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Offline 8pider

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What is a Muslim to do under oppression?
« on: July 10, 2014, 12:44:57 PM »
 Quran 4:97
"Lo! as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they wrong themselves, (the angels) will ask: In what were you engaged? They will say: We were oppressed in the land. (The angels) will say: Was not God's earth spacious that you could have migrated therein? As for such, their habitation will be hell, an evil journey's end"


From the above verse, emigration is the solution...but are we allowed to fight and wage war or is that only for those who fight you? (2:190 "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you..."). It seems to me that fighting is only against those that fight you.

Offline Joseph Islam

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Re: What is a Muslim to do under oppression?
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2014, 05:37:10 AM »
Dear 8pider,

As-salam alaykum

Yes, the Quran's central doctrine about fighting given by the Quran is primarily in self-defence [1]. The verses of Surah 9 dealing with a specific situation during the prophetic ministry is often taken out of context [2]. Fighting in self-defence or in the national security of a state, is no different from a sovereign people or nation defending themselves from unprovoked attack or acts of aggression even today.

Of course, there are situations where defending oneself will not be possible and in those cases, migration has been cited by the Quran as instructive [3].

I hope that helps, God willing.

Kind regards,
Joseph


REFERENCES:

[1]  A MESSAGE OF PEACE OR TO LIVE BY THE SWORD?
http://quransmessage.com/articles/a%20message%20of%20peace%20or%20to%20live%20by%20the%20sword%20FM3.htm
[2] UNDERSTANDING SURAH TAUBA (CHAPTER 9) AND THE INFAMOUS KILLING VERSES
http://quransmessage.com/articles/surah%20tauba%20FM3.htm
[3] THE CONCEPT OF HIJRAT
http://quransmessage.com/articles/hijrat%20FM3.htm
'During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act' 
George Orwell

Offline 8pider

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Re: What is a Muslim to do under oppression?
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2014, 12:13:33 PM »
Thank you brother Joseph for your response and the links you shared.

For example, considering the case of Gaza. I think emigrating and leaving it all to Israel might be their only solution. What do you think?