“Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Wisdom 33:11)
“Vengeance is mine, and recompense” (Deut 32:35)
“it is mine to avenge; I will repay.” (Romans 12:9)
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18)
Headings
Introduction
In my articles on Islam and violence I aim to cover the issue from all the pertinent angles, which would be the following:
- firstly a faithful exegesis of the text itself,
- a look at extra-Quranic hadithic narrations,
- the life of Muhammad himself,
- early Islamic history down to the 4 “rightly guided ones” , since one can assume that if Islamically “rightly guided ones” were violent, then they would have to have been rightly guided by a violent Quran.
- Finally an analysis of the content and uptake of Sharia which in itself provides the authoritative crystallization of the teaching content of the Qur’an.
This article analyzes the violent beliefs thematically, focussing mainly on the Qur’anic text.
A Context for Religious Violence?
“Context” in religious violence is not complicated. The only valid mandate for it is an authentic command from God. Proving the authenticity is another matter. Religious wars are nearly always fought on a false mandate.
The reasons for the early fighting in Islam were related to territory and the control of the Ka’aba which Muhammed wanted to claim for Islam. So this is the context, and it is one that struggles for validation for two reasons:
- The first is the claim that the Ka’ba at Mecca was a Mosque which Abraham built for God, which was to be something essential to the practise of global religion (this in turn is supposedly built upon the place of an original mosque built by Adam).
- There is no reason to believe that Abraham or any other Judeo-Christian figure ever held that an empty prayer room per se was an essential of religion; the purpose of the Solomonic Temple in Jerusalem (or Mosaic Shrine in the Israeli desert wanderings) held animal sacrifice and housed the Ark of the Covenant.
- There is seemingly no indication from canonical Judeo-Christian literature, nor any world literature whether genuine or spurious, fiction or non-fiction, prose or poetry that the prophesied Jewish Messiah was to be an Bedouin Arab.
- In the absence of any such justification, the religion as also the violence inspired by it can rightly be shown to be truly and objectively misbegotten. In multiple articles I have shown that a search for such evidence – scriptural or extra-scriptural, publicly witnessed theophany, or historical or archaeological evidence, that would validate the claims of Islam are completely absent. If religious violence is unjustified in the present day then it is so because it was never justified, illegal now as it was then.
- We can take the premise that the Qur’an in some verses is exhorting Muslims to rise up against persecutors and defend themselves from it. This in every sense would a fair threshold for unprovoked violence, anything exceeding this measure we can take as a call to unprovoked aggression. Since the Qur’anic verses are open- ended in every sense, that call becomes perpetual. A problem with Qur’anic verses is that violence is prescribed against those who “transgress” and “make mischief” and “injustice”. Unfortunately these thresholds could include anything that goes against sharia law and to include simple criticism of the Islamic faith and Muhammed. Islamic justice is not necessarily just and so these verses would fall above our threshold.
Did Allah Abrogate Peace?
“Abrogation” for those who are not familiar with it is a Qur’anic device which facilitates changes in its own previously “revealed” teachings. Chronology which is not always accurate, is the only means of gauging the direction of abrogation. The device itself is claimed to be a “mercy of Allah” like everything else in the Qur’an. It is however generally accepted that all the fight verses are Medinan (form the second half of Mohammed’s career when he had begun to assert his power. The Medinan chapters (surahs) numerically comprise only about a fifth of all the Qur’anic chapters (25 of 114=21%). Yet the violent verses and concentrated in them, culminating in the last two chapters, 9 and 5. If the best chronology of the Quranic verses is indeed accepted, one would have to say in all honesty that the Meccan peace has been “abrogated” into Medinan violence.
Death for Apostasy and Honour- Killing
Then they proceeded: until, when they met a young man, he slew him. Moses said: “Hast thou slain an innocent person who had slain none? Truly a foul (unheard of) thing hast thou done!…” the man later explains his actions: As for the lad, his parents were believers; and we were afraid he would impose on them insolence and unbelief; so we desired that their Lord should give to them in exchange one better than he in purity, and nearer in tenderness.” (Q18:80-81) Tafsir: Ibn Khatir adds “Their love for him might make them follow him in disbelief.”
