"And
likewise, from those who say: ‘We are Christians’,
WE have accepted a solemn pledge: and they too have
forgotten much of what they had been told to bear
in mind - wherefore WE have given rise among them
to enmity and hatred to last until Resurrection
Day: and in time ALLAH will cause them to understand
what they have contrived."
In
the verse preceding this verse, similar remarks
are found regarding the Jews, who according to the
Holy Qur’an were degenerated Muslims. By means
of these verses the Muslims are being warned to
keep up all those moral conditions, which they have
been advised, otherwise they will face the same
destiny. The history tells us the Muslims also shed
their own blood and perpetuated enmity in their
hearts for one another. This verse is not legitimizing
enmity against any religious group but a moral is
put forward for right conduct.
Objection
18:
It is on Chapter 4 Verse 89, the translation follows:
"They
would love to see you deny the truth even as they
have denied it, so that you should be like them.
Do not, therefore, take them for your allies until
they migrate for the sake of ALLAH; and if they
revert to open enmity, seize them and slay them
wherever you may find them. And do not take any
of them for your ally or giver of succor."
While
reading this verse, the question that crops up in
our minds is that - who are ‘they’?
The answer is in the preceding verse. These people
are hypocrites ‘Munafiqeen’, pseudo
Muslims. They are insincere in their faith. The
following verse enumerates those conditions, which
guide us while entering into a treaty with another
people. The verse 90 is:
"Unless
it be such of them as have ties with people whom
you yourselves are bound by a covenant, or such
as come unto you because their hearts shrink from
the thought of making war either on you or on
their own folk - although, if ALLAH had willed
to make them stronger than you, they would certainly
have made war on you. Thus if they let you be,
and do not make war on you, and offer you peace,
ALLAH does not allow you to harm them."
There
is no reason why the Master of the Universe will
authorize a section of HIS creatures to take action
against another section of HIS creatures. There
should be some sound reason for such authorization,
based upon principles of justice and ethics. The
Muslims must, themselves, take care of such provisions
and conditions, and in their case, abide by them
sincerely. Their violation will surely result in
chaos and mayhem. It should also be remembered that
all instructions and commands are the concern of
the government, the military and their high authorities.
General citizens, Muslims or others, when muddle
in such affairs, PEACE is the first casualty. The
Qur’an proposes chopping off hands as punishment
for stealing. If we happen to overpower a thief
in our house and chop off his hands, this will amount
to taking law in one’s own hands. The proper
step will be to handover such a thief to the concerned
authorities for further action. Such verses are
the field of thought and action for law makers,
legislatures or high powered law making departments.
Common citizens have no right to take laws in their
hands. They should only learn a lesson from the
strict punishments and remain a law-abiding citizen
of a state.
