A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád': Showing that all the Wars of Mohammad Were Defensive; and; that Aggressive War, or Compulsory Conversion, is not; Allowed in The Koran - 1885Cherágh Ali
Islamic
A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád': Showing that all the Wars of Mohammad Were Defensive; and; that Aggressive War, or Compulsory Conversion, is not; Allowed in The Koran - 1885
Cherágh Ali
Islam -- Apologetic works; Islam -- Relations; Jihad; War -- Religious aspects -- Islam
4. "When ye encounter the unbelievers strike off their heads, till
ye have made a great slaughter among them, and of _the rest_ make
fast the fetters."
5. "And afterwards let there either be free dismissals or
ransoming, till the war hath laid down its burdens. Thus do...."
_Sura_ XLVII.
These verses convey very clearly the decree of the abolition of future
slavery, and do not require any further remarks. Moreover they were
acted upon accordingly even in the lifetime of the Prophet.
[Sidenote: None of the prisoners of war were enslaved.]
3. None of the prisoners of Badr A.H. 2, of Karkart-al-Kadr A.H. 3, of
Katan in Najd A.H. 4, of Zat-al Riqa[343] A.H. 5, of Bani Mustalik A.H.
5, of Koreiza A.H. 5, of Batan Makka A.H. 6,[344] or of Honain (Hawazin)
A.H. 8,[345] was enslaved. All, without an exception, were set free
either by way of free dismissal, or by exacting ransom (in cash or in
exchange of Moslem prisoners) in strict conformity with the dictates of
Sura XLVII, 5. There were no prisoners in the battles of Ohad A.H. 3,
Ahzab A.H. 5, and Khyber A.H. 7.[346]
[Sidenote: Bani Koreiza not enslaved.]
4. Some will contend regarding the Bani Koreiza that their women and
children were made slaves, and as such sold in Najd. Sir W. Muir quotes
the judgment of Sad in the case of the Bani Koreiza,--"That the female
captives and the children shall be sold into slavery," and that it was
approved of by Mohammad. He writes further:--
"A fifth of the booty was, as usual, reserved for the Prophet, and
the rest divided. From the fifth Mahomet made certain presents to
his friends of female slaves and servants; and then sent the rest
of the women and children to be sold among the Bedouin tribes of
Najd in exchange for horses and arms."[347]
I have shown in para. 30 of this book (pages 37 and 38) that Mohammad
never appreciated the judgment of Sad. And I have further to add that
the said judgment, according to true reports, did not contain the
illegal verdict of enslaving the women and children of the Bani Koreiza,
as this might have gone directly against the Koran and the precedents of
the Prophet. In the collections of Bokhari, Book of Campaigns, Chapter
on Bani Koreiza, there are two traditions cited on the subject. Both of
them quote the words of Sad to the effect that "the women and children
be imprisoned." The same is the case in Bokhari's other chapters (Book
of _Jihad_, Chapter on the Surrender of Enemy, Book of _Manakib_,
Chapter on the Merits of Sad).
It is not a fact that Mohammad made certain presents to his friends of
the female slaves out of the captives of Bani Koreiza. The captives were
not made slaves, therefore it is wrong to confound captives with slaves.
There is no proof to the effect that they were enslaved. The Koran
distinctly says that they were prisoners (Sura XXXIII, 26).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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