Page 69 - BV14

unbelievers to glorify Himself and Muhammad that He has permanently divided humanity into two per-
petually hostile groups:

"Those (unbelievers) are Satan's party; why Satan's party, surely, they are the losers!
Surely, those who oppose God and His Messenger, those are among the most abject. God
has written 'I shall assuredly be the Victor, I and My Messenger....' Thou shalt not find any
people who believe in God and the Last Day who are loving to anyone who opposes God
and His Messenger, nor though they were their father, or their sons or their brothers, or
their clan....And he shall admit them into gardens underneath which rivers flow. God well
pleased with them, and they well pleased with God. They are God's party; why surely
God's party -- they are the prosperers." (The Disputer 58:20)

In a nutshell, it means that Muslims are God's party because they do not love their closest rela-
tions if they happen to be infidels. Owing to their belief, they are destined to be victorious against the
unbelievers, who, are Satan's party.

Now comes the specific command to wage a war against non-Muslims:

"Fight those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and do not forbid what God and His
Messenger have forbidden -- such as men who practice not the religion of truth, being of those
who have been given the Book -- until they pay the tribute out of hand and have been hum-
bled." (Repentance 9:25)

This verse emphasizes the duty of a Muslim to fight non-Muslims; People of the Book i.e. Jews
and Christians are also included in the category of infidels. They must be fought until they surrender
and pay tribute as a sign of their humiliation.

Receiving tribute from unbelievers in the name of God, is the true purpose of Islam. One can
clearly see here the Arab custom of brigandage, sanctified in the guise of religion. Thus loot, murder and
rape are no longer wicked actions, which attract retribution, but made to look the acme of piety to de-
serve the highest reward that Allah can bestow on His followers. If the crusader survives, he gets loot
and also legally becomes entitled to possess women of the vanquished. Along with it goes the enjoyment
of imperialism that accrues from receiving perpetual tribute. And if he is killed in the battlefield, he goes
straight into paradise where rivers of wine, milk and honey flow and where most beautiful virgins and
pretty boys anxiously wait for them with open arms! Thus, a Mujahid (the holy warrior) wins dead or
alive!

The Prophet made sure that brigandage no longer remains a low and haphazard affair, but a
highly respected and disciplined organization, stamped with divine approval:

"Know that paradise is under the shade of swords." (Sahih Al Bukhari: 4.73)

69