Tuesday, December 30, 2008

And they say Islam is a 'religion of terror'..

If you haven't found out already..

Missiles rained on Gaza..

Everything in their path was destroyed..

More than 350 Palestinians were killed..

More than 1400 were injured..

Many were made up civilians.. including the aged, women and children

The US Government say Israel has the right to defend themselves

As it stands for now, only 2 Israelis have been killed and a few others wounded..

And the missiles keep coming..


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Islam sets down clear guidelines as to when war is ethically right, and clear guidelines as to how such a war should be conducted.

In brief, war is permitted:

* in self defence
* when other nations have attacked an Islamic state
* if another state is oppressing its own Muslims


War should be conducted:

* in a disciplined way
* so as to avoid injuring non-combatants
* with the minimum necessary force
* without anger
* with humane treatment towards prisoners of war


Muslims must only wage war according to the principles of Allah's justice.

{Those who believe fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of Taghut (Satan)..} -Qur'an 4:76

Islam allows war in self-defence (Qur'an 22:39), to defend Islam (rather than to spread it), to protect those who have been removed from their homes by force because they are Muslims (Qur'an 22:40), and to protect the innocent who are being oppressed (Qur'an 4:75).

The conduct of war

Islam bans the killing of non-combatants (Qur'an 2:190), or of a combatant who has been captured.

Muslims are forbidden from attacking wounded soldiers (unless the wounded person is still fighting).

The Prophet's view of non-combatants is shown by a hadith in which Muhammad sees a woman killed in the battlefield and condemns the action.

When an enemy is defeated he should be made prisoner rather than be killed:

{So when you meet (in fight - Jihad in Allah's Cause) those who disbelieve, then smite (their) necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden..}
Qur'an 47:4

Abu Bakr (the First Caliph) gave these rules to an army he was sending to battle:

Do not commit treachery or deviate from the right path.

You must not mutilate dead bodies.

Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man.

Bring no harm to the trees, nor burn them with fire, especially those which are fruitful.

Slay not any of the enemy's flock, save for your food.

You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them alone


- Abu Bakr

A noble example of ideal Muslim conduct of war is the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187. Although a number of holy Muslim places had been violated by Christians, Saladin prohibited acts of vengeance, and his army was so disciplined that there were no deaths or violence after the city surrendered. The residents were taken prisoner, but their ransom was set at a token amount. (source --> http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/islamethics/war.shtml)

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Quote from "Ar-Raheequl-Makhtum", The Sealed Nectar, a biography of the Noble Prophet(s.a.w) pg 684, during Dhul-Qa'dah, 6 A.H. about the Muslims' efforts under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w) to propagate Islam in the Arabian Peninsula bearing in mind, during that period, the Arab idolaters were claiming religious leadership and were always the war instigators..

"The Muslims did not have in mind to seize people's property or kill them through bloody wars, nor did they ever think or using any compulsive approaches in their efforts to propagate Islam, on the contrary, their sole target was to provide an atmosphere of freedom in ideology or religion:

"Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve" [al-Kahfi 18:29]

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