Islam Rediscovered
13. The Shariah and Its Application
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Fight for the sake of God those that fight
against you. (2:190)
On receiving this command, all the believers
engaged themselves wholeheartedly in the field of
battle.
This same pattern continued throughout the
prophetic period lasting 23 years. Each time only
that part of the Quran was revealed which was
required in regard to the circumstances. The
believers of this first phase were solely concerned
with carrying out the particular commandment
relevant to given situation.
They were not required to decide as to which of the
various and different commandments were
applicable. But, in later times, the state of affairs
changed. Now, all the parts of the Quran revealed
on different occasions were collected and bound in
the form of one book. That is to say, the commands
and their background had been separated from one
another. Afterwards the responsibility devolved
upon the Muslims themselves, by means of deep
reflection and study, to strive to ascertain which of
the injunctions was applicable to them in particular
