A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád' / Showing that all the Wars of Mohammad Were Defensive; and / that Aggressive War, or Compulsory Conversion, is not / Allowed in The Koran - 1885

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

20927

Title

A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád' / Showing that all the Wars of Mohammad Were Defensive; and / that Aggressive War, or Compulsory Conversion, is not / Allowed in The Koran - 1885

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Moulavi Gheragh Ali's 1885 treatise refutes accusations of Islamic intolerance, arguing that Prophet Muhammad's wars were purely defensive. The text clarifies that 'Jihad' does not mean warfare, compulsory conversion is forbidden, and slavery is not sanctioned by the Quran, aiming to correct Western misconceptions.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1885, Moulavi Gheragh Ali's *A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihād'* serves as a rigorous defense of the Prophet Muhammad against contemporary European criticisms regarding intolerance and aggression. The work systematically dismantles allegations that Islam mandates the killing or enslavement of non-believers, specifically addressing false claims made by critics like Sir William Muir and Rev. W.R.W. Stephens. Ali begins by refuting a specific 1883 legislative debate citation that falsely attributed to the Prophet an injunction to kill, plunder, and enslave Hindus. He asserts that such claims are mere imputations without basis in the Quran. Central to the text is the argument that all military engagements undertaken by the Prophet were strictly defensive responses to Meccan persecution. Ali details the early sufferings of the early Muslims, including the expulsion from Mecca (the Hegira), and frames battles such as Badr and Uhud not as conquests, but as necessary acts of self-preservation against the Koreish. The author engages in extensive linguistic analysis to redefine the Arabic term 'Jihād,' arguing that its classical meaning is 'striving' or 'laboring' rather than 'warfare,' a technicality developed only in later post-classical periods. Furthermore, Ali challenges the notion that the Quran sanctions slavery or concubinage, highlighting the Prophet's social reforms that discouraged divorce and promoted monotheism. He examines historical incidents, including the treatment of prisoners of war and the execution of traitors like the Bani Koreiza, contending that these actions adhered to the laws of nations and were justified by high treason or treaty violations. The text emphasizes that the spread of Islam was entirely voluntary, achieved through the Prophet's moral character and social justice rather than compulsion. By distinguishing between classical Arabic meanings and later sectarian distortions, Ali concludes that the Prophet's mission was one of peace, and that aggressive war or compulsory conversion is fundamentally incompatible with the Quran.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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• Religion
• History
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