"O you who believe! Why, when you are called to go on a campaign in the cause of Allah, do you fall heavily to the ground? Are you content with the worldly life more than the Hereafter? But the transient pleasure of worldly life is negligible in comparison with the Hereafter. If you do not go on a campaign, He will subject you to excruciating suffering and replace you with another people. You will not harm Him in any way, for Allah is capable of all things" (Surah 9 "Repentance" 38-39).

"Go out on a campaign, whether it is easy or burdensome for you, and fight in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your souls. It would be better for you if you only knew" (Surah 9 "Repentance" 41)

"Those who believe in Allah and in the Last Day do not ask you permission to fight with their wealth and their souls. Allah knows the God-fearing" (Surah 9 "Repentance" 44).

"Indeed, Allah bought from the believers their lives and property in exchange for Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, killing and dying..." (Surah 9 "Repentance" 111).

"O you who believe! Fight the unbelievers who are near you. And let them be convinced of your severity. And know that Allah is with those who fear Allah" (Surah 9 "Repentance" 123).

"O you who believe! Should I point you to a trade that will save you from excruciating suffering? Believe in Allah and His Messenger and fight in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your souls. It would be better for you, if only you knew. He will forgive you your sins, lead you into the Gardens of Eden where the rivers flow, and into the beautiful dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. This is a great success. There will also be what you love: help from Allah and a near victory. Tell the good news to the believers!" (Surah 37 The Rows 10-13).

"When you meet unbelievers on the battlefield, you cut off heads. When you loosen them, then fasten the fetters. And then either have mercy, or take a ransom until the war lays down its burden. Just like that! If Allah had willed, He would have taken revenge on them, but He wanted to test some of you through the others. He will never make in vain the deeds of those who are killed in the cause of Allah" (Surah 47 Muhammad 4).

"The believers say: 'Why is the Surah on Jihad not revealed?' And when the clear Surah mentioning the battle was revealed, you saw that those whose hearts were afflicted with illness were looking at you with the eyes of those who had fainted before they died" (Surah 47 Muhammad 20)

"Do not be weak and do not call for peace, for you are above others. Allah is with you and will not belittle your deeds" (Surah 47, Muhammad 35).

These Qur'anic passages are understood in Muslim literature as follows.

Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari wrote: "This means: fight until paganism disappears, and until people cease to worship anyone but Allah. Until the worship of idols and false deities is eradicated, and until everyone worships and obeys Allah alone."

Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes: "Allah commanded to fight against the mushriks (polytheists) until the fitnah, that is, shirk, disappears!"

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan said: "Among the goals of jihad are the exaltation of the religion of Islam and the humiliation of polytheists!"

Hafiz Ibn 'Abdul-Barr wrote: "One should fight the kafirs until they accept Islam or until they pay the jizya and remain humiliated."