[Sidenote: Sura XLVII, 16, and Sura XLVII, 4 and 5.] Sura XLVIII, 16, is not generally quoted by the canonical legists in support of their theory of Jehad, but by some few. It is not in the shape of a command or injunction; it is in a prophetical tone:-- "Say to those Arabs of the desert who stayed behind, Ye shall be called forth against a people of mighty valour; Ye shall do battle with them, or they shall submit (_Yoslemoon_)[321]...." The verses 4 and 5 of Sura XLVII, like all other verses on the subject, appertain to the wars of defence, and no one has ever quoted them for wars of aggression. These verses have already been quoted at page 85. The abolition of the future slavery as enjoined in the 5th verse has been treated separately in Appendix B. The Arabs, like other barbarous nations round them, used either to kill the prisoners of war or to enslave them; but this injunction of the Koran abolished both of these barbarous practices. The prisoners henceforward were neither to be killed nor enslaved, but were to be set at liberty with or without ransom. [Footnote 289: Ata, a learned legist of Mecca, who flourished at the end of the first century of the Hegira, and held a high rank there as a juris-consult, (_vide_ para. 112) held, that Jihad was only incumbent on the Companions of the Prophet, and was not binding on any one else after them. See para. 112, and _Tafsir Majma-ul-Bayan_ by Tabrasee under Sura II. 212.] [Footnote 290: The _Hedaya_ or Guide; or, A Commentary on the Mussulman Laws, translated by Charles Hamilton; Vol. II, Book IX, Ch. I, page 140 London, MDCCXCI.] [Footnote 291: The _Hedaya_ or Guide; or, A Commentary on the Mussulman Laws, translated by Charles Hamilton; Vol. II, Book IX, Ch. I, page 141.] [Footnote 292: "Arab _Kattal_; meaning war in its _operation_, such as _fighting_, _slaying_," &c.] [Footnote 293: The _Hedaya_, Vol. II, 141.] [Footnote 294: Sura II, 187.] [Footnote 295: The Hedaya, with its commentary called Kifaya, Vol. II, p. 708. Calcutta Medical Press, 1834. As a general rule the Mohammadan authors do not refer to the verses of the Koran by their number. They generally quote the first sentence, or even a portion of it. The No. of verses are mine. I have followed Fluegel and Rodwell's numbers of verses in their editions and translations of the Koran.] [Footnote 296: Kifaya as before.] [Footnote 297: _Binayah_, a commentary of the _Hedaya_, by Ainee. Vol. II, Part II, page 789.] [Footnote 298: Part. III, page 219.] [Footnote 299: _Tuhfatul Muhtaj fi Sharah-al-Minhaj_, Part IV, page 137.] [Footnote 300: _Insan-ul-Oyoon_, Part II, pp. 289, 291. Chapter on "Campaign."] [Footnote 301: Sura IX, 5 and 12. These verses have been discussed at pages 51-55.] [Footnote 302: "The Jihad will last till the day of the Resurrection." "I have been enjoined to fight the people until they confess there is no god but the God." For these traditions see the next para.]