The main purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the Shi'a perception of war and peace is deeply rooted in the Quran and the Tradition of the Prophet and is defensive in nature. It challenges the views of some of the Shia jurists of earlier centuries regarding jihad. Perhaps the importance of this study is its relevance to prevailing situation in the heartland of the Islamic world the Middle East-- and the growing tension between regional players and some Western powers, especially the United States. The increasing possibility of military conflict necessitates a re-examination of religious and ethical principles concerning the conduct of war by all parties involved. It is the first comprehensive study in its kind on this important and timely subject.

A superb introduction to the ethical aspects of war and peace, this collection of tightly integrated essays explores the reasons for waging war and for fighting with restraint as formulated in a diversity of ethical traditions, religious and secular. Beginning with the classic debate between political realism and natural law, this book seeks to expand the conversation by bringing in the voices of Judaism, Islam, Christian pacifism, and contemporary feminism. In so doing, it addresses a set of questions: How do the adherents to each viewpoint understand the ideas of war and peace? What attitudes toward war and peace are reflected in these understandings? What grounds for war, if any, are recognized within each perspective? What constraints apply to the conduct of war? Can these constraints be set aside in situations of extremity? Each contributor responds to this set of questions on behalf of the ethical perspective he or she is presenting. The concluding chapters compare and contrast the perspectives presented without seeking to adjudicate their differences. Because of its inclusive, objective, comparative, and dialogic approach, the book serves as a valuable resource for scholars, journalists, policymakers, and anyone else who wants to acquire a better understanding of the range of moral viewpoints that shape current discussion of war and peace. In addition to the editor, the contributors are Joseph Boyle, Michael G. Cartwright, Jean Bethke Elshtain, John Finnis, Sohail H. Hashmi, Theodore J. Koontz, David R. Mapel, Jeff McMahan, Richard B. Miller, Aviezer Ravitzky, Bassam Tibi, Sarah Tobias, and Michael Walzer.

When is it right to go to war? When is a war illegal? What are the rules of engagement? What should happen when a war is over? How should we view terrorism? This book is a fresh and contemporary introduction to one of the oldest but still most relevant ethical debates. It introduces students to contemporary "just war" theory in a stimulating and engaging way, perfect for those approaching the topic for the first time. Examined are these debates: theories of self defense and national defense; Jus ad Bellum, Jus in Bello, and Jus post Bellum; the moral status of combatants; the principle of non-combatant immunity; and the nature of terrorism and the moral status of terrorists. Each chapter concludes with a useful summary, discussion questions and suggestions for further reading.

Davud Feirahi's War and Military Ethics in Shi'a Islam is a scholarly exposition of the principles of jehad and defense in Shi'i jurisprudence together with that of the ethics of war according to the Shi'a magisterium. The principles of jehad and defense in Shi'i jurisprudence include: The Priority of Peace, The Defensive Aspect of Jehad during the Era of the Occultation (and the subsequent The Prohibition against Initiating War), the requirement to endeavor to return to a state of peace, and finally, the prohibition against betrayal and the breaking of promises). Topics treated in the chapter on the ethics of war according to the Shi'a magisterium include: the prohibition against maligning the enemy; the prohibition against terror; the prohibition of guile and deception; the prohibition against weapons of mass destruction; the prohibition against attacking non-combatant; consideration for the environment; the prohibition against damage to trees and agricultural fields; the prohibition against the destruction of buildings and developed areas; and the prohibition against harming animals. Davud Feirahi is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political Science in the Department of Law and Political Science of Tehran University.

One of the most dynamic aspects of the Islamic revival during the past two centuries has been the rethinking of Islamic political thought. A broad range of actors, ideas, and ideologies characterize the debate on how Islamic ethics and law should be manifested in modern institutions. Yet this aspect of the "return to Islam" has been neglected by policymakers, the media, and even many scholars, who equate "political Islam" with merely one strand, labeled "Islamic fundamentalism." Bringing together ten essays from six volumes of the Ethikon Series in Comparative Ethics, this book gives a rounded treatment to the subject of Islamic political ethics. The authors explore the Islamic ethics of civil society, boundaries, pluralism, and war and peace. They consider questions of diversity, discussing, among other subjects, Islamic regimes' policies regarding women and religious minorities. The chapters on war and peace take up such crucial and timely issues as the Islamic ethics of jihad, examining both the legitimate conditions for the declaration of war and the proper conduct of war. In their discussions, the contributors analyze the works of classical writers as well as the full range of modern reinterpretations. But beyond these analyses of previous and contemporary thinkers, the essays also reach back to the two fundamental sources of Islamic ethics--the Qur'an and traditions of the Prophet--to develop fresh insights into how Islam and Muslims can contribute to human society in the twenty-first century. The authors are Dale F. Eickelman, Hasan Hanafi, Sohail H. Hashmi, Farhad Kazemi, John Kelsay, Muhammad Khalid Masud, Sulayman Nyang, Bassam Tibi, and M. Raquibuz Zaman. From the foreword by Jack Miles: "Western foreign ministers and secretaries of state may have to learn a little theology if the looming clash between embattled elements both in the West and in the Muslim umma is to yield to disengagement and peaceful coexistence, to say nothing of fruitful collaboration. . . . It is, then, no idle academic exercise that the thinkers whose work is collected here have in hand. The long-term practical importance of their work can scarcely be overstated."