Every War Is Evil Except Fighting in the Path of Allah

Every war, absolutely every war, is an act of injustice and is evil, with the exception of fighting in the path of Allah (swt). So every war, every bloodshed, is evil, with this exception: the only war that is allowed is fighting in the path of Allah (swt). The evidence for that is an āyah in the Qurʾān, in Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, verse 76. Allah (swt) says:

Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of ṭāghūt. So Allah is saying that there are two types of war: one war is fought for Allah (swt), and one war is fought for ṭāghūt. The meaning of ṭāghūt is false objects of worship, or it could mean those transgressors who usurp the divine right of governance. So Allah is saying that the believers are fighting for Allah, and that is a rewardable act and an acceptable act; and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of ṭāghūt. It does not matter what they state the objective of their fighting to be: it is evil. Allah says it is evil. Whether it is a war of aggression, a war of imperialism, a war of colonialism, a war for one race to dominate another or one ethnic group to dominate another, whether it is fought under the pretext of spreading democracy, or under the pretext of freeing such and such a people from oppression or dictatorship, it is all evil. And the only war that is designated as righteous is one fought under the banner of lā ilāha illā Allāh. That is all.

It is important to state this principle first, because some people say that Islam promotes violence, that Islam promotes holy war, that Islam promotes war. That is not true. Islam is against all types of war, all types of bloodshed, all types of aggression, except if it is done for the sake of Allah, who created us — the One who has the right to tell us what is right and what is wrong.