Does the Quran really contain
dozens of verses promoting violence?
The Quran contains at least 109
verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers. Some are quite
graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever
they may be hiding. Muslims who do not join the fight are called
'hypocrites' and warned that Allah will send them to Hell if they do not join
the slaughter.
They are part of the eternal, unchanging word of Allah, and just as relevant or
subjective as anything else in the Quran.
Unfortunately, there are very few
verses of tolerance and peace to abrogate or even balance out the many that
call for nonbelievers to be fought and subdued until they either accept
humiliation, convert to Islam, or are killed. This proclivity toward
violence - and Muhammad's own martial legacy - has left a trail of blood and
tears across world history.
The Quran:
Quran (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."
There is a good case to be made that the textual context of this particular
passage is defensive war, even if the historical context was
not. However, there are also two worrisome pieces to this verse.
The first is that the killing of others is authorized in the event of
"persecution" (a qualification that is ambiguous at best). The
second is that fighting may persist until "religion is for
Allah." The example set by Muhammad is not reassuring.
Quran (2:244) - "Then
fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all
things."
Quran (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." Not only does this verse
establish that violence can be virtuous, but it also contradicts the myth that
fighting is intended only in self-defense, since the audience was obviously not
under attack at the time. From the Hadith, we know that Muhammad was
actually trying to motivate his people into raiding caravans with this verse.
Quran (3:56) - "As
to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world
and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help."
Quran (3:151) - "Soon
shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined
companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority". This
speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they
believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be 'joining
companions to Allah').
Quran (4:74) - "Let
those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other.
Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We
shall bestow a vast reward." The martyrs of Islam are unlike the
early Christians, led meekly to the slaughter. These Muslims are killed
in battle, as they attempt to inflict death and destruction for the cause of
Allah. Here is the theological basis for today's suicide bombers.
Quran (4:76) - "Those
who believe fight in the cause of Allah…"
Quran (4:89) - "They
but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same
footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the
way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them
and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or
helpers from their ranks."
Quran (4:95) - "Not
equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who
strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons.
Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their
goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) Hath
Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above
those who sit (at home) by a special reward,-" This passage
criticizes "peaceful" Muslims who do not join in the violence,
letting them know that they are less worthy in Allah's eyes. It also
demolishes the modern myth that "Jihad" doesn't mean holy war in the
Quran, but rather a spiritual struggle. Not only is the Arabic word used
in this passage, but it is clearly notreferring to anything
spiritual, since the physically disabled are given exemption. (The Hadith
reveals the context of the passage to be in response to a blind man's protest
that he is unable to engage in Jihad and this is reflected in other
translations of the verse).
Quran (4:104) - "And
be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely
they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain..." Is pursuing an
injured and retreating enemy really an act of self-defense?
Quran (5:33) - "The
punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to
make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or
crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or
they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world,
and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement"
Quran (8:12) - "I
will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off
their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" No
reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.
Quran (8:15) - "O ye
who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs
to them. (16)Whoso on that day turneth his back to them, unless maneuvering for
battle or intent to join a company, he truly hath incurred wrath from Allah,
and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey's end."
Quran (8:39) - "And
fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only
for Allah" From the historical context we know that the
"persecution" spoken of here was simply the refusal by the Meccans to
allow Muhammad to enter their city and perform the Haj. Other Muslims
were able to travel there, just not as an armed group, since Muhammad declared
war on Mecca prior to his eviction. The Meccans were also acting in
defense of their religion, since it was Muhammad's intention to destroy their
idols and establish Islam by force (which he later did). Hence the
critical part of this verse is to fight until "religion is only for
Allah." According to Ibn Ishaq (324), Muhammad justified the
violence further by explaining that "Allah must have no
rivals."
Quran (8:57) - "If
thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those
who are behind them, that haply they may remember."
Quran (8:59-60) - "And
let not those who disbelieve suppose that they can outstrip (Allah's Purpose).
Lo! they cannot escape. Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed)
force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and
your enemy."
