is Islam a religion of murder?

Question

http://www.muslim-answers.org/Introducing-Islam/miscons.htm

Misconception #6: Islam was spread by the sword
Many non-Muslims, when they think about Islam, picture religious fanatics on camels with a sword in one hand and a Qur'an in the other. This myth, which was made popular in Europe during the Crusades, is totally baseless. First of all, the Holy Qur'an clearly says "Let there be no compulsion in religion". In addition to this, Islam teaches that a person's faith must be pure and sincere, so it is certainly not something that can be forced on someone. In debunking the myth that Islam was "spread by the sword", the (non-Muslim) historian De Lacy O' Leary wrote: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever accepted." (Islam at the Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8.). It should also be known that Muslims ruled Spain for roughly 800 years. During this time, and up to when they were finally forced out, the non-Muslims there were alive and flourishing. Additionally, Christian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuries. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan all have Christian and/or Jewish populations. If Islam taught that all people are supposed to be killed or forced to become Muslims, how did all of these non-Muslims survive for so long in the middle of the Islamic Empire? Additionally, if one considers the small number of Muslims who initially spread Islam from Spain and Morocco in the West to India and China in the East, one would realize that they were far too few to force people to be members of a religion against their will. Additionally, the great empire and civilization established by the Muslims had great staying power -- its citizens were proud to be part of it. The spread of Islam stands in contrast to the actions of the followers of Christianity, who since the time of the Emperor Constantine have made liberal use of the sword - often basing their conduct on Biblical verses. This was especially true of the colonization of South America and Africa, where native peoples were systematically wiped-out or forced to convert. It is also interesting to note that when the Mongols invaded and conquered large portions of the Islamic Empire, instead of destroying the religion, they adopted it. This is a unique occurrence in history - the conquerors adopting the religion of the conquered! Since they were the victors, they certainly could not have been forced to become Muslims! Ask any of the over one billion Muslims alive in the world today whether they were forced! The largest Muslim country in the world today is Indonesia --- and there were never any battles fought there! So where was the sword? How could someone be forced to adhere to a spiritually rewarding and demanding religion like Islam?

Answer 1

I think Islam is a religion of Love,hate,peace,terrorism,life and murder at one time.
Need of time,situation Islam changed his verdicts.
In India,this become a religion of anti Hindus.
We don't know how many contradictions are in Islam !

Answer 2

My answer is: No. Islam is the religion of peace. The word Islam itself means peace. To all those who misinterpret Islam, I am sorry from what you have heard and knew. Please, no religion in this world allows violence. Religion is suppose to help you spiritually. You see, these terrorists, they are not the people who represents the Muslim communty. As a Muslim, I am sad myself seeing innocent people being killed everyday. I assure you guys, no violence is permitted. All these extremists say about "jihad", it is not only holy war. And we as Muslims are not prevented to keep good relationships with non-Muslims. If you guys link Islam with terrorism, then I could link Christianity to the Crusadesand the Inquistition. You see, if you say Islam kills all the non-Muslims, look at the Crusades launched by Pope Urban II. Look how many Christians Crusaders killed the Muslims and Jews of Jerusalem until they say that they "waded in blood to the ankles." Every religion has its bloody history, you guys will say. Look at Ferdinand and Isabella. They drove away all Muslims and Jews out of Spain and if they didn't leave, they die. Saladin, welcomed back the Jews driven out by the Roman Empire and he also did not destroy and harm the Holy Sepulcher when he regained back Jerusalem. Ferdinand and Isabella on the other hand, built a chatedral inside the famous Moorish style mosque in Cordoba. Which religion is the religion of murder now? Look at the Zionists then if you don't agree with me.

Answer 3

And because a Danish cartoonist drawed Muhammed, there were riots and several deaths in the Middle East. He also got several thousand death threats. Why was the Dutch film maker murdered by Muslims for telling the truth about Muslims? Islam is not a religion of peace.

Answer 4

Of course, it is. Millions of Islamic people sit quietly by and watch a few thousand do horrible atrocities in the name of Islam. Why do they not stand up and police their own? Sharia law is a human rights travesty. To condone rape, and feel that having sexual relationships with 9-year-old girls is barbaric. Seriously, a women has to have four male witnesses to prove she has been raped? If she does not have those witnesses she herself is guilty of a crime. If Muslims want us to accept them, have them form a militia, and wipe out the so-called extremists. By sitting by and watching the atrocities without taking action, they are as guilty as the perpetrators.

