A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihad' Part 31

|----+-----+----+----+----+--------------------------------------------- |Serial No.

| | No. of the Chapter and the Verse of the Koran.

| | | Original Words. ---------------------------- | | | | George Sale's Translation. } ENGLISH | | | | | Rev. Rodwell's Translation. } | | | | | | Henry Palmer's Translation. } TRANSLATIONS.

|----+-----+----+----+----+--------------------------------------------- | 25 | | | IX. 19 | | | "Jahada"

| | | | "Fighteth"

| | | | | "Fighteth"

| | | | | | "Strenuous."

| 26 | | | IX. 20 | | | "Jahadoo"

| | | | "Fought for his religion."

| | | | | "Do valiantly"

| | | | | | "Fought strenuously."

| 27 | | | IX. 24 | | | "Jihadan"

| | | | "Advancement"

| | | | | "Efforts"

| | | | | | "Fighting strenuously."

| 28 | | | IX. 41 | | | "Jahidoo"

| | | | "Employ your substance and your person for the advancement | | | | of G.o.d's religion."

| | | | | "Contend with your substance and with your person."

| | | | | | "Fight strenuously with your wealth and your | | | | | | persons."

| 29 | | | IX. 44 | | | "Yojahidoo"

| | | | "Employing their substance and their persons for the | | | | advancement of G.o.d's true religion."

| | | | | "Contending with your substance and your person."

| | | | | | "Fighting strenuously."

| 30 | | | IX. 82 | | | "Yojahidoo"

| | | | "Employ their substance and their persons for the | | | | advancement of G.o.d's true religion."

| | | | | "Contending with their riches and their persons."

| | | | | | "Fighting strenuously with their wealth and | | | | | | their persons."

|----+-----+----+----+----+--------------------------------------------- |Serial No.

| | No. of the Chapter and the Verse of the Koran.

| | | Original Words. ---------------------------- | | | | George Sale's Translation. } ENGLISH | | | | | Rev. Rodwell's Translation. } | | | | | | Henry Palmer's Translation. } TRANSLATIONS.

|----+-----+----+----+----+--------------------------------------------- | 31 | | | IX. 87 | | | "Jahidoo"

| | | | "Go forth to war"

| | | | | "Contend"

| | | | | | "Fight strenuously."

| 32 | | | IX. 89 | | | "Jahidoo"

| | | | "Expose their fortunes and their lives."

| | | | | "Contend with purse and persons."

| | | | | | "Strenuous with their wealth and with their | | | | | | person."

| 33 | | | V. 39 | | | "Jahidoo"

| | | | "Fight for his religion."

| | | | | "Contend earnestly"

| | | | | | "Be strenuous."

| 34 | | | V. 58 | | | "Jahd"

| | | | "Most firm"

| | | | | "Most solemn"

| | | | | | "Most strenuous."

| 35 | | | V. 59 | | | "Yojahidoona"

| | | | "They shall fight for the religion of G.o.d."

| | | | | "Will they contend"

| | | | | | "Strenuous."

|----+-----+----+----+----+--------------------------------------------- |Serial No.

| | No. of the Chapter and the Verse of the Koran.

| | | Original Words. ---------------------------- | | | | George Sale's Translation. } ENGLISH | | | | | Rev. Rodwell's Translation. } | | | | | | Henry Palmer's Translation. } TRANSLATIONS.

12. The above verses quoted with remarks. I will now proceed to give a correct translation of all the verses of the Koran referred to above, in the chronological order of the chapters of the Koran as far as it is ascertained together with my observations and remarks on them, and quotations from Mohammadan commentators when necessary.

I.--THE MECCAN SURAS.

[Sidenote: (1) Lokman, x.x.xI, 14.]

13. "But if they exert their utmost (Jahadaka) to make thee to join that with Me of which thou hadst no knowledge, obey them not."

Chapter x.x.xI is one of the oldest of the Meccan Suras, having been revealed between the sixth and tenth year of the Prophet's mission. The admonition relates to a man's behaviour to his parents. He is enjoined to treat them with kindness, but not to obey them if they lead him to polytheism.

Here "_Jahada_" means "if they two (parents) task or toil thee, or make efforts and endeavour (that thou shouldst a.s.sociate any G.o.d with G.o.d),"

and none of the translators and commentators take the word to mean the making of war or hostilities or fighting.

[Sidenote: (2) Furkan, XXV, 53, 54.]

14. "Moreover had We pleasured We had certainly raised up a warner in every city."

"Do not then obey the unbelievers, but by means of this (_Jahid_) exert with them with a (_Jihadan kabira_) strenuous exertion (or labour with great labour)."

This evidently relates to the Koran, or the warning mentioned in the preceding verse, and it is wrong to translate "_Jihad_" as meaning to fight strenuously with them, or as inciting to strenuous fighting as translated by Henry Palmer (Vol. II, p. 88). Mr. Sale and the Rev. Mr.

Rodwell do not translate it fighting, and so Mohammadan commentators.

Fakhr-ud-din Razi (died 606 A.H.), the Imam, in his great commentary says:

"Some say _Jahid hoom bihi Jihadan Kabira_ means to make efforts in preaching, but some say it meant fighting, and others say it meant both; but the former is nearer the truth, as the chapter was revealed at Mecca, and the command for fighting was issued after the Flight, some time afterwards" (Vol. VI, p. 490).

[Sidenote: (3) The Pilgrimage,[329] XXII, 76, 78.]

15. "Believers! bow down with wors.h.i.+p your Lord and work righteousness, haply ye may prosper."

"And ('_Jahidoo_') make efforts in G.o.d, as (_Jihadehi_) your making efforts is His due, He hath elected you, and hath not laid on you any hards.h.i.+p in religion, the Faith of your father Abraham. He hath named you the Muslims."

Messrs. Sale and Palmer translate the word here as meaning fighting, which is wrong, as it is uncla.s.sical and not literal. Rodwell translates it "do valiantly," and Sir William Muir says it is used in the more general sense (Vol. III, p. 32).

This verse is a brief and concise version of the great maxim in Deut.

VI. 5; Mark XII. 30; and Luke X. 27,--

"Thou shalt love thy G.o.d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength."

See also Luke XIII. 24: "Strive to enter in at the straight gate."

[Sidenote: (4) The Bee, XVI, 108, 111.]

16. "Whoso after he hath believed in G.o.d 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 G.o.d, and a severe punishment awaiteth them."

"To those also who after their trials fled their country, then (_Jahadoo_) toiled and endured with patience. Verily, thy Lord will afterwards be forgiving, gracious."