Note that the passage does not even state ‘we knew’, rather only ‘we feared’. This parable lays the theological groundwork for honour killing, the murder of a family member for bringing shame to the family, either through apostasy or moral indiscretion, which in the case of females can be brough on through an act like marrying outside the faith. Muslim commentators are not in agreement whether the servant of Allah who murdered the boy was an angel or a prophet. It’s not as if God does not allow murderers to live, even Islamic ones! This is exactly what happens in the futuristic movie Minority Report where people are jailed for crimes they are about to commit in the future. However God certainly does not pluck a man off the surface of the Earth for a crime he has not yet committed and chuck him into Hell forever. Or is it Heaven forever as he hasn’t committed the crime.
“The Messenger of Allah said: `At the end of time, there will be people who recite Qur`an but it will go no further than their collarbones; they will pass out of Islam as the arrow passes out of the prey. Fighting them is a duty upon every Muslim.” (Musnad Ahmed 1346; “Sahih because of corroborating evidences] (Darussalam)”
Some people will argue that the original reason for this apostasy law is to deal with treason, because the state and religion were intertwined, but the problem is the majority of the hadith don’t mention treason.
Why did this ruling come about? Well the story goes that there was a bunch of Jews that became Muslim and then left Islam, in order to give Islam a bad name. The problem is, this ruling was never cancelled by the Prophet. This rule still applies to this day according to many Muslims and scholars…
The list of quotes calling for the murder of apostates is numerous:
‘Abdullah (b. Mas’ud) reported:Allah’s Messenger stood up and said: By Him besides Whom there is no god but He, the blood of a Muslim who bears the testimony that there is no god but Allah, and I am His Messenger, may be lawfully shed only in case of three persons: the one who abandons Islam, and deserts the community [Ahmad, one of the narrators, is doubtful whether the Prophet used the word li’l-jama’ah or al-jama’ah), and the married adulterer, and life for life. (Muslim 1676c, repeated in Dawud 4352, ibn Majah 2533, 2534, and an Nisa’i 4019, 4048, 4058)
These state “whoever changes their religion, kill him”: Sunan an Nisa’i SEVEN TIMES from 4059 to 4065. Also Ibn Majah 2535, Tirmidhi 1458, Bukhari 6922, and Muwatta Malik (Eng. 36:15, Arabic 36:1419)states: whoever changes his deen, strike his neck.
What the Classical Scholars say:
The Muslim jurists are unanimous that apostates must be punished, yet they differ as to determining the kind of punishment to be inflicted upon them. The majority of them, including the four main schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi`i, and Hanbali) as well as the other four schools of jurisprudence (the four Shiite schools of Az-Zaidiyyah, Al-Ithna-`ashriyyah, Al-Ja`fariyyah, and Az-Zaheriyyah) agree that apostates must be executed.
“Narrated Abu Burda: Abu Musa said, “I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) along with two men (from the tribe) of Ash`ariyin, one on my right and the other on my left, while Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was brushing his teeth (with a Siwak), and both men asked him for some employment. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘O Abu Musa (O `Abdullah bin Qais!).’ I said, ‘By Him Who sent you with the Truth, these two men did not tell me what was in their hearts and I did not feel (realize) that they were seeking employment.’ As if I were looking now at his Siwak being drawn to a corner under his lips, and he said, ‘We never (or, we do not) appoint for our affairs anyone who seeks to be employed. But O Abu Musa! (or `Abdullah bin Qais!) Go to Yemen.'” The Prophet then sent Mu`adh bin Jabal after him and when Mu`adh reached him, he spread out a cushion for him and requested him to get down (and sit on the cushion). Behold: There was a fettered man beside Abu Muisa. Mu`adh asked, “Who is this (man)?” Abu Muisa said, “He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism.” Then Abu Muisa requested Mu`adh to sit down but Mu`adh said, “I will not sit down till he has been killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Apostle (for such cases) and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, “Then we discussed the night prayers and one of us said, ‘I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as well as for my prayers.'” (Bukhari 6923)
Some Zanadiqa (atheists) were brought to `Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn `Abbas who said, “If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade it, saying, ‘Do not punish anybody with Allah’s punishment (fire).’ I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), ‘Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'” (Bukhari 6922)
Searching on Sunnah.com for “Whoever changed his religion” brings up the playlist.
