Islam, religion of peace – chapter and verse

The concept of and assertion that Islam is a religion of peace clash with reality. The links shown after the preamble are to Quranic  verses shown at the Quranic Arabic Corpus, an annotated linguistic resource for the Holy Quran. The verses illustrate that the perception that Islam is a religion of peace is false.

Index

• Preamble
• Quranic verses that instruct how to deal with infidels
• The Quran contains contradictions
• Abrogation serves to deal with contradictions in the Quran
• Jihad, to fight for Allah, is obligatory for Muslims
• Hijrah: Jihad by emigration
• Does the Islamic Jihad differ from Islamic terrorism?
• Can Islam be made a religion of peace?
• Related comment: The Islamic Invasion and Conquest of the Roman Empire

Preamble

Note, 2017 06 19: Update to replace the quotation marks enclosing what some people did not recognize are abstracts or paraphrases of the full verses from the Quran at the indicated links. The conscientious objectors stated that they were false and misleading quotes (see abstract and paraphrase).  For anyone similarly bothered, the excerpts shown are abstracts and paraphrases of the individual verses and are now shown in parentheses.

Note, 2017 11 15: Update to incorporate information relating to Hijrah — Jihad by emigration

Someone may wonder why summations were made.  The reason is that the Internet source that the individual links lead to shows seven different translations into English of each verse, with each translation being a different English-language version of the Quran.  The meaning of the verses is the same, but the wording of each of the seven English-language versions of the translations of a given verse differs.  The summations in parentheses for each link reflect the meaning for all seven translations of a given verse.  The objection by some Muslim was that the summation is not a literal quote of a verse (he did not specify which one) of the version of the Quran he uses (he did not specify which edition he is using.) Therefore, he concluded, what is stated in this blog-post is incorrect.  Well, go figure, but I figure that the good Muslim is good at dissembling, which is true of very many of those I had discussions with.  All of them (there were many), with the exception of one who agreed that this blog-post is accurate, appear to suffer from a bad case of hatred of logic.

If anyone objects to the meaning of a given summation, worrying that a given summation not properly reflects what the instruction(s) in a corresponding verse state(s), by all means, feel free to point out what the specific error for a specific verse is taken to be.  However, you must then also show why your summation trumps the one that is shown and took considerable time construct, so as to catch the essence of all seven versions of each verse.

Quranic verses that instruct how to deal with infidels

• Quran 2:191 (Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them.)
  
• Quran 2:193 (Fight the unbelievers until all of them have been converted to Islam.)
• Quran 2:216 (You must fight for Allah, even if you don’t like doing so.)
• Quran 3:169 (Those who were slain fighting for Allah will live forever and are looked after.)
• Quran 3:28 (Muslims must not take the unbelievers as friends.)
• Quran 3:85 (Any religion other than Islam is not acceptable.)
  
• Quran 4:76 (Believers fight for Allah, non-believers fight for the Devil, therefore fight against the Devil’s allies.)
• Quran 4:95 (Those who don’t fight and sit at home [except for the disabled] are outranked by those who fight for Allah.)
• Quran 4:97 Translation (from Muhammad Sarwar): When the angels [of Death] take away from their bodies the souls of those who have wronged themselves [by not following the law of Islam], they will ask them, “How did you live?” They will reply, “We lived on earth in weakness and oppression.” The angels will say, “Was not God’s land vast enough for you to go [emigrate to] wherever you could live in peace?” The dwelling of these people will be hell fire, a terrible destination.
• Quran 4:100
  Translation (from Sahih International): “And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many [alternative] locations and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him – his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.” More…
• Quran 4:101 (It is no sin to shorten your prayers in foreign countries, for the unbelievers are most certainly forever your enemies.)
• Quran 5:33 (Maim and crucify the unbelievers if they criticize Islam.)
• Quran 5:51 (Do not take Jews and Christians as friends or allies.)
• Quran 8:12 (Terrorize and behead those who believe in scriptures other than the Quran.)
• Quran 8:60 (Muslims must muster all weapons to terrorize the unbelievers.)
• Quran 8:65 (The unbelievers are stupid; urge the Muslims to fight them.)
• Quran 8:72 Translation (from Sahih International): Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided – they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate – for you there is no guardianship of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.
• Quran 9:5 (When the opportunity arises kill the pagans wherever you catch them.)
• Quran 9:29 (Fight the unbelievers until they pay tribute or have been humbled.)
• Quran 9:30 (The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah “; and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” They are deluded; destroy them.)
• Quran 9:123 (Make war on the unbelievers living in your neighbourhood.  Allah will be with you for it.)
• Quran 22:19 (The unbelievers will be punished with garments of fire, and  boiling water shall be poured upon their heads.)
• Quran 47:4 (Do not hanker for peace with the unbelievers; behead them and ransom the rest until the holy war against the unbelievers is over.)
  
