2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ ...

2: 191. And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out;

... وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ...

for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter;

... وَلاَ تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ...

but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there;

C205. This passage is illustrated by the events that happened at Hudaybiyah in the sixth year of the Hijrah, though it is not clear that it was revealed on that occasion.

The Muslims were by this time a strong and influential community. many of them were exiles from Mecca, where the Pagans had established an intolerant autocracy, persecuting Muslims, preventing them from visiting their homes, and even keeping them out by force from performing the Pilgrimage during the universally recognised period of truce.

This was intolerance, oppression, and autocracy to the last degree, and the mere readiness of the Muslims to enforce their rights as Arab citizens resulted without bloodshed in an agreement which the Muslims faithfully observed.

The Pagans, however, had no scruples in breaking faith, and it is unnecessary here to go into subsequent events.

In general, it may be said that Islam is the religion of peace, good will, mutual understanding, and good faith. But it will acquiesce in wrongdoing, and its men will hold their lives cheap in defence of honour, justice, and the religion which they hold sacred. Their ideal is that of heroic virtue combined with unselfish gentleness and tenderness, such as is exemplified in the life of the Prophet.

They believe in courage, obedience, discipline, duty, and a constant striving by all the means in their power, physical, moral, intellectual, and spiritual, for the establishment of truth and righteousness.

They know that war is an evil, but they will not flinch from them it if their honour demands it and a righteous Imam (such as Muhammad was par excellences) commands it, for then they know they are not serving carnal ends. In other cases, war has nothing to do with their faith, except that it will always be regulated by its humane precepts. (R).

... فَإِن قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ كَذَلِكَ جَزَاء الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿١٩١﴾

but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.

C206. Suppress faith: in the narrower as well as the larger sense.

If they want forcibly to prevent you from exercising your sacred rites, they have declared war on your religion, and it would be cowardice to ignore the challenge or to fail in rooting out the tyranny.

Other versions:

2: 191

Asad And slay them wherever you may come upon them, and drive them away from wherever they drove you away – for oppression is even worse than killing [note 168]. And fight not against them near the Inviolable House of Worship unless they fight against you there first [note 169]; but if they fight against you, slay them: such shall be the recompense of those who deny the truth.

Yusuf Ali And slay them wherever ye catch them and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.

Pickthall And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers.

Transliteration Waqtulu_hum haisu saqiftumu_hum wa akhriju_hum min haisu akhraju_kum wal fitnatu asyaddu minal qatl(i), wa la_ tuqa_tilu_hum 'indal masjidil hara_mi hatta_ yuqa_tilu_kum fih(i), fa in qa_talu_kum faqtulu_hum, kaza_lika jaza_'ul ka_firin(a).

[Ruby’s note: - This and similar verses stress the preservation of fundamental rights of an individual. To preserve, protect and defend these fundamental rights such as right to one’s property or the right to the place where one grows up and has a natural claim and ties with the land, if one is driven out from that land or property then even war and killings are permissible. The standard is set here, oppression is worse than killing. Killing in Islam is a cardinal sin, but a violation of rights is even worse. This where the issue of justice comes. The law of justice has an upper hand on the law of compassion in this case. Here Islam is indicating that the preservation of one’s fundamental rights is of such importance that one is recommended or commanded to fight.]