O Prophet, struggle against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites and be hard to them. (9:73) (66:9)

Two Naturally Hostile Groups

Servants of God and Rebels of God naturally stand against one another – in conflict, in opposite camps. Hostility must exist between them as a permanent feature. There can be no friendship between the two.

For you there is indeed a good example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘we are quit of you and what you serve apart from God; we reject you, and enmity and hatred have shown them between us and you forever, till you believe in God, the Only!’ (60:4)

Why Struggle

According to Quran, God alone is the king. His kingship is, therefore, to be established over ever-revolting human race, and His law is to be enforced by His soldiers -- the Believers --- by dethroning all those who wrongfully raise their banners against God.

Preaching alone is not sufficient to put things right. Only a few noble souls listen to preaching. But mankind cannot be allowed to while away life in amusements and enjoy at the cost of the people at large; nor the tyrants can be allowed to enslave servants of God. Only sword plays the decisive role and can establish one peaceful fraternity of mankind in the service of God. God, therefore, granted sword to His Messenger, in addition to His Book, to fight against the unbelievers and hypocrites.

Fighting is, therefore, not a defensive action in Islam but a positive obligation on such Believers as have the capability to fight to achieve the aforesaid ends.

Prescribed for you is fighting and it is hateful to you; yet you may hate a thing and it may be good for you, and you may like a thing and it may be bad for you; and God knows but you do not know. (2:216)

Idolatry to be wiped out

Serving false gods instead of One True God is not at all to be accepted by the Believers. Fighting against the idolaters is, therefore, to continue till they leave idol-worship, join the Prayer and pay the Due-Alms. Idol worship is a challenge to God and has to be completely wiped out. There is no midway on this point.

It is a proclamation from God and His Messenger to mankind on the Day of Great Pilgrimage that God and His Messenger are quit of the idolaters: ‘now if you repent, it will be better for you; and if you trun away, then know that you cannot frustrate God.’ And give thou good news of a painful punishment to the unbelievers except those among the idolaters with whom you made covenant and they did not fail you nor did they support any against you. Fulfill the covenant made with them to its term; God loves the godfearing. Then, when the sacred months are drawn away, kill the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them and confine them. If they repent, establish the Prayer and pay the Due-Alms, leave their way, for God is Forgiving, Merciful. (9:3-5)

People of the Book to be dethroned

People of the Book possess some Light (Book) from God which enables them to see the truth. Therefore they are to be fought till they surrender power. They are to be denuded of kingdom but are given peace, provided they accept it in all humility and agree to pay tribute.

Fight those, out of the people of the Book, who do not believe in God, nor in the Last Day, nor do they forbid what God and His Messenger have forbidden, nor do they adopt the Religion of Truth, till they pay the tribute with their hands in all humility. (9:20)

Permission For War

The enemies of God always try to destroy the Muslim community, both openly and disguised. War, therefore, may become a necessity even when Muslims are looking after their own home.

Permission is given to those who are being fought, because they have been wronged and God is surely powerful to help them --- who have been expelled from their homes, without right, except that they said, ‘our Lord is God’. And if God had not repelled the people, some by means of others, there had been pulled down cloisters, churches, synagogues and mosques, wherein God’s Name is mentioned much. And God will definitely help those who help Him; God is surely Strong and Mighty. (22:39-40)

How is it with you that you do not fight in the way of God and for the sake of the oppressed among men, women and children, who say, ‘our Lord, take us out of this town whose people are wrong-doers, and appoint for us a friend from Thee, and appoint for us a helper from Thee. The Believers fight in the way of God, and the unbelievers fight in the way of the Devil. So fight you against the friends of the Devil; the design of the Devil is surely weak. (4:75-76)

If God had not repelled the people some by means of others, there would have been disorder all over, but God is Bounteous to the world. (2:251)

If they break their oaths in spite of their pacts and be sarcastic to you religion, then fight the leaders of unbelief ---for they have no oaths—that they may give over. (9:12)

Help Other Muslims

A Group of Muslims which is not very firm in its Belief and tries to remain unconcerned about the Community is also to be helped. Otherwise, Muslims may be destroyed piecemeal at different places.

Those who believed and emigrated and struggled with their wealth and their selves in the way of God, and those who gave shelter and helped, they are friends of one another. But those who believed but did not emigrate, you have no friendship with them at all until they emigrate; yet if they ask you for help for the sake of the religion, it is your duty to help them, except against a people between whom and you there is a pact; and God sees the things you do. The unbelievers are friends of one another, therefore, unless you do this, there will be turmoil and a great disorder. (8:72-73)

Fighting is Obligatory

The Quran does not believe in paid mercenaries who fight for the glory of their masters. The war puts the very existence of the Community at stake and must be fought by every person except those who are unable to fight, like the sick, the lame and the blind. It is obligatory on all Believers. They must uphold the banner of God even at the cost of their lives.

Out of the Bedouins came those who made excuses that they be given leave; and those who lied with God and His Messenger sat behind; there shall befall the unbelievers among them a painful punishment. There is no blame on the weak, nor on the sick, nor on those who find nothing to expend, provided they are true to God and His Messenger. (9:90-91)

When a chapter is sent down: ‘believe in God and struggle along with His Messenger’, the affluent among them ask leave from thee and say, ‘leave us to be with those who sit behind.’ They are pleased to be with those behind, for their hearts are sealed, so they do not understand. (9:86-87)

There is no blame on the blind, nor on the lame, nor on the sick. (48:17)

Preparation for War

To frighten the enemy, to keep them subdued and to meet mischief and aggression, the Quran enjoins full preparations.

