وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم
Appears 2 times in Quran
Occurrences in Quran
Found 2 verses containing "وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم".
فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتَلَ دَاوُۥدُ جَالُوتَ وَءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُلْكَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهُۥ مِمَّا يَشَآءُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
جیسا کہ ہم اوپر بیان کر چکے ہیں پہلی آیات میں جدعون کا واقعہ بیان کیا گیا ہے۔ اب ان آیات میں حضرت داؤد علیہ السلام کا ذکر کیا گیا ہے اس کی وجہ یہ ہے کہ حضرت داؤد علیہ السلام کا واقعہ جدعون کے واقعہ سے بہت کچھ ملتا ہے۔ جدعون کے وقت میں فلسطینیوں نے اسرائیل کو فلسطین سے نکالنے کی کوشش کی تھی۔ لیکن وہ ابتدائی کوشش تھی جو حضرت داؤدؑ کے زمانہ میں آکر ختم ہوئی۔ پس اس واقعہ کو مشابہت مضمون کی وجہ سے اس کے ساتھ بیان کیا گیا ہے۔ ورنہ پہلا جدعون کا واقعہ ہے اور یہ داؤدؑ کا واقعہ ہے اور دونوں میں دو سو سال کا فاصلہ ہے۔
اب ایک سوال حل طلب رہ جاتا ہے اور وہ یہ کہ بائبل کے رو سے د
22:41.
Talut or Gideon was able to defeat Jalut or the Midianites but their overwhelming defeat to which the verse refers as the killing of Jalut came in the time of David about two hundred years afterwards. The Bible speaks of the man defeated by David as Goliath (1 Sam. 17: 4), which is similar to Jalut. Probably, the attributive name given by the Qur’an to the people was also borne by their leader in the time of David.
These words give in a nutshell the whole philosophy of all wars of truth and justice. War should be resorted to only as a means of checking disorder and restoring peace and not for creating disorder and breaking peace and depriving weak nations of freedom.
22:41.
Commentary:
Talut or Gideon was able to defeat Jalut or the Midianites and curb their rising spirits, but their crushing defeat to which the verse refers as the killing of Jalut came in the time of David about two hundred years afterwards. This is why, whereas the defeat of Jalut by Talut has been spoken of by the Quran as ھزم i.e. routing, the complete crushing of their power has been referred to by the world قتل i.e. killing. The Bible speaks of the man defeated by David as Goliath (1 Sam. 17:4), which is similar to Jalut. Probably the attributive name given by the Quran to the people was also borne by their leader in the time of David.
The last clause of the verse, i.e. and had it not been for Allah’s repelling men, some of them by the others, the earth would have become filled with disorder, gives, in a nutshell, the whole philosophy of all wars of truth and justice. War should be resorted to only as a means of checking disorder and restoring peace, and not for creating disorder and breaking peace. The clause also serves as a criterion between Muslims and their adversaries and beautifully points to the party destined for final victory in the struggle.
a
22:41.
194
这些字概括地说出了一切真理和正义战争的全部哲理。战争只能作为制止混乱而恢复和平的一种手段, 而不能作为制造混乱而破坏和平以及剥夺弱小国家自由的手段。
1
جیسا کہ ہم اوپر بیان کر چکے ہیں پہلی آیات میں جدعون کا واقعہ بیان کیا گیا ہے۔ اب ان آیات میں حضرت داؤد علیہ السلام کا ذکر کیا گیا ہے اس کی وجہ یہ ہے کہ حضرت داؤد علیہ السلام کا واقعہ جدعون کے واقعہ سے بہت کچھ ملتا ہے۔ جدعون کے وقت میں فلسطینیوں نے اسرائیل کو فلسطین سے نکالنے کی کوشش کی تھی۔ لیکن وہ ابتدائی کوشش تھی جو حضرت داؤدؑ کے زمانہ میں آکر ختم ہوئی۔ پس اس واقعہ کو مشابہت مضمون کی وجہ سے اس کے ساتھ بیان کیا گیا ہے۔ ورنہ پہلا جدعون کا واقعہ ہے اور یہ داؤدؑ کا واقعہ ہے اور دونوں میں دو سو سال کا فاصلہ ہے۔
اب ایک سوال حل طلب رہ جاتا ہے اور وہ یہ کہ بائبل کے رو سے د
b
22:41.
