LAW
Jihad – Is it Fighting?
See our Commentary titled as Islaam – 303 – Mullah’s Jihad is no road to Peace which is the hub-post and refers to about a dozen other Commentaries related to different aspect of Jihad.
The primary meanings of the root ق ت ل from which many words flow include the following.
1. Fight; attack; battle; combat; war.
2. Act in self-defense; fight back; oppose; push back; resist; retaliate; strive; struggle
3. Persecute; oppress; suppress; unfairly prosecute; social, political or legal pressurizing.
4. Commit carnage; massacre; murder or mayhem; kill; slaughter; slay.
The root ق ت ل and its derivative nouns and verbs have been translated with differences. The coloring to their grammatical variations by the academia further increased the divide. The result in interpreting them sowed seeds of huge confusions, contradictions and conflicts.
Most variations in the meanings were magnified in the context of the history of the Israelites. Verses 002:055, 002:191 and others show the right road though in different periods of time. The first chronicled an event in the past Jewish history that was hard-cast and unchangeable. The second illuminated the future of Islam that had yet to take a shape in the Moslem conduct. God-given teachings of Islam were straightforward and designed to suit all human beings.
Yet man-made meanings placed on a single word turned Islam to appear a perpetual war-machine. Mistranslating the derivatives of a single root caused grievous misunderstandings about Islam. Malicious efforts to deface Islam by the outsiders got help from insiders’ shallow knowledge.
Islam had spread in the medieval ages like wild fire by those not fully steeped in its teachings. The excited had little time to fully comprehend the niceties of rich Arabic of the Holy Qor-aan. The blessings of peace which Islam had brought were masked behind spread-by-sword image.
Few languages in the world have strings of words which flow as derivatives from all roots. The derivatives of the root ق ت ل include the following.
- Verbs, in the past tense and active form, have fourteen (14) derivatives – for (a) one, (b) two or (c) three or more individuals in (i) 1st person, (ii) 2nd person and (iii) 3rd person; plus +
- Verbs, in the past tense and passive form, have another (14) derivatives; plus +
- Verbs, in the present tense, have another fourteen (14) derivatives; plus +
- Several nouns, adjectives, adverbs and other verb forms, in many ‘chapters’ and ‘rhymes’, are derived from the same one root – but carry a unique shade or nuance in its meanings.
It takes skill to differentiate between the shades and nuances in the meanings of a derivative word. It is made more complex by considering ‘who translated’, ‘for what purpose’ and ‘with what motive’?
Most translations have chosen only one meaning of a derivative. One good example is فَاقۡتُلُوۡٓا اَنۡفُسَكُم in 002:055 and ٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ in 004:090. Its translations range widely. What did the Command mean? Was it a direction to physically kill others? Was it a directive to psychologically suppress evil tendencies? Was it to wage wars? One extreme stated “kill your ring-leaders”, “slay the culprits and evil-doers among you” and “the innocent among you kill the wrongdoers among you” by just labeling them so. The other extreme said “kill your passion”, “kill your evil desires” and “let each one of you slay the evil propensities of his mind.” Is it killing and slaying, or suppressing with one’s will-power?
Another example is 009:029 where diverse translations have portrayed Islam differently. Is Islam as an instrument of aggression or the life-style for a peaceful existence for all citizens?
No civilized society can bear a segment of its populace to act rebellious or violate its law in force. No country must limit to only some of its residents the benefits from the amenities it has garnered. No reasonable person expects to be a non-contributing to the national exchequer while benefiting from what an orderly, peaceful and prosperous society has put together for its law-abiding people.
It is precisely this justification for the rule in the subject verse. It is not easy to defend the Moslem warriors running rampart, invading neighbors, destroying countries and conquering others. Juzya is not to fund building bigger better armies and continuously strengthening a war machine.
Studying Islam is a serious matter; it must not be taken lightly; see The Holy Qor-aan is no joke. Help is available in the Notes to verses 002:055, 002:073 and 002:191. Soon the Commentary titled as ‘Arabic Grammar – 103 Questions Answered’ will also appear this site.
Jihad – Is It Fighting?
LAW
Jihad – Is it Fighting?
See our Commentary titled as Islaam – 303 – Mullah’s Jihad is no road to Peace which is the hub-post and refers to about a dozen other Commentaries related to different aspect of Jihad.
The primary meanings of the root ق ت ل from which many words flow include the following.
1. Fight; attack; battle; combat; war.
2. Act in self-defense; fight back; oppose; push back; resist; retaliate; strive; struggle
3. Persecute; oppress; suppress; unfairly prosecute; social, political or legal pressurizing.
4. Commit carnage; massacre; murder or mayhem; kill; slaughter; slay.
The root ق ت ل and its derivative nouns and verbs have been translated with differences. The coloring to their grammatical variations by the academia further increased the divide. The result in interpreting them sowed seeds of huge confusions, contradictions and conflicts.
Most variations in the meanings were magnified in the context of the history of the Israelites. Verses 002:055, 002:191 and others show the right road though in different periods of time. The first chronicled an event in the past Jewish history that was hard-cast and unchangeable. The second illuminated the future of Islam that had yet to take a shape in the Moslem conduct. God-given teachings of Islam were straightforward and designed to suit all human beings.
Yet man-made meanings placed on a single word turned Islam to appear a perpetual war-machine. Mistranslating the derivatives of a single root caused grievous misunderstandings about Islam. Malicious efforts to deface Islam by the outsiders got help from insiders’ shallow knowledge.
Islam had spread in the medieval ages like wild fire by those not fully steeped in its teachings. The excited had little time to fully comprehend the niceties of rich Arabic of the Holy Qor-aan. The blessings of peace which Islam had brought were masked behind spread-by-sword image.
Few languages in the world have strings of words which flow as derivatives from all roots. The derivatives of the root ق ت ل include the following.
It takes skill to differentiate between the shades and nuances in the meanings of a derivative word. It is made more complex by considering ‘who translated’, ‘for what purpose’ and ‘with what motive’?
Most translations have chosen only one meaning of a derivative. One good example is فَاقۡتُلُوۡٓا اَنۡفُسَكُم in 002:055 and ٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ in 004:090. Its translations range widely. What did the Command mean? Was it a direction to physically kill others? Was it a directive to psychologically suppress evil tendencies? Was it to wage wars? One extreme stated “kill your ring-leaders”, “slay the culprits and evil-doers among you” and “the innocent among you kill the wrongdoers among you” by just labeling them so. The other extreme said “kill your passion”, “kill your evil desires” and “let each one of you slay the evil propensities of his mind.” Is it killing and slaying, or suppressing with one’s will-power?
Another example is 009:029 where diverse translations have portrayed Islam differently. Is Islam as an instrument of aggression or the life-style for a peaceful existence for all citizens?
No civilized society can bear a segment of its populace to act rebellious or violate its law in force. No country must limit to only some of its residents the benefits from the amenities it has garnered. No reasonable person expects to be a non-contributing to the national exchequer while benefiting from what an orderly, peaceful and prosperous society has put together for its law-abiding people.
It is precisely this justification for the rule in the subject verse. It is not easy to defend the Moslem warriors running rampart, invading neighbors, destroying countries and conquering others. Juzya is not to fund building bigger better armies and continuously strengthening a war machine.
Studying Islam is a serious matter; it must not be taken lightly; see The Holy Qor-aan is no joke. Help is available in the Notes to verses 002:055, 002:073 and 002:191. Soon the Commentary titled as ‘Arabic Grammar – 103 Questions Answered’ will also appear this site.
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