Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 314
314 persecution is secured, fighting should be brought to an end. “Fight them until there is no persecution, and religion is freely professed for Allah”; but even this is subject to the enemy continuing the fight. “If they desist, then remember that no hostility is allowed except against the aggressors” (2:194). It is thus abundantly clear that Islam makes fighting obligatory in defence of freedom of conscience, so long as the enemy continues to fight an aggressive war with the object of depriving people of freedom of belief, profession, and worship. When freedom of conscience is secured or the enemy desists and is prepared to make a just and equitable peace, fighting should stop. These are basic and fundamental directives. They permit of no refinement or deviation. There are a host of directives in the Quran with regard to war and warlike activities, but they are all subject to the conditions here laid down, and must be so construed. It does not follow, however, that fighting is not permissible under any other circumstances. What these verses mean is that in the conditions here set out, fighting becomes obligatory and a duty which cannot be evaded. There may be a similar duty to halt aggression or to strive for the preservation of peace, and that may involve the obligation to fight; as, for instance, the obligation upon Muslim states who are seeking to bring about a settlement of a dispute