

Remember, the Prophet had also instructed that the captives of war should not be treated harshly. They should be, in fact, fed and clothed same way as the captors eat and clothe themselves!

3.02. LAWS TO BE OBSERVED (to be continued)

God says


…Thus if they let you be and do not make war with you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them.* -- Q4:90

* Lit., “God has given you no way against them”: a reference to the ordinance laid down in verse 4: 86:- “But when you are greeted with a greeting [of peace], answer with an even better greeting, or [at least] with the like thereof. Verily, God keeps count indeed of all things.”


Prophet said


“There is no reward for him (who intends to fight in the way of God and seeks the value goods of this world)” – Fragment of a long Tradition quoted by Abu Daud on the authority of Abu Hurairah.

3.02. LAWS TO BE OBSERVED (to be continued)

God says


Fight in God’s cause (only) those who wage war against you but do not commit aggression, for God does not love aggressors.* -- Q2:190

* This and the following verses lay down unequivocally that only self-defense (in the widest sense of the word) makes war permissible for Muslims. The defensive character of a fight “in God’s cause” – that is, in the cause of the ethical principles ordained by God – is, moreover, self-evident in the reference to “those who wage war against you”, and has been still further clarified in 22:39 –“permission [to fight] is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged” – which, according to all available Traditions, constitutes the earliest (and therefore fundamental) Qur’anic reference to the question of ‘just war’. That this early, fundamental principle of self-defense, as the only possible justification of war has been maintained throughout the Qur’an, is evident from 60:8 as well as from the concluding sentence of 4:91, both of which belong to a later period than the above verse.



Prophet said


On the day of the Battle of Badr the Messenger of God said, “When they attack you from the distance, (only then) shoot arrows at them; and do not take out the swords until they fall upon you --H: Abu Daud. N: Abu Osaid

In order to ensure that the Muslim armies do not transgress the limits the Holy Prophet of God always gave strict orders to the commanders to observe the laws and not to transgress the limits. (See second part of the introduction)