em, and seize them' (IX. 5)."

"After this He enjoined for fighting absolutely, at every time and in
every place. God said, 'And do battle against them until there be no
more (_fitnah_) persecution' (II. 189; VII. 40)."[296]

[Sidenote: 97. The Kifaya refuted.]

Here the author of Kifaya has contrived to make out by way of subterfuge
and sophistry five successive periods of the policy of the Koran
regarding warfare against the unbelievers:

| |
First Period |Forgiveness and withdrawal | Sura XV, 85. VI, 106
---------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------
| |
Second Period |Summoning | Sura XVI, 126.
---------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------
| |
Third Period |Fighting in self-defence | Sura XXII, 40. II, 187.
| | VIII, 63.
---------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------
| |
Fourth Period |Fighting aggressively | Sura IX, 5.
|during certain times |
| |
---------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------
| |
Fifth Period |Aggressive fighting absolutely.| Sura II, 189. VIII, 40.
| |

He is wrong in history, chronology as well as in understanding the
general scope of the Koran and the tenor of the Suras. He does not
regard even the context of the verses quoted.

The verses containing injunctions for turning aside, shunning,
forgiving, passing over, and withdrawing are found even in the later
period of the Medinite Suras.--(_Vide_ Sura II, 103; V, 16, 46; Sura IV,
66, 83; and VII, 198.) They have nothing to do either with war or peace.

The summoning of people to the faith of God was the chief duty of the
Prophetical office, and was not confined to any special period, and was
alike during times of war and peace. Even during the actual warfare it
was incumbent on the Prophet to give quarters to the enemy, if he
desired, to listen to his preachings.--(_Vide_ Sura IX, 6.)

[Sidenote: 98. S. IX, v. 5, discussed.]

The fifth verse of the ninth Sura is by