The Revd. T.P. Hughes in his Notes on Muhammadanism writes:--
"Jihad (lit. 'an effort') is a religious war against the infidels, as enjoined by Muhammad in the Quran."
"Fight therefore for the religion of God."
"God hath indeed promised Paradise to every one. But God hath preferred those who fight for the faith." (IV, 97.) Surat-ul-Muhammad (XLVII).
"Those who fight in the defence of God's true religion, God will not suffer their works to perish." (XLVII, 5.)[318]
The first verse quoted by Mr. Hughes appertains to the war of defence. The verse in itself has express indications of its relating to the war of defence, but Mr. Hughes was not inclined, perhaps, to copy it in full. He merely quotes half a sentence, and shuts his eyes from other words and phrases of the same verse. The verse has been quoted in page 20. It is as follows:--
"Fight then on the path of God: lay not burdens on any but thyself; and stir up the faithful. The powers of the infidels, God will haply restrain; for God is stronger in prowess, and stronger to punish."--(Sura IV, 86.)
The severe persecution, the intense torture and mighty aggression of the Meccans and their allies is referred to in the original word Bass, rendered prowess into English and referred to in the previous verse 77, which shows that the war herein enjoined was to restrain the aggressions of the enemy and to repel force by force.
It is very unfair on the part of the Revd. T.P. Hughes to twist or dislocate half a sentence from a verse and put it forth to demonstrate and prove a certain object of his.
[Sidenote: 127. Meaning of Jihad.]
The second verse quoted by the same author is a mere mistranslation. There is no such word in the original which admits of being rendered as "fighting." The true translation of the sentence quoted above from Sura IV, verse 97, is as follows:--
"Good promises hath he made to all. But God hath assigned to the strenuous a rich recompense above those who sit still at home."
The word rendered "strenuous" is originally "mojahid" (plural "Mojahidin," from Jihad), which in classical Arabic and throughout the Koran means to do one's utmost, to make effort, to strive, to exert, to employ one's-self diligently, studiously, sedulously, earnestly, zealously, or with energy, and does not mean fighting or warfare. It was subsequently applied to religious war, but was never used in the Koran in such a sense. (Vide Appendix A.)
[Sidenote: 128. Sura XLVII, v. 5.]
The third instance quoted by Mr. Hughes is also a mistranslation of a sentence in verse 5, Sura XLVII. The original word is "kotelu," which means "those who are killed," and not "those who fight," as explained and translated by the author. The correct rendering of the sentence is this: "And those who are killed, their work God will not suffer to miscarry."
Some read the word "katalu," which means "those who fought," but the general and authorized reading is "kotelu," i.e., "those who are killed." Even if it be taken for granted that the former is the correct reading, it will be explained by several other verses which mean fighting in defence, and not fighting aggressively, which not only has been never taught in the Koran but is always prohibited (II, 186). The verse to that effect runs thus:--
"And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you; but commit not the injustice of attacking them first. Verily God loveth not the unjust."--(II, 186.)
This verse permitted only defensive war and prohibited every aggressive measure. All other verses mentioned in connection with fighting on the part of the Moslems must be interpreted in conformity with this.
[Sidenote: 129. The Rev. Mr. Malcolm MacColl quoted.]
The Rev. Malcolm MacColl writes:--