The Employment of the Root d–f–c in the Qur'an
Words employing the root d–f–c occur no more than twelve times in the Qur'an, yet with a variety and depth of meaning that illustrate the Qur'an's eloquence and inimitability: one aspect of this is the Qur'an's practice of using one word to convey both a thing and its opposite – in Sura 4 for instance d–f–c is used in the sense of giving and handing over; in Sura 52 and Sura 70 it occurs in the sense of withholding – and such diversity of meaning gave theologians scope for the development of their various doctrines and opinions. D–f–c occurs in the Qur'an in a range of meanings and it describes not only repelling by force but also rebuffing by dialogue and good behaviour and by confronting evil with good. It becomes clear in this article that jihād in Islam is not part of a Muslim's creed but part of a political system which sanctions its use in the protection and defence of the community against invasion and attack.