VIOLENCE: THE LAST RESORT IN ISLAM FOR THE PHYSICAL DEFENCE OF MUSLIM COMMUNITY
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BY
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MUHAMMED ABASS

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Mahatma Gandhi is a renowned Indian Philosopher of Religions who never professed interest in any particular religion. He avows below about the spread of Islam in a journal by the name 'Young India' in 1924:
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"I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter of self-effacement of the prophet [Muhammed], the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These, and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble" - Mahatma Gandhi, 1924.
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The alleged Muslims who take to violence in the name of Islam should take a moment, relax and ponder over this factual assertion. I will employ them to kindly answer this question, who is your role model? The non-muslims who are only exposed to the islam created by these alleged muslims and publicized by the popular media should know that the Islam brought by prophet Muhammed (SAW) does not preach violence.
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Prophet Muhammed (SAW) should be every Muslim's model. We must emulate his way of life in totality. He was never violent nor prechched violence. In fact, it was reported that in a particlar battle he partook, he was engaged in a wrestle with a particular opponent and after a long struggle, he finally had the opponent’s back on the ground. He was about to pound on the opponent when the opponent spit on his face. The prophet held the opponent’s hand and pull him up.
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When asked why the prophet let the opponent go when he had every oppotunity to brutilize him, he responded that if he had pounded on him and killed him, it would have been because the oppotent spit on his face and not because they were in a battle. He would have pounded on him with the anger of the spit on his face and not because he was defending his umma (muslim community). The opponent accepted Islam on hearing this.
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The prophet only waged war in self-defence. He never initiated battle againt his neighbour rather, vice versa. Violence is the last resort in Islam for physical defence of umma (muslim community) and it should not be a means to force people to accept Islam. Allah says in Quran Chaper 2 Verse 190: "Fight in the ways of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Verily, Allah does not like transgressors." FIGHT THOSE WHO FIGHT YOU, Allah says!
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A non-muslim may pose a question, why does the Quran talk about fight? Why doesn't it talk about love all through? Quran is a complete guide for the whole of humanity. It guides us on every issues and matters. It talks about everything. It addresses miscellanous issues and so does it address the inevitable phenomenon of conflict/battle. According to Karl Marx, conflict is inevitable in every human society in as much as there are social groups (Christianity, Hinduism, Islam.) with deferring interests and ideologies.
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However, the prophet warns muslims against wishing for a battle. But if muslims are forced to encounter the oponent in defence of their community, they must do so with utmost patience. In the course of defending muslim community againt attacking force, the prophet discourages the killing of children, women, elderly persons, sick persons, monks in the monasteries, persons sitting in places of worship, mutilation of dead body, uprooting or burning of palm or cutting down of fruitful trees, striking in the face, destruction of villages, spoiling cultivated fields and gardens, and the use of fire.
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Etymologically, the word Islam is derived from the arabic word 'salaam' which means peace. It also means submiting one's will to Allah (God). Submittng one's will to Allah means that one follows all the teaching of the Holy Quran and prophet Muhammed (SAW). Thus, Islam is a religion of peace and the peace is acquired by adhering to the teachings of the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammed (SAW) which forbid violence, terrorism, forcing people to accept Islam, eating pork, drinking alcohol, gambling, oppression, exploitation, fornication, argument and a lot more.
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Allahu A'lam (Allah Knows Best)