The talk is still about the human being as an individual along with the society as an integrated society of faith. This verse is about a question raised before Prophet Muhammad (saws) in one of the Saraya (a battle that the Prophet Muhammad (saws) didn’t lead). In this battle, Abdallah Bin Jahsh (May allah be pleased with him) with six of the Muslims went for reconnaissance, but they fought with the disbelievers near Mecca. The incident took place early in the month of Rajab, which is a sacred month. The number of months in the Holy Quran is 12, and four among them are sacred: Rajab on its own and Thul-Qida, Thul-Hijja and Muharram in a row. Those months used to be special even before Islam as Arabs used to not fight in them. Even that a man may see his father’s killer in these months and yet he doen not touch him. When Islam came, it maintained the sacredness of such month so that people keep the peace in them. Fighting was so common in the pre-Islam era, but not during the sacred months. In addition, fighting is prohibited inside the “Al-Masjid al-Haram” in Mecca. So, there was much argument when the fight referred to in the verse took place early in the month of Rajab. Consequently, the verse was revealed. It has taken for granted, however, if a verse is revealed for a specific reason or case, the meaning and application remains general and not restricted to that case or reason. The Quranic verses used to be revealed after certain incidents had taken place. Then, the rules concluded out of them are applied everywhere at every time. The acts and orders of Prophet Muhammad (saws) interpret the Holy Quran, and there shall be no doubt about that:
{وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا }
(And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from.) (Al-Hashr:7)
( يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ ۖ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ ) (They ask you about the sacred month – about fighting therein. Say, “Fighting therein is great [sin]..): still, there is much more:
( وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِندَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ ۗ) (but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing..): Forcing people out of their homeland and homes and encroaching upon them is far greater than the sacredness of the sacred months as well as the holy place (Al-Masjid Al-Haram). Fitnah (strife), above all, is greater than killing. We came across this verse earlier:
{وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ }
(and fitnah is worse than killing.) (Al-Hajj:39-40)
And in this verse under study we have: (And fitnah is greater than killing.)
There is no repetition in the Holy Quran of course, yet, it is the Quranic context. The talk is always a reflection of the speaker, and here we have the talk of Allah (swt). For example, when you say something, and for Allah is the highest attribute -since we exemplify by way of approximation rather than figuration- the value of your talk would be according to your attribute and status. So, the talk is a reflection of the speaker. Allah’s talks are of His attributes, which are those of perfection and sublimity with no defections. The defections are exclusively in the way of inferring or the way people understand the implications of what Allah (swt) says. Prophet Muhammad (saws) is the one who interpreted what Allah (swt) says. (And fitnah is greater than killing.) means that the strife in its greatness exceeds the impact of killing; and (…and fitnah is worse than killing.) means that the strife has more impact than killing. It’s like a crime against the whole society as strives damage societies. They turn all norms upside down. Fitnah, or strife, stems from misleading and claiming the wrong to be right. When strife hits a society, it makes blood, honor and money permissible, leading to killing and destruction just like wars, crimes, and terrorism do.
( وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِندَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ ) (…and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing…): Hence, we should be cautious not to take a single matter to block the religion as a whole. We must not extract a verse out of its Quranic context and generalize it on issues other than the ones meant by Allah (swt). Therefore, we must not take parts that are contrary to the essence of the religion; what is the essence of the religion? It is the five things that are considered to be the basics that Islam has maintained:
1- Preserving one’s soul,
2- Preserving one’s mind,
3- Protecting one’s honor,
4- Preserving one’s money, and
5- Keeping one’s faith.
Those are called the “five musts.” The Sharia criteria are all under such rules. You mustn’t take one particularity of the religion a justification to ignore one of its “must’s:” like justifying killing other people under one particularity of the religion, or extract a particularity of the religion relate to a specific case or issue which has its own grounds, then misinterpret or publish it to people. This is how terrorist movements act. Where does the word “terrorism” which they accused Islam of come from while Allah (swt) says:
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ }
(O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.) (Al-Baqara: 208)
“Islam” is derived from the Arabic word which means “peace.” So, where does the word terrorism come from? And how it comes that “terrorism” is attributed to Islam!! Simply, they have taken one verse of the Holy Qur’an ignoring that the implications of Arabic terms are totally different than other languages’:
{وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ}
(And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy…) (Al-Anfal: 60)
Thus, they have taken the word “terrify” for “terrorism”. In Arabic, however, the meaning of “terrify” or the term “terrorism” is totally different from the meaning attributed to the term “terrorism” today. Today, “terrorism” as a term refers widely to terrifying safe people and assaulting them, killing, blowing, booby-trapping, sabotaging, and spreading fear among people. Nonetheless, the meaning of “terrify” in the verse is to deter enemies from assaulting you; and that’s totally different; it is by way of getting prepared. This is the lingual and religious meaning of this word. As explained in earlier verses:
{إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ }
(..Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors.) (Al-Baqara: 190)
{وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ }
(..And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him].) (At-Tawbah: 36)
Thereby, fighting is exclusively lawful in case of transgression and not for the cause of doctrine differences. This is a substantial difference here. Fighting has always to do with repelling assaults and transgression, and no one should interpret the verses contrary to their actual meanings.
( وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَن دِينِكُمْ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا ۚ وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ ُ ) (And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever – for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.): This is because they prevent people from exercising their freedom of choice. Since it has been revealed, Islam never asks anyone to convert unwillingly or forcefully to Islam. Allah (swt) says:
{لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ }
(There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion..) (Al-Baqara: 256)
This is a very clear point. The big question here, then, is why there were the conquests of Muslims? They were because the Muslims had to defend themselves and their home and to protect people’s freedom of choice. Muslims never entered any place and forced people to convert ti Islam. They had never said: “either to convert to Islam or to die”. Never, otherwise, nobody other than Muslims would have survived. Such concepts are misunderstood. The groups which clung to terrorism as a doctrine have gone contrary to all heavenly beliefs and they disbelieved in what Allah (swt) says because they kill humans while Allah (swt) guarantees preserving peoples’ blood, money, honors and beliefs. Therefore, the companions of Prophet Muhammad (saws) after him always used to order: “never cut a tree, never set fire to plants, never sabotage, never …..” All of that is aimed at maintaining the “five musts,” to preserve the freedom and beliefs of people. This is the core of Islam and the true religion as revealed to our Prophet Muhammad (saws).