Are Muslims Bad? Does the Quran tell Muslims to kill non Muslims?
Are Muslims Bad? Does the Quran tell Muslims to kill non Muslims?
To start off, Islamic teachings strictly prohibit both individual suicide and suicide mass killing of innocent people. Suicide is 100% WRONG and NOT ALLOWED. So where does it go wrong? I will cover this further down the post and hopefully change your mind about what you think of Muslims/Islam.
Islam does NOT teach Muslims to go out and kill innocent civilians. Islam teaches Muslims to care for the poor, help the needy, look after their neighbours, be good with others, learn to forgive and much more. One of the Pillars of Islam is CHARITY, so Muslims donate to the poor and needy in the millions every year. I am sure that after you gain knowledge on Islam, any bad thoughts you may have about the religion will clear.
Have a read of the translated version of the Qur’an yourself and don’t rely on websites and those non-Muslims who claim that they have read the translated version 5 times, 10 times etc. You may even come across those who say they were ex-Muslims and decided to setup a website to prove Islam wrong. Have a read of the Qur’an and ask questions if you’re not sure.
Islam is the only religion which teaches, killing one innocent is like killing the whole of humanity and saving one innocent is like saving the whole of humanity. This is mentioned within the Qur’an. So where does it seem to go wrong? We will find out shortly.
Something else to think about, if Islam taught Muslims to go out and kill innocent people why are all Muslims not following their religion, and doing this? Why is it a very small minority? Where does it seem to go wrong with the minority religious groups including Islam?
Whilst carrying out my research, I found many websites attempting to prove the Qur’an wrong and branding Islam a religion of hatred. Such websites convinced their readers that Islam is wrong and Muslims are bad people. I wont mention the websites here but lets focus on the common Quranic verse these websites use to prove Islam wrong.
The verse was:
“And slay them wherever ye catch them..” (2:191)
see the verse explained : here
From the above verse, it seems as if the Qur’an is teaching Muslims to go out and slay whoever they wish, and the website I found used such verses to prove Islam is not a good religion and teaches hatred. Now lets read the verse before and you judge for yourself.
The verse before is 2:190 and mentions:
“Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors.”
Translation of transgress below:
The above verse sums it all up. There are people out there who manipulate verses and publish on the Internet, and there are some who think that Islam has given the go ahead for them to do whatever they want.
There are verses included within the Qur’an which were revealed by God (Allah) to Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) at the time when Muslims of Makkah were attacked by the non-Muslims on a regular basis. These verses are not a permission for “terrorism” but they are a warning against the “terrorists.” But even in these warnings you can see how much restraint and care is emphasized.
When the verses are not read in their proper textual and historical contexts they are manipulated and distorted. It is true that some Muslims and Non-Muslims manipulate these verses for their own goals, which is WRONG, but this is not only with Islamic texts, it also happens within the texts of other religions. This does not mean the religious scriptures are wrong.
If the Qur’an taught Muslims to go out and kill innocent civilians, we would not be reading verses such as the one below. There are many more such verses within the Qur’an which forbid the killing of innocent people. Attempt to gain the knowledge and you will be surprised.
“Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, We have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the law)” (al-Isra’ 17:33)
I could quote many verses of other religious scriptures which seem very violent, if taken out from their historical context. Verses from the other religions have also been used by many violent religious groups against other religions.
Let me give you an example of a verse from the Christian scripture. I am not going against the religion here but just showing you an example of how one can be mislead by reading the verses without understanding properly.
“When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you. And when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. (Deutronomy 7:1-2)
“When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you. However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. When the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword. Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself; and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the LORD your God has given you… Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes (Deutronomy 20:10-17)
Now, I am not going to say Christianity teaches hatred as that would be wrong. But this is just to demonstrate what some without any knowledge are doing. Picking what they want and then stamping Islam as a religion of hatred. There are Christian groups out there which will misunderstand verses like the ones from the Bible above, but this does not mean all Christians are bad people.
This answers why religious groups go astray and commit such crimes and it’s WRONG. But all Muslims or other religions should not be blamed for someone who misunderstood a verse. Non-Muslim websites who advertise verses from the Qur’an such as the one I cleared above don’t really help as their advertising incorrect information and possibly advertising this to violent groups. So all those websites we come across that use verses from the Qur’an, Bible, Torah etc, without reading or purposely reading the entire verse are incorrect and are spreading false information.
When you come across such verses, please do a search, locate the entire verse, analyse and judge for yourself. The Qur’an can be found in many translated languages.
