This dissertation examines the social and historical circumstances and the Qur'anic justifications for implementing, executing and governing the practice of war in seventh century Arabia. Several foci are topics of concern: the role of the charismatic prophet, the life and times of Muhammad, the goals of Muhammad's prophetic career, ideas of justice and injustice in the Qur'an and the relationship of these to "holy war." / In a strictly sociological context, Muhammad was a prophet; he was concerned with the transformation of seventh century Arab society and the realignment of its values. In such cases many prophets, including Muhammad, resort to warfare in order to accomplish their objectives; consequently, Muhammad had to justify and regulate the hostile actions of his followers. / Muhammad was not a philosophical theologian. The author of the Qur'an, or its redactors, took a non-systematic approach to many topics, including warfare. As a structural tool, and only as such, we shall use the categorical constructs of the Western just war tradition. This format is used in order to arrange data in a familiar manner and to suggest relationships, parallels and analogues between these two traditions. / We shall take both a topical and chronological approach to warfare in the primitive Islamic community. In this way we can appreciate (1) Muhammad's firm stance against what he saw as unbelief and ingratitude towards God and (2) his eschatological vision of a beloved, theocratic community. This community should be protected from violent actions and should prepare itself and the world for the end-time by ensuring justice and by spreading "submission" and the primacy of Islamic law to the four corners of the earth. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-04, Section: A, page: 0994. / Major Professor: John Kelsay. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1994.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77150 |
| Contributors | Williams, Robert Jeffrey., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 287 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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