Killing of Entire Nations, Women and Children
Muslims criticize the violent verses that are found in the Christian Old Testament. However Muhammed himself did quite the opposite- He uses the threat of that very violence visited upon those nations to convince his present hearers to obey him-or else. It is quite rich for Muslims to criticize Biblical violence when the Qur’an is copying the same stories (of Lot, Noah), without any qualification.
Surah 54 provides a general “rogues gallery” of the nations destroyed and is a general threat to everyone that they will meet the same fate if they continue in disobedience, it commences with the end-time sign of the Moon splitting introducing the theme. The destructions are also mentioned in several other Surahs, as we will see.
People of Lut– we see no evidence of anyone being saved apart from Lot and his family. Is it possible that there are no women and children in the entire city?
“But the (mighty) Blast overtook them before morning, And We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay. Behold! in this are Signs for those who by tokens do understand. And the (cities were) right on the high-road. (Surat al-Hijr: 73-76)
“ They said, ‘Lot, we are messengers of thy Lord. They shall not reach thee; so set forth, thou with thy family, in a watch of the night, and let not any one of you turn round, excepting thy wife; surely she shall be smitten by that which smites them. Their promised time is the morning; is the morning not nigh?’” (Q 11:81)
“So when Our command came, We turned it uppermost nethermost, and rained on it stones of baked clay, one on another” (Q 11:82)
“we released a stone-bearing wind against them, all except the family of Lot. we saved them before dawn as a favor from us.” (Q 54:34), this continues on to say “and early in the morning a punishment seized them that still remains” (Q 54:38), seemingly confirming the utter and lasting destruction of this city.
People of Nuh (Noah)– destroyed by Flood
“We, when the water (of Noah’s Flood) overflowed beyond its limits, carried you (mankind), in the floating (Ark), that We might make it a Message unto you, and that ears (that should hear the tale and) retain its memory should bear its (lessons) in remembrance (Qur’an Surah 69:11,12)
this is also retold (Q 54:11-13) “we opened the gates of the sky with torrential water, burst the earth with gushing springs…we carried him along on a vessel of planks and nails…”
People of A’ad– destroyed by hurricane
“As for Ad, they waxed proud in the earth without right, and they said, ‘Who is stronger than we in might?’ What, did they not see that God, who created them, was stronger than they in might? And they denied Our signs.” (Q 41:15)
(also Q 54:19)
The People of Thamud and Ad- destroyed by a terrible storm, lightning, earthquake
“The Thamud and the ‘Ad People (branded) as false the Stunning Calamity!But the Thamud – they were destroyed by a terrible Storm of thunder and lightning! “And the ‘Ad, they were destroyed by a furious Wind, exceedingly violent; He made it rage against them seven nights and eight days in succession: so that thou couldst see the (whole) people lying prostrate in its (path), as they had been roots of hollow palm-trees tumbled down! Then seest thou any of them left surviving? Pharaoh too and those before him and the ruined cities these people committed grave sins and disobeyed the messenger of their Lord so he sees them with an ever tightening grip (Q 69:4-10)
“And to Thamood their brother Salih; he said, ‘O my people, serve God! You have no god other than He; there has now come to you a clear sign from your Lord — this is the She-camel of God, to be a sign for you. Leave her that she may eat in God’s earth, and do not touch her with evil, lest you be seized by a painful chastisement (…) So they hamstrung the She-camel and turned in disdain from the commandment of their Lord, saying, ‘O Salih, bring us that thou promisest us, if thou art an Envoy.’ (Q 7:73,77)
So the earthquake seized them, and morning found them in their habitation fallen prostrate (Q 7:78)
also (Q 54:31)
Shuaib, prophet to Madyan and Pharaoh:
“And when Our command came, We delivered Shuaib and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us, and the evildoers were seized by the Cry, and morning found them in their habitations fallen prostrate” (Q 11:94)
“Then an ˹overwhelming˺ earthquake struck them and they fell lifeless in their homes. Those who rejected Shu’aib were ˹wiped out˺ as if they had never lived there. Those who rejected Shu’aib were the true losers.” (Q 7:91,92)
“..And Pharaoh, and those before him, and the Cities Overthrown, committed habitual Sin. And disobeyed (each) the apostle of their Lord; so He punished them with an abundant Penalty.” (Q 69:9,10)
Pharoah is mentioned again “the people of Pharaoh rejected all our signs so we seized them with all our might and power” (Q 54:41)
Reference to all/multiple destroyed nations:
“Have they not regarded how We destroyed before them many a generation We established in the earth, as We never established you, and how We loosed heaven upon them in torrents, and made the rivers to flow beneath them? Then We destroyed them because of their sins, and raised up after them another generation” (Q 6:6)
“Has there not reached them the news of those before them – the people of Noah and [the tribes of] ‘Aad and Thamud and the people of Abraham and the companions of Madyan and the towns overturned? Their messengers came to them with clear proofs. And Allah would never have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.” (Q 9:70, SI)