• Quran 98:6 (Unbelievers and polytheist will fry in Hell.  They are the worst of creatures.)

That should explain what is happening, but if you think that you need more evidence, look here for more references: “Fitna the movie”   From that source, a few more citations:

• Quran 4:56 (We will burn unbelievers and give them new skins every time their skins are consumed by the fire, time and again, as often as their skins are consumed by the fire.)
• Quran 4:89 (Do not take friends from amongst the unbelievers, but, if they turn their backs, slay them wherever you find them.)
• Quran 8:39 (Fight the unbelievers until all have been converted to Islam.)

The Quran contains contradictions

There are some contradictions between what early chapters (those that were written early in the Prophet’s life) specify about the obligation of Muslims to be tolerant of the religions of others, and later exhortations (written late or toward the end of his life) that are far more aggressive and even deadly towards and intolerant of other religions.  Gregory M. Davis, a scholar of Islam, explains those contradiction like this:

Those Westerners who manage to pick up a translation of the Quran are often left bewildered as to its meaning thanks to ignorance of a critically important principle of Quranic interpretation known as “abrogation.” The principle of abrogation — al-naskh wa al-mansukh (the abrogating and the abrogated) — directs that verses revealed later in Muhammad’s career “abrogate” — i.e., cancel and replace — earlier ones whose instructions they may contradict. Thus, passages revealed later in Muhammad’s career, in Medina, overrule passages revealed earlier, in Mecca. The Quran itself lays out the principle of abrogation:

2:106. Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We {Allah} abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?

__________
More at Islam 101, 1. The Basics, b. The Quran — the Book of Allah.
Unfortunately, the text does not have a linked index, but when you get to the web page, do a “Find in Page” (hit <Ctrl> + <f>) and enter: abrogation.  That will take you right to the place in the text where the quote shown above is located.

Mohammed’s response to the question directed at him is of course a non-sequitur, but it is an effective diversion whose veracity became a matter of faith, and who can possible argue with the infallible messenger of Allah?

The earlier, more moderate, peaceful tolerance toward other religions led to the widespread misperception that Islam is a religion of peace, whereas the hard and cold reality is that Muslims follow the doctrines of Islam according to the very latest words of the Prophet, and that does not at all mean that Islam is a religion of peace.  Gregory M. Davis puts it like this:

In order to find out what the Quran says on a given topic, it is necessary to examine the other Islamic sources that give clues as to when in Muhammad’s lifetime the revelations occurred. Upon such examination, one discovers that the Meccan suras, revealed at a time when the Muslims were vulnerable, are generally benign; the later Medinan suras, revealed after Muhammad had made himself the head of an army, are bellicose.
___________
More at Islam 101, 1. The Basics, b. The Quran — the Book of Allah.
Unfortunately, the text does not have a linked index, but when you get to the web page, do a “Find in Page” (hit <Ctrl> + <f>) and enter: It seems that 2:106 .  That will take you right to the place in the text where the quote shown above is located.

Islam goes by the latest words of the Prophet.  Those are “bellicose,” and that is why Islam is not and cannot be a religion of peace.

An example of how abrogation serves to confuse or mislead those who believe that Islam is tolerant of non-Islamic religions is provided in the addendum on abrogation.