258
Commentary:
Talut or Gideon was able to defeat Jalut or the Midianites and curb their rising spirits, but their crushing defeat to which the verse refers as the killing of Jalut came in the time of David about two hundred years afterwards. This is why, whereas the defeat of Jalut by Talut has been spoken of by the Quran as ھزم i.e. routing, the complete crushing of their power has been referred to by the world قتل i.e. killing. The Bible speaks of the man defeated by David as Goliath (1 Sam. 17:4), which is similar to Jalut. Probably the attributive name given by the Quran to the people was also borne by their leader in the time of David.
The last clause of the verse, i.e. and had it not been for Allah’s repelling men, some of them by the others, the earth would have become filled with disorder, gives, in a nutshell, the whole philosophy of all wars of truth and justice. War should be resorted to only as a means of checking disorder and restoring peace, and not for creating disorder and breaking peace. The clause also serves as a criterion between Muslims and their adversaries and beautifully points to the party destined for final victory in the struggle.
c
22:41.
312
Talut or Gideon was able to defeat Jalut or the Midianites but their overwhelming defeat to which the verse refers as the killing of Jalut came in the time of David about two hundred years afterwards. The Bible speaks of the man defeated by David as Goliath (1 Sam. 17: 4), which is similar to Jalut. Probably, the attributive name given by the Qur’an to the people was also borne by their leader in the time of David.
313
These words give in a nutshell the whole philosophy of all wars of truth and justice. War should be resorted to only as a means of checking disorder and restoring peace and not for creating disorder and breaking peace and depriving weak nations of freedom.
ٱلَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَٰمِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَٰتٌ وَمَسَٰجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ
2:252.
47:8.
这节经文说出了第二个原因。没有任何正当和合法的理由穆斯林就被赶出了家园, 他们唯一的 “过错” 就是信奉独一的安拉。在麦加他们遭受了多年的迫害, 随后又被赶出麦加, 甚至他们被流放到麦地那时也得不到安宁。在麦地那周围穆斯林在各阿拉伯部落的联合进攻下遇到了被彻底清除的威胁。在这些阿拉伯部落中古莱西族的影响很大, 因为他们是天房的守护者。麦地那本身也由于他们的叛乱与背信弃义弄得百孔千疮。犹太人精明、固结, 他们反对神圣的先知; 先知的困难不是减少, 而是由于侨居而增多了。正是在这种极为不利的形势下, 穆斯林才不得不拿起武器从毁灭中拯救自己, 拯救自己的信仰与神圣的先知。如果说有过什么人是有合法理由进行战斗的话, 那就是先知穆罕默德与他的伙伴, 然而一些极不公正的对伊斯兰教批评的人还指控他进行侵略战争, 把自己的信仰强加于不情愿接受的人们。
在阐明了穆斯林被迫拿起武器自卫的原因之后, 这节经文还要说到伊斯兰护教战争的宗旨。它绝不容许夺取他人的住宅和财产; 不容许剥夺人身自由, 不容许迫使人们屈从外国的肆虐, 也不容许像西方列强那样开发新的市场和夺取新的殖民地。伊斯兰护教战争的宗旨是自卫、挽救穆斯林免于灭亡、承认良知的解脱和思想的解放, 也在于保卫其他宗教的朝拜圣地--------基督教堂、犹太会堂、寺庙和修道院等等 (2:194; 2:257; 8:40以及8:73)。可见伊斯兰教护教战争的第一个也是最重要的宗旨, 过去是今后也始终是为了确保信仰和朝拜的自由, 为了保卫家园、荣誉和自由而反对无端的侵犯。难道还有比这更充分的要为之而战的理由吗？
صَوَامِع اور بِیَع دونوں کے معنے گرجے ہیں۔ (اقرب الموارد)
2:252.
47:8 .