“Not one city that We destroyed before them believed; what then, will they not believe? “(Q 21:6)
“That it was he who destroyed in their entirety ancient Ad and Thamud and before them the people of Noah who were even more unjust and insolent, that it was he who brought down the ruined cities and cover them completely with whatever fell on them” (Q 53:50-53, AH)
“Is it not a guidance to them, how many generations We destroyed before them in whose dwelling-places they walk? Surely in that are signs for men possessing reason.” (Q 20:128)
Verses about Allah’s willingness to wipe out all of mankind:
“They are unbelievers who say, ‘God is the Messiah, Mary’s son.’ Say: ‘Who then shall overrule God in any way if He desires to destroy the Messiah, Mary’s son, and his mother, and all those who are on earth?’ For to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth, and all that is between them, creating what He will. God is powerful over everything.” (Q 5:17)
Hadith- Nations “Destroyed Indiscriminately”, “For Excessive Questioning”
There is an ambiguous verse in the Qur’an that seems to discourage questioning. The commentaries are also ambiguous and also seem to discourage questioning (find these here: Commentaries for 5.101 (quranx.com)).
This is the verse:
“O believers, question not concerning things which, if they were revealed to you, would vex you; yet if you question concerning them when the Koran is being sent down, they will be revealed to you. God has effaced those things; for God is All-forgiving, All-clement.” (Q 5:101, Arberry)
The hadith are not ambiguous at all. Nations have been annihilated for this:
“Abu Hurayra heard the Messenger of Allah say: “Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do to the best of your capacity. Verily the people before you were destroyed only because of their excessive questioning and their disagreement with their Prophets.”[Al-Bukhari & Muslim-#9 in the 40 hadith of an-Nawawi]
Narrated Abu Hurairah: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Leave me with what I left you. When I narrated a Hadith to you, then take it from me. The people before you were only destroyed by their excessive questioning and disagreeing with their Prophets. (Graded sahih, Tirmidhi 2679)
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) addressed us and said: O people, Allah has made Hajj obligatory for you; so perform Hajj. Thereupon a person said: Messenger of Allah, (is it to be performed) every year? He (the Holy Prophet) kept quiet, and he repeated (these words) thrice, whereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: If I were to say” Yes,” it would become obligatory (for you to perform it every year) and you would not be able to do it. Then he said: Leave me with what I have left to you, for those who were before you were desroyed because of excessive questioning, and their opposition to their apostles. So when I command you to do anything, do it as much as it lies in your power and when I forbid you to do anything, then abandon it. (Muslim 1337)
“Narrated `Aisha: Usama approached the Prophet (ﷺ) on behalf of a woman (who had committed theft). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The people before you were destroyed because they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich. By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! If Fatima (the daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ) ) did that (i.e. stole), I would cut off her hand.”” (Bukhari 6787)
“Narrated Ibn `Umar: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If Allah sends punishment upon a nation then it befalls upon the whole population indiscriminately and then they will be resurrected (and judged) according to their deeds. ” (Bukhari 7108)
Killing of Women and Children
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Sa’b bin Jaththamah said: ‘The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about the polytheists who are attacked at night, and their women and children are killed.’ He said: ‘They are from among them.’” (Ibn Majah 2839)
“It is reported on the authority of Sa’b b. Jaththama that the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ), when asked about the women and children of the polytheists being killed during the night raid, said: They are from them.” (Sahih Muslim 1745a, also 1745b and c are similar)
“Narrated As-Sab bin Jaththama: The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by me at a place called Al-Abwa or Waddan, and 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 (ﷺ) replied, “They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans).” I also heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “The institution of Hima is invalid except for Allah and His Apostle.” (Bukhari 3012)
some hadith also forbid it
“Narrated Ibn `Umar: During some of the Ghazawat of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) a woman was found killed, so Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the killing of women and children.” (Bukhari 3015)
Similar narrative is also found in Muslim 1744b, Dawud 2668, ibn Majah 2841, and a couple in Muwatta Malik
Rewards of Killing
Well, Allah is quite generous to those who fight. He only promises them everything and the kitchen sink. A gracious provision and admission to a pleasing place 8:76, 22:58-9, the Garden of Paradise 9:111, a rich recompense (4:74), are promised in direct reference to fighting. This is of course small change compared to all the other grandiose and sexual rewards for believers discussed in detail elsewhere.
