The Politically Incorrect GuidetoIslam (and the Crusades)PC Myth: The Qur'an teaches believers
to take up arms onlyin self-defense
At this point, Islamic apologists might grant that the Qur'an doesn't leave
rel ati ons bet ween bel iev ers and unbe lie versat the live-and-let-liv e
sta ge.They may admit that it counsels believers to defend themselves, and
will argue that itis somewhat akin to the Catholic Church's just-war theory.
Thereissupport for this view in the Qur'an: "Fight in the way of Allah
again st those who fight again st you. but begin not hostil ities. Lo! Allah
loveth not aggressors." So Muslims are, in this verse at least, not to start
conf lict s with unbel ieve rs. Once hosti liti es have begun , howe ver,
Muslims should wage them furiously: "And slay them wherever ye find
them,and driv e them out of the plac es whenc e they drov e you out, for
pers ecutio n is worse than slaugh ter. And fight not with them at the
Inviol ablePlace of Worshi p until they first attack you there, but if they
attack youthe re the n sla y the m. Suc h is the rew ard of dis bel iev ers.
But if the ydesist, then lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."
And what is to be the conclusion of this war? "And fight them until per-
secu tion is no more, and reli gion is for Alla h" (Qur 'an 2:19 0-193).
This wou ld see m to ind ica te tha t the war mus t con tin ue unt il the
wor ld is Islam—the "religion is for Allah"—or under the hegemony of
Islamic law.
Consequently, there is a problem with the interpretation that jihad war-
far e can onl y be def ens ive. The Sou th Afr ica n muf ti Ebr ahi m Des ai
repe ated a commo n tea chin g in Isla m when he ans were d a ques tion at
"Islam Q & A Online." The questioner asked, "I have a question about
offen sive jihad. Does it mean that we are to attac k eyen those non-
Muslims which don't [sic] do anything against Islam just because we have
to propagate Islam?" Desai responded:
You should underst and that we as Muslims firmly belie ve that
the person who doesn't believe in Allah asheis required to, isa
disbeliever who would be. doomed to Hell eternally: Thug