Hermeneutic of the Qur’anic War Verses

The Quranic verses about war have been ingrained in the consciousness of fundamentalists, especially the verse quoted partially by Osama ben Laden (Ababil Press, 2001:42): “Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, smite them ...” (Muhammad 4). Other Quranic texts such as reliable (sahih) and the more credible hadits add to this discourse by explaining that the reward for martyrdom in war will be beautiful angels and jewels in heaven (Ahmad and al-Turmudzi). Although the Quranic war verses are universal, and were written in the context of the past (in illo tempore), all religious believers grasp the universal values and relevance of the term jihad.