How can there be peaceful Muslims....?

Question

when their Koran tells all followers of Islam to kill people?

"Fight and slay the pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie and wait for them in every strategem (of war)."
-Surah 9:5

"The Punishment of those who wage war against Allah and his messengers, 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."
-Surah 5:33

"Oh you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them."
-Surah 5:51

"The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah....Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the truth."
-Surah 9:30

This question was not meant to offend anyone...I would just like to know why people say that there are peaceful Muslims when it says in their 'Holy book' that they can't be friends with Jews and Christians and they must slay pagans.

It talks about how 'Allah' commands followers of Islam to cut the hands and feet off of invaders....you would think that instead of promoting hate, which has been proved to solve nothing, they would promote peace and love all.

It doesn't sound that peaceful to me...could someone explain this to me please? thanks!

Me: Christ came to revolutionize the Jewish law (Which is in the Old testament...most of your examples came from the old testament). Instead of an eye for an eye, he came to change that viewpoint to loving one another and praying for our enemies.

JESUS ON PEACE (part 1) - Matthew 10:34
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
JESUS ON PEACE (part 2) - Luke 22:36
He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."

Jesus hated the sword. On the last day of Jesus' life, Peter drew his sword on a Roman soldier and cut of his ear. Jesus reprimanded Peter for his actions and put the ear back on the Roman. If Jesus wanted Christians to use the sword, why did he say, "He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword"?

Answer 1

I guess we could compare to those who call themselves Christians yet blow up an abortion clinic or those who call themselves Christians yet protest soldiers funerals spewing hate against homosexuals. They make all Christians look bad and are stereotyped. How about all the priests that have been convicted of sexual assaults against children? The bible says we should not be unequally yoked but does that mean we eliminate those we are unequally yoked with? People take scripture out of context to benefit themselves and believe what they want and forget about other passages in scripture. Would Jesus stand out front of soldiers funerals with hate signs or would Jesus go to the sinner and say you are forgiven? And of course scripture also says an eye for an eye so basically people take that scripture as meaning lets get even. Where is the forgiveness in that? Those that take that scripture forget about Love they neighbor or all of Jesus' teaching on forgiveness. I think the fact of the matter is we live in a world full of sin and self righteousness. I know some Muslims and they are very peaceful people and hate what the extremists are doing. People can say why are they not speaking out but I have not seen alot of Christians speak out against so called Christian organizations like the KKK and the God Hates Gays group. I do not see Christians speaking out against those who stand outside of an Abortion clinic spewing hate towards young girls in a difficult situation. They should be there showing the love of Christ not spewing hate. Loving ways are a much better witness then just calling someone a murder. These young ladies might seek another alternative if someone was standing outside the clinic and just gave them a hug and was loving towards them. Showing them support. So I don't blame the Muslims at all who are against the terrorist for not speaking out. Sure they should but so should Christians, so should Catholics when it comes to all the pedophilia in the recent past. Ok done ranting hope I got my point across.

Answer 2

There are many ways to answer your question, both using the Koran itself and through using religious studies. It would take a lengthy debate and a lot of sources to make such a position equitably, however.

Instead, I want you to consider the difference between someone's religion and their personal faith. In the Jewish religion, most crimes are punishable by stoning to death. Do all Jews practice this? In the Jewish religion, non-Jews were often excluded from the dictates of the Ten Commandments. Does that mean Jews kill anyone they want who is not Jewish? Look at Christianity, 'love your neighbor' is one of the founding tenets of Christian faith, and yet Christians have put people to the sword who would not convert.

A holy text is only one source of conduct in any religion. The politics involved within the religion itself, as well as the outside community, affect how any religion is practiced.

Some Muslims believe that Jihad is just; many more don't. Some Muslims actively speak out against the Jihadis; many are afraid to do so, and for good reason. Religious freedom is something that is easy to take for granted, but more people in this world do not have religious freedom than do. And when militant Jihadis are free to kill and maim it is difficult for peaceful Muslims to stand up and be noticed.