This verse gives the second reason. It is that Muslims were driven out from their hearths and homes without a just and legitimate cause; their only offence being that they believed in One God. For years the Muslims were persecuted at Mecca, then they were driven out from it and were not left in peace even in their exile at Medina. Islam was threatened with complete extirpation by a combined attack by the Arabian tribes around Medina, among whom the influence of the Quraish, on account of their being the custodians of the Ka‘bah, was very great. Medina itself was honeycombed with sedition and treachery. The Jews, compact and united, were opposed to the Holy Prophet whose difficulties instead of lessening had greatly increased by Emigration. It was under these highly unfavourable circumstances that Muslims had to take up arms to save themselves, their Faith and the Holy Prophet from extermination. If ever a people had a legitimate cause to fight, it were the Holy Prophet Muhammad and his Companions, and ye
After giving reasons why the Muslims were obliged to take up arms, the verse mentions the object and purpose of the wars of Islam. The object was never to deprive other people of their homes and possessions or to deprive them of national freedom and compel them to submit to foreign yoke, or to explore new markets and get new colonies as the Western Powers do. It was to fight in self-defence and to save Islam from extermination and to establish freedom of conscience and liberty of thought. It was also to defend places of worship belonging to other religions—the churches, the synagogues, the temples, the cloisters, etc. (2:194; 2:257; 8:40 & 8:73). Thus the first and foremost object of the wars of Islam was, and will always be, to establish freedom of belief and worship and to fight in defence of one's country, honour and freedom against an unprovoked attack. Could there be a better cause to fight for than this?
2:252.
47:8.
Important Words:
صوامع is the plural of صومعة which is derived from صومع. They say صومع الشیء i.e. he collected together the thing. صومع البناء means, he raised the building. صومعة means a mountain; a high place where a monk lives or a holy man worships seeking solitude; a cloister; the cell of a recluse (Aqrab & Lane).
بیع (churches) is the plural of بیعة which means, a church or, as some say, a Jewish place of worship (Aqrab & Lane).
صلوات Places of worship of the Jews (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The verse gives the second reason, which led the poor and weak Muslims to take up arms. It was that they were driven out from their hearths and homes without a just and legitimate cause, their only crime being that they believed in one God. For years the Muslims were persecuted at Mecca, then they were driven out from it and were not left in peace even in their exile at Medina. They continued to be harassed in that place also. Islam was threatened with complete extirpation by a combined attack from the Arabian tribes round Medina, among whom the influence of the Quraish, on account of their being the custodians of the Ka‘bah, was very great. Medina itself was honey-combed with sedition and treachery. The Jews, compact and united, were opposed to the Holy Prophet. ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy, whose designs to become the crowned king of Medina had been upset by the Holy Prophet’s arrival in that city, and the hypocrites were an additional source of great danger to Islam. The Quraish held out a threat to ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ubayy that if the people of Medinah gave shelter to the Holy Prophet and did not make common cause with them against Muslims they would attack Medina with all their powerful hosts and allies and would kill their men and carry their women to Mecca in captivity (Abu Dawud). Thus Islam had to defend itself against much more powerful enemies at Medina than at Mecca. The position of Muslims in the first few years of their life at Medina was decidedly much weaker than at Mecca and the Holy Prophet’s difficulties instead of lessening had greatly increased. It was under these highly unfavourable circumstances that Muslims had to take up arms to save themselves, their faith and their Holy Prophet from extermination. If ever a people had a legitimate cause to fight, it were the Holy Prophet Muhammad and his Companions, and yet the unconscionable critics of Islam have accused him of waging aggressive wars to impose his faith on an unwilling people. See also 9:13.
