George Sale, The Koran, commonly called the Alcoran of Mohammed, translated into English immediately from the original Arabic; with Explanatory Notes, taken from the most approved Commentators. To which is prefixed A Preliminary Discource (1734)

call it) which takes place in the secular courts, and has the executive power on its side ¹.

Of war against infidels.
Under the head of civil laws, may be comprehended the injunction of warring against infidels, which is repeated in several passages of the Korân ², and declared to be of high merit in the sight of God, those who are slain fighting in defence of the faith being reckoned martyrs, and promised immediate admission into paradise ³. Hence this duty is greatly magnified by the Mohammedan divines, who call the sword the key of heaven and hell, and persuade their people that the least drop of blood spilt in the way of God, as it is called, is most acceptable unto him, and that the defending the territories of the Moslems for one night, is more meritorious than a fast of two months ⁴: on the other hand, desertion, or refusing to serve in these holy wars, or to contribute towards the carrying them on, if a man has ability, is accounted a most heinous crime, being frequently declaimed against in the Korân ⁵. Such a doctrine, which Mohammed ventured not to teach till his circumstances enabled him to put it in practice ⁶, it must be allowed, was well calculated for his purpose, and stood him and his successors in great stead: for what dangers and difficulties may not be despised and overcome by the courage and constancy which these sentiments necessarily inspire? Nor have the Jews and Christians, how much soever they detest such principles in others, been ignorant of the force of enthusiastic heroism, or omitted to spirit up their respective partisans by the like arguments and promises. Let him who has lifted himself in defence of the law, says Maimonides ⁷, rely on him who is the hope of Israel, and the saviour thereof in the time of trouble ⁸; and let him know that he fights for the profession of the divine unity: wherefore let him put his life in his hand ⁹, and think neither of wife nor children, but banish the memory of them from his heart, having his mind wholly fixed on the war. For if he should begin to waver in his thoughts, he would not only confound himself, but sin against the law; nay the blood of the whole people hangeth on his neck: for if they are discomfited, and he has not fought stoutly with all his might, it is equally the same as if he had shed the blood of them all; according to that saying, let him return, lest his brethrens heart