"Allah loveth not transgressors"

Many terrorists use the following verse, “And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out;” ( Quran 2:191) to justify a war on the ‘infidels’. The same verse is then quoted by Non Muslims to portray Islam as a ‘barbaric’ or ‘backward’ religion / cult.

However, all of them are MISQUOTING and pulling the words out of context. If you want to quote Quran 2: 191, then one should also read from 2: 190 till 2: 193 as well, to understand the context of the verse and Allah’s message.

verse 190 -- Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.

verse 191 -- And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.

verse 192 -- But if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

verse 193 -- And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression.

( Quran 2: 190 – 193)

This is my point exactly. Islam says to “fight those who fight you”. If someone attacks you, then fight back against them, but DON’T TRANGRESS limits. Muslims are allowed to fight those who OPPRESS and should fight against injustice. I don’t think any human on earth should tolerate injustice and oppression and no one would blame one for fighting back, as long as they don’t cross limits.

However, even in fighting back, Allah commands Muslims that DONT TRANGRESS LIMITS. Suicide bombing was a technique that was popularized by the LTTE militants in Sri Lanka, who were terrorizing their country and even assassinated many political leaders, including Rajiv Gandhi of India. They had no connection with Islam and their activities have nothing to do with the Muslims. Al Qaeda started adopting their ‘suicide bombing’ techniques and started brainwashing Muslims to make them accept suicide bombing as a legitimate weapon in Islam.

Suicide bombing, is UNISLAMIC and transgresses all limits of humanity and Allah as well. Furthermore, it leads to indiscriminate loss of innocent lives, who have nothing to do with the war, but just went to buy a loaf of bread or medicines from the market.

What is worth noting is that in the four verses above, TWO verses clearly state “ if they cease, let there be no hostility”, which is emphasized by Allah being Oft forgiving and Most Merciful. Muslims could be in the midst of a fight against oppression, but irrespective of how long or how brutal the war is, IF the oppressors CEASE oppression, then Muslims are commanded by Allah to stop hostilities.

Islam is not only a religion, but a complete way of life that guides a Muslim how to live in this world as per Allah’s rules and regulations to keep the peace on Earth. It provides guidelines on how to pray, how to conduct business fairly, to pay wages to the labors promptly, to protect and look after your neighbors house and his family, to protect the orphans, to be hospitable to visitors, and a vast field of topics such as fidelity in marriage, and even inheritance. How is it possible that Allah would not provide guidelines about warfare and fighting in Allah’s cause? Allah has provided guidelines of fighting wars and has imposed limits which Muslims are forbidden to cross.

To further emphasis how suicide is UNISLAMIC, please see the following Prophet’s Tradition that clearly emphasizes suicide is not acceptable, even during times of war.

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 77, Number 603:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

We witnessed along with Allah's Apostle the Khaibar (campaign). Allah's Apostle told his companions about a man who claimed to be a Muslim, "This man is from the people of the Fire." When the battle started, the man fought very bravely and received a great number of wounds and got crippled. On that, a man from among the companions of the Prophet came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you know what the man you described as of the people of the Fire has done? He has fought very bravely for Allah's Cause and he has received many wounds." The Prophet said, "But he is indeed one of the people of the Fire." Some of the Muslims were about to have some doubt about that statement. So while the man was in that state, the pain caused by the wounds troubled him so much that he put his hand into his quiver and took out an arrow and committed suicide with it. Off went some men from among the Muslims to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Allah has made your statement true. So-and-so has committed suicide." Allah's Apostle said, "O Bilal! Get up and announce in public: None will enter Paradise but a believer, and Allah may support this religion (Islam) with a wicked man."

It is clear even thought that man fought bravely alongside the Prophet and defended Islam by killing many enemies, all his acts were in vain, as he committed suicide on the battlefield and condemned to Hell. How can the clerics claim then that suicide bombing is allowed in Islam? It is not allowed, but like the Prophet said, " Allah may support this religion with a wicked man". Like the above tradition, Al Qaeda are fighting for Islam, but their use of suicide bombings and terrorist strikes against civilian are UNISLAMIC even though they claim to be ‘soliders of Islam’.

I hope I have clearly showed how Islam isn’t a religion that allows suicide bombing, or other transgressions that are committed presently in Allah’s name. Allah doesn’t allow you to continue to keep fighting but cease the hostilities once the oppression has stopped, even if they are your enemies. If they aren’t oppressing you, and are treating Muslims justly, Muslims are not allowed to fight, but encouraged to forgive and maintain peace as Allah wills.

