one question...regarding the quran and its mentionings of war..which confuses me

[AlexJ90]

I know islam is about peace. however when i read the quran i occasionally come across quite a few verses that mention, 'slay' 'fight' etc etc

Fight and slay the unbelievers wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war. (Surah IX:5)

Fight those who do not believe in Allah or the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and his apostle, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth (i.e. Islam), (even if they are people of the Book), until they pay the tax with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. (Surah IX:29)


Seize them and slay them wherever you find them. (Surah IV:89,91)


Doesnt this mean the Quran has some negative messages within it?

Aren't those verses a little extreme? Wouldnt that promote a sort of war?

Could someone please clear this up with me. As i always had the impression that islam is about peace, not war or violence.


Thanks Brothers.

[Sampharo]

Dear brother Alex Islam,

Do not be confused. You see, Islam is God's religion, so it might appear to you as non-peaceful or so if you compare it with self-appointed-guru-made spirituality meditation systems of today. God has sent us the all-encompassing life religion since Ibrahim's -pbuh- days. It tells us what God expects of us and how to live our lives in a manner that is good for us, obedient to him, and that would end up allowing us the entry into heaven since Adam was sent down from it. God says in the Quran: "And we haven't created men and demon except to worship"

So naturally, Islam teaches us how to live peacefully, and how to react if we are aggressed upon. It teaches us how to pray and fast, and how to judge criminals and set penalties. It teaches us inspirational and beautiful things that believers will get to lift our spirits, and teaches us of the warnings of hellish torture that awaits those who disobey and/or disbelieve.

Those verses you mentioned were the declaration by God that now muslims can stand up and fight those who were persecuting them and God's religion for nothing but their beliefs. Previously they were held back. If you continue the verse you mentioned you will find that it says "Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace."[9:5]

Repent from what? Verse 13 of the same chapter explains it: "Would you, perchance, fail to fight against people who have broken their solemn pledges, and have done all that they could to drive the Apostle away, and have been first to attack you? Do you hold them in awe? Nay, it is God alone of whom you ought to stand in awe, if you are [truly] believers!" [9:13]

Verse 29 is regarding bringing out the truth that jews and some christian groups at the time were trying to suppress, and to establish an order where muslims were no longer persecuted and communication of God's last testament and call to his religion needs to spread, no longer being hindered by monks changing and adjusting scripture:

"AND THE JEWS say, "Ezra is God's son," while the Christians say, "The Christ is God's son." Such are the sayings which they utter with their mouths, following in spirit assertions made in earlier times by people who denied the truth! [They deserve the imprecation:] "May God destroy them!" How perverted are their minds! They have taken their rabbis and their monks-as well as the Christ, son of Mary-for their lords beside God, although they had been bidden to worship none but the One God, save whom there is no deity: the One who is utterly remote, in His limitless glory, from anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity! They want to extinguish God's [guiding] light with their utterances: but God will not allow [this to pass], for He has willed to spread His light in all its fullness, however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth. He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with the [task of spreading] guidance and the religion of truth, to the end that He may cause it to prevail over all [false] religion -however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God." [9:30-33]

So that is done by taking over control of the land and establishing law under their leadership, no further fear of being persecuted by those who chose to create their own man-made versions of God's religion. The jizya means they accept the rule of the muslims and it was a paltry 2 dirhams per person. In return they don't have to serve in the army whenever the Khalifa calls for Jihad, and they live in peace and with full rights under muslim rule.

As for [4:89], again all you had to do is just read on: "unless it be such [of them] as have ties with people to whom you yourselves are bound by a covenant, or such as come unto you because their hearts shrink from [the thought of] making war either on you or on their own folk - although, if God had willed to make them stronger than you, they would certainly have made war on you. Thus, if they let you be, and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them." [4:90] Pretty clear that this war was against people who were fighting the muslims already. Otherwise if they offer peace, muslims were no longer allowed by God to harm them. Not very violent now, is it?

Seems you have been given these verses out of context. You may want to strengthen your faith and knowledge by reading the Quran (at least its translation a couple of times) so to be aware of its righteousness and have a stronger faith to face those who wish to defame it. Hope though I have helped addressing your immediate queries.

May God grant us all more faith and knowledge.

[Rasema]

The Qur'an is not shy. Keep in mind that when God is talking He is talking to the whole mankind. Mankind is evil.

[papa_smurf]

Brother you have to have knowledge to undersand the words of god. You just cant pull ayats out of context and understand them without tafseer. Seek guidance from a learned scholar.