Make ready for them, whatever force and steeds of horses you can afford; you terrify thereby God’s enemy and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you do not know but God knows them. And whatever you will expend in the way of God, it shall be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged. (8:60)

Had they desired to go forth, they would have made some preparation for it. (10:46)

Expend in the Way of God, and cast not yourselves to destruction by your own hands. (2:195)

Ha, you are those who are called upon to expend in the way of God; then among you are niggardly, but whoso is niggardly he is niggardly to himself; and God is the All-Sufficient and you are the poor ones. And He will substitute another people in place of you, then they will not be like you. (47:38)

O Prophet, urge on the Believers to fight. If there be twenty steadfast among you, they overcome two hundreds, and if there be a hundred among you they overcome a thousand of the unbelievers, as they are a people who understand not Now, God has lightened it for you, knowing that there is weakness in you; so, if there be a hundred steadfast among you, they overcome two hundreds, and if there be a thousand, they overcome two thousands, by the leave of God; and God is with the steadfast. (8:65-66)

Fight the unbelievers totally, even as they fight you totally, and know that God is with the godfearing. (9:36)

When you encounter the unbelievers, smite their necks till, when you have made wide slaughter to them, tie them; and, after this, let it be with grace or with ransom, till the war lays down its loads. (47:4)

Do not slow down and call for peace, for you shall be the uppermost, and God is with you, and He will not deprive you of your deeds. (47:35)

Many a Prophet there has been, along with whom many men of God fought, and for what befell them in the way of God, they showed no loss of spirit, or weakness; and God loves the steadfast. (3:146)

O Believers, when you encounter the unbelievers marching to battle, do not turn your backs to them. And if any turns his back to them that day, except changing of position for the battle or joining a troop, he shall incur God’s wrath, and his abode shall be Hell, an evil destination. (8:15-16)

Obey God and His Messenger, and do not quarrel together, for then you will lose heart, and power will depart you; and be steadfast, for God is with the steadfast. (8:46)

Slow not down in seeking that people. If you suffer, they also suffer as you suffer, but you hope from God what they hope not; and God is surely Knowing, Wise. (4:104)

Fight them, till there remains no turmoil and the religion is God’s. if they give over, then there shall be no enmity except against the wrong-doers. (2:193)

If they incline to peace, do thou also incline to it, and put thy trust in God; surely He is the One Hearing, the Knowing. And if they desire to deceive thee, then God shall suffice thee. (8:61-62)

If thou fearest treachery at the hands of a people, throw it back on them on equal basis; God does not love the treacherous. (8:58)

Had they gone forth along with you, they would have added to your trouble only, and had run to and fro in your midst, seeking turmoil for you. And among you are listeners for them, and God knows the wrong-does. (9:47)

There afflicts them neither thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger, in the way of God, nor they tread anywhere enraging the unbelievers, nor they gain anything form enemy, but thereby is written a righteous deed for them; surely God does not waste the wage of the good-doers. (9:120-121)

How often a small force has overcome a big force by God’s leave; God is with the steadfast. (2:249)

Do not say of those that are killed in the way of God, that they are dead; no, they are living, but you do not perceive. (2:154)

When there comes to them a matter of security or fear, they broadcast it. If they had referred it to the Messenger and to the commanders among them, then those of them who can deduce would have known it. (4:83)

It is not for a Prophet to have prisoners till he has made wide slaughter in the land; you desire the goods of this world, but God desires the Hereafter, and He is Mighty, Wise. (8:67)

The sitters among the Believers, when not disabled, do not equal those who struggle in the way of God, with their wealth and their selves; God exalts in rank those who struggle with their wealth and their selves against the sitters. (4:95)

God loves those who fight in His way in ranks, as if they were a well-compacted building. (61:4)

Think not those who are killed in the way of God as dead; no, they are living, and are being provided by their Lord, rejoicing in bounty that God has given them. (3:168-169)

They ask thee about the spoils. Say, ‘the spoils belong to God and the Messenger; so fear God and set thing right between you, and obey God and His Messenger, if you are Believers.’ (8:1)

Know that whatever booty you take, the fifth of it is for God, for the Messenger, and for kindred, the orphans, the needy and the traveller. (8:41)

Whatever spoils God has given to His Messenger, against which you pricked neither horse nor camel they are for God, for the Messenger and for next-of-kin, the orphans, the needy and the traveller. (59:6-7)

O Believers, should I direct you to a trade that shall save you from a painful punishment. You shall believe in God and His Messenger and struggle in the Way of God with your wealth and your selves; that is better for you, if you know; He will forgive you your sins and admit you to gardens underneath which rivers flow, and to fine residences in the gardens of eternity; that is the great success. And the other thing that you love---help form God and a near victory; and give thou good news to the Believers. (6:10-13)

God has bought form the Believers their selves and their wealth in the way of God, that Paradise be theirs; so they kill and are killed; it is a promise binding on God in the Torah, the Gospel and the Quran. (9:111)

This is the similitude of Paradise promised to godfearing therein are rivers of unstaling water, rivers of milk of unchanging flavor, rivers of wine for a delight to the drinkers, and rivers of pure honey; and therein for them is every fruit and forgiveness form their Lord. (47:15)

Gardens of Eternity, they shall enter; there they shall be adorned with bracelets of gold and with pearls; and their dress there shall be of silk. And they shall say, ‘praise be to God Who has taken all grief from us; our Lord is surely Forgiving and Thankful, Who, out of His bounty, has given us the permanent Abode, where neither weariness touches us, nor fatigue touches us. (35:33-35)