Subtleties and Allusions

Defense and Warfare in the Religion of Christ

The Children of Israel during the time of Jesus (a.s.) were divided into two groups: believers and disbelievers. As a result, conflict arose between them, and the Most Sacred Divine Essence supported the believers and made them victorious over the disbelievers. Then He said to the Muslims that they should learn warfare from the Christians: “O you who have faith! Be God’s helpers, just as Jesus son of Mary said to the disciples, ‘Who will be my helpers for God’s sake?’ The Disciples said, ‘We will be God’s helpers!’ So a group of the Children of Israel believed, and a group disbelieved. Then We strengthened the faithful against their enemies, and they became the dominant ones.”(70)

Indeed, at that time the religion of Christianity had not yet been corrupted and had not taken on its present form (a religion of tolerance and forbearance), but rather it bore the characteristics of a complete divine religion.

God has presented the learning of how to practice the defensive religion of Christians in a chapter that begins with war: “Indeed God loves those who fight in His way in ranks, as if they were a compact structure”(71) and its middle is striving in the way of God (jihād): “strive in the way of God with your possessions and your persons”(72) and its end is the descent of divine victory upon those who follow Jesus in striving against the enemies of religion.(73)