Does the Quran Really Say to Kill the Disbelievers?
Islam is perhaps the most heavily scrutinized religion in the Western world. Largely owing to the fact it arrived in the West almost a millennium after Christianity, Westerners often look at Islam with a degree of suspicion. Some have even made it their goal to prevent the spread of Islam through the West, wrongly believing it to be a religion of war. Critics of Islam generally support their prejudice by pointing to passages in the Quran which seem to incite Muslims to violence. This allows them to paint both Islam and Muslims in a negative light.
Among the most commonly cited Quranic verses by critics of Islam are two in which God apparently commands Muslims to kill unbelievers “wherever you find them”. But do such verses exist? If so, why would they be included in a book which predominantly encourages human beings to love each other? Read on to find out.
The Verses
Muslims often brush off claims of violence in the Quran by claiming they simply aren’t there. Although this is usually done with pure intentions, it is quite an irresponsible route to take. The fact is that there are indeed a number of passages in the Quran which approve violence in certain circumstances. For a Muslim to claim there is not is to exhibit either a baffling lack of knowledge of their own faith or a blatant willingness to lie in order to defend it. The best thing a believer can do when a critic claims the Quran encourages Muslims to kill infidels “wherever you find them” is to provide the proper context in which the verses in question — and the verses surrounding them — were delivered. To do this, you’ll have to first familiarize yourself with those often-maligned verse. The first of them sits in Al-Baqarah, the second surah of the Quran, and reads as follows:
“And kill them wherever you find them, and expel them from where they had expelled you. Oppression is more serious than murder. But do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque, unless they fight you there. If they fight you, then kill them. Such is the retribution of the disbelievers.” (Quran, 2:191)
Another verse commonly cited by critics in an attempt to defame Islam is found in Al-Tawba, the ninth surah of the Quran. Interestingly, the anti-Islam “activists” who use it as a cornerstone of their arguments rarely quote it in its entirety. In full, the verse reads:
“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.” (Quran, 9:5)
The Context
When read as standalone verses, the above passages are pretty damning, especially if you focus on only the first lines, as critics of Islam tend to do. Indeed, there is no way these verses can be read as anything other than a call to kill the unbelievers when it is necessary. That being said, if we are to understand exactly how these verses were intended to be interpreted, we must familiarize ourselves with the context in which they were delivered and just who the unbelievers are.
According to Islamic tradition, the above verses, along with the verses immediately preceding and proceeding them, were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by God at a time of great persecution for the Muslims. Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers had been driven from Mecca by the city’s pagan tribes and forced to take up residence in the city of Medina. Although both sides briefly reached a treaty, it was soon rendered null and void by an attack perpetrated by a tribe associated with the Meccans on a tribe associated with the Muslims. This lead to what is today known as the “Conquest of Mecca” in circa 630 CE. During the Conquest of Mecca, Muslims took control of the city from which they had once been driven out. They also reclaimed the Kaaba and Muhammad (PBUH) quickly rid it of the many idols which had been placed there in contradiction to the Muslim belief in one God.
Muhammad (PBUH) arrived in Mecca with 10,000 Muslims in tow. With such a large army, he could have very easily destroyed everybody who dwelled within the city. However, his greater interest was in reclaiming the Kaaba and restoring it to its monotheistic roots. Once this had been completed, Muhammad (PBUH) allowed any Meccan who did not wish to become a Muslim to leave Mecca unharmed. This he did after receiving a revelation from God in which he was commanded to let the Meccans travel to a safe space where they would be free from any threat of persecution. There, they would be given four months to ponder the teachings of Muhammad (PBUH) and decide if they wished to return to Mecca and become Muslims. If anybody chose not to become a Muslim, they were free to live out their days outside of Mecca. If they chose to return to Mecca despite refusing to accept Muhammad’s (PBUH) message, however, God instructed Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers to “kill them wherever you find them”. Even then, this command to kill unbelievers was based on the assumption that any non-Muslim returning to Mecca after the four-month exile would be doing so with the intention of waging war against the Muslims once again.
So How Do These Verses Apply To Contemporary Islam?
As you can see from the section above, the passages of the Quran which command Muslims to kill unbelievers “wherever you find them” are a great deal more complex than critics of Islam would like us to believe. They are not blanket calls for violence against non-Muslims. This is also something which Islamic extremists should take note of. Members of fringe Muslim groups such as ISIS cite the verses examined above just as often as staunch critics of Islam in an attempt to justify their actions. Both parties are obviously wrong in their belief that these passages and others like them incite contemporary Muslims to violence.
These verses were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during a time of unrest for Muslims. They had been driven out of Mecca — which for many Muslims had been home since birth — by those who refused to accept Muhammad’s (PBUH) teachings. These pagans and idolaters continued to wage war against Muslims even after forcing them to flee from Mecca, but Muhammad (PBUH) remained reluctant to retaliate until God revealed to him the best course of action. Even when God did command Muslims to kill unbelievers, He did so with the provision that they must first be granted the opportunity to convert to Islam or leave Mecca peacefully.
Today, life is a great deal easier for Muslims, especially in Saudi Arabia, where Muhammad (PBUH) struggled so greatly in the formative days of Islam. Although Muslims continue to face persecution in certain parts of the world, it pales in comparison to what their predecessors faced. Additionally, the persecution faced by modern Muslims doesn’t always come in the form of physical violence, which makes physical retaliation unnecessary. With this in mind, it becomes difficult to find a practical use for the Quranic verses examined above. They are best used as a tool to teach the history of Islam and help Muslims and non-Muslims alike understand the hardships Muhammad (PBUH) and his first followers endured. Portions of these verses can even be used as an example of God’s mercy, even towards those who made it their mission to destroy his final prophet.
So How Should I Treat Non-Believers?
The Quranic passages in which God commands Muslims to kill unbelievers were revealed only when necessary and served to guide Muhammad (PBUH) through specific situations. That being said, the vast majority of Quranic passages in which God discusses the importance of being kind to one another were intended to serve as “evergreen” commandments. They provide a firm foundation upon which Muslims can build positive relationships with each other and, yes, even non-believers. We’ll round off this article by including some of our favorites below.
“And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.” (Quran, 2:195)
“And feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the prisoner, for love of Him (saying) : We feed you, for the sake of Allah only. We wish for no reward nor thanks from you.” (Quran, 76:8–9)
“Those who believe and do good deeds — the Gracious God will create love in their hearts.” (Quran, 19:97)
And finally, to prove once and for all that the Quran is merciful to unbelievers, we cite this passage from the second surah of the Quran, Al-Baqarah. You may recall this is the same surah in which God tells Muhammad (PBUH) to “kill them wherever you find them, and expel them from where they had expelled you”. Just a few passages later, God commands Muhammad (PBUH) to avoid forcing religious beliefs on non-Muslims, saying:
“There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned.” (Quran, 2:256)
Written by a contributor of Studio Arabiya Institute. Read more at www.studioarabiya.com.
