m go
their way.[170] Verily, God is Gracious, Merciful."

6. "If any one of those who join gods with God ask an asylum of thee,
grant him an asylum, in order that he hear the Word of God; then let him
reach his place of safety. This, for that they are people devoid of
knowledge."

7. "How can they who add gods to God be in league with God and His
Apostle, save those with whom ye made a league at the sacred temple? So
long as they are true to you,[171] be ye true to them: verily, God
loveth those who fear Him."

8. "How _can they_? since if they prevail against you, they will not
regard in their dealing with you, either ties of blood or good faith:
With their mouths they content you, but their hearts are averse, and
most of them are perverse doers."

9. "They sell the signs of God for a mean price, and turn others aside
from his way; of a truth, evil is it that they do!"

10. "They respect not with a believer either ties of blood or good
faith; and these are the transgressors!"

11. "Yet if they turn to God and observe prayer, and pay the impost,
then are they your brethren in religion: and We make clear the signs for
men of knowledge."[172]

12. "But if, after alliance made, they violate their covenant and revile
your religion, then do battle with the ringleaders of infidelity--verily
there is no faith in them! Haply they will desist."

13. "Will ye not do battle with a people (_the Meccans_) who have broken
their covenant and aimed to expel your Apostle and attacked you first?
Will ye dread them? God truly is more worthy of your fear if ye are
believers!"

14. "Make war on them: By your hands will God chastize them and put them
to shame, and give victory over them, and heal the bosom of a people who
believe."

36. "... and attack those who join gods with God one and all, as they
attack you one and all."--Sura, ix.

[Sidenote: 18. What the above-quoted verses show.]

I need not repeat here what these verses and the facts related above
show, that the wars of Mohammad with the Koreish were merely defensive,
and the Koreish were the aggressors, and that Mohammad was quite
justified in taking up arms against them.

"In the state of nature every man has a right to defend," writes Mr.
Edward Gibbon,[173] "by force of arms, his person and his possessions;
to repel, or even to repeat, the violence of his enemies, and to extend
his hostilities to a reasonable measure of satisfaction and retaliation.
In the free