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412chapter sixThe phrase ‘in God’s way’ 81 ( fÊ sabÊl All§h) can be found seventy timesin the Book. It first occurs in 2:190: ‘Fight in the cause of God thosewho fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God loves not transgressors’,and its last 73:20: ‘…yet others fighting in God’s cause…’.In several instances it connotes a fight, struggle, even military battle.In other instances it refers to a struggle for a family’s nafaqa in theform of sustenance, clothing, and shelter. It is often used in connectionwith the term jih§d, less often with the command to ‘travel the world’.In all instances, however, it demands doing something ‘in His way’,that is, according to Allah’s way/method/path. It is not used todemand a human sacrifice for Allah’s cause. The idea that peopleshould sacrifice their and other people’s lives for a higher, divine aimis not found in the Book. ‘Fight in God’s way’ cannot mean ‘kill otherpeople’ or ‘sacrifice yourself for God’. Allah is greater than thatanyone should kill for Him.What does ‘in God’s way’ mean? We believe it means that in thestruggle for nafaqa, for example, one should seek money and propertyin a legal and ethical way. One should not squander things that arepermitted, nor should one be parsimonious and forbid what isallowed; one should neither be excessive nor miserly, and one shouldabstain from what is forbidden. If one abides by these rules, oneindeed lives ‘in God’s way’. However, if these rules are broken, onestrays from the way of God (sabÊl All§h) and follows on the path ofevil (sabÊl al-ã§ghåt):And spend of your substance in the cause of God [ fÊ sabÊl All§h], andmake not your own hands contribute to ( your) destruction; but dogood; for God loves those who do good. ( Al-Baqara 2:195)Those who spend their substance in the cause of God [ fÊ sabÊl All§h],and follow not up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or withinjury; for them their reward is with their Lord… ( Al-Baqara 2:262)Behold, you are those invited to spend (of your substance) in the wayof God [ fÊ sabÊl All§h]. But among you are some that are niggardly.But any who are niggardly are so at the expense of their own souls…(MuÈammad 47:38)81Most translators render sabÊl interchangeably either as (the more literal) ‘way’or as ‘cause’ (in the sense of ‘on behalf of God’), except AA and AhA who consistentlywrite: ‘in the way of God’; AH also renders fÊ sabÊl All§h as ‘for the sake of God’.‘In God’s way’ is closest to MS’s intention to render fÊ sabÊl All§h as ‘according toGod’s way’, which is not captured by ‘in God’s cause’ nor by ‘for the sake of God’.