Through Force or Faith? — Page 131
Chapter 2 — Islamic Teachings about Jihad 131 ‘It remains to be seen whether we shall live long enough to see peaceful nights and times when we would not be scared of anyone besides God. ( Mustadrak of H ākim, Book of Commentary, vol. 2, Chapter: The Occasion of Revelation of S u rah an-N ū r, 24:57) It is about this period that the Holy Quran says: ْمُكَدَّيَا ٖهِرْصَنِب َو ْمُكَقَزَر َنِّم ِتٰبِّيَّطلا ْمُكَّلَعَل َنْوُرُكْشَتَو اْۤوُرُكْذا ْذِا ْمُتْنَا ٌلْيِلَق َنْوُفَعْضَتْسُّم يِف ِضْرَاْلا َنْوُفاَخَت ْنَا ُمُكَفَّطَخَتَّي۠ ُساَّنلا ْمُكىٰوٰاَف َو And remember the time when you were few and deemed weak in the land, and were in fear lest people should snatch you away, but He sheltered you and strengthened you with His help, and provided you with good things that you might be thankful. ( S u rah al-Anf a l, 8:27) Restrain The mischief Everyone knows that oppression is detrimental to societal peace. This ‘oppression’ is defined in the Holy Quran at multiple places. At one place, Allah, the Exalted, has depicted the heinous form of oppression as: اْوُعاَطَتْسا١ؕ َو ُةَنْتِفْلا ُرَبْكَا َنِم ِلْتَقْلا١ؕ َو اَل َنْوُلاَزَي ْمُكَنْوُلِتاَقُي ىّٰتَح ْمُكْوُّدُرَي ْنَع ْمُكِنْيِد ِنِا …and persecution is worse than killing. And they will not cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith, if they can. ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:218)