In this series of articles, I will tackle some of the most controversial concepts in Islam, and shed some light on it using the Qur’an, and its tafsier from four different scholars, who are Al-Jalalyin, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Kathier, and Maududi. Those four scholars are the most reputable, and respected people whom their tafsier are mostly used to understand the qur’an, around the Muslim world.
So let us start our journey with the word terrorism, and what it tells Muslims in the Qur’an.
Qur'an:8:12 "I shall terrorize the infidels. So wound their bodies and incapacitate them because they oppose Allah and His Apostle."
Al Jalalyn
When your Lord inspired the angels, with whom He reinforced the Muslims, [saying]: ‘I am with you, with assistance and victorious help, so make the believers stand firm, by helping [them] and giving [them] good tidings. I shall cast terror, fear, into the hearts of the disbelievers; so smite above the necks, that is, the heads, and smite of them every finger!’, that is, [smite] the extremities of their hands and feet: thus, when one of them went to strike an disbeliever’s head, it would roll off before his sword reached it. The Prophet (s) threw a handful of pebbles against them and every single idolater was struck in his eye, and thus they were defeated.
Ibn Abbas
(When your Lord inspired the angels) it is also said that this means: when your Lord commanded the angels, ((saying:) I am with you) I will help you. (So make those who believe stand firm) in war; it is also said that this means: give those who believe the good news of victory. (I will throw) cast (fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve) the fear of Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions. (Then smite the necks) their heads (and smite of them each finger) each shaped finger.
Maududi
[12-14] And remember when your Lord was inspiring the angels with this: "I am with you: so keep the Believers steadfast. I am now going to fill the hearts of the disbelievers with awe: so smite their necks and beat every joint of their bodies.10 This is because they have opposed Allah and His Messenger; whoso opposes Allah and His Messenger, surely Allah is very severe for him in retribution.11 This12 is the punishment for you: so taste it now: you should also know that there is the torture of Hell for those who deny the Truth.
Ibn Kathier
(11. (Remember) when He covered you with a slumber as a security from Him, and He caused water (rain) to descend on you from the sky, to clean you thereby and to remove from you the Rijz (whispering or dirt) of Shaytan, and to strengthen your hearts, and make your feet firm thereby.) (12. (Remember) when your Lord revealed to the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes.'') (13. This is because they defied and disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever defies and disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then verily, Allah is severe in punishment. ) (14. This is (the torment), so taste it; and surely, for the disbelievers is the torment of the Fire.)
Qur'an:8:57 "If you gain mastery over them in battle, inflict such a defeat as would terrorize them, so that they would learn a lesson and be warned."
Al Jalalyn
So if (fa-immā: here the letter nūn of the conditional particle in, ‘if’, has been assimilated with the extra mā) you come upon them, [if] you find them, anywhere in the war, [deal with them so as to] cause those, fighters, behind them to scatter, to disperse, by making an example of them and punishing them, so that they, the ones behind them, might remember, [that they might] take heed from their example.
Ibn abbas
(If thou comest on them) if you imprison them (in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them) such that they serve as a lesson to those who are behind them, (that haply they may remember) i.e. take admonition and avoid breaking their treaties.
Maududi
[55-59] Indeed the vilest creatures in the sight of Allah are those people who denied the Truth, and then would not believe in it. As regards those from among them with whom you made treaties and who violate them time after time and do not fear Allah in the least,41 if you encounter them in combat, make of them a fearsome example for others who would follow them so that they might be unnerved.42 It is expected that they will learn a lesson from the end of the treacherous people. And if you ever fear treachery from any people, throw their treaty openly before them;43 indeed Allah does not like the treacherous people. Let not those who deny the Truth delude themselves that they have won the game; indeed they are incapable of frustrating Us.
Ibn Kathier
(55. Verily, the worst of living creatures before Allah are those who disbelieve, -- so they shall not believe.) (56. They are those with whom you made a covenant, but they break their covenant every time and they do not have Taqwa.) (57. So if you gain the mastery over them in war, then disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.)
Qur'an:8:67 "It is not fitting for any prophet to have prisoners until he has made a great slaughter in the land."
Al Jalalyn
The following was revealed when they ransomed those taken captive at Badr: It is not for any Prophet to have (read as an takūna lahu or an yakūna lahu) prisoners until he has made slaughter in the land, going all the way in fighting disbelievers. You, O believers, desire the transient things of this world, its ephemeral gains, by ransoming, while God desires, for you, the Hereafter, that is, its reward, through your killing them; and God is Mighty, Wise: this was abrogated by His words [and set them free] afterward either with grace or by ransom [Q. 47:4].
Ibn Abbas
(It is not for any Prophet) it is not proper for any Prophet (to have captives) from among disbelievers (until he hath made slaughter) until he conquers (in the land) by means of fighting. (Ye desire the lure of this world) by taking ransoms for the prisoners of Badr (and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty) in His retribution against His enemies, (Wise) by helping His friends.
Maududi
[67-69] It does not behoove a prophet to keep captives until he has crushed down the enemies in the land. You desire the gains of this world, but Allah desires (for you the good of) the Hereafter; and Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise. Had there not been a decree that had already been given by Allah, you would have incurred a severe chastisement in consequence of what you have taken. So eat of what you have taken as spoils for it is lawful and pure. And fear Allah.49 Surely Allah is Forgiving and Compassionate.
Ibn Kathier
(67. It is not (fitting) for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has fought (his enemies thoroughly) in the land. You desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) (68. Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took.) (69. So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and have Taqwa of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Prophet asked the people for their opinion about the prisoners of war of Badr, saying,
Qur'an:59:2 "It was Allah who drove the [Jewish] People of the Book from their homes and into exile. They refused to believe and imagined that their strongholds would protect them against Allah. But Allah came at them from where they did not suspect, and filled their hearts with terror. Their homes were destroyed. So learn a lesson, O men who have eyes. This is My warning...they shall taste the torment of Fire."
Al Jalalyn
It is He Who expelled those who disbelieved of the People of the Scripture, namely, the Jews of the Banū al-Nadīr, from their homelands, [from] their dwellings at Medina, at the first exile, that is, their exile to Syria, the last [exile] being their banishment to Khaybar by ‘Umar during his caliphate. You did not think, O believers, that they would go forth, and they thought that they would be protected (māni‘atuhum is the predicate of an, ‘that’) by their fortresses (husūnuhum, the agent of the verb [māni‘atuhum], with which the predication is completed) from God, from His chastisement. But God, His command and His chastisement, came at them from whence they had not reckoned, [from whence] had never occurred to them, from the part of the believers, and He cast terror (ru‘b or ru‘ub) into their hearts, by having their chief Ka‘b b. al-Ashraf slain, destroying [as they did] (read yukharribūna; or yukhribūna, [derived] from [4th form] akhraba) their houses, in order to take away with them what they valued of wood and so on, with their own hands and the hands of the believers. So take heed, O you who have eyes!
Ibn Abbas
(He it is Who hath caused those of the People of the Scripture who disbelieved) i.e. Banu'l-Nadir (to go forth from their homes) and fortresses (unto the first exile) because they are the first to be gathered and exiled from Medina to Historic Syria, and specifically to Jericho and Adhri'at, as a result of breaking their covenants with the Prophet (pbuh) after the battle of Uhud. (Ye deemed not) you did not have any hope, O group of believers, (that they) i.e. Banu'l-Nadir (would go forth) from Medina to Historic Syria, (while they) the Banu'l-Nadir (deemed that their strongholds) their fortresses (would protect them from Allah) from Allah's chastisement. (But Allah reached them) Allah punished them and humiliated them through the killing of Ka'b Ibn al-Ashraf (from a place whereof they reckoned not) they did not think that Ka'b Ibn al-Ashraf would be killed nor did they have any fear regarding this, (and cast terror in their hearts) fear from Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions, when they did not fear them at all before this (so that they ruined their houses) some of their houses (with their own hands) and throw its stones on the believers (and the hands of the believers) and they left some of their homes to the believers who destroyed them and threw their stones at them. (So learn a lesson, O ye who have eyes!) learn a lesson, O you who have insight in Religion, from what Allah has done to them concerning their exile.
Maududi
[1-2] All that there is in the heavens and the earth has glorified only Allah, for He alone is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.1 He it is Who drove the disbelievers from among the people of the Book out of their houses2 at the very first assault.3 You did not think that they would ever go out, and they too on their part were thinking that their fortresses would protect them from Allah,4 but Allah came upon them whence they had little expected.5 He cast terror into their hearts with the result that they were destroying their dwellings by their own hands as well as by the hands of the believers.6 So, take heed, O you who have eyes to see!7
Ibn Kathier
(2. The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord;) (3. Who perform the Salah and spend out of what We have provided them.) (4. It is they who are the believers in truth. For them are grades of dignity with their Lord, and forgiveness and a generous provision (Paradise).)
Qur'an:33:60 "Truly, if the Hypocrites stir up sedition, if the agitators in the City do not desist, We shall urge you to go against them and set you over them. Then they will not be able to stay as your neighbors for any length of time. They shall have a curse on them. Whenever they are found, they shall be seized and slain without mercy - a fierce slaughter - murdered, a horrible murdering."
Al Jalalyn
If (la-in, the lām is for oaths) the hypocrites do not desist, from their hypocrisy, and likewise those in whose hearts is a sickness, [in their urge] to fornicate, as well as the scaremongers in the city, who alarm the believers by saying [to them things like], ‘Your enemy is here and your raiding parties have been massacred!’, or [they say to them], ‘They have been defeated!’. Assuredly We will urge you [to take action] against them, We will give you sway over them, then they will not be your neighbours, they will not dwell near you, in it except for a little [while], after which they will depart.
Ibn abbas
(If the hypocrites) 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his host in their scheming and treachery, (and those in whose hearts is a disease) the desire to fornicate, (and the alarmists) those who follow the faults of the believers; these are the people won over to Islam through gifts and money (al-mu'allafah) (in the city) in Medina (do not cease, We verify shall urge thee on against them) We shall set you against them, (then they will be your neighbours in it) they will not live in the same city of Medina (but a little while) except for a short period.
Maududi
[60-62] If the hypocrites and those whose hearts are diseased113 and the scandal-mongers in Madinah114 do not desist, We shall stir you up to take action against them; then they will hardly be able to live in this city as your neighbors. They will be cursed from every side and will be seized wherever they are found and killed mercilessly. This has been the Way of Allah with regard to such people before, and you will never find any change in the Way of Allah.115
Ibn Kathier
(59. O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their Jalabib over their bodies. That will be better that they should be known so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (60. If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease, and those who spread false news among the people in Al-Madinah stop not, We shall certainly let you overpower them, then they will not be able to stay in it as your neighbors but a little while.) (61. Accursed, they shall be seized wherever found, and killed with a (terrible) slaughter.) (62. That was the way of Allah in the case of those who passed away of old, and you will not find any change in the way of Allah.)
Qur'an:3:151 "Soon We shall strike terror into the hearts of the Infidels, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be in the Fire!"
Al Jalalyn
We will cast terror (read ru‘b or ru‘ub) into the hearts of the disbelievers: after departing from Uhud they resolved to return in order to exterminate the Muslims, but they were terrified and did not return; for what they have associated, because of their associating, with God that for which He has revealed no warrant, that is, [no] argument in support of its worship, namely, idols; their abode shall be the Fire; evil is the abode, the resting place, of the evildoers, the disbelievers.
Ibn Abbas
Allah then mentioned the defeat of the unbelievers on the Day of Uhud, saying: (We shall cast terror) fear of you such that they run from you (into the hearts of those who disbelieve) the unbelievers of Mecca (because they ascribe unto Allah partners, for which no warrant hath been revealed) either in a Scripture nor taught by a messenger. (Their habitation) their dwelling-place (is the Fire, and hapless the abode of the wrong-doers) the dwelling-place of the unbelievers is the Fire.
Ibn Kathier
(149. O you who believe! If you obey those who disbelieve, they will send you back on your heels, and you will turn back as losers.) (150. Nay, Allah is your protector, and He is the best of helpers.) (151. We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they joined others in worship with Allah, for which He sent no authority; their abode will be the Fire and how evil is the abode of the wrongdoers.) (152. And Allah did indeed fulfill His promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His permission; until Fashiltum and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you what you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them, that He might test you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is Most Gracious to the believers.) (153. (And remember) when you ran away without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger was in your rear calling you back. There did Allah give you one distress after another by way of requital, to teach you not to grieve for that which had escaped you, nor for what struck you. And Allah is Well-Aware of all that you do.)
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