Jihad, to fight for Allah, is obligatory for Muslims

Jihad

Jihad, the struggle in the way of Allah, has several aspects: struggle with oneself to live in the way of Allah; struggle to enlighten others as to the nature of Islam and the desirability of conversion; and armed struggle against the enemies of Islam.
The first two interpretations govern the conduct of jihad for the vast majority of Muslims, but for the jihadi, armed struggle is the “forgotten obligation” of Islam and should predominate.
There are two kinds of armed struggle, or holy war, in Islam. Offensive jihad is war against infidels beyond the realm of Islam. Indeed, that part of the world is called the “abode of war” (dar al-Harb). This form of jihad is a collective obligation of the Islamic community and must be declared by an appropriate authority, e.g., a caliph.   Not everyone is expected to participate in such a jihad.
Defensive jihad is waged when Muslim territory is attacked or occupied, or when Islam itself is threatened. This form of jihad is an individual duty, and it is incumbent on everyone to combat such enemies or occupiers. As spelled out in Chapter Five,  jihadis insist that Islam and Muslims are under attack everywhere—hence the argument that waging jihad is every Muslim’s personal obligation.
For those who cannot fight, there is financial jihad (boycotts); “jihad of the tongue” (propaganda); and even political jihad (engaging in elections), although the latter is highly controversial in violent jihadi circles.
Source: IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Voices of Jihad, Compilation and Commentary
    By David Aaron
    Published 2008 by the RAND Corporation
    http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG602.pdf
    p. 81

See also what the section on Jihad in the book reports on the Islamic stance on the subjects Terrorism (p. 86) and Martyrdom (p. 87) as well as “Pillars of Islam“.

An important variant of Jihad: Hijrah — Jihad by emigration.

Excerpt: This article is crucial to all who want to understand the religious motivation for Muslim emigration to non-Muslim countries, and to make Muslims force fellow Muslims to emigrate: it is – as usual – all in the Quran.
Robert Spencer in Front Page Magazine:

“Approximately 104,460 asylum seekers arrived in Germany during the month of August, setting a new record. That makes 413,535 registered refugees and migrants coming to Germany in 2015 so far. The country expects a total of around 800,000 people to seek asylum in Germany this year. And that’s just Germany. The entire continent of Europe is being inundated with refugees at a rate unprecedented in world history. This is no longer just a “refugee crisis.” This is a hijrah… More

Still, no one should take anyone’s word on what dictates Jihad by emigration.  It all boils down to what the Quran specifies about it, and that is made quite clear though the Quranic verses that can be accessed through the following links. Do not neglect to peruse and comprehend the preceding and subsequent verses of the specific chapters of the Quran in each instance, as some of those verses outline not only that individual Muslims are being encouraged to spread Islam through immigration but that the physical, emotional and financial support of such efforts are obligatory for all Muslims whether or not they are unable or inclined to emigrate with the intent to spread the Islamic religion throughout the world.

Does the Islamic Jihad differ from Islamic terrorism?

The Quran and its different translations are not quite clear on that.  They all agree that infidels or kafirs (“unbelievers” or “disbelievers”) must be treated badly, with the scale of which that is to be done being perhaps the only difference between the two.  Nevertheless, that hardly makes a difference to a given target of either.  Moreover, both, the Islamic Jihad and Islamic terrorism, do not employ rules for how to prevent or avoid collateral damage.  The reader of this is encouraged to study the Quran and associated scriptures, so as to discover specific instructions that may universally apply and prohibit the infliction of collateral damage when and where the verses of the Quran call for maltreatment of infidels or kafirs.

As to specific actions regarding maltreatment of infidels or kafirs, differences between Islamic Jihad and Islamic terrorism appear to be missing.  There is a difference between the scale of both, with Islamic Jihad being all-out war for Islamic conquest of the non-Islamic world.  Still, even there, the distinction is somewhat blurred, as for instance with ISIS, terrorism and terrorist acts are permissible and even encouraged, provided a Jihad was declared by a caliph, which ISIS asserts it has been.  In other words, once a Jihad has been declared, all things are fair, and those who do not agree, even if they are Muslims, will suffer the consequences.

