Does the Holy Quran incite Muslims to kill non-Muslims? (Part 2)
by Abdul Momin
The Light (UK), November 2008 Issue (pp. 5–6)
Editor’s Note: In the first instalment the author cited the Philadelphia Inquirer as the source which had called the Holy Quran as
“the thinking man’s scripture”.
He has informed us that this is incorrect and that, in fact, his source is an article which was published on the website islamicpluralism.org about three years ago. That article quoted this expression about the Quran from another article, entitled From Moses to Musa by Eric Ormsby at the website newcriterion.com. The latter article, after quoting the passage 29:41–44 from the Quran, had stated:
“It is a strange and fascinating aspect of the Koran that like certain crystalline structures, any section taken tends to mirror the whole. Here we find repeated emphasis on ‘signs.’ In a certain sense, contrary to popular impression, the Koran is the thinking man’s scripture; it is incessantly enjoining mankind to consider or reflect or ponder.”
Below we continue listing the verses from the Quran, compiled by Mr Abdul Momin, which show that Islam opposes the use of force to spread its message and does not teach the killing of people of other faiths.
لَتُبۡلَوُنَّ فِیۡۤ اَمۡوَالِکُمۡ وَ اَنۡفُسِکُمۡ ۟ وَ لَتَسۡمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکُمۡ وَ مِنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَشۡرَکُوۡۤا اَذًی کَثِیۡرًا ؕ وَ اِنۡ تَصۡبِرُوۡا وَ تَتَّقُوۡا فَاِنَّ ذٰلِکَ مِنۡ عَزۡمِ الۡاُمُوۡرِ ﴿۱۸۶﴾
“You will certainly be tried in your property and your persons. And you will certainly hear from those who have been given the Book before you and from the idolaters much abuse. And if you are patient and keep your duty, surely this is an affair of great resolution.” —The Holy Quran, 3:186
(Note: Believers are asked to be patient, not to go on a killing spree.)
فَمِنۡہُمۡ مَّنۡ اٰمَنَ بِہٖ وَ مِنۡہُمۡ مَّنۡ صَدَّ عَنۡہُ ؕ وَ کَفٰی بِجَہَنَّمَ سَعِیۡرًا ﴿۵۵﴾
“So some of them believe in him, and some of them turn away from him. And Hell is sufficient to burn.” — The Holy Quran, 4:55
(Note: No one is required to be killed for not becoming a believer)
فَلَا وَ رَبِّکَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ حَتّٰی یُحَکِّمُوۡکَ فِیۡمَا شَجَرَ بَیۡنَہُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا یَجِدُوۡا فِیۡۤ اَنۡفُسِہِمۡ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَیۡتَ وَ یُسَلِّمُوۡا تَسۡلِیۡمًا ﴿۶۵﴾
“But no, by your Lord! they do not believe until they make you (O Prophet) a judge of what is in dispute between them, then find no reluctance in their hearts as to what you decide and submit with full submission.” — The Holy Quran, 4:65
(Note: The hypocrites are meant here. Would anyone make a judge of someone who was a tyrant in the land?)
مَنۡ یُّطِعِ الرَّسُوۡلَ فَقَدۡ اَطَاعَ اللّٰہَ ۚ وَ مَنۡ تَوَلّٰی فَمَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنٰکَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ حَفِیۡظًا ﴿ؕ۸۰﴾
“Whoever obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys Allah. And whoever turns away, We have not sent you (O Prophet) as a keeper over them.” — The Holy Quran, 4:80
فَقَاتِلۡ فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ ۚ لَا تُکَلَّفُ اِلَّا نَفۡسَکَ وَ حَرِّضِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ۚ عَسَی اللّٰہُ اَنۡ یَّکُفَّ بَاۡسَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ اَشَدُّ بَاۡسًا وَّ اَشَدُّ تَنۡکِیۡلًا ﴿۸۴﴾
“Fight then in Allah’s way — you are not responsible except for yourself; and urge on the believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the fighting of those who disbelieve. And Allah is stronger in prowess and stronger to give exemplary punishment.” — The Holy Quran, 4:84
وَ لَا یَجۡرِمَنَّکُمۡ شَنَاٰنُ قَوۡمٍ اَنۡ صَدُّوۡکُمۡ عَنِ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَرَامِ اَنۡ تَعۡتَدُوۡا ۘ وَ تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡبِرِّ وَ التَّقۡوٰی ۪ وَ لَا تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡاِثۡمِ وَ الۡعُدۡوَانِ ۪ وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ شَدِیۡدُ الۡعِقَابِ ﴿۲﴾
“And do not let hatred of a people — because they hindered you from the Sacred Mosque — incite you to transgress. And help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression, and keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is Severe in retribution.” — The Holy Quran, 5:2
اَلۡیَوۡمَ اُحِلَّ لَکُمُ الطَّیِّبٰتُ ؕ وَ طَعَامُ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّکُمۡ ۪ وَ طَعَامُکُمۡ حِلٌّ لَّہُمۡ ۫
“This day (all) good things are made lawful for you. And the food of those who have been given the Book is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them.” — The Holy Quran, 5:5
(Note: This verse is a very late revelation. How is the food of those people lawful if they are not even supposed to exist as non-Muslims? And how are they going to eat “your food” if they do not exist?)
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا کُوۡنُوۡا قَوّٰمِیۡنَ لِلّٰہِ شُہَدَآءَ بِالۡقِسۡطِ ۫ وَ لَا یَجۡرِمَنَّکُمۡ شَنَاٰنُ قَوۡمٍ عَلٰۤی اَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوۡا ؕ اِعۡدِلُوۡا ۟ ہُوَ اَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوٰی ۫ وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ خَبِیۡرٌۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ ﴿۸﴾
“O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and do not let hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just; that is nearer to observance of duty. And keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is Aware of what you do.” — The Holy Quran, 5:8
(Note: This lays down a fundamental, golden principle to be observed by all Muslims, individually as well as by their communities and by state institutions. Justice is to be held supreme, over and above all prejudices, emotions and passions that may be felt against some other nation or people.)
فَبِمَا نَقۡضِہِمۡ مِّیۡثَاقَہُمۡ لَعَنّٰہُمۡ وَ جَعَلۡنَا قُلُوۡبَہُمۡ قٰسِیَۃً ۚ یُحَرِّفُوۡنَ الۡکَلِمَ عَنۡ مَّوَاضِعِہٖ ۙ وَ نَسُوۡا حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُکِّرُوۡا بِہٖ ۚ وَ لَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلٰی خَآئِنَۃٍ مِّنۡہُمۡ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا مِّنۡہُمۡ فَاعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَ اصۡفَحۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِیۡنَ ﴿۱۳﴾
“But on account of their breaking their covenant We cursed them and hardened their hearts. They alter the words from their places and neglect a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them — so pardon them and forgive. Surely Allah loves those who do good (to others).” — The Holy Quran, 5:13