Figure 1.-- |
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Islam is often desribed as a religion of peace. And there are references toward peace in the Koran. but there are also many references to war and violence. The number of such references is disturbing. Even more disturbing are references to violence as a positive good and references justifying violence against unbrlivers. These passages are unlike any in the religious books of the worlds other great religions. Several of these passages would seem to give a Muslim justification for suiside bombers targetting Jews, Christians, and even Muslims of differing views. The Koran also authorizes violence against women. In reading these passages it should be remembered that Islamic scholars teach that the Koran is the literal, perfect word of God and can not be questined. We have quoted the various pertinent passages from the Koran and attempted to assess their meaning. Some are elusive. Others seem rather straight forward. We do not pretend to be Islamic scholars and welcome any insights that readers might have.
"Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it. But you may hate a thing although it is good for you ..." Another translations reads, "Fighting may be imposed on you, even though you dislike it. But you may dislike something which is good for you, and you may like something which is bad for you. GOD knows while you do not know."
The Koran here appears to tell Muslims that fighting and thus violence are a positive good, essentially character building. This is unlike the teachings of the other great religions. This is a very disturbing passage. Note it is doest not say that fighting is a necessary evil, but that fighting is an absolute good.
"If you have suffered defeat, so did the enemy. We [god] alternate these vicissitudes among mankind so that Allah may know the true believers and choose martyrs from among you ...that He may test the faithful and annihilate the infidels. Did you suppose that you would enter Paradise before Allah has proved the men who fought for him...?" Another translation reads, "140: If you suffer hardship, the enemy also suffers the same hardship. We alternate the days of victory and defeat among the people. GOD thus distinguishes the true believers, and blesses some of you with martyrdom. GOD dislikes injustice. 141: GOD thus toughens those who believe and humiliates the disbelievers. 3:142: Do you expect to enter Paradise without GOD distinguishing those among you who strive, and without distinguishing those who are steadfast?
This it seems to us is another very disturbing passage in the Koran. It seem to say that Allah created war to test the faithful. He will sometimes allow the unbelievers to win so that Muslims can be throughly tested and Martyrs allowed to demonstrate their allegiance to Allah. Allah seems to be saying that war and viloence is a necesity. Again this is a concept that is not found in other major faiths. Notice the term "ememy". This means non-Muslims. Again nne of the other great religions refer to those of other faiths as "the ememy".
Here we note significant differences in various translations. One translation reads, "Believers ... put terror into the hearts of the unbelievers." Another translation reads, "O you who believe, if you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels, then you end up losers."
This passage seems to justify the use of terror on non-Muslims hich of course can be expanded to include other Muslims that disagree with you. This depends on the translation accepted.
"Men have authority over women because Allah has made one superior to the other...Good women are obedient...As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them to beds apart and beat them. Then if they obey you, take no further action against them. Allah is high, supreme." Another translatin reads, "The men are made responsible for the women, and GOD has endowed them with certain qualities, and made them the bread earners. The righteous women will cheerfully accept this arrangement, since it is GOD's commandment, and honor their husbands during their absence. If you experience rebellion from the women, you shall first talk to them, then (you may use negative incentives like) deserting them in bed, then you may (as a last alternative) beat them. If they obey you, you are not permitted to transgress against them. GOD is Most High, Supreme."
The Koran is quite clear as to the position of women. Here it clear states that men are superior to women who are inferior. And men are cauthorized to use violence against women, specifically to beat them until they learn to obey. The Koran indicates that beating women is the last alternative, but it is an alternsative sanctified by God. Some passages of the Koran are somewhat vague. This one seems crystal clear.
"Let those who would exchange the life of this world for the hereafter, fight for the cause of Allah; whether they die or conquer, We shall richly reward them." Another translation reads, "Those who readily fight in the cause of GOD are those who forsake this world in favor of the Hereafter. Whoever fights in the cause of GOD, then gets killed, or attains victory, we will surely grant him a great recompense."
The Koran here tells Muslims that those engaging in war and violence will be rewarded and emphasizes that they will be richy or grreatly rewarded..
"The believers who stay at home ... are not equal to those who fight for the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah has given those that fight with their goods and their persons a higher rank than those who stay at home. He has promised all a good reward; but far richer is the recompense of those who fight for Him." Another translation reads, "Not equal are the sedentary among the believers who are not handicapped, and those who strive in the cause of GOD with their money and their lives. GOD exalts the strivers with their money and their lives above the sedentary. For both, GOD promises salvation, but GOD exalts the strivers over the sedentary with a great recompense."
The Koran here states that those who fight for Allah rank the highest in Islam.
"Proclaim a woeful punishment to the unbelievers ... When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and pay the alms-tax, let them go their way. Allah is forgiving and merciful."
