A Rejoinder to Pope's Allegations Against Islam — Page 38
opponents for a very long time. When there was no way out from this situation, he commanded his followers to migrate to Abyssinia and later, to Medina. Finally, he too migrated to Medina. So, all the Muslims left Mecca, their hometown, in a very helpless condition" Still, they were not permitted by the Holy Prophet to raise their swords even in self-defense against any opponent. After the Muslims had migrated to Medina, the next year the Meccans organized their forces to attack the Muslims even in their new place of refuge, Medina. That was the time when the Almighty Allah granted the permission to the Muslims to fight in self defense as stated in the following verses of the Holy Quran say; / r;. ,/ ,. , ~ $J J / ". . J '" :JJ "" I \y. ;'\ ~jJ\ * fl. uJ ~~ ~ ~\ 01J I~ ~r~ 0}f~ ~. . w 0~\ '" ;" ,/ // /'", ",,. ,. . . - t1J 0 ",,. , (jJ J. J J ,. (/J ,; J",~" 8\. Jj1 J,; Uox ill I ~" 1. 1"" -i u\ '"" °-: ° G,;). ('-i-,. :2. - U" r::: Y J. J Y y. : U ~ ,y>- ~ ~ J". :f '" ,; -"',/ //,. . ,/ r;. , 0 r; (:. <". Jj\ Jo \ \". £ J<,,~ ~G" Q(I"_" '-0 J ,,4(" :. ::. . . :/\J. I. °" ~ r ~. T " J y-' J C;:!J ~- yP ~ ~ ,. ,,,,. ,/ ~. . . . " ,/,/ :JJ :JJ :iJ (/I. . . - ~;- ~~ ~\ 01;~~ :; ill\ 0;~-:IJ "" " "Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged and Allah indeed has power to help them. Those who have been driven out from their homes unjustly only because they said, 'Our Lord is Allah. ' And if Allah did not repel some men by means of others, there would surely have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft commemorated. And Allah will surely help one who helps Him. Allah is indeed Powerful, Mighty. " (HOLY QURAN 22:40-41) 38