Aggression or War only for Self Defense and Proportionate Retaliation

22. Sura al-Hajj [Pilgrimage], Medina 103

Asad’s Version:

(22:60) Thus shall it be. And as for him who responds to aggression only to the extent of the attack levelled against

him, 73 and is thereupon [again] treacherously attacked - God will most certainly succour him:

for, behold, God is indeed an absolver of sins, much-forgiving. 74

[[Asad’s notes - 73 Lit., "who has retaliated with the like of what he had been afflicted with" - i.e., has acted only in self-defense and done to his enemy no more than the enemy had done to him. (A similar phrase, relating to retaliation in argument, is found in 16:126 and explained in the corresponding note 150.)

74 While the opening sentence of this verse stresses the principle of self-defence as the only justification of war (cf 2:190 and 192-193) - with the proviso that retaliation must not exceed the injury initially suffered - the concluding part of the verse implies that in case of repeated, unprovoked aggression the believers are allowed to wage an all-out war with a view to destroying completely the enemy's military power. Since such an all-out war might seem to conflict with the principle of limited retaliation alluded to above, the Qur'an states that God absolves the believers of what otherwise might have been a sin, since it is they "against whom war is being wrongfully waged" (verse 39) by repeated acts of aggression. ]]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

ذَلِكَ...

22: 60. That (is so).

وَمَنْ عَاقَبَ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبَ بِهِ ثُمَّ بُغِيَ عَلَيْهِ لَيَنصُرَنَّهُ اللَّهُ...

And if one has retaliated to no greater extent than the injury he received, and is again set upon inordinately, Allah will help him:

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ ﴿٦٠﴾

for Allah is One that blots out (sins) and forgives (again and again).

C2840. Ordinarily Muslims are enjoined to bear injuries with patience and return good for evil (23:96).

But there are occasions when human feelings get the better of our wise resolutions, or when, in a state of conflict or war, we return "as good as we get". In that case our retaliation is permissible, provided the injury we inflict is not greater than that we receive.

After such retaliation we are even, but if the other side again acts aggressively and goes beyond all bounds in attacking us, we are entitled to protection from Allah in spite of all our faults; for Allah is One that blots out our sins, and forgives again and again.]]