The After-Effects of Badr
The victory at Badr did not come easily. The news of the imminent attack on Madinah by the Makkans were known in Madinah for a while. The problem was that for the previous fourteen years, Muslims had been conditioned to endure and not retaliate to their tormentors. Islam is a religion of peace. That was ingrained in the temperament of the Muslims from the moment they had converted. Now that things were changing and a proper Muslim state was in existence, among other things, a proper defense was absolutely necessary. However, people were reluctant to take up arms because of that pacific teaching they had been receiving. In the words of Marmaduke Pickthall, they had to be inured of the fear of violence. That took a lot of exhortation on the part of the Prophet. The very first announcement that the holy Qur'an made in this context is as follows:
And as for those who leave their homes in Allah's way (hijra) and they either get killed or just die (while running away from home), Allah will definitely give them a beautiful sustenance (rizq hasana), Allah is the best Sustainer.(22:58)
That is the way it is. And the one who is oppressed, if retaliates in similar kinds to which he was subjected, Allah will surely help him, Allah is indeed Forgiving, Protecting.(22:60)
Permission is (hereby) given (to fight) to those on whom a war was imposed, becauseآ they were wronged. Indeed Allah is their Helper.(22:39)
Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause except that they say: Our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah's repelling of some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah's name is much remembered; and surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most certainly Allah is Strong, Mighty. (22:40)
Those who, should We establish them in the land, will keep up prayer and pay zakat and enjoin good and forbid evil; and the end of all affairs belongs to Allah. (22:41)
From these verses, we can see the gradual building up of the passions. First of all those are praised who after having endured hardships for a while, decide to leave their homes. Allah is promising them good rewards even if they die ofآ natural causes due to that travel, even greater glory is destined for thoseآ who are killed during that travel. That is the first stage of the physical struggle for those who take their religious convictions seriously - leaving one's home and suffering on the way.
The second stage is for those who decide to stand up to the persecution by enemies and fight back.
The third stage comes when the emigrants have settled in a new place but the old enemy does not leave them alone and attacks them in their new home. Then they are exhorted to organize in the shape of a defensive force and declare a state of war against the attacking force.
Verse 22:40 is an explanation of the situation where a war is correct and where it is not correct. Allah causes some people (the mazloom, the oppressed)آ to stand up to some others (the oppressors) to stop wrongdoing. If that was not so and Allah had not helped the wronged, many places of worship where Allah's name is recited, would have been destroyed. This is a universal statement. It does not specifically talk about a Muslim place of worship. This is Islam's view of religious freedom in the world. Even if Muslims were victorious against a non-Muslim country, they are prohibited from destroying the places of worship.
In verse 22:41., the victorious Muslims are reminded that all that struggle including the armed confrontation in which they finally succeed is for Allah, and Him alone. Therefore, they should not forget to worship Him and remember His judgement that is to come to all.
Following this series of Qur'anic verses, it becomes clear that theseآ verses were not quiet enough for the Muslims to stand up and fight. There is, therefore a further set of revelation in the same context.
And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.(2:190)
And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution(fitna) is more serious (a crime) than murder, and do not fight with them in the sacred mosque until they fight you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them, such is the recompense of the unbelievers. (2:191)
But if they desist, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.(2:192)
And fight them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.(2:193)
Once again Muslims are told in very plain words to take up arms against those (and only those) who persecute the Muslims due to their religion. That case is exactly that of the Muslims of Bosnia and Chechniya in our present times. At the same time, Muslims are reminded of remaining just in all operations. 2:191 has a stronger tone about it and nothing is left to surmise. Muslims who have been displaced by non-Muslims by the force of arms must stand up and fight their persecutors. This case is exactly that of the Palestinians fighting for their homeland to day.آ What could be a more just cause? It is for that reason that all Muslims of the world today feel sympathetic to their cause and are willing to help in whatever way they can. Iraq and Iran fought a long war, not long ago, but both of them are helpful to the Palestinians. Once again, there are caveats in this case. Since the infidels of Makkah were coming to the Grand Mosque to worship, Muslims are reminded not to fight them in that situation. That is, people must be allowed the freedom of religion eventhough they do not belong to your faith.
آ آ آ آ آ آ آ آ آ آ آ 2:192 reminds the Muslims that non-Muslims who have no belligerency towards them must be left alone to be able to enjoy their basic right to coexist on this earth.
2:193 is a reminder for fighting against "fitna" wherever it may be.
Then came a very psychological explanation:
Fighting is enjoined on you, and it is an object of dislike to you; and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thingآ while it is evil for you, and Allah knows while you do not know. (2:216)
The full implications of this statement would take another five years to become clear, at the event of Hudaybiyya. Muslims were finally persuaded to take part in action against the infidels who were preparing to attack Madinah. Because of this series of events and this thinking process, some historians (Muslims) were persuaded to write in their books that the Prophet of Islam had been inciting his followers to attack the Makkan caravans passing by the coast line in search of booty. This is a gross distortion of history. See for example: Contemporary Debates In Islam, Ed: Mansoor Moaddel and Kamran Talattof, St. Martin's Press, N.Y., 2000. That point has also been argued by Mawlana Abul Aala Mawdoodi in his Tafheem al-Qur'an.