the sins of those who fight will be forgiven:
“And their Lord answers them: ‘I waste not the labour of any that labours among you, be you male or female — the one of you is as the other. And those who emigrated, and were expelled from their habitations, those who suffered hurt in My way, and fought, and were slain — them I shall surely acquit of their evil deeds, and I shall admit them to gardens underneath which rivers flow.’ A reward from God! And God with Him is the fairest reward.” (Q 3:195)
47:7 (Pickthall) And those who are slain in the way of Allah, He rendereth not their actions vain. He will guide them and improve their state, And bring them in unto the Garden which He hath made known to them. O ye who believe! If ye help Allah, He will help you and will make your foothold firm.
9:111 God has purchased from the faithful their lives and worldly goods, and in return has promised them the Garden. They will fight for the cause of God and, they will slay and be slain. 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,
(D) 4:74 Fight for the cause of God, whoever fights for the cause of God, whether he dies or triumphs, on him we shall bestow a rich recompense.
8:76 ‘Those who have embraced the Faith and fled their homes and fought for the cause of God, and those that have sheltered them and helped them- they are the true believers, Forgiveness and a gracious provision awaits them.’
22:58,59 (good provision of admission to a pleasing place for those who die in the cause of God). “Those who leave their homes in the cause of God, and are then slain or die, on them will God bestow verily a goodly provision
Sura 9:52 (Muslims can expect either martyrdom/paradise or victory in battle. Unbelievers can expect only punishment from God. Fight hard against unbelievers, whose abode is hell.)
Those who go out to fight are not on an equal footing with those who decide not to. It is obvious that this is referring to actual physical violence because it is contrasted with with “sits at home”:
“Such believers as sit at home — unless they have an injury — are not the equals of those who struggle in the path of God with their possessions and their selves. God has preferred in rank those who struggle with their possessions and their selves over the ones who sit at home; yet to each God has promised the reward most fair; and God has preferred those who struggle over the ones who sit at home for the bounty of a mighty wage” (Q 4:195)
No Punishment for Intentional Killing non-Muslims?
“And whoso slays a believer wilfully, his recompense is Gehenna, therein dwelling forever, and God will be wroth with him and will curse him, and prepare for him a mighty chastisement.” (Q 4:93)
Do not make Friends with them
“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 back (several occ. = tawallaw- تَوَلَّوْا), seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks.” (4:89) (analysed further under Surah 4 verses)
“O ye who believe! Choose not disbelievers for (your) friends in place of believers. Would ye give Allah a clear warrant against you?” 4:144 (Pickthall)
Dawood 5:51 “Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number. God does not guide the wrongdoers.”
“your friend can only be Allah, and his messenger, and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poor-due, and bow down (in prayer)” (Q 5:55)
5:57 (YA) O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport, – whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye God, if ye have faith (indeed).
