booke

430chapter six…Did not God check one set of people by means of another [wa-laul§daf # u All§h al-n§s ba#·ahum bi-ba#·in ], they would surely have beenpulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in whichthe name of God is commemorated in abundant measure ... ( Al-\ajj22:40)First aim: the exaltation of God’s wordSince verse 40 of Sårat al-Tawba has often been used to justify sectarianstrife, partisan spirit, and religious chauvinism, we need tohave a closer look at it in our discussion of the aims of fighting. Theverse discusses three things: first, MuÈammad’s (ß) and Abå Bakr’s(r) flight from Mecca; second, the battle of Badr; and third, the divinerationale that lies behind the violent conflicts of that period. Theproblem with 9:40 lies in the phrase ‘the word of God is exalted tothe heights’ because exegetes have found it difficult to explain what‘the word of God’ (kalimat All§h) means. Kalima (word) is a singularnoun whose plural can either mean ‘speech’ (if it is the collectiveplural kal§m) 102 or ‘existence’, that is, the laws of objective reality (ifthe plural is kalim§t). 103 It certainly cannot refer to the first part ofthe shah§da (‘there is no god but God’) as many exegetes havebelieved, because such a rendering would make no sense in the contextof many other verses of the Book, such as 3:45 104 and 10:33. 105Instead, the shah§da (‘there is no god but God’) is part of God’sspeech (kal§m), as laid out in the Book—of which its readers eitherapprove or disapprove—but God’s words (kalim§t) are the laws of theuniverse that are there unconditionally—whether people approve ordisapprove of them. (“And God by His words (bi-kalim§tihi) doesprove and establish His truth, however much the sinners may hateit!” Yånus 10:82). If the shah§da (‘there is no god but God’) were oneof God’s words (kalim§t) it would mean that it has become objectivereality, implying that we are all monotheists and that we would notfind a single idolater or disbeliever in the whole world.102‘If one amongst the pagans asks you for asylum, grant it to him, so that hemay hear the word of God [kal§m All§h]…’ ( Al-Tawba 9:6)103‘The word of your Lord does find its fulfilment in truth and in justice. Nonecan change His words [li-kalim§tihi]; for He is the one who hears and knows all’( Al-An#§m 6:115).104‘Behold! The angels said: “O Mary! God gives thee glad tidings of a wordfrom Him [bi-kalimat in ]: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary…”’ ($l #Imr§n3:45).105‘Thus is the word [kalimat un ] of your Lord proved true against those who rebel:verily they will not believe’ (Yånus 10:33).