If you’re a Muslim, have a think about what you read. If in doubt speak to those who are more educated. If still in doubt remember if it doesn’t sound right, then ask questions as you may find that you have misunderstood the verse.
My journey gaining knowledge on the miracles of the Qur’an and creating this website has been amazing. If Islam taught hatred, killing innocents and all the other thoughts which people have about Islam, I would not be wasting my time researching and gaining knowledge on the miracles of the Qur’an. If I had come across a verse which preached the killing of innocent civilians, I would STOP and not waste my time creating this website. But no where did I find such a verse.
Think about this, there are over one billion Muslims around the world, why is it only a small minority are getting it wrong? If the Qur’an taught Muslims to go out and kill innocent civilians, why are the rest not doing this? If the Qur’an did teach this, why are over one billion Muslims not following the religion? If one thinks with an open mind, the answers are clear, Islam does not teach hatred.
I hope this article has changed your mind of what you think about Islam. If not, I hope it has got you thinking.
Islam is a religion of peace.
source
Even in time of war, Prophet Muhammad (peace upon him) used, in any military conflict, to prohibit soldiers from killing women, children, old people, or any civilian. He would advise them:
[ O people, We created you from a male and female, and We made you into nations and tribes,that you may know one another. Surely, the most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most righteous.God is Knowledgeable,Expert ]
Those who think that Muslims hate Christians can refer to the Quran sayings (meaning English translation):
God explains in Quran that he caused the different nations with different beliefs only for them to compete in doing good deeds that bring them closer to God, but not to stay in conflict or hatred. Quran says:![And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it](https://peaceinquran.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/and-we-have-revealed-to-you-o-muhammad-the-book-in-truth-confirming-that-which-preceded-it-of-the-scripture-and-as-a-criterion-over-it.jpg?w=616)
In addition, the Quran Golden Rule says (Meaning English translation):
by : Mary Jesus
Does the Quran tell Muslims to kill non Muslims?
Does the Quran tell Muslims to kill non Muslims? Of course no.
Does the Quran tell Muslims to kill non Muslims? Of course no.
It is the opposite. Muslims are commanded by God to treat people; of all beliefs and cultures; friendly, kindly, and peacefully unless they fight us on our religion or they occupy our lands and drive us away from our homes.
[ God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers ]
( The Quran, chapter 60/ verse 8 )
Even in time of war, Prophet Muhammad (peace upon him) used, in any military conflict, to prohibit soldiers from killing women, children, old people, or any civilian. He would advise them:
{…Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill a newborn child.} And he also said:
{ Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years.}
Also, the Prophet Muhammad (peace upon him) listed murder as the second of the major sins (the first major sin is denying the oneness of God), and he even warned that on the Day of Judgment, {The first cases to be adjudicated between people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed.}
[ O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah , through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer . And give to the orphans their properties and do not substitute the defective [of your own] for the good [of theirs]. And do not consume their properties into your own. Indeed, that is ever a great sin.]
[ The Quran ,The Women 4: 1-2 ]
[ O people, We created you from a male and female, and We made you into nations and tribes,that you may know one another. Surely, the most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most righteous.God is Knowledgeable,Expert ]
[ The Quran 49:13 ]
Those who think that Muslims hate Christians can refer to the Quran sayings (meaning English translation):
[ You will find that the people most hostile towards the believers are the Jews and the polytheists. And you will find that the nearest in affection towards the believers are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant. And when they hear what was revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears, as they recognize the truth in it. They say, ‘Our Lord, we have believed, so count us among the witnesses.’ ‘And why should we not believe in God, and in the truth that has come to us, and hope that our Lord will include us among the righteous people?’ ]
[ The Quran, chapter 5, verses 82-84]
God explains in Quran that he caused the different nations with different beliefs only for them to compete in doing good deeds that bring them closer to God, but not to stay in conflict or hatred. Quran says:
[ The Quran, chapter 5, verse 48 ]
In addition, the Quran Golden Rule says (Meaning English translation):
“There is no compulsion in religion…”
[ The Quran, Chapter 2, Verse 256 ]
credits pics from : here
– Quran 2:191- ‘And kill them wherever you find them…’ Explained
A few years back, my house was invaded by flying ants. I would find them crawling near my kitchen window. Sometimes I would see them fall down out of the air – weak.
One had fallen into a cup of water, writhing.
Ants are small, but they run away from danger. They find their way out of difficult situations. They help each other.
They’re alive and they clearly have a will to live.
I preferred to remove them and place them outside. If I saw them struggling, near death, I resorted on a few occasions to ending it quickly for them – in order to remove the suffering.
