The Qur'anic Ayahs of the Sword and the Philosophy of Jihad in Islam: A Critical View

Abstract

       Jihad (holy war) verses in the Qur'an have been employed, from past times until the present, as a constitutive referential authority by extremist Takfiri groups which take these verses as a pretext and a legitimate justification for murder and violence, in all its ugly forms, against others: Muslim or non-Muslim. They, firstly, accuse Muslims with apostasy and then they judge that apostates must be Killed wherever they are. All of this is based on superficia interpretation of verses or interpreting verses outside their context overlooking the conditions and terms stated by the said verses. The most important condition is that Jihad is to repel foreign or external aggression, to liberate countries and to defend people. However, there are certain conditions provided by the holy Quran verses which urge Muslims to fight as the Almighty says: (And fight in the Way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truely, Allah like not aggressors) (al-Baqarah, 190).Jihad, then, is a defensive fight against those who launch war against believers, their state and society; it is a "legitimate defense" authorized by religious laws, legal and political legislations. One of the Quranic verses that have been distorted and misinterpreted by taking them away their context to be a pretext to justify the deviant behavior, which is against religion and its proper course, is the fifth verse of Surah al-Tawbah, which was called by some interpreters Ayatualseif "the sword verse", which some people claim that it has abrogated dozens of Quranic verses which encourage and call for good behavior, peace and peaceful coexistence; they are one hundred and fourteen verses in four and fifty Quranic Surah (chapters).Terrorist and extremist groups believe that these verses have been aprogated to be replaced by murder commands at all times and places against those who are though to be disbelievers, polytheists or apostates. This is the ground and the basis on which extremists justify their criminal acts to spread chaos and war all over the world instead of creating harmony and peace. These verses have been exploited through wrong and deviant understanding to provide extremists with a permission to use all kinds of violence, force and forms of abuse in the name of religion. Extremism