Islamic War Ethics

Pre Islamic wars were no more than robbing, killing, plundering, tyranny and aggression-oriented wars. Those wars focused on winning victory, oppressing the weakling and demolishing their houses and constructions. For them, war was a means by which they can rape or unveil women, practice cruelty against the weakling, the babies and small children, spoil tillage and race, and spread corruption on the earth.

Islamic wars are different from pre-Islamic wars. A "war" in Islam is a Jihad. That is to say it is a noble sacred fight in the way of Allah for the verification of a Muslim society that seeks to free man from oppression, tyranny and aggression. It is a society that everyone everywhere and at all times should be proud of. Pre-Islamic thoughts and traditions of Al Jahiliyah period have been turned upside down by Islam.

Prophet Muhammad Pbuh instructions when appointing General in the Army:

"Let your invasion be in the Name of Allah and for His sake. Fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Invade but do not exaggerate nor commit treachery. Never deform the corpse of a dead person or kill an infant child."

Some of the Principles practiced by Prophet Muhammad pbuh:

·?????? When it happened that he arrived at the battlefield by night, he would never invade the enemy till it was morning.

·?????? He utterly forbade burning (i.e. torturing people) in fire,

·?????? killing children and women or even beating them.

·?????? He also forbade theft and robbery and proceeded so far as to say gains acquired through plundering are not less forbidden than the flesh of a corpse.

·?????? Corruption of tillage and race and cutting down of trees were all forbidden unless they were badly needed and there was no other substitute:

·?????? "Do not kill a wounded person nor run after a fleeing one or kill a captive."

·?????? He decreed that envoys cannot be killed.

·?????? He also stressed on not killing those who made covenants.

·?????? He even said: "He whoever kills one who is under pledge to a covenant shall not smell paradise, though its smell could be experienced at a forty-year distance from it."