Is it true that the Koran encourages the killing of any one who will not convert to Islam?

Question

If it is true were in the Koran does it say it and why?

I am a born again christian and I heard this on an internet radio station. I can't remember which.

Is there any part of the Koran that can be misunderstood like this.

judy_r8 That is exectly what I heard but I can not accept it without a direct ref. from the Koran

Answer 1

it is NOT true ........... y don't u read Qur'an first before posting such questions ......... u don't hear me saying bad things about Bible, do u?

Answer 2

I think this applies to the spanish inquisition and the crusades rather than Islam.

Even after 700 years of islam in spain, there were jews and christians in all parts of society. After the spanish inquisition, and probably up to the recent past, the jews and muslims had been exterminated in the iberian peninsula - they were given the choice of exile, conversion to being christians or death.

The non-muslims, in a muslim country, have a sort of pact where they pay the "jizya" tax that exempts them from military service, and entitles them to expect protection and have their own communities, churches, judges etc.

As an example, by the tenth century, the muslims had invented universities in north africa and these were open to foreign non-muslim students (who obviously were not killed if they did not convert). One such student went back to italy and when he became the pope, decided to make the switch from the roman numeral way of counting to the decimal numbering system he had learnt.

There are certain situations like war where there is obviously the need to kill the enemy, but giving a choice like that in the spanish inquisition of "convert or be killed" is not allowed - there is no compulsion in religion.

The references from the quran have already been given by other answerers. The following is not the quran but and example of Muhammad interacting with jews - there is no implication in this example of his life that the last prophet (to whom the quran was revealed) "encourages killing of any one who will not convert to Islam".


Bukhari:
Narrated 'Abdullah: While I was going with the Prophet through the ruins of Medina and he was reclining on a date-palm leaf stalk, some jews passed by. Some of them said to the others: Ask him (the Prophet) about the spirit. Some of them said that they should not ask him that question as he might give a reply which would displease them. But some of them insisted on asking, and so one of them stood up and asked, "O Aba-l-Qasim ! What is the spirit?" The Prophet remained quiet. I thought he was being inspired Divinely. So I stayed till that state of the Prophet (while being inspired) was over. The Prophet then said, "And they ask you (O Muhammad) concerning the spirit --Say: The spirit -- its knowledge is with my Lord. And of knowledge you (mankind) have been given only a little)." (17.85) (Book #3, Hadith #127)

Answer 3

If you just pickup a medical book on performing eye surgery, does that make you an eye doctor (ophthalmologist)? Ridiculous! Similarly, why would you ask this question in a forum where haters/enemies of Islam like judy_r8, N3WJL and rationalist_999 will give you a sick and demented answer. If you are not intelligent enough to go to experts of the book and ask these question, then you are setting yourself up for lies and failure. I hope you can realize by the Muslim answers that the Qur'an is a book about peace and there being no compulsion in religion. If not, you've totally missed the boat.

Answer 4

Instead of asking such a question in a forum like Yahoo Answers that will give you contradicted opinions, it would be much better to read it and discover the answer yourself. Your questions "where" requires you to read the book; and your question "why" requires you to do critical reading (and you have to be familiar with the situation or context of the text or verse, time, place, people and incident) and think freely to get the answer. However, critical readings and free thinkings about any relgious texts are some sort of taboos which you break, hence you deserve your bloodshedding. So be careful whatever religion you believe.

Answer 5

In Islam you are taught their are two types of people:

Muslims and people that can become muslims, the reward for converting someone is high but as Islam forbids muslims to force someone to convert muslim have to just rely on practising their deen correctly so that others may see them and then they can hope that others learn something, if only just to smile at a person everyday.

So firstly muslims not allowed to go into a death missionary thing because they cannot force their faith unto others and secondly if everyone has the chance to become a muslim and the rewards are great for converting people why would they kill a person, they'd just try and be a nicer person to them hoping that they'll convert one day.

Can't believe people still ask this question it's like the whole how come women have no rights though in Islam they have more rights then women today in th ewestern world do.

