Does the Quran Really Sanction Violence Against "Unbelievers''?
11/15/11
Does the Quran really Sanction Violence against “Unbelievers”?
The Quran is the primary source of every Muslim’s faith and practice; the word of god. They believe the Quran was verbally revealed through an angel from God to Muhammad. It contains wisdom, doctrine, worship, transactions, law but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time, it provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, and an equitable economic system.
In the Quran it states, “Kill the idolaters wherever you find them, and capture them, and blockade them, and watch for them at every lookout." (Quran 9:5) Does this make a just society? According to Kabir Helminski, “The "idolaters" were Meccan "pagans" who had declared war against Muhammad and his community. They fought against the Prophet's message from the very beginning. They resorted to violent oppression and torture of the Prophet and his followers. After thirteen years of violence, 10,000 soldiers from many Arab tribes gathered to wipe out the Muslim community once and for all. The Muslims survived these challenges and eventually went on to establish a vast civilization. (Para 6) In beginning of many religions there is always persecution. For instants the persecution of the Christians in the Roman Empire they wanted to pursue their faith and religious beliefs as a structured whole with laws and new ways of worship that weren’t first accepted but later became the way of the Roman society. Muslims only fought imperial armies and were forbidden to harm civilians, non-combatants and destroy property is a way of proper human conduct. During the war Muslims were only allowed to fight the armies because the principle in fighting in the Quran is that other communities should be treated as one's own. Fighting is justified for legitimate self-defense, to aid other Muslims and after a violation in the terms of a treaty. "Those with whom you have treaties are
Does the Quran really Sanction Violence against “Unbelievers”?
The Quran is the primary source of every Muslim’s faith and practice; the word of god. They believe the Quran was verbally revealed through an angel from God to Muhammad. It contains wisdom, doctrine, worship, transactions, law but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time, it provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, and an equitable economic system.
In the Quran it states, “Kill the idolaters wherever you find them, and capture them, and blockade them, and watch for them at every lookout." (Quran 9:5) Does this make a just society? According to Kabir Helminski, “The "idolaters" were Meccan "pagans" who had declared war against Muhammad and his community. They fought against the Prophet's message from the very beginning. They resorted to violent oppression and torture of the Prophet and his followers. After thirteen years of violence, 10,000 soldiers from many Arab tribes gathered to wipe out the Muslim community once and for all. The Muslims survived these challenges and eventually went on to establish a vast civilization. (Para 6) In beginning of many religions there is always persecution. For instants the persecution of the Christians in the Roman Empire they wanted to pursue their faith and religious beliefs as a structured whole with laws and new ways of worship that weren’t first accepted but later became the way of the Roman society. Muslims only fought imperial armies and were forbidden to harm civilians, non-combatants and destroy property is a way of proper human conduct. During the war Muslims were only allowed to fight the armies because the principle in fighting in the Quran is that other communities should be treated as one's own. Fighting is justified for legitimate self-defense, to aid other Muslims and after a violation in the terms of a treaty. "Those with whom you have treaties are