Through Force or Faith? — Page 164
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 164 unjustified and prohibited if it is not for retribution for murder or disorder. If there is sedition, then the retaliation that is sanctioned is only in proportion to its kind and the extent. This is the fun- damental principle in the subordination of which the purport of this verse will be understood. After this, Allah, the Exalted, says: اَّلِا َنْيِذَّلا اْوُباَت ْنِم ِلْبَق ْنَا اْوُرِدْقَت ْمِهْيَلَع١ۚ اْۤوُمَلْعاَف َّنَا َهّٰللا ٌرْوُفَغ ٌمْيِحَّر Except those who repent before you have them in your power. So know that Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful ( S u rah al-M a ’idah, 5:35). Allah, the Exalted, says that even if these offenders have com- mitted such crimes, whether they are murderers or tyrants, you have no recourse against them if they have repented and reformed before you gain power over them. Give them another chance. This is an extremely important point that is mentioned in the last part of this verse, ignoring which, the purport of the earlier verse can and is distorted. فَاعْلَمُوا Then know that one who is imparting these teachings is ٌ م ی غَفُور ٌ رَّحِ [Forgiving and Merciful]. These teachings are not a manifestation of God’s wrath but are the teachings of an extremely Forgiving and repeatedly Merciful God because in this revenge lays the good of mankind and it is to safeguard them against many dangers. (Deduced from the Quran Translation Class of Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalīfatul-Masīh IV rta , July 5, 1995) Concluding Remarks In conclusion, it becomes quite evident from all this discussion