" And what reason have you not to fight in the way of Allah and for the oppressed among men and women and children who say: Our Lord! take us forth from the town whereof the people are oppressors and grant us from Thee a friend and grant us from Thee a helper" (iv. 75). 

War in Islam is waged with a view to securing liberty and freedom for those who are suffering under the oppression of heartless tyrants. It is a Muslim duty to alleviate the sufferings of the oppressed and create for them an atmosphere of peace and security. In the next verse a distinction is drawn between two types of war: one which is fought for the sake of Allah and the other which is waged for evil ends:

"Those who believe fight in the way of Allah and those who disbelieve fight in the way of devil. So fight against the friends of Satan; verily weak indeed is the strategy of the devil" (iv. 76). 

People who fight for personal gain or glory, or to exploit the weak are evil, whereas those who fight to curb tyranny and aggression and to eradicate evil from human society, fight in the way of Allah. Mere fighting is not Jihad. The noble objective defines Jihad, making war a sacred pursuit and duty like devotion and prayer. Like the bee, a Muslim only stings when his God loving nature is oppressed by injustice. A classic example of this is the struggle of the Palestinians against the Jewish Israelis. More powerful, more aggressive and more hateful, the Jew oppressed the Palestinian until a violent reaction broke out.

To give another people their right usually means giving up some of your rights; but this is necessary. Thomas Hobbes, the English philosopher and Christian elucidated this principle as a law of nature:

“A MAN BE WILLING, WHEN OTHERS ARE SO TOO, AS FARRE-FORTH, AS FOR PEACE, AND DEFENSE OF HIMSELF HE SHALL THINK IT NECESSARY, TO LAY DOWN THIS RIGHT TO ALL THINGS; AND BE CONTENTED WITH SO MUCH LIBERTY AGAINST OTHER MEN, AS HE WOULD OTHER MEN AGAINST HIMSELF. DO NOT THAT TO ANOTHER, WHICH THOU WOULDST NOT HAVE DONE TO THY SELFE."

The way to peace is through this route. An example of the fruits of this route can be seen in the peaceful transition from an apartheid government to democratic rule in South Africa. The people that gave up this control that secured political rights for a single race - the whites - lost all political domination when the black majority voted themselves into power. However, by giving up this political domination, which required oppression to maintain, peace was secured in a diverse country, racism eliminated and a nation was born.

War in Islam is defensive and has rules ensuring minimal damage. In Sahih Muslim in “The Book of Jihad and Expedition” (Kitab Al-Jihad wa'l-Siyar), (Chapter 8: PROHIBITION OF KILLING WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN WAR. Book 19, Number 4319:) we read :

“It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah that a woman was found killed in one of the battles fought by the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He disapproved of the killing of women and children.”

Islam has purified war, making it reformative process to counteract and respond to evil. In the Holy Qur'an, we find, " And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you and transgress not the limits. Verily Allah loves not the transgressors" (ii. 190). Yusuf Ali, in his commentary of the Holy Quraan, explains these limits:

“War is only permissible in self-defence, and under well-defined limits. When undertaken, it must be pushed with vigour, but not relentlessly, but only to restore peace and freedom for the worship of God. In any case strict limits must not be transgressed: women, children, old and infirm men should not be molested, nor trees and crops cut down, nor peace withheld when the enemy comes to terms.”

The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) gave clear instructions on the behaviour of the Muslim army, observing:

" Set out for Jibad in the name of Allah and for the sake of Allah. Do not lay hands on the old verging on death, on women, children and babes. Do not steal anything from the booty and collect together all that falls to your lot in the battlefield and do good, for Allah loves the virtuous and the pious."

The destruction of an enemy's crops or property is also strictly forbidden. The righteous Caliphs closely followed the teachings of Allah and those of His Apostle. Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him), the first Caliph, said to his army on sending them on the expedition to the Syrian borders, " Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules for your guidance in the battlefield. 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" 

In Maalik's Muwatta (Book 21, Number 21.3.10), we read that on sending armies to ash-Sham, Abu Bakr advised Yazid:

"I advise you ten things: Do not kill women or children or an aged, infirm person. Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees. Do not destroy an inhabited place. Do not slaughter sheep or camels except for food. Do not burn bees and do not scatter them. Do not steal from the booty, and do not be cowardly."

Clearly in terrorsim, and the tools of modern war, such as smart bombs and atomic weapons, such restraint cannot be followed as the kill innocent people, including women and children. This makes the modern means of war by the state and the terrorist both illegal in Islamic terms. As such we are entering the era when weapons should be turned into ploughshears and believers should retreat to the mountains with their sheep, as described in Sahih Muslim. (Book 41Number 6896. The Book Pertaining to the Turmoil and Portents of the Last Hour (Kitab Al-Fitan wa Ashrat As-Sa`ah).):

“Abu Bakr reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There would soon be turmoil. Behold! there would be turmoil in which the one who would be seated would be better than one who would stand and the one who would stand would be better than one who would run. Behold! when the turmoil comes or it appears, the one who has camel should stick to his camel and he who has sheep or goat should stick to his sheep and goat and he who has land should stick to the land. A person said: 'Allah's Messenger, what is your opinion about one who has neither camel nor sheep nor land? Thereupon, he said: He should take hold of his sword and beat its edge with the help of stone and then try to find a way of escape. O Allah, I have conveyed (Thy Message) ; O Allah, I have conveyed (Thy Message) ; O Allah, I have conveyed (Thy Message). A person said: Allah's Messenger, what is your opinion it I am drawn to a rank in spite of myself, or in one of the groups and made to march and a man strikes with his sword or there comes an arrow and kills me? Thereupon he said: He will bear the punishment of his sin and that of yours and he would be one amongst the denizens of Hell.”

So, let us seek peace with man and God and live in harmony with nature.