A question for Muslims; what context should I view Sura 9:5?

Question

I'm told by my girlfriend (a Muslim) that I'm not viewing the various calls to violence in the Qur'an in the correct context. Sura 9:5, for instance, instructs me to "Slay the unbelievers wherever ye shall find them." Sura 4:101 similarly reads "For the unbelievers are open enemies to you." Exactly what context am I supposed to view these versus in? Furthermore, how do they mesh with the whole "religion of peace" bandwagon that everyone seems to be jumping on? Am I really reading them in the wrong context by assuming that they mean what they seem to mean, or is it the Qur'an itself which is out of context with the modern world? Does it, perhaps, fit in better within the context of the 7th century. If so, how am I to apply these barbaric teachings to this age of science and reason? While we're at it, any thoughts on Jihad?

P.S. I'm an athiest, so pointing out that there is violence in the Old Testement of the Bible is not particularly relevant to this discussion.

Answer 1

The interpretation is very simple. Osama bin-Laden understands it well. Kill the Infidels! If the Koran says to be kind to infidels in other vereses, isn't it contradicting itself? Why then should a book that contradicts itself be believed?

Answer 2

well maybe you should read a couple verses before and after the sura so u r not misintepertating what is being said
this happens quite often im sure this is being said of a war that took place slay the unbeleivers when the muslims were at war people always tak things out of context

Answer 3

The best way to get your information is to read sura 9:1 through surah 9:129. Seems long but it really isn't, and it's going to give you a complete view of the chapter so that you don't have to misinterpret something taken out of context and so you don't have to rely on someone else's word of what it means.

I don't mean to frustrate you or make you do alot of work (lol) but I think that the best way for someone to learn about something is to research it for themselves. It's the best way to get a true view of the subject matter. Here is a website to help you:
http://www.islamicity.com/quransearch/
On the right you will see a search option called "Chapter Index."

Good luck!

Answer 4

in 9:5 is talking about those who are non-Muslims living under their reign, that those who did not pay the tax for their own safety or stopped paying it and started to hurt the prophet and his followers and they allied with their enemies and conspired against them that they should be killed after those months have ended because in Islam there are 4 months that no one can do any raids or fight any one... if you are speaking about barbaric..wouldn't any country do so?? If you a person or a group from one country allied with the enemy of the country against it would be killed or worse..tortured??
and in the 4:101 it means that those who showed you (Muslims) their hatred by starting wars and such are your enemies and that they should be aware of them…
simple really..and I don’t really find it barbaric to be cautious..

P.S: Non-Muslims in Muslim countries are supposed to pay taxes for their safety, therefore it becomes strictly forbidden to fight them(if some thought that's what they are supposed to do ) hurt them in any way, steal them.. whoever kills a tax payer does not enter Heaven.. ( from a Hadith )

Answer 5

In the early years of islam, Muslims have been greeted with torture and punishment by the Arab polythiests, many wars have been fought between the Muslims and them before Arabia became an islamic Country.

most of the Verses you see in the qur'an instruct in Wars, Disbelievers mean Arab pagans who hurt and harm muslims.

[2.190] And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.


Allah knows best, hope this helps.

Answer 6

why do you think we are still suffering from Islamic terrorism?

It is the fundamentalist muslims who do it? Yes this is correct. The fundamentals of islam are what you mentioned.

Answer 7

I don’t wish to be argumentative but I disagree with the Islamic belief that I should be killed.

Answer 8

DUDE! -how much more transparent can it be?

SLAY THE UNBELIEVERS???????????? I think you don't have to think much how absolutely violent and hating this is!

Answer 9

War ethics in Islam


Islam sets down clear guidelines as to when war is ethically right and how such a war should be conducted.

War is decreed in Islam in self defense to defend Islam (rather than to spread it); Islam also allows war if an Islamic state comes under attack, or if another state is oppressing its own Muslims.

This indicates that war in Islam is only a mean to ward off aggression and not a mean to impose Islam as a religion; as some may claim. Referring to this, Allah Almighty says:

“To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged; and verily God is most powerful for their aid.” Qur’an (22:39)

Also the Holly Qur'an has stressed the fact that war is launched only to fight for noble motives without seeking any earthly reward: Allah says:

"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." Qur'an (4:74)

War in Islam should be conducted in a disciplined way according to the principles of Allah’s justice; so as to avoid injuring non-combatants with the minimum necessary force without anger and with humane treatments towards prisoners of war because Islam is in favor of peace and against violence.

The instructions of Islam are to be observed in war and in peace times. Islamic jurisprudence maintains that whatever is prohibited during peace is also prohibited during war. War is no excuse to be lenient with misbehaving troops.

Fighting should be directed only against fighting troops and not to non- fighting persons, for Islam bans the killing of non-combatants or of a combatant who has been captured. Also Allah has forbidden Muslim from attacking wounded soldiers (unless the wounded person is still fighting).

Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) view of non-combatants is shown by a hadith in which he (PBUH) saw a woman killed in the battlefield and this was denounced by the Prophet saying "She did not fight".

Islam adopts an attitude of mercy and caring for the captured enemy, it prohibits any form of abuse or torture whether physical or sexual against the enemy.

Previously, it was the custom for the captive to work for his food or get it through private means then the Qur’an made it a charity to feed the prisoners and the Prophet (PBUH) urged his Companions to be good to the captives.

When the Jewish tribe of Bani Qurayzah was in the seizure of the Muslims, loads of dates were regularly carried to them, with the Prophet's instructions to shelter them from the summer sun and to provide them with water to drink.

According to Islamic law, the captive belongs to the state and not to his captor. The ruler has the ultimate option, as he sees fit, of granting freedom or doing that after taking a ransom. An acceptable ransom that was quite often carried out was to teach ten Muslim children to read and write. Sometimes captives were exchanged for Muslim captives in enemy hands.

Captives were set free upon their word of honor not to fight again, and they should not be ordered by their governments to go to battle again. If they break their promise, they might be sentenced to death if they are captured again.

Umarna Ibn-Athal was set free upon his promise not to provide the enemy with food. This gentle treatment touched the man’s heart and was then embraced Islam saying to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH):

"There was a time when your face was the most hated face to me, and there comes a day when it is the most loved.”

Also Islam has emphatically prohibited treachery by taking the enemy by surprise attack. Recent examples of signing a pact or treaty with a nation as camouflage to hidden intent to attack it are quite contrary to Islam. If Muslims sense the treachery of any enemy with whom they had a treaty, they should cancel with him that treaty before embarking on war again.

Islamic war was one of liberation and not of compulsion. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his Companions, May Allah be pleased with them, never fought to force people to accept Islam. On the contrary, war was launched to save Muslims living in countries ruled by Non-Muslims, so as to grant them freedom to practice the religion they’ve chosen. Had people entered Islam because of force, they would have gone back to their roots.

It is worth mentioning that when Muslims fought the Romans in Egypt, the Egyptian Copts sided with and helped Muslims against the Romans who were Christians like them. This was because Christian Egypt was suffering religious oppression by the Christian Romans to compel them to adopt their religious beliefs.