2009م - 1444هـ
what is the Islamic law of war and peace? This crucial

question underlies all discussion ofjihad, perhapsthe most

misrepresented of ideas in the West’s understanding of

Islam.“Holywar”,

howitrelatesto the concrete issues ofwar and peace. Since

one cannot hope to understand a law by studying the

actions of those who break it, we will not discuss here the

actions of individuals, but focus on the very sources of

Islamic lawitself asthey relate tojihad,war, andpeace.Acts

of violence andsituationsofpeace canonlybe judged,from

the point of viewof Islam and the Shari‘ah (Islamic law), on

how fully they accord with the principles set down by the

Qur’an,the teachingsoftheProphet, andtheprecedentset

by the traditionofreligiousscholarsthroughthe centuries.





contents



Overview v

1. Doesjihad mean “holywar”? 1

2. Whatisthe role of non-violentjihad? 4

3. DoMuslims go towar against others

merely because they are non-Muslim? 9

4. What are theFiveBasic Rights

of Islamic law, and howdo they relate towar? 11

5. What doesthe Qur’an say aboutjihad

and fighting? 13

6. When doMuslims make treaties? 16

7. Whatisthe distinction between

pre-emption and aggression? 21

8. Whatisthe difference between “TheAbode

of Islam” and “TheAbode ofWar”? 24

9. Isforced conversion an Islamic teaching? 27

10. Whatisthe “sword verse”? 31



11. What are the basic rules of combat aslaid

down in Islam’s authoritative texts? 35

12. Whatisthe status of non-Muslims

under Islamic rule? 37

13. Whatisthe jizyah, or poll-tax,

on non-Muslims? 43

14. Does orthodox Islam sanction rebellion

against political authority? 47

15. Howdoesthe Islamic lawofwar come

to be violated? 53

Conclusion 64

FurtherReading 69

Notes 71





ويبدأ الكتاب بسؤال هام، وهو: هل الجهاد يعني الحرب المقدسة؟ وما هو دور الجهاد؟ ثم ينتقل بعد ذلك لمناقشة بعض المسائل، مثل: هل المسلمون يبدأون غيرهم الحرب لأنهم غير مسلمين؟ ماذا قال القرآن حول الجهاد والقتال؟ هل هذا يعتبر عنفًا؟ متى يلجأ المسلمون إلى المعاهدات؟ ما الفارق بين دار الإسلام ودار الحرب؟ وما هي آية السيف ولماذا أثارت كل هذا الأخذ والرد؟ وغير ذلك من المحاور الهامة التي يتطرق إليها المؤلف في هذا الكتاب.