Mind you, the Quran is quite clear on that no Muslim must ever kill another Muslim.  Still, it is obvious that they do, as evidenced by many instances of that happening without any second thoughts, even in wars of substantial magnitude (e. g.: the Iran-Iraq war, from 22 September 1980, when Iraq invaded Iran, to August 1988), the Quran, verse 4:92, expressively prohibits doing so, and proper compensation must be made in each instance where such a killing happens by mistake (one must wonder what the penalties are when the killing is deliberate):

Sahih International: And never is it for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake – then the freeing of a believing slave and a compensation payment presented to the deceased’s family [is required] unless they give [up their right as] charity. But if the deceased was from a people at war with you and he was a believer – then [only] the freeing of a believing slave; and if he was from a people with whom you have a treaty – then a compensation payment presented to his family and the freeing of a believing slave. And whoever does not find [one or cannot afford to buy one] – then [instead], a fast for two months consecutively, [seeking] acceptance of repentance from Allah. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. —Quran, 4:92

Is there a corresponding penalty for a Muslim killing an infidel or a kafir by mistake, say, perhaps an appropriate amount of fasting, such as skipping breakfast for the killing of one or a whole row of them in the case of a bomb blast that killed dozens of innocent infidel men, women and children?  Of course, there isn’t.  The verses indicated above make clear the justification for the belief that Allah will reward the killing of infidels, which is quite possibly the reason why that continues to become an ever more popular pastime of increasing numbers of jihadis.

However, verse 4:92 just covers when a Muslim kills a Muslim by mistake. What if it the killing was done on purpose and was no mistake? Well, that is another story.

Sahih International: But whoever kills a believer intentionally – his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment. —Quran 4.93

That is pretty harsh and should stop all inter-sectarian killing among Muslims.  That surely must help to make Islam a religion of peace, at least amongst Muslims, right?  Well, obviously not. It is only necessary to declare the intended victim to be an unbeliever, and all is good. In the case of a war, the other side will do the converse, and the fight is on, the killings then are all legal and morally permissible, even desirable.

In other words, might makes right, and if a Muslim rationalizes that coercing someone to become a member of the selected version of the Islamic faith is alright, because he thinks that his version of the Islamic religion is the one that will save him, he doesn’t have to worry about anything being wrong with cutting the intended converted’s head off or to blow him to bits.  If he is a Muslim, the attacker first has to inconvenience himself by declaring his intended victim an unbeliever.  If he then kills him, he has ensured that Allah will smile upon him.

If you are on the receiving end of the violence, don’t argue with anyone who points a weapon at you and has his finger on the trigger or his knife at your throat, especially not when he is convinced that he is acting for Allah, even if Muslims from other Islamic factions may say that the man with the gun or the woman with the  suicide vest is not doing the right thing.  Whether Islam is a religion of peace will be the last thing on your mind.  Besides, it is likely that the one who disagrees nevertheless contributed some of the money required to acquire that gun or the materials and the C-4 for the suicide vest — they buy that by the tonne, you know.

A Muslim who is unable to actively participate in the maltreatment of infidels or kafirs is obligated to make the required contributions to the funds needed to acquire those weapons and to cover the expenses of feeding, housing and training of jihadis. It is a communal responsibility, and the donations for that are being collected by the mosques. The Quran and its associated scripture say so, and that is what counts, not the local laws that prohibit terrorist acts, conspiring to commit them or the making of financial or any other contributions to aid their commission.  Allah’s word is greatest.

Can Islam be made a religion of peace?

There will always be those who, all evidence to the contrary, cling to the belief that Islam is a religion of peace, or that at the very least it can be made to be a religion of peace.  Gregory M. Davis states:

As should be plain to anyone who has examined the Islamic sources, to take the violence out of Islam would require it to jettison two things: the Quran as the word of Allah and Muhammad as Allah’s prophet. In other words, to pacify Islam would require its transformation into something that it is not…..
The unhappy fact is that Islam today is what it has been fourteen centuries: violent, intolerant, and expansionary. It is folly to think that we, in the course of a few years or decades, are going to be able to change the basic world outlook of a foreign civilization. Islam’s violent nature must be accepted as given; only then will we be able to come up with appropriate policy responses that can improve our chances of survival.
—Islam 101 4. Frequently Asked Questions — d. Could an Islamic “Reformation” pacify Islam?
_________
Again, the text at that link for the source of the text containing the preceding quote does have an index, but the entries in the index are not linked.  Nevertheless, the location of the preceding quote from the text can be found quite easily by using copy and paste commands.  When accessing the web page, do a “Find in Page” (hit <Ctrl> + <f>) and enter: Could an Islamic “Reformation” pacify Islam?
That will take you right to the place in the text where the text in the quote shown above is located.