After having given reasons why the Muslims were obliged to take up arms, the verse proceeds to mention the object and purpose of the wars of Islam. The object was never to deprive anybody of his home and possessions or to deprive whole peoples of national freedom or compel them to submit to foreign yoke under the garb of making them civilized as Western nations do, or to explore new markets and get new colonies. It was to fight in self-defence and to save Islam from extermination and to establish freedom of conscience and liberty of thought. It was also to defend places of worship belonging to different religions against desecration or destruction. Having laid down the principle that all religions have their origin in Divine revelation and that the founders of all religions were Divine Messengers and should therefore be equally respected (35:25), the Quran in the present verse has enjoined upon the Muslims to defend, even with their lives, all the places of worship—the churches, the synagogues, the temples, the cloisters, etc. This subject also finds an echo in vv. 2:194; 2:257; 8:40; 8:73. Thus the first and foremost object of the wars of Islam was, and will always be, to establish freedom of belief and worship and to fight in defence of country, honour and freedom against an unprovoked attack. Could there be a better cause to fight for than this? The Islamic injunctions as embodied in the present verse did not remain merely pious principles. They were acted upon by Muslims in daily life. The Muslims in the heyday of their power and glory always allowed complete freedom of belief and worship to people who accepted their protection and guardianship. To show the broad-mindedness and catholicity of Islamic teaching in this respect, we give below only one of several charters of freedom which the Holy Prophet granted to the followers of other faiths:
This is the document which Muhammad, son of ‘Abdullah, God’s Prophet, Warner and Bearer of glad-tidings, has caused to be written so that there should remain no excuse for those coming after. I have caused this document to be written for Christians of the East and the West, for those who live near, and for those of the distant lands, for the Christians living at present and for those who will come after, for those Christians who are known to us and for those as well whom we do not know. Any Muslim violating and abusing what is therein ordered would be regarded as violator of God’s testament and would be the breaker of His promise and would make himself deserving of God’s curse, be he a king or a subject. I promise that any monk or wayfarer, etc. who will seek my help on the mountains, in forests, deserts or habitations, or in places of worship, I will repel his enemies with all my friends and helpers, with all my relatives and with all those who profess to follow me and will defend him, because they are my covenant. And I will defend the covenanted against the persecution, injury and embarrassment by their enemies in lieu of the poll-tax they have promised to pay. If they prefer themselves to defend their properties and persons, they will be allowed to do so and will not be put to any inconvenience on that account. No bishop will be expelled from his bishopric, no monk from his monastery, no priest from his place of worship, and no pilgrim will be detained in his pilgrimage. None of their churches and other places of worship will be desolated or destroyed or demolished. No material of their churches will be used for building mosques or houses for the Muslims, any Muslim so doing will be regarded as recalcitrant to God and His Prophet. Monks and bishops will be subject to no tax or indemnity whether they live in forests or on the rivers, or in the East or West, North or South. I give them my word of honour. They have my promise and covenant and will enjoy perfect immunity from all sorts of inconveniences. Every help shall be given them in the repair of their churches. They shall be absolved from wearing arms. They shall be protected by the Muslims. Let this document be not disobeyed till the Judgement Day (Baladhari).
Similar charters were granted to the followers of other faiths. True Muslims have always tried to follow faithfully the example of their Prophet.
The words, "And Allah will surely help one who helps Him," signify that Muslim armies will receive Divine help because they fight Allah’s own battles and promote the sacred cause which is very dear to Him.
a
2:252.
b
47:8.
869
这节经文说出了第二个原因。没有任何正当和合法的理由穆斯林就被赶出了家园, 他们唯一的 “过错” 就是信奉独一的安拉。在麦加他们遭受了多年的迫害, 随后又被赶出麦加, 甚至他们被流放到麦地那时也得不到安宁。在麦地那周围穆斯林在各阿拉伯部落的联合进攻下遇到了被彻底清除的威胁。在这些阿拉伯部落中古莱西族的影响很大, 因为他们是天房的守护者。麦地那本身也由于他们的叛乱与背信弃义弄得百孔千疮。犹太人精明、固结, 他们反对神圣的先知; 先知的困难不是减少, 而是由于侨居而增多了。正是在这种极为不利的形势下, 穆斯林才不得不拿起武器从毁灭中拯救自己, 拯救自己的信仰与神圣的先知。如果说有过什么人是有合法理由进行战斗的话, 那就是先知穆罕默德与他的伙伴, 然而一些极不公正的对伊斯兰教批评的人还指控他进行侵略战争, 把自己的信仰强加于不情愿接受的人们。
870
在阐明了穆斯林被迫拿起武器自卫的原因之后, 这节经文还要说到伊斯兰护教战争的宗旨。它绝不容许夺取他人的住宅和财产; 不容许剥夺人身自由, 不容许迫使人们屈从外国的肆虐, 也不容许像西方列强那样开发新的市场和夺取新的殖民地。伊斯兰护教战争的宗旨是自卫、挽救穆斯林免于灭亡、承认良知的解脱和思想的解放, 也在于保卫其他宗教的朝拜圣地--------基督教堂、犹太会堂、寺庙和修道院等等 (2:194; 2:257; 8:40以及8:73)。可见伊斯兰教护教战争的第一个也是最重要的宗旨, 过去是今后也始终是为了确保信仰和朝拜的自由, 为了保卫家园、荣誉和自由而反对无端的侵犯。难道还有比这更充分的要为之而战的理由吗？
1
صَوَامِع اور بِیَع دونوں کے معنے گرجے ہیں۔ (اقرب الموارد)
a
2:252.
