surveyor wrote: Qur’an

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=surveyor]
Qur’an (2:191-193) And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]…and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah.
[/quote]
As you may have noticed this is about self defense.
Hence the phrases “…where they drove you out..” and “…persecution is no more…”
[quote=surveyor]
Qur’an (2:216) – “Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.”[/quote]

By definition this is not about Jihad (ashgar or akbar) because the word used specifies Qital. It refers to physical fighting and self defense in the face of oppressors regardless of how difficult or troubling. In other words, its about not being walked on or allowing others to be walked on.

I found the following commentary illuminating:
http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/quran_2216_commentary/

Getting back to the main theme:
There are 5 principles of Islam.
Neither struggle (Jihad) nor fighting (Qital) is a salient component of any of them.

Violence was an early feature but almost always in the context of empire-building (like in the middle ages) or resistance (like now).