“Believers, do not make friends with those who are enemies of mine and yours. Would you show them kindness when they have denied the truth that has been revealed to you and driven out the apostle and yourselves, because you believe in God, your Lord?…” (Q 60: 1)
Muslims might argue that this not being friendly is only context-based, because some other verse, particularly 60:8 ““God forbids you not, as regards those who have not fought you in religion’s cause, nor expelled you from your habitations, that you should be kindly to them, and act justly towards them; surely God loves the just.”
The problem here is that many of the verses are just hanging in there threateningly with no context at all. Further, kindness in the best verse is only mentioned as an option “not forbidden”, rather than “commnded”.
“Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads force him to go to the narrowest part of it.” (Muslim 2167a)
Death for Homosexuals
The Quran itself while expressing condemnation, does not prescribe punishments explicitly. – An account that is borrowed from the Biblical story of Sodom. Muslim scholars through the centuries have interpreted the “rain of stones” on the town as meaning that homosexuals should be stoned. (The story is also repeated in suras 15:74, 27:58 and 29:40. Presumably for emphasis) – “…For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds…. And we rained down on them a shower (of brimstone)” (Surah 7:80-84)
Hadith: Abu Dawud (4462) – The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Loot, execute the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.”. Abu Dawud (4448) – “If a man who is not married is seized committing sodomy, he will be stoned to death.” (Note the implicit approval of sodomizing one’s wife). Sahih Bukhari (72:774) – “The Prophet cursed effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners of women) and those women who assume the manners of men, and he said, ‘Turn them out of your houses .’ The Prophet turned out such-and-such man, and ‘Umar turned out such-and-such woman.”
Al-Tirmidhi, Sunan 1:152 – [Muhammad said] “Whoever is found conducting himself in the manner of the people of Lot, kill the doer and the receiver.“
Homosexuals in countries enforcing strict sharia can often expect to be hooded, thrown off a building and what’s left of them stoned.
Peace is not an Option
There is no merit in minding one’s own prayers, business and family matters. Refusal to fight is not approved of in the Qur’an.
In 216, 7 we see that apparently fighting if grievous/ heinous only if its in the sacred months (no one is even sure what these “months” are), on the other hand, fighting per se is “good for you, although you dislike it”. I’m honestly reminded of gangster movies where the mob killers are at some point repulsed by their own actions, but have no option to stop. In 2:126 we find is it not just persecution that is grievous, but disbelief, and fighting is to be preferred again, alarmingly.
“when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of God, ye cling heavily to the earth Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place” (9:38-41).
If anyone on that day turns his backs to them….he shall incur the wrath of God and Hell shall be his home: an evil fate. (8:16). Rain enmity and hatred (60:1),
be stern, ruthless, rigorous in your dealings, not forgiving like Abraham (60:1) and who prayed to God for his own father
9:81 (D) …They say to each other: ‘Do not go to war, the heat is fierce.’ Say to them: ‘More fierce is the heat of Hell-fire!’ Would that they understood.
9:86 Whenever a chapter was revealed, saying: ‘Believe in God and fight alongside his apostle,’ the rich among them excused themselves to you saying, ‘Leave us with those who are to stay behind.’
9:93 The offenders are those that seek exemption although they are men of wealth. They are content to be with those that stay behind.
9:120 (D) No cause have the people of Madina and the desert Arabs who dwell around them to forsake God’s apostle or to jeopardise his life so as to safeguard their own.
4:95 (Pickthall) “Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who fight in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who fight with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary. Unto each Allah hath promised good, but He hath bestowed on those who strive a great reward above the sedentary.” (AYA uses ‘strive and fight’, and Dawood ‘Fight in the cause of Allah’).
‘Convention with respect to the Laws and Customs of War on Land’-This, the second treaty of the Hague convention of 1899 contains the laws to be used in all wars on land between signatories. It specifies the treatment of prisoners of war, includes the provisions of the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the treatment of the wounded, and forbids the use of poisons, the killing of people who have surrendered and the attack of undefended towns or habitations. Inhabitants of occupied territories may not be forced into military service.
