The so-called "sword verse" (Q 9:5) is often invoked to claim that the Qur'an repudiated all treaties with non-Muslims & thereafter advocated perpetual holy war against unbelievers. The cut-&-paste job needed to claim this is absurd. 1/
This passage itself actually reinforces the idea of equal retaliation (qiṣāṣ) as the pivot of Qur'anic just war; the violation of a treaty by one side legitimizes a counter-violation & a throwing off of the treaty due to the aggression & transgression by the violating side. 2/
@Budrus_Dhuliman cites 9:1 & 9:7 to make his claim. Yet, the passage says,
"[9:1] A repudiation from God and His Messenger to those idolaters with whom you made a treaty... [9:4] EXCEPT for those idolaters with who you have made a treaty and who thereafter commit no breach... 3/
...against you nor support anyone against you." This, of course, reinforces the same idea of non-aggression & war only being justified against aggressors. Q 9:7 itself then explains why the Qur'an repudiates this treaty with those specific idolaters... 4/
The very verse that @Budrus_Dhuliman cites (9:7) says to keep the treaty & maintain peace with those idolaters who did not violate the treaty: "[9:7] If they remain true to you, you remain true to them." 5/
That same passage explains why the treaty was repudiated with the treaty-breakers in the first place:
[9:7-8] "How can [those] idolaters have a treaty with God and with His Messenger... How, when if they prevail over you, they do not observe any kinship or treaty with you?" 6/
This phrase--"they do not observe any kinship or treaty with you"--was the Qur'anic complaint against the Meccan Quraysh for not protecting the life of the Prophet & the early believers, who should have been protected by Arabian norms of kinship, clan, & treaty protection. 7/
Finally, & again, the Qur'anic passage justifies war based on aggression:
[Q 9:13] "Will you not fight a people who broke their oaths, and intended to expel the Messenger, and opened [hostility] against you first?"
The Qur'an consistently opposes aggression. 8/
It is sad that some Christians seek to use such hateful polemical arguments against Muslims. As Philip Jenkins writes, "In terms of ordering violence and bloodshed... it’s easy to see the mote in somebody else’s eye while missing the beam in your own. In fact... 1/
"...the Bible has its own bloody and violent passages... The Bible overflows with 'texts of terror,' to borrow a
phrase coined by American theologian Phyllis Trible, and
biblical violence is often marked by indiscriminate savagery..." 2/
"If the Qur’an urges believers to fight, as it undoubtedly does, it also commands that enemies be shown mercy if they surrender. Some frightful portions of the Bible by contrast, order the total extermination of enemies, of whole families & races—of men, women, & children." 3/
Wow, this went viral. I'm sorry but I am going to have to take a dissenting view here. I think the professor--& I think I know who it is--is correct & he might simply be guiding you to another department, i.e. faculty of theology vs oriental studies.
I do agree that Muslims face undue criticism & suspicion when they *do* use a secular approach, but that's a different complaint than this one here. Just my two cents. 2/
And I say this as someone who himself would thrive in a faculty of theology/divinity more so than a pure Oriental Studies or NELC department. 3/
Jihād as taught by Al-Azhar University
(Official lecture notes from التشریع الإسلامي والقضایا المعاصرة, Spring 2018):
1. We do not believe that legitimate jihād exists today except for defensive jihād.
ولا نعتقد أن الجهاد المشروع قائم الآن سوى جهاد الدفاع عن النفس .
2. As for offensive jihād, there is no place for it in our day & age.
أما جهاد الطلب ففي عصرنا لا مكان له.
3. This is because it is possible to preach by modern [peaceful] means... so, there is no need for it [offensive jihād]...
لأن إمكانیة تبلیغ الدعوة بالوسائل الحدیثة متاحة... فلا داعي له
This thread is actually useful to see what extreme measures are needed to sustain this doctrine of perpetual holy war, despite the multitude of Qur'anic verses that say otherwise. The Qur'an permits warfare only in response to aggression & it likewise anathematizes aggression. 1/
Indeed, the permission to wage war is conditioned upon responding to attack & aggression: "Permission [to fight] is granted to those who are fought, because they have been wronged--and truly God is able to help them... 2/
"...who were expelled from their homes without right, only for saying, 'Our Lord is God'" (Q 22:39-40). The Qur'an prioritizes religious freedom & elevates war to a level of jihād based on religious persecution (fitna). The Qur'an responds to any potential pacifists... 3/
Dr Sarah Eltantawi | Misogyny, Muslim Brotherhood & Marketing the Sharia... via @YouTube
While I must give the necessary disclaimer that I don't necessarily agree with *everything* she said (people always say that about my interviews!), I found Prof. @SEltantawi's analysis to be fascinating & consider her kindred spirit: 2/
As an FYI, I also did my undergrad at Berkeley (Go Bears!) & masters/PhD at the same place as her too. In any case, where I would give some friendly pushback perhaps would only be that I think now I am starting to really appreciate the Western role in this mess... 3/
Thank you for having me on Minding Scripture, Prof. @GabrielSaidR & Prof. @MunimSirry. It was a true honor & pleasure. In this podcast, I was trying to push back against what I view as scientistic interpretations of scripture & rediscover the value of "mythology," understood.. 1/
in the academic sense, with an emphasis on meaning-making. The Qur'an isn't meant to tell us literally how the cosmos go, but rather, what our place is in the cosmos. From this perspective, the Qur'an has a profound & timeless message, which continues to inspire humanity. 2/
I answer challenging questions from my astute & very gracious hosts, Profs. Reynolds & Sirry. Among other topics, we touch on Qur'anic cosmology, theodicy, & eschatology. My answers may be controversial & run me into some trouble in some quarters... 3/