An Analysis and Evaluation of the Qur'anic Works of Initiating Jihad from the Point of View of al-Manar and al-Mizan Commentators

The problem of initiating a war in Islam is important from two aspects; On the one hand, a document has been issued for extremist groups to tarnish the face of Islam by promoting violence, and on the other hand, suspicions have been raised, especially by Orientalists, to challenge the truth and success of the Islamic religion. This article examines two recent and effective interpretations in a descriptive-analytical way. Al-Manar and Al-Mizan discussed this and came to the conclusion that both interpretations are in a way indicative of the war-initiating phenomenon in Islam, but at the same time, in response to doubts, they mentioned some conditions for it to find its real case and show its defensive nature. In the criticism of these two approaches, by following the use of the words Jihad and Qital and the like in the Holy Qur'an, it becomes clear that though the principle is not to initiate a war, and in the case of spreading religion and the supporting the monotheistic government, the principle is peace and agreement of the people, but as the legitimacy of the government, from the perspective of the Holy Quran, comes only from God and the only Divine rule should be dominant, in the case of the power of the monotheistic community and the fronting of the leaders of disbelief and tyranny against the spread of religion and the achievement of a global monotheistic government, initiating Jihad is lawful and as it is clear, its nature would be defensive.