Why won't Iran attack first? Why did they agree when sued for peace before? Given that Iran is an Islamic Republic, these questions have Quranic answers. This Ramadan, let's go through a bit of the Quran together, to understand them better. This is a bit of the Quranic art of war.

Your unreliable narrator

Note that I am not a Muslim. I don't know if I believe in Allah, but I definitely fear them. I am a Sri Lankan Buddhist, a Sinhala Buddhist if you like. I started reading the Quran and fasting for Ramadan to understand the Axis of Resistance better, and I suppose I'll continue doing this until Palestine is liberated. I am in no way an authority on the Quran, I cannot read Arabic and have little historical or cultural context. Someone literally handed me a Quran on the street one day (the GoodWord translation) and that's the one I use. I recommend reading the book yourself, in whatever capacity, if only to be an educated person.

I'll limit my quotes here to the first three surahs (chapters) of the Quran because it's only been five days of Ramadan and that's what's fresh in my mind right now. I'll go through them mostly in order. And I won't even cover the Shia aspects of Iranian faith (which I know nothing about), but only the Quran.

Knowing the enemy

When I read the Quran it really sounds like They're talking about today. For example, passage (to me) describes the evil we face in the White Empire (America, Europe, 'Israel', same thing). A bunch of people who don't really believe in God but think God promised them land anyways.

As for those who are bent on denying the truth, it makes no difference to them whether you warn them or not, they will not believe. God has sealed their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes there is a covering. They will have a terrible punishment. There are some who say, ‘We believe in God and the Last Day,’ yet they are not believers. They seek to deceive God and the believers, but they only deceive themselves, though they do not realize it. In their hearts is a disease, which God has increased. They will have a painful punishment, because they have been lying.

When they are told, ‘Do not cause corruption in the land,’ they say, ‘We are only promoters of peace,’ but it is they who are really causing corruption, though they do not realize it.”

I think of this latter phrase often, as the United States sets up a ‘Board of Peace’ over the graveyard of Gaza. When they really spread corruption and destruction, as we can see. The Quran repeats that you cannot change such people, and that Allah will “draw them on, for a while, to wander blindly in their insolence,” and that “He makes only the disobedient go astray.” At the same time there are clear and rigid rules of engagement even for such Satanic armies, as follows.

Everybody is not the enemy

The propaganda line from the West (and increasingly India) is that Muslims want to kill everybody but that isn't Muslim, but this isn't the case. “There shall be no compulsion in religion,” and the rules of engagement for war are strictly, often frustratingly, defensive. The eschatological line is Iran is trying to eliminate Jews and Christians as infidels, and nothing could be further from the truth. Jews and Christians live peacefully in Iran (and more did, before 'Israelis' went throwing bombs in synagogues) and there is a strong Quranic basis for this. The Quran says,

The believers, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabaeans—all those who believe in God and the Last Day and do good deeds—will be rewarded by their Lord; they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

The Quran speaks directly of the Jews, which honestly sounds like it's speaking to today, though the modern state of 'Israel' is of course an abomination created and sustained by the Great Satan. Allah said, via his Messenger,

Remember when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, ‘Worship none but God and be good to your parents and to relatives and orphans and the needy. And speak kindly to people. Attend to your prayers and pay the zakat [prescribed alms].’ But with the exception of a few, you turned away [in aversion] and paid no heed.

When We made a covenant with you, We said, ‘You shall not shed each other’s blood, nor turn your people out of their homes.’ You consented to this and bore witness.

Yet, here you are, slaying one another and driving some of your own people from their homelands, aiding one another against them, committing sin and aggression; but if they came to you as captives, you would ransom them. Surely their very expulsion was unlawful for you. Do you believe in one part of the Book and deny another part of it? Those of you who act thus shall be rewarded with disgrace in this world and with a severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection. God is never unaware of what you do.

Such are they who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter. Their punishment shall not be lightened for them, nor shall they be helped.

Speaking of the ‘Children of Israel’, ie the Jews, the Quran says, “You will constantly discover treachery on their part, except for a few of them. But pardon them, and bear with them; truly, God loves the doers of good.” The Quran speaks specifically about the Jews of the time which honestly sounds like the Jews of our time. As the Quran says, a bit later,

Some Jews take words out of their context and say, ‘We have heard, but we disobey,’ or ‘Hear without listening.’ And they say ‘Look at us,’ twisting the phrase with their tongues so as to disparage religion. But if they had said, ‘We hear and we obey,’ and ‘Listen to us and look at us with favour,’ that would have been better and more proper for them. God has rejected them for their defiance so that they shall not believe, except a few of them.

Again, I'm reading this out of historical context, but doesn't the Quran seem to describe the news better than the news? I guess characters don't change that much, though the stories do.