b
47:8.
2471
Important Words:
صوامع is the plural of صومعة which is derived from صومع. They say صومع الشیء i.e. he collected together the thing. صومع البناء means, he raised the building. صومعة means a mountain; a high place where a monk lives or a holy man worships seeking solitude; a cloister; the cell of a recluse (Aqrab & Lane).
بیع (churches) is the plural of بیعة which means, a church or, as some say, a Jewish place of worship (Aqrab & Lane).
صلوات Places of worship of the Jews (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The verse gives the second reason, which led the poor and weak Muslims to take up arms. It was that they were driven out from their hearths and homes without a just and legitimate cause, their only crime being that they believed in one God. For years the Muslims were persecuted at Mecca, then they were driven out from it and were not left in peace even in their exile at Medina. They continued to be harassed in that place also. Islam was threatened with complete extirpation by a combined attack from the Arabian tribes round Medina, among whom the influence of the Quraish, on account of their being the custodians of the Ka‘bah, was very great. Medina itself was honey-combed with sedition and treachery. The Jews, compact and united, were opposed to the Holy Prophet. ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy, whose designs to become the crowned king of Medina had been upset by the Holy Prophet’s arrival in that city, and the hypocrites were an additional source of great danger to Islam. The Quraish held out a threat to ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ubayy that if the people of Medinah gave shelter to the Holy Prophet and did not make common cause with them against Muslims they would attack Medina with all their powerful hosts and allies and would kill their men and carry their women to Mecca in captivity (Abu Dawud). Thus Islam had to defend itself against much more powerful enemies at Medina than at Mecca. The position of Muslims in the first few years of their life at Medina was decidedly much weaker than at Mecca and the Holy Prophet’s difficulties instead of lessening had greatly increased. It was under these highly unfavourable circumstances that Muslims had to take up arms to save themselves, their faith and their Holy Prophet from extermination. If ever a people had a legitimate cause to fight, it were the Holy Prophet Muhammad and his Companions, and yet the unconscionable critics of Islam have accused him of waging aggressive wars to impose his faith on an unwilling people. See also 9:13.