_________________
Addendum: An Example of Abrogation

From a source of political correctness, Wikipedia:

»Quranic verses as a basis for Islamic policies towards dhimmis[edit]
Lewis states
The phrase “Let there be no compulsion in religion: …”, from sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayah 256,[120] has sometimes been interpreted in the Islamic legal and theological traditions to mean followers of other religions should not be forced to adopt Islam

The phrase “Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion.”, from sura 109 (Al-Kafirun), ayah 6,[122] has been used as a “proof-text for pluralism and coexistence”.

Sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayah 62[123] has served to justify the tolerated position accorded to the followers of Christianity, Judaism, and Sabianism under Muslim rule.[121]«
_______________
Source: Wikipedia

That quote contains the weasel words “sometimes”, “has been used,” and “has served.” The principle of abrogation comes into the picture. Later verses that appear to contradict earlier ones do in fact supersede earlier verses that they appear to be in conflict with. Consider the chronological order in which the Suras (Chapters) of the Quran mentioned in this article were revealed:

		Chronological Order
Classification	Chapter	Eqyptian	Nöldeke
Meccan	109	18	45
Medinan	2	87	91
Medinan	8	88	95
Medinan	47	95	96
Medinan	3	89	97
Medinan	4	92	100
Medinan	9	113	113
Medinan	5	112	114

Data source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_surahs_in_the_Quran#Table

From the Quran translation in Sahih International:

Say, “O disbelievers, (109:1)
I do not worship what you worship. (109:2)
Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. (109:3)
Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (109:4)
Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. (109:5)
For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” (109:6)

Certainly, although those verses appear to be phrased in the language of tolerance, they do not abrogate the following instructions. Rather, the following verses abrogate those of Chapter 109, even though Chapter 109 appears almost at the end of the Quran and would appear to the uninitiated to invalidate earlier Chapters and verses to the contrary.

And kill them [the disbelievers] wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah [sedition] is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- îaram [the Inviolable Place of Worship] until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. (2:191)

Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah [sedition] and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors. (2:193)

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 Allah Knows, while you know not. (2:216)

Let not believers take disbelievers as allies rather than believers. And whoever [of you] does that has nothing with Allah , except when taking precaution against them in prudence. And Allah warns you of Himself, and to Allah is the [final] destination. (3:28)

Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah , and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of Taghut. So fight against the allies of Satan. Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak. (4:76)

Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment, (5:33)

Except for those who return [repenting] before you apprehend them. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (5:34)

O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people. (5:51)

[Remember] when your Lord inspired to the angels, “I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, so strike [them] upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip.” (8:12)

That is because they opposed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger – indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. (8:13)

“That [is yours], so taste it.” And indeed for the disbelievers is the punishment of the Fire. (8:14)

If you [disbelievers] seek the victory – the defeat has come to you. And if you desist [from hostilities], it is best for you; but if you return [to war], We will return, and never will you be availed by your [large] company at all, even if it should increase; and [that is] because Allah is with the believers. (8:19)

And prepare against them [the disbelievers] whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged. (8:60)

O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they [the disbelievers] are a people who do not understand. (8:65)

It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah’s enemies] in the land. Some Muslims desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. (8:67)

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 zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (9:5)

And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know. (9:6)

Fight them [the unbelievers]; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people (9:14)

Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled. (9:29)

The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah “; and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded? (9:30)

O you who have believed, fight those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness. And know that Allah is with the righteous. (9:123)

So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah – never will He waste their deeds. (47:4)

If there should still be any doubt in anyone’s mind that Islam is intolerant of non-Islamic religions, and that the lives of dhimmis are not a manifestation of at least very severe discrimination against Jews, Christians and members of any other non-Islamic religion, then stop expecting Wikipedia to provide objective assessments of the way of life for dhimmis and consider this set of rules for dhimmis.

~~~~~~~~~~~~