no means an injunction to attack
first or wage an aggressive war. This verse is one of the several
published at Medina after the Meccans had violated the treaty of
Hodeibia and attacked the Bani Khozaa, who were in alliance with
Mohammad. The Meccans were given four months' time to submit, in default
of which they were to be attacked for their violation of the treaty and
for their attacking the Bani Khozaa. They submitted beforehand, and
Mecca was conquered by compromise. The verses referred to above (Sura
IX, 1-15, &c.) were not acted upon. So there was no injunction to wage
an aggressive war. This subject has been discussed at pages 51-55 of
this work, and the reader is referred to them for fuller information.

[Sidenote: 99. S. II, v. 189, discussed.]

The 189th verse of the second Sura is not at all an absolute injunction
to wage a war of aggression. The verses 186, 187, 188 and 189, if read
together, will show that the injunction for fighting is only in defence.
The verses are:--

186. And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you:
but commit not the injustice _of attacking them first_; verily God
loveth not the unjust.

187. And kill them wherever ye shall find them; and eject them from
whatever place they have ejected you; for (_fitnah_) persecution is
worse than slaughter; yet attack them not at the sacred Mosque until
they attack you therein, but if they attack you then slay them: such is
the recompense of the infidels!

188. But if they desist, then verily God is Gracious, Merciful--

189. And do battle, against them until there be no more (_fitnah_)
persecution and the only worship be that of God: but if they desist,
then let there be no hostility, save against wrong-doers.

[Sidenote: 100. S. II, 189, VIII, 40, are defensive.]

Besides, this verse as well as the fortieth verse of Sura VIII have
indications in themselves of their relating to a defensive war. As the
torture, aggression, in short, the persecutions suffered by the Moslems
from the Koreish, are very clearly indicated by the word _fitnah_ in
these two verses, the object of fighting or counterfighting by the
Moslems is plainly set forth, which is to suppress the persecutions.

They have clear reference to the persecution, to stop or remove which
they enjoined fighting, and this was fighting in self-defence obviously.

They also show that the Meccans had not desisted from persecuting and
attacking the Moslems, and th