The Al-Aqsa Flood

The central religious cause of the Axis of Resistance is the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem (Al-Quds). The Resistance often says, of those martyred, that he died on the road to Al-Quds. The moment this is truly over will be when the faithful can worship freely in Al Aqsa Mosque, without being booted by jackbooted thugs. 'Israel' violently restricts Muslims from praying there now, their troops even wear shoes inside (which horrifies every Asian), and they make noises about destroying it entirely. The Al Aqsa Mosque is the physical center of the Resistance, such that the ghetto rebellion of October 7th is called the Al Aqsa Flood. As the Quran says about this motivation,

Who could be more wicked than someone who prevents God’s name from being mentioned in His places of worship, and seeks to bring about their ruin, while it behoves these men to enter them with fear in their hearts? There is disgrace in store for them in this world and a great punishment in the next.

Fear, hunger, and loss

Within the White Empire, where people are trained to be motivated by the life of this world, it is very confusing that these religious people keep rebelling despite being killed. But every religion is about a world greater than this one, a higher power, and Islam is very clear on this point. Allah said, via Muhammad (pbuh),

Do not say that those who are killed in God’s cause are dead; they are alive, but you are not aware of it. We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of property, lives and crops. Give good news to those who endure with fortitude. Those who say, when afflicted with a calamity, ‘We belong to God and to Him we shall return,’ are the ones who will have blessings and mercy from their Lord: it is they who are on the right path!

The first sentence here occurs in almost every death notice of every fighter. Their motivation is not the life of this world but the hereafter, and if you say this is a dumb superstition, think of the fact that every religion says something like this, and that such belief produces better people. Think about what truth really means, and how on Earth God would communicate this to people. Some concept of an afterlife is necessary otherwise there's just this, and people being awful and getting away with it. The Quran is very clear about the Day of Judgement coming and being much more important than any days since (which other people of the book should get). But they scoff and choose profit over profits. As the Quran said,

The life of this world is made to appear attractive for those who deny the truth and they scoff at those who believe. But those who fear God shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection: God bestows His bounties on whoever He pleases without stinting.

Or as Allah says in the next Surah,

The satisfaction of worldly desires through women, and children, and heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, and pedigreed horses, and cattle and lands is attractive to people. All this is the provision of the worldly life; but the most excellent abode is with God.

This feels like it's talking directly to the Emiratis, but we'll get to that another time, there's a lot of verses for ‘desert Arabs’ who flee from the fight.

The rules of war

The Quran's rules for fighting and stopping fighting are very clear. And also very confusing for godless genocidal maniacs who try to game theory everything. The Quran says,

And fight in God’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression—for surely, God does not love aggressors. Slay them wherever you find them [those who fight against you]; drive them out of the places from which they drove you, for [religious] persecution is worse than killing. Do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they fight you there. If they do fight you, slay them—such is the reward for those who deny the truth—but if they desist, then surely God is most forgiving and merciful.

Fight them until there is no more fitna [religious persecution] and religion belongs to God alone. If they desist, then let there be no hostility, except towards aggressors.

As you can see, the Islamic art of war is clearly defensive. They should not strike first because God does not love aggressors. Indeed, Iran has not started a war since the Great Satan reincarnated in 'America', for over 300 years now. And they're still sitting there, waiting for America to hit them before they respond. Then they will fight back, inshallah the way to the Al Aqsa Mosque, but they won't start it.

The other frustrating thing to outside observers is why they stopped after the 12-Day War, just as 'Israel's' air defense were depleted. But that has a Quranic reason also. If the enemy desists, Muslims are supposed to stop fighting. This can be maddening for secular theorists of war, but it's all in the Quran, and it is deeply honorable. This is actually the most moral philosophy of war I have found.

What of those who say non-violence is the only moral course, that people should not fight at all? Even the (CIA-employed) Dalai Lama has said if Buddhism was going to be destroyed Buddhist should fight, and God knows Sinhala Buddhist have been warlike enough. The Quran puts it clearer saying, “Had it not been for God’s repelling some people by means of others, the earth would have been filled with corruption. But God is bountiful to mankind.” They're not looking for a fight, but if it's upon them, they don't hide. Iran makes much more sense in this light.

On believers and unbelievers

The point I'm getting at is that the Islamic Republic of Iran is what it says on the tin, they are true believers and this is what motivates them and it is necessary to read the Quran to understand them. Or, honestly, to understand anything in the region.

When I read the Quran, it sounds like Allah is talking to true Muslims like those in Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, and Palestine, who actually answer the call to arms when children are being killed and amputated. The Quran says,

You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind. You enjoin what is good, and forbid what is evil, and you believe in God. If the People of the Book had also believed, it would have surely been better for them. Some of them are true believers, but most of them are disobedient.

It also sounds like They're speaking to the corrupted Jews now (this seems to be a historical pattern), whom Hamas called the ‘Diaper Army’ and who I've seen run and hide when faced with men on the battlefield, and not children on a computer screen. As the Quran says,

They can do you very little harm; if they come out to fight you, they will show you their backs; then they shall not be helped—abasement shall attend them wherever they are found, unless they make a covenant with God or with man. They have incurred God’s wrath and have been utterly humbled, because they have persistently disbelieved in God’s signs and killed prophets unjustly. This resulted from their disobedience and their habit of transgression.

