(39–41) “Permission to fight has been granted to those who are being fought because they have been wronged—and Allah is certainly able to grant them victory—those who were driven from their homes without right merely for saying, ‘Our Lord is Allah.’ Were it not that Allah repels some people by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which Allah’s name is mentioned often would surely have been demolished. Allah will certainly support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is All-Strong, Almighty. They are those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer, give zakāt, command what is right, and forbid what is wrong. To Allah belongs the ultimate outcome of all affairs.”
In the early days of Islam, the Muslims were forbidden to fight the disbelievers and were commanded, for divine wisdom, to endure their harm patiently. When they emigrated to Medina, suffered persecution, and gained protection and strength, they were granted permission to fight. Allah says: “Permission to fight has been granted to those who are being fought.” This indicates that they had previously been forbidden to fight. Allah then permitted them to fight those who fought them. He granted them this permission only because they had been wronged: they had been prevented from practicing their religion, persecuted because of it, and driven from their homes.
“And Allah is certainly able to grant them victory.” Let them therefore seek victory from Him and ask Him for aid. Allah then described the wrong they had suffered, saying: “Those who were driven from their homes”—that is, they were forced to leave through persecution and trial—“without right, merely” because the only offense for which their enemies resented them was “saying, ‘Our Lord is Allah.’” In other words, their sole offense was that they affirmed Allah’s oneness and worshipped Him with sincere devotion. If this was an offense, then it was their only offense, as Allah says: “They resented them only because they believed in Allah, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy.”
This demonstrates the wisdom underlying jihād: its purpose is to establish Allah’s religion, restrain the disbelievers who harm the believers and initiate aggression against them, put an end to their wrongdoing and aggression, and make it possible to worship Allah and uphold the manifest rites of religion. Thus, Allah says: “Were it not that Allah repels some people by means of others.” Through those who strive in His cause, Allah repels the harm of the disbelievers. “Monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques would surely have been demolished”—that is, these major places of worship belonging to the communities of the People of the Book, the places of worship of the Jews and Christians, and the mosques of the Muslims. “In which Allah’s name is mentioned often”—that is, prayers are performed in these places of worship, Allah’s scriptures are recited there, and His name is mentioned there through various forms of remembrance.
Were it not that Allah repels some people by means of others, the disbelievers would overpower the Muslims, destroy their places of worship, and persecute them until they abandoned their religion. This indicates that jihād is prescribed to repel an aggressor and anyone who causes harm; it is not sought for its own sake but as a means to another end. It also shows that the security enjoyed in lands where Allah is worshipped, where mosques flourish, and where all the rites of religion are upheld is among the merits and blessings brought about by those who strive in Allah’s cause, through whom Allah has repelled the disbelievers from those lands. Allah says: “Were it not that Allah repels some people by means of others, the earth would have become corrupt. But Allah is full of bounty to all creation.”
If you ask: Today we see Muslim mosques flourishing and undestroyed, even though many Muslim polities are small emirates with poorly organized governments and lack the power to fight the neighboring European powers. Indeed, we see mosques under European jurisdiction and control flourishing, with their congregations living in peace and security, although their disbelieving rulers have the power to demolish them. Yet Allah has stated that, were it not that He repels some people by means of others, these places of worship would have been demolished, whereas we do not see any such repelling taking place.
The answer is that this very question and perceived difficulty falls within the general purport of the verse and constitutes one of its instances. Anyone familiar with the condition and organization of modern states knows that each state regards every nation and ethnic group under its authority and subject to its rule as a member of the realm and a constituent part of the government, regardless of whether that community possesses strength through its population or armaments, wealth, labor, or services. Governments therefore safeguard the religious and worldly interests of that population, fearing that failure to do so would disrupt their order and cause them to lose one of their supporting pillars. Religious observance is thus maintained to the extent that it is for this very reason—particularly the mosques, which, praise be to Allah, are kept in excellent order even in the capitals of the great powers.
Those states also take independent governments into consideration out of regard for the feelings of their Muslim subjects. Moreover, the Christian states harbor mutual envy and hatred, which Allah has declared will continue until the Day of Resurrection. Consequently, a Muslim government incapable of defending itself remains safe from [much of] (1) their harm because of the envy among them. None of them can lay a hand on it for fear that it may seek the protection of another. Furthermore, Allah Most High will inevitably show His servants the victory of Islam and the Muslims that He has promised in His Book.
The means leading to that victory have already appeared—praise be to Allah—[through the Muslims’ awareness of the necessity of returning to their religion; and awareness is the beginning of action] (2). We therefore praise Him and ask Him to complete His blessing. Thus, in His true promise, which is borne out by reality, He says: “Allah will certainly support those who support Him”—that is, those who sincerely support His religion and fight in His cause so that Allah’s word may be supreme.
“Indeed, Allah is All-Strong, Almighty”—that is, He is perfect in strength and Almighty, beyond all reach. He has subdued all creation and holds them by their forelocks. Rejoice, therefore, O Muslims! Although you are few in number and poorly equipped, while your enemies are many and well-equipped (3), your mainstay is the All-Strong, Almighty, and you rely upon the One who created you and what you do. Employ the means you have been commanded to employ, then ask Him to grant you victory, and He will surely do so.
“O you who believe, if you support Allah, He will support you and make your feet firm.” Fulfill, O Muslims, the duties of faith and righteous deeds, for “Allah has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the land, as He made those before them successors; that He will surely establish for them the religion He has chosen for them; and that He will surely replace their fear with security, so that they worship Me without associating anything with Me.”
Allah then mentioned the identifying mark of those who support Him. By this mark, it is known that anyone who claims to support Allah and His religion but does not possess this quality is lying. He says: “Those who, if We establish them in the land”—that is, We grant them dominion over it and give them authority without any contender to dispute or oppose them—“establish prayer” at its prescribed times, observing its limits, pillars, and conditions, including Friday and congregational prayers.
“And give zakāt”—specifically, the zakāt due from themselves, and generally, that due from their subjects. They deliver it to those entitled to receive it. “And command what is right.” This includes every good whose goodness is recognized by the Sacred Law and sound reason, encompassing the rights of Allah and the rights of human beings. “And forbid what is wrong”—every evil whose repugnance is recognized by the Sacred Law and sound reason.
Commanding something and forbidding its opposite include everything without which that duty cannot be fulfilled. If commanding right and forbidding wrong depend upon learning and teaching, they compel people to learn and teach. If they depend upon imposing a disciplinary penalty whose measure is fixed by the Sacred Law, or one whose measure is not fixed, such as the various discretionary punishments, they implement it. If they depend upon appointing people specifically charged with this task, then doing so is obligatory. The same applies to everything else without which commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong cannot be fulfilled.
“To Allah belongs the ultimate outcome of all affairs”—that is, all affairs return to Allah. He has declared that the good end belongs to the God-fearing. Thus, any ruler whom Allah grants authority over His servants and who upholds Allah’s commands will enjoy a praiseworthy end and a rightly guided condition. But anyone who rules them tyrannically and imposes his own desires upon them may obtain temporary dominion, yet his end will not be praiseworthy: his rule will be baneful and his ultimate fate blameworthy.