The Madinan Period, Part 3: The Covenant, the Qiblah, and the Meaning of Jihad
Section 21 of 26 · The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: The Madinan Period
The Second Objective: The Protection of Rituals and Places of Worship
The second objective is the protection of rituals and places of worship. Allah says:
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدَٰفِعُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ
“Surely, Allah defends those who believe. Allah does not love any treacherous, ungrateful.” (22:38)
"Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone treacherous and ungrateful. Permission to fight has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged, and indeed Allah is competent to give them victory." They are those who have been evicted from their homes without right, only because they say, "Our Lord is Allah":
ٱلَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَٰمِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَٰتٌ وَمَسَـٰجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُوا۟ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا۟ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْأُمُورِ
“(They are) the ones who were expelled from their homes without any just reason, except that they say “Our Lord is Allah.” Had Allah not been repelling some people by means of some others, the monasteries, the churches, the synagogues and the mosques where Allah’s name is abundantly recited would have been demolished. Allah will definitely help those who help Him (by defending the religion prescribed by Him.) Surely Allah is Powerful, Mighty. (The ones who help Allah are) those who, when We give them power in the land, establish Salāh, pay Zakāh, bid what is Fair and forbid what is Unfair. And with Allah lies the fate of all matters.” (22:40–41)
"And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him; indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might. And they are those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakāh, and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; and to Allah belongs the outcome of all matters."
So notice here that Allah (swt) is saying: were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques would have been demolished. People are checked by fighting. This is called sunnat al-mudāfaʿah. This is the law of Allah (swt) that has governed the lives of men. If it was not for this fighting, churches would have been demolished, synagogues would have been demolished, and mosques.
Now the question might be asked: why mention synagogues and churches, when the subject is jihād fī sabīlillāh? The reason is that we are not the first nation to fight in the path of Allah. The first nation to fight in the path of Allah were the Children of Israel. Fighting in the path of Allah was not prescribed before them: Sayyidunā Ṣāliḥ and his people, Sayyidunā Hūd and his people, Nūḥ and his people — with those prophets, Allah (swt) would destroy their enemy through a miraculous act, and they did not have to involve themselves in fighting. The first nation to fight in the path of Allah are the Children of Israel, the followers of Mūsā (peace be upon him). So because of their being an ummah of jihād, synagogues were protected and churches were protected; and mosques are protected because the ummah of Muḥammad (peace be upon him) are also practising this act of worship.