But oh well miscommunication is a major problem, hope the answer helped!

Answer 6

As a Christian in my reading of the Qur'an, I can find many instances which allow the reader to interpret whatever suits their purpose.

There are many web-sites, created by former Muslims, carrying descriptions of Islamic intent with regard to non-Islamics.

Answer 7

I am not a Muslim, I'm a British Christian, but here's my view:

Almost nobody in the UK or US has made an effort to understand Islam, speak to a Muslim about Islam, visit a Mosque or read the Qur'an. People read a column in a tabloid story, written by an ignorant agenda-driven reporter and then become an expert in Islam.

It's embarrassing to us as westerners to be so easily convinced. Everyone's opinion is a clone of the next persons, and it's just through fear, assumption and the need for someone to blame or ignorance.

Some people seem to dig out a few lines from the Qur'an and use this to prove that Islam is bad. Firstly, the Qur'an was written in another time and under a different and more expressive style of sentence composition.

But, so was the Bible. For example the summary of messages in some sections of the Bible:

- You must kill those who worship another god. Exodus 22:20

- Kill everyone who has religious views that are different than your own. Deuteronomy 17:2-7

- The non-Christian is “a deceiver and an enemy of Christ” 2 John 1:7

There are quotes about stoning non believers, killing those against God etc. etc.

So, is the Bible wicked? Of course not, it's far too complex to take a few paraphrases and form an opinion. As is the Qur'an, from my limited reading and very basic knowledge.

So come on people. Can't you see that the tension being created between Islam & the West is politically manipulated?Don't keep on putting Islam and Muslims down, because it's done out of ignorance.

A quick research of history or a real research of what the US and my nation, the UK, are doing in the Middle East proves that Muslims have suffered, shown and continue to show a remarkable tolerance.

Answer 8

Deutronomy 17:2-7tells the jews to kill the amalekites,are you one ?
They had tried to kill the Jews.In any case that portion of scripture is common to islam since you are an Abrahamic faith.First you tell people to read the quran,then when they read it you say ;you should read it in arabic and wheh they read it in arabic you say "you have taken it out of context".

Answer 9

NO! Not at all.... I'm a Muslim Scholar myself and no where in the Qur'an does it say that. Islam teaches peace not killing. It's a sin to harm an animal so why would it be okay to kill a human??? If a non-Muslim is not harming a Muslim in any way and is letting the Muslim do as he/she feels is right like pray five times daily etc then it's fine; one should live with another peacefully and want for another what one wants for oneself. Look for insintence at the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), He lived with non-Muslims His whole life but it was not like that. Read the Qu'ran and Ahadith yourself and their meaning if you do not believe me and you shal see for yourself. However, always remember that people are trying to disgrace Islam, make their own meaning of the Qu'ran and say stuff that is not so therefore make sure that it's all okay when you do find out.... If you want you can send me a message and I will help you in anyway possible by giving you any information that you wish to recieve, and if I myself do not know the answer (since no one knows ALL about Islam) I will find out the answer with proof for you, God-willing...... and to let you know, others take some verse of the Qur'an and interpert it wrong so if anyone says that Islam teaches violence, killing innocents etc then PLEASE do not believe them.......

Answer 10

All I need to know is that if Israel were to lay down it's arms tomorrow, Israel would cease to exist. If the Arabs laid down their weapons tomorrow, they would live in peace. See how you wasted all that typing when just a little common sense can be applied to illustrate your point?

Answer 11

NO, In fact Quran says "to kill one person is like killing a whole mankind" this refers to Muslims or non muslims. Islam is followed by using guidance from Quran and the way of our prohpet Mohammad (PBUH). Neither of them teaches any such things. The one piece which is exploited by the western media says "Do not oppress and do not be oppressed". Naturally with all the Islamophobia around us these days, press only reports which fits in with flavour of the time and would increase their customer base.
Islam should not be feared but understood. Its not that much different to Christianity. lol