Life of Ahmad — Page 762
JIHAD as 762 permission was granted to the Muslims to defend themselves. Says the Quran: 'Permission is granted to those against whom war is made that they may defend themselves for they have been unjustly persecuted' (Al-Hajj 22:40). Again it says: 'And fight in the way of God with those who fight with you', (Al-Baqarah 2:191). But says Ahmad as 'This permission was granted under special circumstances and did not extend over the whole future of Islam. It was limited in point of duration and related to the days when converts to Islam were butchered more mercilessly than sheep. But it grieves us to note that after the lapse of the time of prophethood and early caliphate, serious mistakes prevailed on account of the misconception of the doctrine of jihad which was originally based on the verse of the Quran quoted above, and to put innocent creatures of God to the edge of the sword was looked upon as a deed of righteousness. A wonderful though sad coincidence may be noted here, viz. that the Muslims fell into an error respecting their fellow-beings and the Christians into one regarding their relations towards the Creator. The Christian religion made encroachments upon the sacred domain of the mighty and powerful God whose like is