or, although
the infidels
place Mujful-
jr.an children
or captives before
them, as
fhields, in
£ght.
Warriors may
carry their
Korans or woand
hence, if the life of mijfile weapons were prohibited on account of
thefe Mujfulmans, war would be obdrufled.
If the infidels, in time of battle, (hould make fhields oiMuJful-
rnan children, or of Mujfulmans who are prifoners in their hands, yet
there is no occafion, on that account, to refrain from the ufe of
milfile weapons, for the reafon already mentioned. It is requifite,
however, that the Mujfulmans, in ufing fuch weapons, aim at the infidels,
and not at the children or the Mujfulman captives ; becaufe, as it
is impoffible, in (hooting, to didinguifh precifely between them and
the infidels, the perfon who difcharges the weapon mud make this
didinction in his intention and defign, by aiming at the infidels, and not
at the others, fince thus much is practicable, and the didindlion mull
be made as far as is pradticable. There'is alfo neither fine nor expiation
upon the warriors on account of fuch of their arrows or other
mifliles as happen to hit the children Or the Mtffulmans, becaufe the
war is in obfervance of a divine ordinance, and atonement is not due
for any thing which may happen in the fulfilment of a divine ordi-
nace, for otherwife men would negleft the fulfilment of the ordinance
from an apprehenfion of becoming liable to atonement. It is
otherwife in the cafe of a perfon eating the bread of another when
perilhing for hunger, as in that indance atonement is due although
eating the bread of other people, in fuch a fituation be a divine ordinance*
; becaufe a perfon perifhing for hunger will not refrain from
eating the provifion of another, from the apprehenfion of atonement,
fince his life depends upon itw h e re a s war is attended with trouble,
and dangerous to life; whence men would be deterred, by apprehenfion
of atonement, from engaging in it.
T here is no objection to the warriors carrying their Korans and
their women along with them, where the Mujfulman force is confi-
* T h a t is to fay, is enjoined and authorifed in the [acred w ritings.
derable,
derable, to fuch a degree as to afford a prote&ion from the enemy,
and not to admit of any apprehenfion from them, becaufe in that cafe
fafety is mod probable, and a thing which is mofi probable (lands and
is accounted as a thing certain.
If the force of the warriors be fmall, (fuch as is termed a Sirree-
y a t* f) fo as not to afford fecurity from the enemy, in this cafe their
carrying their women or Korans along, with them is reprobated; becaufe,
in fuch a fituation, taking Thofe with them is expofing them
to dilhonour ; and taking the Koran with them, in particular, is expofing.
it to contempt, fince infidels feoff at the Koran with a view of
infulting the Mujfulmans; and this is the true meaning, of the faying
of the prophet “ Carry not the Ivor an along with you into the territory
-o o f the enemy, ” (that is, of the infidels.')
If a Mujfulman go into an infidel camp, under a proteftion, there
is no objection to his taking his Koran along with him, provided thefe
infidels be fuch as obferve their engagements, becaufe from thefe no
violence is to be apprehended.
I t is lawful for aged women to accompany an army, for the performance
of fuch bufinefs as fuits them, fuch as drelling vidtuals,
adminiftering water, and preparing medicines for the lick and
wounded ;— but with refpedl to young women, it is better tjiat they
(lay at home, as this may prevent perplexity or difturbance. T h e women,
however, muff not engage in fight, as this argues,weaknefs in the Muf-
fulmans; women, therefore, mud nog take any perfonal concerndn
battle unlefs in a cafe of abfolute necejfity: and it is not laudable to
carry young women along with the army, either for the purpofe of
carnal gratification, or for fervice: if, however, the necefiity be very
urgent, femaleJlaves may be taken, but not wives.
* A cohort; a body of men from 300 to 509*
U 2
men into the
field along
with them,
unlefs the
force be fo
fmall as not
to place them
in fecurity.
Aged women
may accompany
the
army, but not
youngwomen.
A WIFE