In the next post, I will discuss another misquoted verse, Quran 9:5: “fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war)”. I hope to show that verse is also misquoted and used out of context by the terrorists and Islamophobes alike.

I am not sure how many people are reading this blog, so would appreciate some comments and questions, which I will try to address, as long as they are civil and respectfully posed.

I am a Muslim, NOT a terrorist

Recently, the Obama administration reviewed their National Security Strategy and removed the terms “Islamic extremism” and “jihad” from their dictionary. Not surprisingly, this didn’t sit well with many of his opponents, who felt Obama was selling out his country, to appease his Muslim allies. Regardless of how Obama’s acts, he is bound to face criticism from some group or the other. However, Obama’s word choice is a step in the right direction, the direction towards putting an end to the menace of what was formerly known as “Islamic extremism”. It is time the world and especially the Muslim world join hands and start calling a spade what it is, a spade, by referring to miltants claiming to be ‘jihadists’ as what they are in reality, “terrorists”.

Terrorism is an act that transgresses not only all religions, but humanity as well. Furthermore, it is an act that is condemned by all religions and humanity as well. The IRA has terrorized and brought years of civil war to the Irish people, the LTTE have shattered the peace of Sri Lanka and killed many innocent civilians over the years. The FARC in Colombia, the KKK in America, and even the Zionist military group, Irgin, that blew up the King David Hotel, claiming over 90 deaths. Then why has the world gotten carried away with terms such as ‘Islamic extremists”, “jihadists”, and other creative terms joining these terrorists with Islam. Generalizations like these are counterproductive and end up creating a divisive world which plays into exactly what the terrorists want, a ‘clash of civilizations’. However, the only clash that is occurring is the clash of humanity, a war between the humane and the inhumane.

Many Muslims feel ‘Jihad’ is justified in the Holy Quran and is a duty of every Muslim as commanded by Allah. However, the acts perpetrated by the ‘terrorists’ are NOT jihad and they are NOT doing their duty to Allah by achieving ‘martyrdom’ in the name of Islam. These terrorists attacks are UNISLAMIC in every sense: in theory and in practice. They violate the Holy Quran by misrepresenting Allah’s commands to the world, and earn the wrath and hatred of the world and more importantly, Allah himself.

Many readers on the internet keep pointing out that the Holy Quran and Islam promote terrorism by proclaiming to “ kill disbelievers” or “slay disbelievers” and label the Islamic faith as ‘backward’ or ‘barbaric’. They misquote the same verses that the terrorists use to brainwash their fresh recruits, by taking verses out of context and distorting the message of Islam. Once again, this plays into the hands of the terrorists, who want to create ‘ a clash of civilizations’, which is a war fueled on by ignorance and strong emotions on both sides.

Below is a list of the verses from the Holy Quran that are MISQOUTED to justify that the terrorist mindset is an integral part of Islam. In the next series of posts, I will go through EACH of these verses and show how they are pulled out of context to misguide both Muslims and non Muslims to claim the terrorism is part of Islam.

2:191: Kill the disbelievers wherever we find them

8:12: Instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers

8:7: Wipe the infidels out to the last

4:89 :But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks

9:5: Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, torture them

8:17—It is not ye who Slew them; it is God; when thou threwest a handful of dust, it was not Thy act, but God’s…..”

47:4- “Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), strike off their heads; at length; then when you have made wide Slaughter among them, carefully tie up the remaining captives”: thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens.”

5:33, The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;

However, terrorism has no place in Islam and anyone killing innocent people or committing suicide are automatically condemned to dwell in Hell for eternity, as the following verses from the Holy Quran and Prophet’s Traditions clearly state.

(Quran Ch. 4: v 29 – 30)

O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities: But let there be amongst you Traffic and trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful!

If any do that in rancour and injustice,- soon shall We cast them into the Fire: And easy it is for Allah

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 446:

Narrated Abu Huraira-:

The Prophet said, "He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire (forever) and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire."

I hope the above verses and the upcoming posts help reveal the true message of Islam as a humane religion of humble Muslims, not the barbaric doctrines of the blood thirsty terrorists.

Once again, readers are welcome to post comments and questions, as long as they are respectful to Muslims and non Muslims alike.