Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)

39. “And fight with them until there be no mischief and the religion be wholly for Allah. But if they desist, then verily Allah sees what they do.”

The content meaning of this verse addresses the Prophet (S) and the Muslim believers. It commands that they should fight against pagans and root out the sedition of polytheism.

The objective meaning is that the fight against those pagans, who have not given covenant, should be continued until there will remain none of them. The reason of it is that a pagan, who has not covenant, may penetrate inside his tribe and try to invite them to his own creed and, thereby, he can create temptation in the religion of Allah. The verse says:

“...And fight with them until there be no mischief...”

In that case, both the people of right and the people of wrong will wholly him and attend in the religion of Truth and will have correct beliefs. In other words, as a result of assembling people in the true religion, the whole religion will be of Allah. The verse says:

“...and the religion be wholly for Allah...”

Zurarah, as well as some other commentators, has narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) who said:

“The interpretation of this verse has not come forth yet. When our Gha’im raises, those who will be alive on the earth will see its interpretation and the religion of Muhammad (p.h.u.h.) will cover throughout the world. Then there will remain no polytheist therein.”1

And Allah says:

“They shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me...” (Surah An- Nur, No. 24, verse 55).

In Islam, the aim of wars is not occupying lands and countries, but their aim is the expansion of the religion of Islam and opposing with mischief.

The Qur'anic term /fitnah/ (sedition) has a vast meaning. It includes any imposition of pressure, too. This word has also been used in the Qur’an with the meaning of ‘polytheism’.

It is, maybe, for the fact that kinds of limitations and impositions of pressures are fulfilled over the minds, societies and truth- seekers from the side of polytheists. Or, since polytheism causes the eternal punishment to be incurred, imposing infidelity on believers and pure-nature humans is counted mischief, too.