"O Prophet! Make war against the unbelievers [all non-Muslims] and the hypocrites and be merciless against them. Their home is hell, an evil refuge indeed." (Koran, 9:73)
"When you meet the unbelievers in jihad [holy war], chop off their heads. And when you have brought them low, bind your prisoners rigorously. Then set them free or take ransom from them until the war is ended." (Koran, 47:4)
"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and his messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be to be killed or crucified, or to have their hands and feet chopped off on opposite sides, or to be expelled out of the land. Such will be their humiliation in the world, and in the next world they will face an awful horror." (Koran, 5:33-34)
"When we decide to destroy a population, we send a definite order to them who have the good things in life and yet sin. So that Allah's word is proven true against them, then we destroy them utterly." (Koran, 17:16-17)
"In order that Allah may separate the pure from the impure, put all the impure ones [all non-Muslims] one on top of another in a heap and cast them into hell. They will have been the ones to have lost." (Koran, 8:37)
"How many were the populations we utterly destroyed because of their sins, setting up in their place other peoples." (Koran, 21:11)
"Remember Allah inspired the angels: I am with you. Give firmness to the believers. I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers: you smite them above their necks and smite all their fingertips off of them." (Koran, 8:12)
Among various prolific misconceptions concerning the religion of Islam, one cannot miss the oft-quoted “Kill them wherever you find them,” characterization of religious intolerance in the Quran. This bloodthirsty depiction of Islam is far, far from the truth. Yet, with so much media attention shone on “Muslim terrorists”, contradictory Islamic ideals of religious tolerance might be difficult for Western audiences to believe.
The best solution is to READ THE QURAN. Verses granting permission to fight in war, when attacked, can then be read in context. Ideological mud slinging on the internet is rife with quotes like, “Kill them wherever you find them.” If that is the first phrase you read from the Quran, of course it sounds like a horrible, unholy book.
Conditions of War in the Quran
“Fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! God loveth not aggressors.”
(Quran, 2:190)
The Quranic verse stating, “Kill them wherever you encounter them” (2:191) does not categorically permit (let alone promote) killing of Non-Muslims. Rather, this verse was revealed in relation to a specific stage of persecutory war against Muslims in the history of Islam; and its ordinance is obviously confined to warfare. The fourteen-hundred-year heritage of Islamic rule in Arabia and beyond testifies to religious tolerance exhorted by the Quran.
Scenarios under which taking a life is permissible according to the Quran are extremely limited. The Quran permits between-group killing, or “collateral damage”, during warfare in hand-to-hand combat with male, combatant enemy soldiers. In domestic affairs, Islamic law permits execution by judicial sentence in cases of premeditated manslaughter; a tooth for a tooth whether Muslim or Non-Muslim.
In Islam, it is NEVER permissible to attack or kill non-combatant enemy citizens, children, elderly, or women. Non-Muslims not waging war against Muslims possess Islamic state’s protection of their right to life, according to the Quran. In fact, the Quran enjoins forgiveness, indulgence, tolerance, and kindness toward Non-Muslims.
Conditions of Peace
“Help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty.”
(Quran, 5:2)
Far from simply not killing Non-Muslims, Islam promotes an ideal ethic of cooperative piety with Non-Muslims who are at peace with Muslim states. The Quran also discusses basic rights of Non-Muslims, such as the right to life, freedom of religion, and property. Furthermore, the Quran offers specific guidelines to promote religious tolerance.
Freedom of Religion in the Quran
Religion with God is Islam. However, there is no compulsion in religion. Humankind is created free to choose good or evil. No person can reach into another’s heart, place faith therein, cleanse filth, or soften hardness. Individual choice is an integral facet of religious devotion, and the Qur’an acknowledge this in the verse, “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256). Furthermore, the Quran draws firm limits toward entrenched thinking in relation to Non-Muslims. It states, “Had God willed, they had not been idolatrous. We have not set thee as a keeper over them, nor art thou responsible for them” (6:107). Here, the Quran instructs us to recognize Non-Muslims’ religious self-sovereignty and to leave them alone.
Freedom of religion is the cornerstone of religious tolerance; and it is clearly established in the Quran.
Mutual Verbal Religious Tolerance in the Quran
The Quran goes further than religious freedom, instructing Muslims to show tolerance and respect to other religions. The verse, “Do not revile those unto whom they pray beside God, lest they wrongfully revile God through ignorance” (6:108), directly forbids verbal religious intolerance, candidly pointing out the logical consequence of mutual animosity and hatred. Disagreement is sometimes unavoidable; however, petty name-calling is certainly something we can all maturely surmount.
Kindness toward Non-Combatant, Non-Muslims in the Quran
As long as other religious groups do not invade and transgress Muslim lands and political sovereignty, Muslims should have no qualm with them. God commands the Muslims to show indulgence, tolerance, forgiveness, justice, and compassion toward Non-Muslim groups who do not take up arms fighting against Muslims. God says, “God does not forbid you to be kind to those who do not take arms against you. God loves those who are just” Chapter 60, in which the aforementioned verse occurs, addresses Muslim unity against avowed political attackers. No Muslim should harbor alliances with transgressing forces. However, even in this chapter whose theme primarily addresses conditions of defensive war, the Quran does not neglect to mention that Muslims should show kindness and justice in lieu of violent aggression from other Non-Muslim nations or individuals.
Forgiveness toward Non-Muslims Harboring Animosity toward Muslims in the Quran
Peace and war are two extremes, between which are many shades of conflictive coexistence. The Quran does not only speak to extremes. Rather, it addresses latent conflict, jealously, rivalry, and hatred between groups. In all of these cases, as in the case of peace and cooperation, the Quran enjoins forgiveness, indulgence, justice, and compassion toward Non-Muslims. For example, the Quran mentions that some groups of Jews and Christians wish for ruination of Muslim nations. Toward them, the Quran instructs, “Forgive and show indulgence to them…Whosoever surrendereth his purpose to God while doing good, his reward is with his Lord; and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve” (2:109-112).
Justice toward Previously Combatant Non-Muslims in the Quran
In another chapter, the Quran deals with situations where Muslims might feel hatred toward Non-Muslim groups. Again, the message is patience and justice. God says, “Do not allow your hatred of a folk who [once] stopped your going to the Inviolable Place of Worship [2] seduce you to transgress; but help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another unto sin and transgression, but keep your duty to God” (5:2). Warring nations confront a difficult psychological task when arms are finally laid aside for olive branches. What happens to the hearts that remember lost soldiers and former offenses? The Quranic reply is God-consciousness. By remembering God’s love for justice, we can avoid seductions of violence and vengefulness.
Religious tolerance in the Quran is not based on fantasy. Rather, it tackles real world scenarios of peace, conflict, war, and coexistence. We do not pretend that differing groups can live in perfect, unbroken harmony; not even homogenous groups enjoy so much mutuality. However, the Quran clearly states that cooperation is better than conflict, peace is preferable to war, and justice is necessary under all circumstances. Furthermore, the Quran offers specific guidelines to help encourage and maintain peaceful coexistence between differing religious groups. Principles of indulgence, patience, justice, and kindness are underscored in the Quran by rules such as the forbiddance of insulting other gods.