Stoning for Adultery
Summary:
(1) The verse of stoning was revealed, but later it was abrogated. (2) The Hadith, which says that verse of stoning was eaten by a goat (or tame sheep), is Dai’f. (3) The ruling of that verse is not abrogated and the ruling is that adulterers should be stoned to death. Stoning the adulterer is a Sunnah and the Four Rightly Guided Khalifs practiced this Sunnah after the Death of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). (4) The verse of Stoning WAS NOT written down. Even if we agree that it was written on a piece of paper (for the sake of argument), it does not make the ABROGATED VERSE part of the Quran.” The verse of Stoning was REVEALED and it was RECITED and it was also MEMORIZED by the sahaba.
It was narrated from Ibn`Abbas that `Umar bin Khattab said: “I fear that after a long time has passed, some will say: ‘I do not find (the sentence of) stoning in the Book of Allah’ and they will go astray by abandoning one of the obligations enjoined by Allah. Rather stoning is a must if a man is married (or previously married) and proof is established, or if pregnancy results or if he admits it. I have read it (in the Quran). “And if an old man and an old woman commit adultery, stone them both.” The Messenger of Allah stoned (adulterers) and we stoned (them) after him.’” (Sunan Ibn Majah 2553 Graded Sahih)
“Abdullah b. ‘Abbas reported that ‘Umar b. Khattab sat on the pulpit of Allah’s Messenger and said: Verily Allah sent Muhammad with truth and He sent down the Book upon him, and the verse of stoning was included in what was sent down to him. We recited it, retained it in our memory and understood it. Allah’s Messenger awarded the punishment of stoning to death (to the married adulterer and adulteress) and, after him, we also awarded the punishment of stoning, I am afraid that with the lapse of time, the people (may forget it) and may say: We do not find the punishment of stoning in the Book of Allah, and thus go astray by abandoning this duty prescribed by Allah. Stoning is a duty laid down in Allah’s Book for married men and women who commit adultery when proof is established, or it there is pregnancy, or a confession. (Muslim 1691)
“Verily stoning in the book of God is a penalty laid on married men and women who commit adultery, if proof stands or pregnancy is clear or confession is made” (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasulullah, p.684).
“…Zirr ibn Hubaish reported: “Ubayy ibn Ka’b said to me, ‘What is the extent of Suratul-Ahzab?’ I said, ‘Seventy, or seventy-three verses’. He said, ‘Yet it used to be equal to Suratul-Baqarah and in it we recited the verse of stoning’. I said, ‘And what is the verse of stoning’? He replied, ‘The fornicators among the married men (ash-shaikh) and married women (ash-shaikhah), stone them as an exemplary punishment from Allah, and Allah is Mighty and Wise.”‘ (As-Suyuti, Al-Itqan fii Ulum al-Qur’an, p.524).
“Among what was revealed to him was the Ayah of stoning.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 17 Hadith 1432)
“Umar b. al-Khattab gave an address saying: Allah sent Muhammad (pbuh) with truth and sent down the Books of him, and the verse of stoning was included in what He sent down to him. We read it and memorized it.” (Sunan Abu Dawood Book 40 Hadith 4404)
“I have read it (verse of stoning).” (Sunan Ibn Majah Book 20 Hadith 2553)
Narrated Ash-Sha’bi: from ‘Ali when the latter stoned a lady to death on a Friday. ‘Ali said, “I have stoned her according to the tradition of Allah’s Apostle.” (Sahih al-Bukhari Book 82 Hadith 803, can’t find this on sunnah.com)
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: `Umar said, “I am afraid that after a long time has passed, people may say, “We do not find the Verses of the Rajam (stoning to death) in the Holy Book,” and consequently they may go astray by leaving an obligation that Allah has revealed. Lo! I confirm that the penalty of Rajam be inflicted on him who commits illegal sexual intercourse, if he is already married and the crime is proved by witnesses or pregnancy or confession.” Sufyan added, “I have memorized this narration in this way.” `Umar added, “Surely Allah’s Messenger carried out the penalty of Rajam, and so did we after him.” (Bukhari 6829, also 6830)
In Bukhari 6841, 4556 and 6819, Mohammed orders the stoning of Jewish couples allegedly caught in adultery based on the teaching found in the Torah
Narrated Ash-Shaibani: I asked `Abdullah bin Abi `Aufa about the Rajam (stoning somebody to death for committing illegal sexual intercourse). He replied, “The Prophet carried out the penalty of Rajam,” I asked, “Was that before or after the revelation of Surat-an-Nur?” He replied, “I do not know.” (Bukhari 6840, repeated 6813)
Umar bin Al-Khattab said: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stoned, Abu Bakr stoned, and I stoned…” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 17 Hadith 1431)
So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stoned, and we stoned after him… Indeed stoning is the retribution for the adulterer if he was married and the evidence has been established, or due to pregnancy, or confession (Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 17 Hadith 1432)
Jabir narrated: “I saw the Messenger of Allah stoning the Jimar with what was similar to pebbles for Al-Khadhaf.” (Graded sahih, Jami` at-Tirmidhi 897)
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) had people stoned to death and we have done it also since his death…. Stoning is a duty laid down (by Allah) for married men and women who commit fornication when proof is established, or if there is pregnancy, or a confession. (Sunan Abu Dawood Book 40 Hadith 4404).
