Saving and Taking Life in War: Three Modern Muslim Views
Author(s)
Hashmi, Sohail
Abstract
A curious inversion of foci is evident in modern Islamic discussions of war when compared with the medieval literature. The majority of medieval writers began with a consensus on the grounds for war (jus ad bellum), which held jihad to be both a war of defense as well as a war for the expansion of a pax Islamica. They focused in their writings much more on concerns of legitimate means in warfare (jus in bello). Modern writers, on the other hand, concentrate heavily on jus ad bellum while devoting very little attention to jus in bello. A number of explanations may account for this emphasis.
