“Isn’t Islam’s command to wage war against non-Muslims terrorism?”

This is a widely discussed accusation by atheists and non-Muslims, where it is said that Islam is a violent religion; its Quran and Hadith command war against non-Muslims, it is said to kill infidels, and Muslims take up arms in the name of jihad. This accusation arises from ignorance on the one hand, and on the other hand it is also spread through Islamophobic propaganda. But the reality is that Islam has never allowed followers of any religion or belief to attack or kill just for their beliefs. Rather, Islam has defined war and peace as a complete way of life based on a balance of self-defense, humanity and justice.

First of all, we need to understand that the word “jihad” appears 41 times in the Quran, most of which are not used in the sense of armed struggle but rather in the sense of self-restraint, invitation and self-improvement. Jihad does not automatically mean war. Again, the word ‘qital’ appears in the context of war, but that too under certain conditions and principles. Islam only permits war when a group attacks Muslims, prevents them from practicing their religion and living, or unjustly oppresses and oppresses people.

In the Quran, Allah says in Surah Al-Hajj: “Permission to fight is granted to those who are being fought because they have been wronged…” (Surah Al-Hajj, 22:39). This clearly states that this war is defensive, not aggressive. In another verse, Allah says: “Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you; do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not love transgressors.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:190). This verse is the basic principle of Islamic war: not attack, but defense—and that too within limits.

In the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, war was necessary and justified. After the migration to Medina, when the Muslims established a state structure, the Quraysh imposed war on them several times—they took up arms in self-defense in battles like Badr, Uhud, and the Trench. And in these battles, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions observed the etiquette of war in a way that goes beyond today's modern international human rights law. Even during war, it was forbidden to kill women, children, the elderly, priests or monks, and it was forbidden to cut down trees, kill animals, destroy houses, or harm innocent people.

Some people want to prove Islam as a terrorist religion by citing verse 5 of Surah At-Tawbah—"When you have passed the sacred months, kill the polytheists wherever you find them...". However, they do not know the context of the verse. It is against a specific treaty-breaking polytheists who made a treaty with the Islamic state of Medina and then broke it and repeatedly shed the blood of Muslims. This verse is said in the context of a declaration—four months have been given, after which those who attack must be resisted. The very next verse of this verse says—“If they repent, establish prayer, and pay zakat, then leave their way. Indeed, Allah loves those who repent.” (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:5). In other words, Islam has used war as a tool of justice, not as a tool of religious hatred.

Many say, “Islam says ‘there is no compulsion in religion’, and yet it also commands war—isn’t this a double standard?” The fact is that Islam completely prohibits forcing anyone to convert to Islam. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:256 states: “La ikraha fid-din”—that is, “There is no compulsion in religion.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) himself never forced anyone to convert to Islam. Islam invites people, calls them with reason, and only allows war when necessary for those who oppose it. This is the teaching of self-defense and just war.

In Islamic history, it is seen that Muslim rulers did not persecute non-Muslims in the occupied regions. Rather, they provided security to non-Muslims by collecting a tax called Jizya. In history, even after a thousand years of Muslim rule, a large number of non-Muslims survived in India, Persia, Egypt, and the Levant. If Islam had truly used the sword in the name of conversion, no one would have been able to survive in these regions as an infidel.

Therefore, the order of war in Islam is not for warlike purposes, but for self-defense and peace in limited circumstances. Islam does not encourage war, but rather prioritizes justice and humanity. And this jihad—always standing for truth, fighting against injustice—can be not only of weapons, but also of the pen, of the soul, and can also be a social protest against injustice.

Ultimately, Islam has embraced war not as an end in itself, but as a desperate means. It is not terrorism, but rather a path to establishing peace in the world. Those who judge Islam by terrorism on this path actually see Islam as an enemy, not as a lover.