Anyway, let me give you more details about the peaceful nature of Islam when it comes to dealing with other nations. The Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, signed treaties with the pagans and polytheists. Many of them did not want peace and attacked Muslims. Do not forget that the first word we say to each other is peace be upon you and that Allah, your and my god, forbade us from attacking people unless they attacked us first. He said in the Holy Quran:
Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. The Cow 2:190
The Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, added to the definition of Muslim:
A person asked Allah's Messenger (may peace and blessings be upon him) who among Muslims was better. Upon this (the Holy Prophet) remarked: One from whose hand and tongue Muslims are safe. Source: al-islam
And will not the Muslim be good to everything after knowing a part of good?!
Question:
Does Islam only allow force in self-defense or can it also be used to remove oppression? Do Muslim scholars justify wars on the basis of "preemptive action", which means attacking some other nation, to prevent them attacking first (like what the Americans are trying to say now about Iraq)?
Answer:
Salam, Geoff.
Thank you for your question.
No, Sir, Muslims are not allowed to attack preemptively. The Qur'an is quite clear that unless people are actually fighting you, "you have no way against them":
*{Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If God had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then God Hath opened no way for you (to war against them).}* (An-Nisaa' 4:90)
Then, if they show any signs of leaning towards peace, you should also do so, and put your trust in God:
*{But if the enemy inclines towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in God: for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things).}* (Al-Anfal 8:61)
When the pagans of Mecca broke their agreements and treaties repeatedly, and continued to attack the Muslims, then Allah ordered the Prophet to revoke these agreements formally and publicly before the Muslims were allowed to fight back:
*{And an announcement from God and His Apostle, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,- that God and His Apostle dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans. If then, ye repent, it were best for you; but if ye turn away, know ye that ye cannot frustrate God. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith.
(But the treaties are) not dissolved with those Pagans with whom ye have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided any one against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for God loveth the righteous.}* (At-Tawbah 9:3:4)
The only preemptive action the Qur'an allows, is to possess the upper hand in the military balance for purposes of deterrence and not for aggression:
*{Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of God and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom God doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of God, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly.}* (Al-Anfal 8:60)
Muslims are also allowed to fight for causes of humanitarian intervention, conditioned - of course - that this is not a mere claim for expansionist goals.
*{And why should ye not fight in the cause of God and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!"}* (An-Nisaa' 4:75)
Also, it is permitted to support the rights of Muslims in non-Muslim societies and intervene to protect these rights, unless the Muslim countries have a treaty with the state the minority is living in:
*{Those who believed, and adopted exile, and fought for the Faith, with their property and their persons, in the cause of God, as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid,- these are (all) friends and protectors, one of another. As to those who believed but came not into exile, ye owe no duty of protection to them until they come into exile; but if they seek your aid in religion, it is your duty to help them, except against a people with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance. And (remember) God seeth all that ye do.}* (Al-Anfal 8:72)
They are also allowed to fight a group of Muslims if it exercises aggression against another Muslim group.
*{If two parties among the Believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between them: but if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other, then fight ye (all) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the command of Allah: But if it complies then make peace between them with justice and be fair for Allah loves those who are fair (and just) The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear God, that ye may receive Mercy.}* (Al-Hujurat 49:9:10)
It is quite interesting you are asking about this doctrine in Islam while Muslims have been mainly subject to preemptive strikes. Israel attacked Iraq’s nuclear capacity at Osirak, in 1981. This was used as a procedure to prevent Iraq from representing a nuclear threat to Israel. At the time, the USA and UN publicly condemned this attack.
More recently, the Israeli government and defense force have been using preemptive strikes to head off and destroy "potential terrorists" in southern Lebanon and the occupied territories.
However, the doctrine of preemptive strikes is very sensitive and sometimes also dangerous, because it is so difficult to prove who is going to do something and who is not. Anyone can be a "potential terrorist" – it is a virtual blank check to attack anyone not on your side! Taken to extremes, this doctrine involves destroying a whole community or group of people who 'might' attack at some future time, and thus becomes an excuse for unjust aggression. It violates the biblical law of "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" (i.e. proportionality of response), which is upheld in the Qura'n, with a recommendation to mercy:
*{We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what God hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrongdoers.}* (Al-Ma'idah 5:45)
Aggression is also counter-productive, since it can provoke radicalism and reactionary actions, starting a vicious circle of violence.
I hope this answer is helpful. Thank you.
Salam