Another translation reds, "9:4: If the idol worshipers sign a peace treaty with you, and do not violate it, nor band together with others against you, you shall fulfill your treaty with them until the expiration date. GOD loves the righteous. 9:5: Once the Sacred Months are past, (and they refuse to make peace) you may kill the idol worshipers when you encounter them, punish them, and resist every move they make. If they repent and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), you shall let them go. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful. 9:6: If one of the idol worshipers sought safe passage with you, you shall grant him safe passage, so that he can hear the word of GOD, then send him back to his place of security. That is because they are people who do not know."
Here the Koran seems to give the Muslims the right to kill and otherwise punish non-Muslims, although they should wait until after the sacred months. I'm not sure what is meant by repenting and taking to prayer. It does not seem to be conversion. But Muslims also seem to be instructed to avoud violence if non-Muslims pay an alms tax. Spokesmen for Islam on televsion constantly insistthat Islam is a religion of peace. Unfortunately as we see here there are many passages devoted to war and violence. Sometimes Muslims try to explain them away or deny they exist, but as we see here they do exist. While most Muslims ignore them, not all do. One of the Bali bombers, the bombers claimed at his defense that he was simply following the directives of the Koran which permitted him to kill non-believers where-ever he found them. The Indonesian court found him guilty by denying that the Koran had a passage legitimise such killing, but as you can see here, there is such a passage, And while most Muslims ignore these and similar passages, note that often Muslims who express abhorence at these attacks will sometimes add comments suggesting an understanding or sympathy with the trrorists. Other Muslims will often deny they occurred or blame them on the Jews.
"Believers, why is it that when it is said to you: 'March in the cause of Allah,' you linger slothfully in the land? Are you content with this life in preference to the life to come? Few indeed are the blessings of this life compared to those of the life to come. If you do not fight He will punish you sternly and replace you by other men. Allah has power over all things." Another translation reads, "O you who believe, when you are told, "Mobilize in the cause of GOD," why do you become heavily attached to the ground? Have you chosen this worldly life in place of the Hereafter? The materials of this world, compared to the Hereafter, are nil."
What does "March in the cause of Islam" mean? The subsequent reference to "fight" certainly suggests wageing war. The Koran here seems to be saying that tjose who do not wage war for Islam are lesser Muslims.
"Whether unarmed or well equipped, march on and fight for the cause of Allah, with your wealth and your persons." Another translation reads, "You shall readily mobilize, light or heavy, and strive with your money and your lives in the cause of GOD. This is better for you, if you only knew."
The Koran here tells Muslims to fight whrther or not they are well armed. Note the the references to arms and equipment, suggesting that the reference is to war and violence.
"Those that believe in Allah & the Last Day will not beg you to exempt them from fighting with their wealth and their persons. Allah knows best the righteous. Only those seek exemption who disbelieve in Allah." Amnother translatin reads, "Those who truly believe in GOD and the Last Day do not ask your permission to evade the opportunity to strive with their money and their lives. GOD is fully aware of the righteous."
The Koran here appears to be telling Muslims that true believers will fight or support fighters. Those that refuse to fight and use violence are not true Muslims. This is also very disturbing. It seems to be saying that fighting and the use of viloence are at the hear of Islam.
"Are you waiting for anything to befall us except victory or martyrdom?" Another translation reads, "Say, "Nothing happens to us, except what GOD has decreed for us. He is our Lord and Master. In GOD the believers shall trust."
The modern world after the two great World Wars has come to see war as the greatest evil. The Koran seems to be telling Muslims that war is a win-win situation. They will either emerge victorious or become marytrs and thus enter paradise.
"He that fights for Allah's cause fights for himself. Allah does not need His creatures' help." Another translation reads, "Those who believe and lead a righteous life, we will certainly remit their sins, and will certainly reward them generously for their righteous works." This is another passage in which the two translations are substantially different.
The first translation seems rather confused. It seems to say that Allah can take care of himself and that Muslims do not need to defend Allah. Rather it is the Muslim himself who benefits from fighting. The passage does not explain just what the benefit is. The second translation is more understandable.
"As for those who are slain in the cause of Allah, He will not allow their works to perish ... He will admit them to the Paradise He has made known to them." Another translation reads, "47:4: If you encounter (in war) those who disbelieve, you may strike the necks. If you take them as captives you may set them free or ransom them, until the war ends. Had GOD willed, He could have granted you victory, without war. But He thus tests you by one another. As for those who get killed in the cause of GOD, He will never put their sacrifice to waste. 47:5: He will guide them, and bless them with contentment. 47:6: He will admit them into Paradise, that He described to them." This is another passage in which the two translations are substantially different.
