History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c45.s1: §1. The Muslim State entirely subordinate to the Church.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c45.s1
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§1. The Muslim State entirely subordinate to the Church.
v3.c45.s1.1
By the theory of its origin the Muslim State is a theocracy. Its true king is God, and earthly rulers are merely His agents, bound to enforce His law on all. Civil Law is completely subordinated to Religious Law and, indeed, merges its existence in the latter. The civil authorities exist solely to spread and enforce the true faith. In such a State, infidelity is logically equivalent to treason, because the infidel repudiates the authority of the true king and pays homage to his rivals, the false gods and goddesses. All the resources of the State, all the forces under the political authorities, are in strict legality at the disposal of the missionary propaganda of the true faith.
v3.c45.s1.2
Therefore, the toleration of any sect outside the fold of orthodox Islam is no better than compounding with sin. And the worst form of sin is polytheism, the belief that the one true God has partners in the form of other deities.∗ Such a belief is the rankest ingratitude (*kufr*)* to Him who gives us our life and daily bread.
v3.c45.s1.3
∗ The Arabic term for polytheism is shirk, meaning "associating other [false gods] with God." (Hughes, Dictionary of Islam, 579.)
v3.c45.s1.4
∗ *Kufr* means literally 'covering up the truth (regarding God),' and secondarily 'ingratitude.' A *kafir* is a man guilty of *kufr*.
v3.c45.s1.5
Islamic theology, therefore, tells the true believer that his highest duty is to make "exertion (*jihad*) in the path of God,"† by waging war against infidel lands (*dar-ul-harb*) till they become a part of the realm of Islam (*dar-ul-Islam*) and their populations are converted into true believers. After conquest the entire infidel population becomes theoretically reduced to the status of slaves of the conquering army. The men taken with arms are to be slain or sold into slavery and their wives and children reduced to servitude. As for the non-combatants among the vanquished, if they are not massacred outright,—as the Canon lawyer Shafi declares to be the Quranic injunction,—it is only to give them a respite till they are so wisely guided as to accept the true faith.
v3.c45.s1.6
† *Jihad fi sabil ullah* (Quran, ix. 29). For *jihad* see Hughes, 243-248, 710; *Encyclopædia of Islam*, i. 1041. "And when the sacred months are passed, kill those who join other deities with God, wherever ye shall find them...But if they shall convert,...then let them go their way." (Quran, ix. 5, 6.) "Say to the infidels, if they desist from their unbelief, what is now past shall be forgiven them. But if they return to it,...fight then against them till strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it God's" (viii. 39-42.)