The Truth about Jihad

Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. 

But if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 

’Qur’an 2: 190-192 Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,— any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness - on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Qur’an 5:69 Many a prophet had godly people fight along with him, without ever wavering under pressure in the cause of God, nor did they hesitate or become discouraged. God loves the steadfast.

About the Author

Yoginder Sikand is the author of over a dozen books on Islam and Muslims in South Asia. He has a PhD in History from the University of London, and was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World, Leiden, The Netherlands. He is presently associated with the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion at the National Law School, Bangalore.

Maulana Yahya Nomani is Associate Editor of Al-Furqan, an Urdu religious magazine founded by his grandfather, the late Maulana Manzoor Nomani. He holds regular Qura'nic classes in mosques and Islamic camps for youth. Recently, he set up the al-Mahad al-Ali lil Dirasat al-Islamiya (Institute for Higher Islamic Studies) in Lucknow, which provides a two-year course for madrasa graduates, to ‘make them aware of modern issues, concerns and challenges'.