To truly understand it, you would have to speak with a peaceful Muslim -- or many -- and they can explain how it works for them. I'm not a Muslim, but I've read the Koran. Some parts are very distasteful, but some parts of the Bible are also very distasteful. Religion is like that. Muslim is a religion, like Christianity, that has grown and changed; it has many branches, just like Christianity does. Just as all Christians are not the same, all Muslims are not the same. They each have their individual beliefs and their individual interpretations of what their own religious text means.

Answer 3

I am studying "the suicide manufacturing facility" on the second that is approximately the Finsbury park mosque & its position on the middle of global terrorism. Its a interesting learn & suggests how charasmatic figures like Abu Hamza al-Masri & Omar Bakri Mohammed among others can control younger impressionable & many times vunerable muslims into believing their twisted perspectives at the Koran & Islam. Unfortunately TV & the media most effective focuses (might be understandably a few could say) at the terrible part of Islam despite the fact that the jihadis' constitute a tiny minority. It used to be so much the identical with the IRA, the best way Irish information had been protected within the media you could come to the realization that each one Catholics are terrorists.

Answer 4

I'm not really one thing or the other, but I am tolerant of all religions. I think some people can take certain things out of context, like in the Koran or even the Bible.

It doesn't really matter what religion you have as long as you are a kind and caring person, but some people do take things out of context. We cannot say "all Muslims are bad" because we do not know all of them.

Answer 5

I'd like to think that 'moderate' Muslims reject these aspects of Islam. I don't believe for a minute that all Muslims are potential terrorists; it's totally wrong to think that this is the case.

Having said this, I would like to see the Muslim community in Britain really speaking out passionately against Islamic fundamentalism.

Answer 6

Personal experience with Muslims, that did not talk about killing, they had seen enough, Ever heard of Somalia, I was there for 13 months and these people wanted a better life away from the killing and the famine and disease too. We talked about religion and these people wanted peace.The Koran has similarities to the bible, my knowledge of the bible had these people believing I was a Muslim, I told them I have read the bible and have studied other religions as well, and stated I was not a Muslim, but you know the Koran they said, I have NEVER read the Koran, Just because something is said does not mean it has to be done.

Answer 7

hmm........well you jst can't put the part where it says to kill......u need to read the whole thing to understand it......... the quran was revealed in the 1400s, which was a time period where men settled their battles through war......so you can't expect the quran to tell them to hire a lawyer and go to court now can you? as far as islam says about not befriending those of the different religions, it meant that if the difference amongst religion woud bring striff amongst each other then it is best to just not be friends. As for you not liking the muslim people i don't blame you, I however happen to be one, and I dress and do what my religion says I have many non muslim friends and family, in fact I know more non muslim people than muslim people, but I don't however agree with people who does terriosm in the name of Islam, those people do not understand our religion, and they use stupid excuses to cause chaos in the world. Those people are muslims by name and birth not by heart. Islam, if you are truely literate, and if you read the quran, you will understand what a peaceful and beautiful way of living it teaches us to live.

Answer 8

I'm an atheist and my perspective is the Koran and Old Testament justify the sacking of cities on the basis of there belonging to people of a different religion.


"Next we headed for the land of Bashan, where King Og and his army attacked us at Edrei. But the LORD told me, 'Do not be afraid of him, for I have given you victory over Og and his army, giving you his entire land. Treat him just as you treated King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.' So the LORD our God handed King Og and all his people over to us, and we killed them all. We conquered all sixty of his towns, the entire Argob region in his kingdom of Bashan. These were all fortified cities with high walls and barred gates. We also took many unwalled villages at the same time. We completely destroyed the kingdom of Bashan, just as we had destroyed King Sihon of Heshbon. We destroyed all the people in every town we conquered – men, women, and children alike. But we kept all the livestock for ourselves and took plunder from all the towns." (Deuteronomy 3:1-7 NLT)


I believe, or lets say hope, that the majority of people that base their beliefs on biblical law are selective in their choices, and disregard verses in the bible they personally feel are immoral.

Answer 9

Hi Rite,

Surah 9:5 is a pretty good one too
I can't quote it right now I'm at work and don't have my library available.

Good question again.

Answer 10

Peaceful Muslims are non-practicing Muslims.