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JIHAD IN THE KORAN

The Enemy

The Meccans and Their Allies

The Koran is very much the story of one man’s struggle to get his Meccan kin to accept him as spokesperson for the Almighty, with the absolute powers that the titled conveyed.

33:36 It is not up to any believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have passed a judgement, to have any choice in their affairs. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger have gone astray in a manifest manner.

God admits that the Meccans suspected that their kin’s claim of being His Messenger was only because he wanted to rule over them.

38:6 And the dignitaries among them went forth saying: “Go on and be steadfast regarding your gods. This is indeed a matter premeditated (Muhammad… [wants] to subjugate us and rule us as his subjects, Moududi).

Muhammad was your typical doomsday prophet. He expected the world to end before his death or shortly thereafter. This is confirmed in many revelations, probably the most significant being revealed truth 15:99—and, of course, in the hadiths by the man himself.

 15:98 So (Muhammad), celebrate the praise of your Lord and be one of those who prostrate themselves.

15:99 And worship your Lord, till the certain [Hour] overtakes you!

 Narrated Sahl bin Sad As-Sa'idi:

Allah's Apostle, holding out his middle and index fingers, said, "My advent and the Hour are like this (or like these)," namely, the period between his era and the Hour is like the distance between those two fingers, i.e., very short.

Bukhari 63.221

When that did not happen, writes Stephen J. Shoemaker, the message was changed from “repent, the end of the world is at hand” to “conquer the world and I will bring it to an end and welcome you into Paradise” to reflect this new reality.

When Muhammad died before the eschaton's (the end of the world) arrival and the Hour continued to be delayed, the early Muslims had to radically reorient their religious vision. The Hour was thus increasingly deferred into the distant future, and in less than a century Islam swiftly transformed itself from a religion expecting the end of the world to a religion that aimed to rule the world.

Stephen J. Shoemaker, The Death of a Prophet - The End of Muhammad's Life and the Beginnings of Islam, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012

This meant that all unbelievers became the target of verses initially aimed at getting the Meccans to convert before God brought an end to His Creation.

44:34 Truly, these people (the Quraysh and their ilk who questioned Muhammad’s prophetic call) will say:

44:35 “It is only our first death and we will not be raised from the dead.

44:36 “Bring then back our fathers if you are truthful.”

44:37 Are they any better than the people of Tubba’ (Tubba’ refers originally to the kings of southern Arabia, in pre-Islamic times) and those who preceded them? We destroyed them all; for they were criminals.

44:38 We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them in jest.

44:39 We only created them in truth, but most of them do not know.

44:40 The Day of Decision is truly their appointed time all together.

44:41 The Day when no master shall profit a client a whit, and they will not be supported;

44:42 Except for him upon whom Allah has Mercy. He is indeed the All-Mighty, the Merciful.

Before his movement attracted a critical mass of followers, which enabled the believers to considerably improve their living conditions, mainly through pillaging caravans, Muhammad faced difficult questions. One had to be about why the Meccans and their allies were rich, and the believers, who had the God of the Universe on their side, were poor and persecuted. They may be winners in the here-and-now, explained Allah, but in the Hereafter they will be the losers. 

11:15 Whoever desires the life of this world and its finery, We will reward them [during it] for their [good] works, and they will not be given less than their due.

11:16 [Yet] those [are the people] who shall have nothing in the Hereafter except the Fire, and what they did [here] will go there to waste, and their works will be in vain.

11:17 Are those then [like these] who have a clear proof (the Qur’an) from their Lord recited by a witness from Him, and preceded by the book of Moses as a guide and mercy? Those believe in it; but those who disbelieve in it from among the parties (the Meccans and neighbouring tribes who opposed the Prophet) – their appointed place is the Fire. So do not be in doubt about it. It is indeed the truth from your Lord; but most people do not believe.

11:18 And who is more perverse than he who invents lies about Allah? Those shall be brought before their Lord and the witnesses (the angels) shall say: “These are the ones who lied about their Lord. May Allah’s curse be upon the wrongdoers!”

11:19 Those who bar people from the Path of Allah, and wish it to be crooked; they truly disbelieve in the Hereafter.

11:20 Those will not escape on earth and they have, apart from Allah, no protectors. Their punishment will be doubled; they were unable to hear, nor did they perceive.

11:21 Those are the ones who lost their souls and that which they invented (the associates they assign to Allah) strayed away from them.

11:22 Without doubt, they will be, in the Hereafter, the greatest losers.

11:23 As to those who believe and do the good deeds and turn humbly to their Lord, they shall be the people of Paradise, dwelling therein forever.

They may also be losers in the here-and-now if Allah decides to do to them what He has done to previous generations who were even better off.

19:73 And when Our Revelations are clearly recited to them, the unbelievers will say to the believers: “Which of the two parties is better in position and fairer in company?”

19:74 How many generations before them We have destroyed, who had better furnishings and appearance?

19:75 Say: “Whoever is in error, let the Compassionate prolong his term; so that when they see what they are threatened with, whether it be the punishment or the Hour, they will know who is worse in position and weaker in supporters.”

19:76 Allah increases in guidance those who are righty guided; and the good works which last will receive a better reward from Allah and better returns.

If the unbelievers have more than you, consider it a favour from God.

42:25 It is He Who accepts the repentance of His servants, pardons the evil deeds and knows what you do.

42:26 And He answers those who believe and do the righteous deeds and increases them of His Bounty; but the unbelievers will suffer a terrible punishment.

42:27 Had Allah expanded provision for His servants, they would have exceeded the bounds of injustice in the land; but He sends down in measure whatever He wishes. He is truly Well-Informed about His servants, All-Seeing.