Quran (9:5) - "So
when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you
find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in
every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate,
leave their way free to them." According to this verse, the
best way of staying safe from Muslim violence is to convert to Islam.
Prayer (salat) and the poor tax (zakat) are among the religions
Five Pillars.
Quran (9:14) - "Fight
them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace..."
Quran (9:20) - "Those
who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their
lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they
who are triumphant." The "striving" spoken of
here is Jihad.
Quran (9:29) - "Fight
those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which
hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of
Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya
with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." "People
of the Book" refers to Christians and Jews. This was one of the
final "revelations" from Allah and it set in motion the tenacious
military expansion, in which Muhammad's companions managed to conquer
two-thirds of the Christian world in just the next 100 years. Islam is
intended to dominate all other people and faiths.
Quran (9:30) - "And
the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is
the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying
of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned
away!"
Quran (9:38-39) - "O
ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go
forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the
life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as
compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a
grievous penalty, and put others in your place." This is a
warning to those who refuse to fight, that they will be punished with Hell.
Quran (9:41) - "Go
forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives
in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew." See
also the verse that follows (9:42) - "If there had been immediate gain
(in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed
thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them" This
contradicts the myth that Muslims are to fight only in self-defense, since the
wording implies that battle will be waged a long distance from home (in another
country and on Christian soil, in this case, according to the historians).
Quran (9:73) - "O
Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be
unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the
destination." Dehumanizing those who reject Islam, by reminding
Muslims that they are merely firewood for Hell, makes it easier to justify
slaughter. It also explains why today's devout Muslims have little regard
for those outside the faith.
Quran (9:88) - "But
the Messenger, and those who believe with him, strive and fight with their
wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who
will prosper."
Quran (9:111) - "Allah
hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in
return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are
slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the
Quran: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the
bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."
Quran (9:123) - "O
you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let
them find in you hardness."
Quran (8:65-81) - This parable
lays the theological groundwork for honor killings, in which a family member is
murdered because they brought shame to the family, either through apostasy or
perceived moral indiscretion. The story, which is not found in any Jewish
or Christian source, tells of Moses encountering a man with "special
knowledge" who does things which don't seem to make sense on the surface,
but are then justified according to later explanation. One such action is
to murder a youth for no apparent reason (74). However, the wise man
later explains that it was feared that the boy would "grieve" his
parents by "disobedience and ingratitude." He was killed so
that Allah could provide them a 'better' son.
Quran (21:44) - "We
gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the
period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in
their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?"
Quran (25:52) - "Therefore
listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them with the utmost
strenuousness..." "Strive against" is Jihad -
obviously not in the personal context. It's also significant to point out
that this is a Meccan verse.
Quran (33:60-62) - "If
the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and the alarmists in
the city do not cease, We verily shall urge thee on against them, then they
will be your neighbors in it but a little while. Accursed, they will be
seized wherever found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter."
This passage sanctions the slaughter (rendered "merciless" and
"horrible murder" in other translations) against three groups:
Hypocrites (Muslims who don't act like Muslims should), those with
"diseased hearts" (which include Jews and Christians 5:51-52), and
"alarmists" or "agitators who include those who merely speak out
against Islam, according to Muhammad's biographers. It is worth noting
that the victims are to be sought out by Muslims, which is what today's
terrorists do. If this passage is meant merely to apply to the city of
Medina, then it is unclear why it is included in Allah's eternal word to Muslim
generations.
Quran (47:3-4) - "Those
who reject Allah follow vanities, while those who believe follow the truth from
their lord. Thus does Allah set forth form men their lessons by
similtudes. Therefore when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then
smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them)
prisoners," Those who reject Allah are to be subdued in
battle. The verse goes on to say the only reason Allah doesn't do the
dirty work himself is in order to to test the faithfulness of Muslims.
Those who kill pass the test. "But if it had been Allah's Will, He
could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you
fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the
Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost."
