Quran Completely Forbids Terrorism

Salaamun alaykum, dear readers!

Does Islam really allow terrorism? The truth is that terrorism (committing acts of violence against civilians to promote any agenda, whether political or religious) is a horrendous and anti-Islamic deed.

Misconstrued Verses

Peace Through Strength

The truth is that terrorism is not allowed in the religion. So let’s clear up this misconception of Islam being a terror religion by discussing some often-misconstrued verses:

[8:60-61] And prepare for them what you have been able of power, and of the tether of the cavalry with which you terrify God’s enemy and your enemy, as well as others aside from them whom you do not know. God knows them. And whatever you spend of anything in the way of God will be fully recompensed to you, and you will not be wronged. But if they have leaned to the peace, then lean to it and put trust upon God. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowledgeable.

The verse above is talking about mustering all that one can muster to terrify their enemies, as well as God’s enemies, to deter war. If the common American political slogan “Peace through strength” was a verse from the Quran, it would be verses 8:60-61.

In 8:60-61, the Quran calls for gathering all the military might possible to strike fear into the hearts of enemies, in order to deter them from aggressing. If they do aggress regardless, then fighting is permitted as a self-defense measure. But if they incline to peace (surrender), then no more fighting is permitted as per verse 8:61.

Fighting Peaceful Non-Muslims Forbidden

The same is repeated in verses 4:90-91, which forbids fighting people with whom there is a peace treaty, or those who came seeking peace or refuge, and those who approach the Muslims because they do not wish to fight either their own people or the Muslims, and permits fighting in self-defense:

[4:90-91] except the ones who get to a people between whom and between you is a treaty, or the ones who came to you constricting their hearts, lest they fight you, or fight their people. But if God willed, He definitely would have given them authority over you, then they definitely would have fought you. So if they kept away from you, then do not fight you, but they have cast towards you the peace, then God has not made for you any way against them. You will find others who intend that they be safe from you, and safe from their people. Whenever they were reverted to the trial, they were subverted therein. But if they do not keep away from you, cast towards you the peace, and restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you have encountered them; against those, We have made for you a clear authority.

Here are some other misconstrued verses:

[2:190-193] And fight in the way of God the ones who fight you, but do not violate. Indeed, God does not like the violators. And kill them (those who fight you) wherever you have encountered them and exit them from where they exited you; oppression is worse than murder. And do not fight them at the Masjid al-Haram until they fight you therein. But if they fight you, then kill them. Like that the requital of the disbelievers. But if they desisted, then indeed God is Forgiving, Merciful. And fight them until there may not be oppression, and the religion becomes for God. But if they desisted, then there is no aggression except against the wrongdoers.

The misconception is that verse 2:191 allows people to kill disbelievers anywhere, for any reason, indiscriminately. But these verses clearly condemn aggression and oppression and promote fighting and killing only in the case of self-defense.

In this verse, Muslims are given the right to fight in self-defense, or the oppressors. But if the enemy stops fighting, then no more aggression is permitted.
This is seen when verse 2:193 says to fight the aggressors until “the religion becomes for God” and “there is no oppression”. That means to fight the aggressors until the oppressed are free to dedicate their religion for God alone without fearing consequences and oppression.

Verse of the Sword?

Another verse, which is verse 9:5, is very often misconstrued to mean that Islam allows the Muslim to kill a non-believer anywhere he goes.

[9:5] So when the Hurum Months have peeled away, then kill the polytheists where you find them, seize them, besiege them, and sit for them in every place of vigilance. But if they repented, established the Salat, and gave the Zakat, then pass on from their way. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.

This verse is often, and wrongfully so, called “The Verse of the Sword” by people who attack Islam. They think this verse gives the authority to kill every polytheist but that’s an erroneous claim. This verse is only referring to the Arab pagans that were at war with believers at the time.

In verse 9:1 and 9:2, it mentions that polytheists were in a four-month ceasefire during the months of Hajj (sacred months) because Muslims aren’t allowed to fight during Hajj.
Then verse 9:5 says “when the sacred months have passed” which means when the ceasefire is over due to the months of Hajj having passed, they are allowed to resume fighting. There couldn’t have been a ceasefire if there wasn’t active war.
Thus, the information in verse 9:5 only applies to killing and capturing enemy soldiers that Muslims are at an active state of war with, and does not apply to persons who are not fighting against the Muslims in battle.

What Does Verse 47:4 Mean?