Finally the Battle of Badr took place. Even at that time, the Prophet was cautious enough to send only people of his own kin (Hamza, Ali, and Ubayda) in the first attack. Ali killed Waleed bin Utba. Ubayda was fighting Utba when his leg was chopped off. Ali andآ Hamza killed Utba and brought Ubayda back into the Muslim camp where he later died of excessive bleeding. Then there was general fighting as we have explained above. Note: Utba was Hinda's father and Waleed was Hinda's brother, Abu Sufyan's in-Laws.
The Battle of Badr and its aftermath gave rise to various significant events. Arabs were used to plundering the weaker tribes. Islam prohibited that. However, when this armed action ensued, many people from the enemy were killed, some were taken prisoners and the Muslim soldiers collected a lot of booty. The Prophet of Islam collected all that and then re-distributed that among the fighting men according to his wisdom and Allah's command. All of a sudden, the passion for the cause of Allah disappeared and some Muslims vocally disagreed with the Prophet's decision. It was in that circumstance that Sura Anfal (chapter 8) was revealed. Here are sample verses from that Sura.
And (remember) when Allأh promised you (Muslims) one of the two parties (of the enemy i.e. either the army or the caravan) that it should be yours, you wished that the one not armed (the caravan) should be yours, but Allأh willed to justify the truth by (8:7)
That He might cause the truth to triumph and bring falsehood to nothing, even though the Mujrimأ»n (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals, etc.) hate it.
His Words and to cut off the roots of the disbelievers (i.e. in the battle of Badr).(8:8)
(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): "I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession."(8:9)
Allأh made it only as glad tidings, and that your hearts be at rest therewith. And there is no victory except from Allأh. Verily, Allأh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.(8:10)
(Remember) when He covered you with a slumber as a security from Him, and He caused water (rain) to descend on you from the sky, to clean you thereby and to remove from you the Rijz (whispering, evil-suggestions, etc.) of Shaitأn (Satan), and to strengthen your hearts, and make your feet firm thereby.(8:11)
(Remember) when your Lord inspired the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes." (8:12)
Verse 8:7 actually indicates that some of the Muslims were going to attack a rich caravan but Allah decided that that was not to be.
Verses 8, 9,10, and 11 indicate the fear among the Muslims because they were so few in number and it was the first time that they were coming in arms against an enemy. Allah reminds the Muslims that they were helped by Allah, otherwise, there was no chance for them. However, some of them became greedy after the victory for booty. They forgot that the real struggle was for Allah's law to be triumphant not for worldly wealth. And that, the real victory was Allah's not theirs.
That is further elaborated in verse 12, which is basically symbolic in its meaning. Obviously, angels are not made of material like that of men. They do not have a physical shape and form. But Allah's power is manifested in that concept. Therefore, all booty belongs to Allah and whatever the Prophet of Allah has decided was the right thing.
O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allأh is with those who are the Al-Muttaqأ»n (the pious - see V.2:2). Q.9:123.
This last verse is open to various interpretations, and, people have gone out of their way to twist its meanings to suit their own personal agendas. The apparent meaning is that when a Muslim finds a non-Muslim in his nearness, he should immediately kill him. That obviously, is not on, in view of all other verses we have been reading presently. Still, some scholars have maintained that it will earn a good Muslim Paradise if he just kills any non-Muslim (for no reason whatsoever). WE MUST DISAGREE WITH THIS VIEW STRONGLY, THIS AUTHOR DOES.
The other meaning is that Muslims should first try to conquer the tribes of non-Muslims who live in their neighbourhood before going out to long distances to spread Islam. If we follow the early history of the movement we will see that that is how Islam was propagated. The Prophet of Islam first went to his own family, then to his tribe and then to all other citizens, until all Arabia had become Muslim. Then the movement was expanded to other countries. However, that does not necessarily mean that the movement is carried on the edge of the sword. For that reason, Mawlana Abul Aala Mawdoodi has disagreed with this interpretation, even though such scholars as Ibn Katheer have maintained that view. Mawdoodi feels that this verse applies to the fifth columnists who were living in the country posing as Muslims and they were actually hypocrites. In times of war, such forces have to be eliminated in the interest of national security. Abdullah Yusuf ali has translated this verse as follows:
O you who believe! Fight The Unbelievers who gird you about…….
This, very clearly, strengthens the view expressed by Mawdoodi.
This verse (and the entire Sura 9) was, however, revealed in the ninth year of Hijra. Aآ lotآ more had happened between the Battle of Badr (2nd year of hijra) and that time. We will discuss that some other time, inshallah.
Thank you for reading.
sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi