A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád'/Appendix A/16
[Sidenote: (4) The Bee, XVI, 108, 111.]
- 16. "Whoso after he hath believed in God denieth Him if he were forced to it, and if his heart remain steadfast in the faith, shall be guiltless; but whoso openeth his heart to infidelity—on them, in that case, shall be wrath from God, and a severe punishment awaiteth them."
- "To those also who after their trials fled their country, then (Jáhadoo) toiled and endured with patience. Verily, thy Lord will afterwards be forgiving, gracious."
Dr. Sprenger (Life of Mohammad, p. 159) explains this verse of the seven slaves purchased and manumitted by Abu Bekr. They had been tortured for professing Islam, shortly after Mohammad assumed the prophetic office. The flight referred to in verse 111th is the early Abyssinian flight. These verses relate to the persecutions endured by humble and needy Moslems from their townspeople of Mecca. These Moslems, after being persecuted and forced as far as denying God, while their remaining steadfast in the faith, had to flee elsewhere, and then suffered much in their wanderings; but they endured their labours and fatigues, losses, disadvantages both in body and mind, patiently. There is no allusion to fighting or waging war. The Rev. Mr. Rodwell and Mr. Palmer are both wrong in translating 'Jáhadoo ' as fighting. Sale is right in not translating it as fighting, but he is too paraphrastic when he translates, "and who have since fought in defence of the true religion," as their "Jihád" was only their great exertion and toil in suffering from persecutions.