Another verse that is misconstrued by many, which only applies to a state of war, is verse 47:4. I once read an article many years ago on either the New York Times, Washington Post, or Huffington Post, in which a woman converted to Islam to marry her Muslim husband, but after coming across verse 47:4, this verse shocked her and caused her to question her belief and become a non-Muslim once again. If I recall correctly, she thought this verse told Muslims to beat up and capture any non-Muslims they come across. She subsequently divorced her husband after becoming a non-Muslim again.

Here is what verse 47:4 says:

[47:4] So when you encounter the ones who disbelieved, then strike the necks, until when you have enervated them. Then make strong the bondage, then either a grace or ransom, until the war may lay down its burdens. That, and if God willed, He definitely would have helped you from them, but instead, it is for He may test some of you with others. And the ones who were killed in the way of God, He thus will never send their deeds astray.

At first glance, the verse may be commanding to strike the necks and capture disbelievers. However, the words “until the war may lay down its burdens (i.e. until the war ends)” are key. That is because they indicate that this only applies to a state of war, and not a state of peace. If the war ends, then it’s because the enemy surrendered, thus there is no need to strike the necks of the enemy to capture them anymore.

Quran Mandates Peaceful Relations

Here is a small sample of verses from the Quran that mandate peaceful relations with non-Muslims:

[29:46] And do not dispute the People of the Book except with that which is the best, except the ones who have wronged among them, and say, “We believe in the one which was brought down to us, and brought down to you, and our god and your god is a single one, and to Him we are Muslims.”
[16:125] Call on towards the way of your Lord with the wisdom and good advice, and dispute them with that which is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowledgeable of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowledgeable of the acceptors of guidance.
[25:63] And the servants of the Almighty are the ones who walk on the earth in humility. And when the ignorant addressed them, they said, “Peace.”
[2:256] There is no compulsion in the religion. The rightness has certainly been clarified from the misleading, so whoever disbelieves in false gods and believes in God, then certainly he has retained the binding handhold, for which there shall be no breaking; God is Hearing, Knowledgeable.
[43:89] You shall thus turn aside from them, and say, “Peace.” Then they will know.
[45:14] Say to the ones who believed that they may forgive for the ones who do not expect the days of God, for He may requite a people with what they used to earn.
[15:85] But We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them except with the truth; indeed, the Hour is definitely that which comes, so overlook with the beautiful overlooking.
[41:34] And not equal is the good and the bad. Repel by that which is best, then at once, the one whom between you and him was animosity might be as if he were a close friend.
[6:108] And do not insult the ones whom they call on aside from God, lest they insult God out of animosity, without knowledge…

Here is an interesting verse that bans suicide bombing, which goes against the belief that suicide bombers will die as martyrs.

[2:195] And spend in the way of God, and do not cast yourselves with your hands into destruction. And do good. Indeed, God likes the good-doers.

Actual Definition of Jizyah

Thus, what is the interpretation of the verse that is often used to claim that Muslims should fight all Jews and Christians until they are subdued and pay the jizyah?

[9:29] Fight the ones among those who were given the Book who do not believe in God, nor the Last Day, nor prohibit what God and His messenger have prohibited, nor establish the true religion, until they give the jizyah from hand and are those who become small.

The true definition of the jizyah is war reparations, rather than a discriminatory tax on non-Muslims.

The Quran prohibits fighting those who do not instigate a fight, and those who seek peace and restrain their hands. If that is the case, then the fighting mentioned in verse 9:29 had to have been started by the Jews or Christians themselves, and the jizyah (which is an Arabic term for penalty) thus is war reparations that the enemy pays as a penalty for starting the fight.

It is commonly interpreted as a tax paid by Jews and Christians who live in a majority-Muslim country, but that is erroneous as the jizyah is a result of war and not a government tax. The Quran makes no mention of jizyah being something taken from Jews and Christians during peacetime.

The jizyah is a post-war penalty (such as war reparations) given by the Jews and Christians who decided to start a war or battle against Muslims but end up losing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Islam is not a religion of terror at all. In fact, terrorism is anti-Islamic to its core.

This was exemplified when Rashad Khalifa, God’s own Messenger of the Covenant, was killed in 1990 inside his masjid by a Muslim affiliated with the terrorist group Jama’at ul-Fuqra.

Fighting is only permitted (and mandatory) if needed for defense of self or loved ones, or to rescue someone from oppression.

Beyond that, instigating conflict and war against a non-violent person or group of people is not allowed in Islam.

Therefore, any terrorist group that claims to be committing their acts of terror in the name of Islam is doing something absolutely un-Islamic, and this applies to any other religion such as Christianity or Hinduism.