The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 325
Jihad with the Sword 325. It is a great error on the part of our opponents that they imagine that revealed guidance must under no circumstances inculcate resistance to the enemy and should demonstrate its love and mercy only by way of meekness and gentleness. Such people imagine that they display great reverence for God, the Lord of Honour and Glory, by attributing to Him only the qualities of gentleness and tenderness. But those who are given to reflection and pondering can easily perceive that such people are involved in gross and obvious error. A contemplation of the Divine law of nature clearly shows that it certainly is pure mercy. But that mercy does not manifest itself by way of gentleness and tenderness in all circumstances. . Like an expert physician, it sometimes administers a sweet draught to us and at other times it prescribes a bitter medicine for us. [Islāmi Uşūl ki Philosophy, Rūḥānī Khazā'in, vol. 10, p. 451]. Prohibition of the Use of Force. No true Muslim has ever believed that Islām should be spread by the sword. Islām has always been propagated through its inherent qualities. Those who, calling themselves Muslims, seek to spread Islām by means of the sword are not aware of its inherent qualities and their conduct resembles the conduct of wild beasts. [Tiryāq-ul-Qūlūb, Rūḥānī Khazā'in, vol. 15, pp. 167]. The Holy Qur'an clearly forbids the use of force for the spread of the faith and directs its propagation through its inherent qualities and the good example of the Muslims. . Do not be misled by the notion that in the beginning the. Muslims were commanded to take up the sword. That sword was not taken up for the spread of the faith, but in self-defence against the enemies of Islām and for the