For me, killing an ant is a moment of agony. You can see it on my face. It’s hard to take the life even of a small insect.
In Islam, we’ve been permitted to remove pests that may be harmful to us or our homes, even if it means exterminating them; but the appreciation and respect for life we are instilled with by the Quran and the example of the last prophet, Muhammad, make it difficult to do that.
In Islam, we’ve been permitted to eat meat- to kill a living being in order to provide nutrition for our bodies, sustenance for our lives. We’ve been given that permission by the one who gave them life, but there are very strict guidelines on how to do it.
The animal is to be given consideration. It should be treated well, with care. It should never be frightened by witnessing the slaughter of another animal, or even by seeing the blade being sharpened. The blade must be extremely sharp so that the animal doesn’t feel it.
Then, we have to say “Bismillah” – In the name of God.
Because taking a life is no small thing.
So, imagine: Muslims have been instructed to respect life, the lives of animals – even insects.
How could it be possible that human life is easy to destroy? How could it be okay to just kill people?
There are verses in the Quran. Some people love to pull them out and present them all by themselves. Here’s one of them:
“And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give charity, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Quran 9:5)
It’s clear why this verse arouses discomfort and distaste.
Bear with me…
Islam provides guidance for virtually all aspects of life- including war, which is an unfortunate reality that is not going to vanish any time soon.
War is not encouraged in Islam, but it is permitted where there is untenable oppression, or for self-preservation of an established, valid Muslim state.
Violence is not permitted for individuals or rogue or vigilante paramilitary organizations. Only in the context of justifiable war executed by a viable government or ruler.
What would you expect your country to do if it is attacked or threatened?
Or better yet, what does your country do when it is attacked or threatened? If you are an American like me, our country is at war – i.e. killing people – right now.
But, war in Islam has it’s own stringent guidelines and restrictions. All of the guidelines focus on accomplishing what is necessary in the most merciful way. Always with respect for life, fear and reverence for the One Who created life, as well as with methods that reduce damage and unnecessary harm.
In a legitimate war, only combatants are to be fought. Women, children, the elderly, Priests, Rabbis, Monks and even trees are forbidden from being harmed.
Yes, I said trees.
Muslims may not cut down trees or damage structures during combat. Muslims may not slaughter the enemy’s animals except if necessary for food. All unwarranted damage is forbidden.
The verse I quoted above, was revealed in a particular context of a specific war that occurred at the time the Quran was being revealed. That is the case with all of the Quranic verses sanctioning or mentioning fighting.
The Muslims at that time had been suffering years of persecution and oppression at the hands of the Quraysh – for nothing more than believing in One God. The fact that Muhammad’s followers were increasing had caused anger amongst the polytheistic culture and the establishment who profited from idolatry. This inevitably induced the powerful Quraysh tribe to inflict harsh punishments, torture and humiliation on Muhammad and his followers.
The persecuted Muslims ultimately migrated in order to escape the persecution and were invited to a place called Yathrib, which then became Medina, the new Muslim state. As the leader of this new nation, Muhammad established treaties with neighboring tribes. Some of those tribes who entered into treaties with the new Muslim nation later betrayed their treaties and committed acts of aggression.
This verse was permitting retaliation against those idolaters who had committed acts of betrayal and violence and who violated the treaties. If it had meant that Muslims should kill non-Muslims in any context wherever we find them, then the verse which follows the previous verse would be rather peculiar:
“If any of the polytheists seeks asylum from you, grant him asylum until he hears the Word of God. Then convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.” (Quran 9:6)
This is still in the context of war. The one seeking asylum is not a Muslim, but a polytheist. They are to be granted safety and even escorted by Muslim fighters to a place of safety where they will not be harmed by either side.
If the previous verse had generally meant to kill all disbelievers wherever you find them, there would be no verse commanding Muslim fighters to escort disbelieving soldiers from their enemy during a war, to a place of safety.
And there is this:
“Fight in the way of God those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, God does not like transgressors.” (Quran 2:190)
Here it is made clear that permission is being given to fight those who attack. This permission was necessary, because prior to this allowance, retaliation had not been permitted and the Muslims had passively and patiently endured unspeakable torture and oppression for more than ten years.
It is important to note that the word used for fighting in the Quran is not “jihad”, but “Qital” in Arabic and in the entire Quran there is no mention whatsoever of “holy” war.