The Quran has a message for people who deny the truth, and try to raise a state of 'Israel' before the Messiah comes, with help from the Great Satan (which many Torah Jews object to too). As the Quran says of those living fat off the stolen land,

As for those who deny the truth, neither their possessions nor their children shall avail them in the least against God. They will be inmates of the Fire. They will remain there for ever; that which they spend in pursuit of the life of this world is like a biting frosty blast which smites the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves, and destroys it. God is not unjust to them; they are unjust to their own souls.

Today, it can seem like the wicked are getting away with it, quite flagrantly. Jews party in Tel Aviv while children starve in Gaza, pedophilic elites in Washington launch warships while Cubans can't eat. But Allah said this is a bad deal for them, if they only knew it. The Quran says, “And if one desires the rewards of this world, We shall grant it to him; and if one desires the rewards of the life to come, We shall grant it to him. We will reward the grateful.”

On loss again

One of the arguments against the Al Aqsa Flood is look at Gaza now, but I think the Quran speaks to this also. It says,

Those who stayed behind, said of their brothers, ‘Had they listened to us, they would not have been killed.’ Say to them, ‘Ward off death from yourselves, then, if what you say be true!’

Do not think of those who have been killed in God’s cause as dead. They are alive, and well provided for by their Lord; they are joyful because of what God has bestowed on them of His grace and they rejoice that those they left behind, who have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve; rejoicing in God’s grace and bounty. [They know that] God will not fail to requite the believers.

That line, “Do not think of those who have been killed in God’s cause as dead” occurs again and again in Resistance obituaries. And I often wonder how people in Muslim countries where they at least hear this live with themselves, knowing they can't take their football teams with them when they're dead, but will still have all their cowardice piled upon their heads. I'm a Buddhist and yet I fear Allah. What about them?

On determination

Yet as the Quran says, among the believers there are men. Some people actually take this stuff (and their souls) seriously, and the Quran speaks to them. Iran is a whole nation of them, bless them. They have suffered deeply for Palestine, but remained steadfast, because they have faith. As Allah says, through his Messenger,

You will surely be tried and tested in your possessions and your persons, and you shall surely hear many hurtful things from those who were given the Book before you and from those who set up partners with God, but if you endure with fortitude and restrain yourselves, that indeed is a matter of strong determination.

That is where, I think, this determination to resist comes from. I remember seeing an Al Qassam (Hamas) fighter mortally wounded, being filmed dying from an 'Israeli' drone. I saw him pray before dying, and I was deeply moved. What is this faith, I thought, that gives courage against seemingly insurmountable odds, which enables honor against such powerful evil? That faith is Islam.

On justice for Palestine

People who do not read the Quran use it to slander the Resistance as mindless zealots, but if you actually read it, it's very clear, sensible, and just. It contains a very clear art of war, and a purely defensive one. Sometimes you do have to fight for justice, it doesn't just appear. And I think it describes the fight between good and evil we're seeing now. It is why, I think, Iran answers the call of suffering Palestinians from afar, even though there's much more wealth and comfort in selling out like most of the region. As the Quran says,

Let those who would exchange the life of this world for the Hereafter, fight for the cause of God; whoever fights for the cause of God, whether he is slain or is victorious, to him We shall give a great reward.

And how should you not fight for the cause of God, and for the helpless old men, women, and children who say, ‘Deliver us, Lord, from this city of wrongdoers, grant us a protector out of Your grace and grant us a supporter out of Your grace?’

The believers fight for the cause of God, while those who reject faith fight for Satan. Then fight the allies of Satan: Satan’s scheming is truly weak.

At this point—when the rulers of the White Empire are openly raping children on vacation and killing them at work—how can you not see this as a battle of good vs. evil, and America et al as the Great Satan? And the Quran gives clear authority to fight such people, with clear restrictions. It says,

If they keep away from you and cease their hostility and propose peace to you, God does not allow you to harm them.

You will find others who wish to be safe from you, and from their own people, yet whenever they find an opportunity of inflicting harm, they plunge into it. So if they neither withdraw, nor offer you peace, nor restrain themselves from fighting you, seize and kill them wherever you encounter them. Over such people We have given you clear authority.

This tells you why Iran accepted a peace deal when they had 'Israel' on the ropes during the 12-Day War, but also why they don't fear the war incoming. When such war is joined, the Quran gives courage. I can now see where the Resistance fighters get it from. The Quran says,

Do not relent in the pursuit of the enemy. If you are suffering hardships, they too are suffering similar hardships, but what you can hope for from God, they cannot. God is all knowing and wise.

This, I think, describes the situation in a way that modern news coverage obscures. Relentless Western propaganda covers up 'Israeli' and other imperial losses, but they are happening. The propaganda does this to get the Resistance to give up, but why would they? They don't watch CNN, and they do read the Quran. They shouldn't give up and inshallah they won't, as long as the Islamic Republic of Iran is standing. This is what ignorant people don't understand about Iran. When they say that they're an Islamic Republic, when they defend their Islamic Revolution, they actually mean it. And you would be good to read the Quran if you wish to understand them. I highly recommend it.