THE COMMAND TO FIGHT

“And fight in God’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression—for surely, God does not love aggressors. (Quran, 2:190).The meaning of “transgress” (i’tida) is to exceed or go beyond. In this context, it refers to aggression. Al-Raghib al-Asfahani explains this as the beginning of aggression, meaning an unprovoked attack (Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran, p. 327).

A hadith mentions that the Prophet of Islam  said: “O people, do not wish for a confrontation with the enemy, and ask God for peace.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 2966)

This indicates that Islam is fundamentally a religion of peace. Peace is the general rule in Islam, and war is only permitted as an exception. This exception applies in situations where others initiate aggression. In such cases, war may be fought in defense. However, Islam does not allow initiating war.

This defense, however, is conditional. From studying the practices of the Prophet, it becomes clear that, even when the opposing side creates conditions for war, the initial effort is always to prevent the conflict from escalating into war. But if all attempts to avoid war fail and the opposing side initiates the war, then, as a last resort, war is permitted in defense.

Islam is not a religion of political conquest or domination—it seeks to embed its teachings in human hearts. At its core, Islam is a path of intellectual and spiritual growth. Such a mission inherently values peace, for war disrupts the very environment essential for intellectual and moral development. Peace creates the conditions necessary for an atmosphere of tazkiyah (purification of the soul), while war obstructs it.