Here the Koran tells Muslims that those die in Allah's service will be admitted to Paradise. It does not specify as to just what "in Allah's service" means, but because death is mentioned, we suspect this means those involved in war and violence.
"He created life and death that He might put you to the proof and find out which of you acquitted himself best." Another translation reads, "The One who created death and life for the purpose of distinguishing those among you who would do better. He is the Almighty, the Forgiving."
Here the Koran tells Muslims that the purpose of life is a kind of test. There are various ways that a person can acquit himself. Charity is important in Islam, but so is fighing as we see in verse 2.216.
A Muslim reader tells us, "There is only one Quran, divinely preserved, and available for all man-kind to read." [BK} Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The Koran was written in Arabic during the 7th century. Language, however, changes. Arabic has not changed as much as Western languages. Americans and English people can not read Old English texts and the same is true of Europeans. The Arabic spoken in the 7th century, however, is different than 21st century Arabic. And the Arabic spoken in different Arab countries varies. Thus some scholarship is involved in getting at the true meaning. Translations into English and other languages pose addituinal problems. Just has Bible versions differ. Various translations vary. A Muslim reader objected to the translations we posted here sggesting that they were eronious and misleading, [BK] She suggested using "An Authorized English Version" translated from the original by Dr. Rashad Khalifa, Ph.D. Now we do not endorse any particular translation, but we are happy to include the translation suggestion to provide readers a range of translations. In reviewing Dr. Khalifa's ranslation, they were essentially the same to the translation we had, with the exception of two verses.
A Muslim reader objects to this page. She writes, "This Quran doesn't have any of the negative remarks and inhumane values you are stating. I'm able to tell that you are reading dishonest translations of the Quran, quoting words and verses out of context without examining the entire context of the Quran regarding specific issues, and relying on what have been circulating in the media about the Quran without verification. The three options are illegitimate and definitely lead to wrong assumptions and conclusions.. Not only that, you are promoting and spreading this wrong information to the public, which is misleading and offensive. I urge you to investigate the Quran, and use a decent translation of it such as the one used on our site. It is the most accurate, most honest, most guided, and the closest to the original Arabic text. You can read it on line or download it for free." The fact is that all the passages on the page here are in the Koran. And the translation she suggested with very few exceptions are essetially the same as the translation we had originally. She charges that we have taken them out of context. (How many politicans have you heard trying to explain things they have said by claiming they were quoted out of cointext?) At any rate readers are encouraged to read the entire surahs (chzptrs) surrounding the verses here to see if hey were taken out of context.
A Muslim readers takes issue with this page, charging that we have taken the passages out of context. Her major complaint as I understand it is that the passages we quote do no show the Islamic injunction that war or actions against infidels should only be waged in self defense. She writes, "The injustice you have committed on your web page lies on the fact that these verses are singled out without what comes before and after and without reading all the other related verse in order to understa that they are applicable in very specific situations of self defense. We cannot just pick and choose certain verses about fighting back in self defense and use them to justify that Quran promotes killing when, to the contrary, Quran condemns killing in the strongest language. Please read the verses I have attached. I have provided you with a link that gives an honest and correct perspective of Jihad and Wars in the light of Quran. Please read the articles, just for the sake of the truth." This self- defense argument is often presented by Muslim scgolsars. And it is true that many Koranic passages do include a provision for self defense. No all, but a number do. The problem with this asertion is, however, that while it is in the Koran, it is an injuction commonly disregarded by Muslim leaders, including the Prophet himself. Muslims leaders from the very beginning of Islam have not followed that injunctuon. And that the Caliphate was established as a result of a series of aggressive wars.
A Muslim reader complains that we have selected out verses from the Koran that portray war and violence for this page. That is of course precusely what we have done because we are trying to understand why so many Muslims are carrying out terrible acts of violence. We are not saying that most Muslims are doing this, but substantial numbers are involved in the violence. And many more seem willing to accept violence as long as the perpetrators express Islamic motivations. It us fair to say, however, that there are many more passages in the Koran that deal with peace and human values. Quite frankly this would impress us if Muslim leades and Islamic scholars were at the forefront of actually making peace. There certainly are prgressive voices in Islsam. A reader writes, "The time has come that we should take action and try our best to prevent terrorism in the world. We hope to bring love, peace and tolerance into this world based on respect, compassion, and a solid foundation of knowledge." Just howc much influence such voices have, seem limited. Somehow it seems satisfactory to many Muslims to simply reiterate the claim that Islam is a religion of peace and list the Koranic references to peace. Passages about peace ad human dignity certainly exists. And many Muslims believe passionately in them. We are more than happy to list some of them.
BK. eMail message, December 3, 2007.
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