After having given reasons why the Muslims were obliged to take up arms, the verse proceeds to mention the object and purpose of the wars of Islam. The object was never to deprive anybody of his home and possessions or to deprive whole peoples of national freedom or compel them to submit to foreign yoke under the garb of making them civilized as Western nations do, or to explore new markets and get new colonies. It was to fight in self-defence and to save Islam from extermination and to establish freedom of conscience and liberty of thought. It was also to defend places of worship belonging to different religions against desecration or destruction. Having laid down the principle that all religions have their origin in Divine revelation and that the founders of all religions were Divine Messengers and should therefore be equally respected (35:25), the Quran in the present verse has enjoined upon the Muslims to defend, even with their lives, all the places of worship—the churches, the synagogues, the temples, the cloisters, etc. This subject also finds an echo in vv. 2:194; 2:257; 8:40; 8:73. Thus the first and foremost object of the wars of Islam was, and will always be, to establish freedom of belief and worship and to fight in defence of country, honour and freedom against an unprovoked attack. Could there be a better cause to fight for than this? The Islamic injunctions as embodied in the present verse did not remain merely pious principles. They were acted upon by Muslims in daily life. The Muslims in the heyday of their power and glory always allowed complete freedom of belief and worship to people who accepted their protection and guardianship. To show the broad-mindedness and catholicity of Islamic teaching in this respect, we give below only one of several charters of freedom which the Holy Prophet granted to the followers of other faiths:
This is the document which Muhammad, son of ‘Abdullah, God’s Prophet, Warner and Bearer of glad-tidings, has caused to be written so that there should remain no excuse for those coming after. I have caused this document to be written for Christians of the East and the West, for those who live near, and for those of the distant lands, for the Christians living at present and for those who will come after, for those Christians who are known to us and for those as well whom we do not know. Any Muslim violating and abusing what is therein ordered would be regarded as violator of God’s testament and would be the breaker of His promise and would make himself deserving of God’s curse, be he a king or a subject. I promise that any monk or wayfarer, etc. who will seek my help on the mountains, in forests, deserts or habitations, or in places of worship, I will repel his enemies with all my friends and helpers, with all my relatives and with all those who profess to follow me and will defend him, because they are my covenant. And I will defend the covenanted against the persecution, injury and embarrassment by their enemies in lieu of the poll-tax they have promised to pay. If they prefer themselves to defend their properties and persons, they will be allowed to do so and will not be put to any inconvenience on that account. No bishop will be expelled from his bishopric, no monk from his monastery, no priest from his place of worship, and no pilgrim will be detained in his pilgrimage. None of their churches and other places of worship will be desolated or destroyed or demolished. No material of their churches will be used for building mosques or houses for the Muslims, any Muslim so doing will be regarded as recalcitrant to God and His Prophet. Monks and bishops will be subject to no tax or indemnity whether they live in forests or on the rivers, or in the East or West, North or South. I give them my word of honour. They have my promise and covenant and will enjoy perfect immunity from all sorts of inconveniences. Every help shall be given them in the repair of their churches. They shall be absolved from wearing arms. They shall be protected by the Muslims. Let this document be not disobeyed till the Judgement Day (Baladhari).
Similar charters were granted to the followers of other faiths. True Muslims have always tried to follow faithfully the example of their Prophet.
The words, "And Allah will surely help one who helps Him," signify that Muslim armies will receive Divine help because they fight Allah’s own battles and promote the sacred cause which is very dear to Him.
a
2:252.
b
47:8 .
1958
This verse gives the second reason. It is that Muslims were driven out from their hearths and homes without a just and legitimate cause; their only offence being that they believed in One God. For years the Muslims were persecuted at Mecca, then they were driven out from it and were not left in peace even in their exile at Medina. Islam was threatened with complete extirpation by a combined attack by the Arabian tribes around Medina, among whom the influence of the Quraish, on account of their being the custodians of the Ka‘bah, was very great. Medina itself was honeycombed with sedition and treachery. The Jews, compact and united, were opposed to the Holy Prophet whose difficulties instead of lessening had greatly increased by Emigration. It was under these highly unfavourable circumstances that Muslims had to take up arms to save themselves, their Faith and the Holy Prophet from extermination. If ever a people had a legitimate cause to fight, it were the Holy Prophet Muhammad and his Companions, and ye
1959
After giving reasons why the Muslims were obliged to take up arms, the verse mentions the object and purpose of the wars of Islam. The object was never to deprive other people of their homes and possessions or to deprive them of national freedom and compel them to submit to foreign yoke, or to explore new markets and get new colonies as the Western Powers do. It was to fight in self-defence and to save Islam from extermination and to establish freedom of conscience and liberty of thought. It was also to defend places of worship belonging to other religions—the churches, the synagogues, the temples, the cloisters, etc. (2:194; 2:257; 8:40 & 8:73). Thus the first and foremost object of the wars of Islam was, and will always be, to establish freedom of belief and worship and to fight in defence of one's country, honour and freedom against an unprovoked attack. Could there be a better cause to fight for than this?