Rather stoning is a must if a man is married (or previously married) and proof is established, or if pregnancy results or if he admits it. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) stoned (adulterers) and we stoned (them) after him.’ ” (Sunan Ibn Majah Book 20 Hadith 2553)
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stoned, so we have stoned. (Muwatta Imam Malik Book 41 Hadith 10)
It was narrated from Mujalid that ‘Amir said: Sharahah had a husband who was absent in Syria. She became pregnant and her former master brought her to `Ali bin Abi Talib and said: This one has committed zina, She admitted it, so he gave her one hundred lashes on Thursday and stoned her on Friday; he dug a hole for her to her navel, and I was present. Then he said: Stoning is a Sunnah established by the Messenger of Allah. If anyone saw her do it, the first one to throw a stone should be the one who witnessed it; he should give his testimony and follow his testimony with his stone. But she admitted it, so I will be the first one to stone her. He threw a stone at her, then the people stoned her and I was among them. By Allah, I was among those who killed her. (Musnad Ahmed 978)
Abdullah bin Amr narrated: “A man asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘I shaved before slaughtering.’ So he said: ‘Slaughter, and there is no harm.’ Another man asked him: ‘I performed the sacrifice before stoning.’ He said: ‘Stone, and there is no harm.'” (ami` at-Tirmidhi 916, Graded Sahih)
A Selection from the Hadith
“I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim” (Muslim 1767a, also Musnad Ahmed 217 Graded Sahih, last phrase missing)
“Narrated Abu Huraira: The Verse:–“You (true Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind.” means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam” (Bukhari 4557)
This is a famous hadith:
“Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror, and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand.” Abu Huraira added: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).” (Bukhari 2977)
The word for “terror” is ru’b in the Arabic:
“” بُعِثْتُ بِجَوَامِعِ الْكَلِمِ، وَنُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْب’ (the last word in that bil-rubin)
Obviously “terror” has the connotation of terrorism, and there is no concept of “terrorist” in the ancient world. Rather the word conveys fear and anxiety, so the translation “terror” is a valid one, since it means the same thing in essence and without any political connotations. It appears in another hadith where it can be similarly translated:
The Prophet (pbuh): “I was given victory through Ru`b: the enemy becomes filled with Ru`b even though they are the distance of a month’s journey away from me.” (Ahmad #20337)
Against Animals
Abu Zubair heard Jabir b. ‘Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him) saying: Allah’s Messenger ordered us to kill dogs, and we carried out this order so much so that we also kill the dog coming with a woman from the desert. Then Allah’s Apostle forbade their killing. He (the Prophet further) said: It is your duty the jet-black (dog) having two spots (on the eyes), for it is a devil. (Muslim 1572)
The Messenger of ‘Allah said: When any one of you stands for prayer and there is a thing before him equal to the back of the saddle that covers him and in case there is not before him (a thing) equal to the back of the saddle, his prayer would be cut off by (passing of an) ass, woman, and black Dog. I said: O Abu Dharr, what feature is there in a black dog which distinguish it from the red dog and the yellow dog? He said: O, son of my brother, I asked the Messenger of Allah as you are asking me, and he said: The black dog is a devil. (Muslim 510a)