Through Force or Faith? — Page 138
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 138 such verses in which Muslims are encouraged to militancy. In the discussion about the above mentioned verses, it is quite evident that whenever fighting is mentioned in the Holy Quran, it is only the fighting in self-defence that is sanctioned. This fundamental right of every human and every nation is recognized interna- tionally even to this day. Even in the charter of United Nations Organization, defensive war is justified. Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibil- ity of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security. (UNO Charter, Article 51) A detailed account of the teachings in Quran pertaining to jihad has been given previously. Now we record relevant verses of the Holy Quran and present the answers to objections concerning them. A collective study of these verses clearly shows that the Holy Quran does not give license to aggressive wars at any point. We present different verses of the chapter al-Baqarah in which the subject matter of fighting is mentioned. The collective