Quran (47:35) - "Be
not weary and faint-hearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost (Shakir:
"have the upper hand") for Allah is with you," This
very important verse asserts that the Religion of Peace is not to grant peace
to the broader society until Islamic rule has been established.
Quran (48:17) - "There
is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame
for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His
messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and
whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom." Contemporary
apologists sometimes claim that Jihad means 'spiritual struggle.' Is so,
then why are the blind, lame and sick exempted?
Quran (48:29) - "Muhammad
is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the
disbelievers and merciful among themselves" Islam is not about
treating everyone equally. There are two very distinct standards that are
applied based on religious status.
Quran (61:4) - "Surely
Allah loves those who fight in His way" Religion of Peace,
indeed!
Quran (61:10-12) - "O
ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a
grievous Penalty?- That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye
strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah, with your property and your
persons: That will be best for you, if ye but knew! He will forgive you your
sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, and to beautiful
mansions in Gardens of Eternity." This verse was given in
battle. It uses the Arabic word, Jihad.
Quran (66:9) - "O
Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with
them. Hell will be their home, a hapless journey's end." The
root word of "Jihad" is used again here. The context is clearly
holy war, and the scope of violence is broadened to include
"hypocrites" - those who call themselves Muslims but do not act as
such.
Hadith:
Bukhari (52:177) - Allah's
Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the
Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim!
There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."
Bukhari (52:256) - The
Prophet... was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at
night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The
Prophet replied, "They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e.
pagans)." In this command, Muhammad establishes that it is
permissible to kill non-combatants in the process of killing a perceived
enemy. This provides justification for the many Islamic terror bombings.
Bukhari (52:220) - Allah's
Apostle said... 'I have been made victorious with terror'
Abu Dawud (14:2526) - The
Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to
refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but
Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not
to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed
continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last
member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist)
Abu Dawud (14:2527) - The
Prophet said: Striving in the path of Allah (jihad) is incumbent on you along
with every ruler, whether he is pious or impious
Muslim (1:33) - the
Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people till
they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of
Allah
Bukhari (8:387) - Allah's
Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say:
'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah
Muslim (1:149) - "Abu
Dharr reported: I said: Messenger of Allah, which of the deeds is the best? He
(the Holy Prophet) replied: Belief in Allah and Jihad in His cause..."
Muslim (20:4645) - "...He
(the Messenger of Allah) did that and said: There is another act which elevates
the position of a man in Paradise to a grade one hundred (higher), and the
elevation between one grade and the other is equal to the height of the heaven
from the earth. He (Abu Sa'id) said: What is that act? He replied: Jihad in the
way of Allah! Jihad in the way of Allah!"
Muslim (20:4696) - "the
Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: 'One who died but did not
fight in the way of Allah nor did he express any desire (or determination) for
Jihid died the death of a hypocrite.'"
Muslim (19:4321-4323) - Three
separate hadith in which Muhammad shrugs over the news that innocent children
were killed in a raid by his men against unbelievers. His response:
"They are of them (meaning the enemy)."
Tabari 7:97 The
morning after the murder of Ashraf, the Prophet declared, "Kill any Jew
who falls under your power." Ashraf was a poet, killed by
Muhammad's men because he insulted Islam. Here, Muhammad widens the scope
of his orders to kill. An innocent Jewish businessman was then slain by
his Muslim partner, merely for being non-Muslim.
Tabari 9:69 "Killing
Unbelievers is a small matter to us" The words of Muhammad,
prophet of Islam.
Ibn Ishaq:
327 - “Allah said, ‘A prophet must slaughter before collecting
captives. A slaughtered enemy is driven from the land. Muhammad, you craved the
desires of this world, its goods and the ransom captives would bring. But Allah
desires killing them to manifest the religion.’”
Ibn Ishaq:
990 - Lest anyone think that cutting off someone's head while screaming
'Allah Akbar!' is a modern custom, here is an account of that very practice
under Muhammad, who seems to approve.
Ibn Ishaq:
992 - "Fight everyone in the way of Allah and kill those who
disbelieve in Allah." Muhammad's instructions to his men
prior to a military raid.