Answer 5

I have read part of the Q'ran and it DOES say if the infidel will not become Muslim kill him.
I would rather worship a God that is willing to die for me than a god that demands me die for him.
Mohammad's wife made the whole thing up and I am sorry but there is only one God and that is our Father in heaven. There is only one way to that heaven and that is believing on Jesus Christ and him being the Son of God.

Answer 6

When you quote 2:256, please do it fully. For those who do not know the Quran, here it is.

"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the evil ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (For ever)."

In other words, yes we (muslims) don't want to force you to become muslims, but those who choose not to become muslims, ie reject the faith, they are evil and will burn in hell forever and ever. Does that sound like no compulsion in religion? Its a message of convert or die in hell!

Answer 7

The Crime doer, Murderers, and Serial Killers that makes the USA the most Dangerous place on Earth...... are they Muslims? no their Christians... its just that the Media doesn't state their religion....

Answer 8

Despite the version of history that you to feed us along with your question, those non-Muslims who actually know something of the history of the spread of Islam know that it was spread mainly (but not exclusively) by conquest. Islam is not alone in bearing that stain. Christianity was also frequently, and very bloodily, forced upon conquered peoples. But there is a difference: no substantial Christian church or sect still advocates force as a means of propagating religion. By contrast, that is exactly the message still preached by several influential branches of Islam.

The examples that you quote about the peaceful spread of Islam are either misleading or else plain wrong. I’m not going to take the space to refute every one of them, but here are a couple of corrections for you: -
[a] You say that Indonesia became Islamic via peaceful acceptance, and that “there were never any battles fought there!” That is, at best, only half-true. Many conversions to Islam in Indonesia were indeed peaceful and unforced. But the (Hindu-Buddhist) empire of Majapahit, which was the dominant regime in the eastern half of the archipelago in the period 1300-1500, was attacked (yes – with “the sword”) by the (Islamic) Sultanate of Malacca; and eventually its remnant was finished off (yes – with “the sword”) by the (Islamic) Sultanate of Demak.
[b] You tell us that the Mongols, instead of destroying Islam, adopted it as their faith. That is true. But you go on to claim (vaunting the inherent superiority of your religion) that “This is a unique occurrence in history – the conquerors adopting the religion of the conquered!” Sorry, but that claim is baloney too! Examples: the Germanic tribes who conquered the Western Roman Empire all converted to Christianity; so did the Vikings when they conquered Christian lands.

Every one of your other assertions about the peaceful spread of Islam is also (at the least) a misleading half-truth. But thanks for the “history” lesson. Now we know what our kids will be taught once Islam takes over the world.

But let’s get to the real point of your “Question”, shall we?

“IS ISLAM A RELIGION OF MURDER?”

The answer is YES. And I’m talking about modern age murder, not ancient history. In case you somehow missed it on the news, Islam just happens to be the world’s largest generator of fanatical terrorists targeting civilians.

To list just a few examples: -

The 1993 “failed” bombing of the WTC (6 killed, over 1000 injured).
The 1996 Khobar Towers attack (20 killed, over 370 injured).
The 9/11 attacks (almost 3000 killed, thousands more injured).
The 2002 Bali bombings (over 200 killed, over 200 injured).
The 2004 Madrid bombings (almost 200 killed, over 2000 injured).
The 2005 London bombings (over 50 killed, 700 injured).

With a track record like that, do you wonder why the rest of the world might even prefer that crazy dictator in North Korea to have nukes, rather than your co-religionists?

As I am sure that you, a Muslim scholar, are fully aware, it is possible to select prescriptions from the Qur’an and the Hadith in favor of peace or war, tolerance or intolerance, civility or murder ... according to one’s preferences. Islam’s holy writings are not alone in that regard. But the holy books of Islam are much more heavily loaded with prescriptions to justify slaughter and wars of conquest than those of any other religion. That is one reason why so many non-Muslims hate and fear your religion.

It may come as a surprise, coming after what I have written above, but I do not hate and fear Islam. I fear religious extremism: and I hate terrorism based on religious fanaticism. I have lived and worked amongst Muslims, and to this day I count many Muslims as friends. None of them applaud terrorism. In fact, they are deeply ashamed that their faith is used to justify such acts.

Is it not time for all Muslims to stop living in (and reinventing!) the past? And for Islam to make peace – based on coexistence, not domination - with the rest of the world?

Answer 9

true islam is not a murder religion but sunni and shia islam is, because it's not taken from koran, but from hadith, and hadith is taken from the filth of talmud and bible.

Answer 10

Islam is an immoral religion. It poisons the minds of people with homophobia.