IMPROVING DEFENSIVE FORCES (VERSES NO. 60 - 63)

      In their early fights Muslims had not sufficient experience in warfare, and enough equipments and weapon; and in particular they had no cavalry at all. Of course, there is a general message in these verses for all time, all people, and everywhere, that; in every fight, physical and spiritual, moral and economical, armaments are to be prepared. So also discipline, obedience and faith in the cause of the war, go side by side with the said weapons. Therefore you should not wait for the enemy to come and take you by a surprise attack while you are unaware and unprepared, you rather have to prepare yourself for possible wars, and should know that there are always lurking enemies whom you may not know, but God knows them. It is your duty then as a Muslim to increase and strengthen your defensive forces, and always try to keep them up to date and careful.

      The Arabic, `GHOVVEH' translated to forces and power; consists of all sorts of power that may exist- be it physical, spiritual, mechanical, economical, morals or else.

      It has been proved practically that the effects of spiritual or moral power are no less than that of physical powers.

      Among the shades of power can be named even an arrow, a bullet, a gun, a horse, a sword, up to the guided missiles, Radars, Sonars, and Electronic counter Measurement.

      These are what nowadays, the verse, wants Muslims to prepare for their defensive purposes.

      As to the objects of such preprations, it is not to destroy lives, and to destruct cities and civilizations, or to transgress the rights of humanity, or oppress the weaker nations.

      The merit of a fight depends on its cause, and not on itself. A rightful fight's final object and aim should be to establish a permanent peace, justice, righteousness, and God's Law and religion to reign supreme.

      We must always be prepared for defensive purposes, but even in the midst of the fight, if our foe asks for peace, we should not reject the request, and consider the proposal of peace deeply and with positive intention. We should know that peace is always better than war:

      ``And if they inclined to peace; you too incline to it - but put your trust in Allah, who is All- hearing, All- knowing.''

      The ending of this verse implies that; in asking for a peace treaty, there also might be the risk of tricks and treachery on the other side! For such an anxiety, it is not fit to leave and ignore so important a matter as peace is! We therefore have to put our trust in God, and drive towards peace, in spite of all the risks.