In the lifetime of the prophet Muhammad, the ones who accepted Islam and followed him had found the greatest source of peace and happiness. They were most willing to endure the oppression of their people and to struggle to share the beauty of Islam with others, in spite of all the difficulties and rejection. Their souls had found peace and satisfaction, like I have, and like so many millions have in Islam, and when the permission to fight in self-defense was given, many of them were shocked and somewhat disappointed.
This was due to the realization that they could no longer bask in the beauty and tranquility of their faith, they would have to instead struggle, strive and even fight to defend its existence. The threat against them was in fact, an existential one. If they had not fought against the powers threatening them, Islam could have vanished altogether.
Regarding this, the following verse was revealed:
“Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And God Knows, while you know not.” (Quran 2:216)
This verse is important to me because I see it as a metric. It tells us that the natural disposition of a believer, of a Muslim, is not one that inclines towards violence. Rather, the Muslim, finds war and violence hateful. This example is enough for us to realize that there is something remarkably wrong and tremendously un-Islamic about the bloodthirsty, merciless extremists we see today, though they pretentiously claim validity via Islam.
Furthermore, the reasons for fighting have been explained in greater detail via the Quran. Above, we saw that fighting was sanctioned against those who commit aggression (fight those who fight you). The following verse embellishes the reason war is sometimes necessary:
“[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right – only because they say, “Our Lord is the one God.” And were it not that God checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of God is much mentioned. And God will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, God is Powerful and Exalted in Might.” (Quran 22:40)
If people are oppressed such that they cannot live in peace, when they are driven from their homes unjustly because of their faith in the One God, then there is justification for war under the right circumstances. And it is mentioned here that if God had not checked some people by means of others, many places of worship would have been destroyed. In other words, the right of worship would have been at risk.
The order of words in the Quran is significant. Please take notice of the order of the places of worship referred to. Before Mosques were mentioned, Monasteries, Churches and Synagogues are put forward. This indicates that war is required to protect the right of people to worship when there is oppression and an existential threat.
Perhaps most importantly in understanding war in Islam – in the context of war, if the aggressor – the enemy inclines to peace, the Muslim nation is REQUIRED to also incline to peace:
“And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon God. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Quran 8:61)
This means that if Idolatrous Country A attacks Muslim Country B, Country B may fight back, without transgressing the stringent rules of war in Islam. If Country A wants a ceasefire and to make peace, the Muslim country B is categorically forbidden from continuing hostilities. Country B is required to come to the table and make peace, no matter what atrocities had been committed by the Idolatrous Country A.
Islam imbues in its followers respect and reverence for all life. It is God who gives life and takes it away. We are allowed by the giver of life, in certain instances to take life, such as when it is necessary to remove insects from our homes, or to slaughter an animal for food without going to excesses.
Above all plant, animal and insect life, human life is more sacred. The Quran tells us of God’s established law of old,
“…Whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And Our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.” (Quran 5:32)
This verse expresses the magnitude of murder. Killing one innocent soul is like killing all of humanity. There are so many more examples to give, so many ways in which Islam honors life. The instances in which taking the life of a human being is sanctioned are very few and subject to strict criteria. Harm is to be minimized in all matters.
Violence by individuals is not permitted (except appropriate self defense) nor by vigilante groups that declare themselves a state out of nowhere. It is forbidden to kill innocent men women and children. Even during legitimate war, harming them is to be avoided. In a true Islamic war of self-preservation, drones would not be dropping bombs on innocent civilians.
Islam does not make people violent. It does not encourage people to hate. It is not scary and terrorism has no relationship to Islam.
The people who commit crimes and try to cover them with the blanket of Islam will indeed find justice. Meanwhile, we the people must strive against the tyranny of their lies and refuse to let liars dictate our actions.
We must look deeper and more critically into all current geopolitical issues and into history, which can inform our understanding of much of what is happening today. We must also remember the countless other deranged groups and people who have, and continue to commit crimes against humanity of the worst kind from many different ethnicities – with and without religion as a factor. They include Christians, Jews, Atheists and even Buddhists (such as in contemporary Myanmar). Radical, violent extremists exist across cultures.
Everyone on this planet can do better by having a copy of the Quran and reading it several times at least for a decent grasp of what it says. I recommend suspending judgment on all matters, until sufficient information from many angles has been ascertained and considered.
Remember when you read, that it is meant as guidance for all times and places, but the context in which each verse was initially revealed adds additional understanding about its implementation. So, although verses were revealed dealing with specific wars for example, the guidance is applicable in future wars. But, the original context provides details about the conditions and the reasons and methods for implementation.
May God grant us understanding and remove from us our unwillingness to see. Ameen
