Religious War Quotes
It is this verse that for some Muslims justifies terrorism against non-Muslims. See {584354} for a specific example. There are similar provisions in the Old Testament which a few extremely conservative Jews and Christians have used to advocate for blasphemy being a capital crime. Note that if an unbeliever repents and becomes a Muslim, he should be spared.
This verse is one of those most often cited by Muslim militants justifying terrorism and war against non-Muslims. However, other more modern Muslim theologians cite the unique historical circumstances when the Muslims in Arabia were opposed by all else there. They also cite the end of the verse which tends to be ignored by the militants: “But know that God is with those who restrain themselves.”
At the time the Mongols were the “infidels” who dominated the area and the various Islamic sects were at odds with each other. According to him, belief is the highest duty and fighting for the religion was next in importance.
This clause has been the cause of immense problems in the Mid-East. Hamas castigates any Palestinian who even suggests that there should be negotiations with Israel that are sincere as nothing less than the end of Israel is consistent with their charter. Anyone who uses the peace process for anything else but tactical advantage and buying time to strike again is a traitor. Meanwhile, the clause is taken be Israel to demonstrate that there is no point to any negotiations so long as the Palestinian Authority allows such an organization with this charter clause to be legal and operate in the open. The Palestinian Authority leadership are not willing to risk a civil war, and thus little or no progress is made.
The Christian Crusaders and the Muslim extremists through this day are not the only peoples who described atrocities as “Holy war.”
In modern times there has been much criticism of the Muslim fundamentalists and the claim of the religious leadership that those who die in Holy War (Jihad) will immediately go to heaven. The concern is that this encourages terrorism and aggressive war. Yet, here we have virtually the same kind of “reward” for violence as issued by the Christians. See {611697} for another such example.
She is a leading American Arab who is a Syrian expatriate.
After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. : Joseph ben Matthias
See {586041} for a Koranic quotation that urges world domination by Islam. In this quotation, The Prophet was talking to his followers at a time when Islam was not even a dominant religion in Arabia. And war was the way in which tribes, groups, and religions and sects, established themselves and grew. Although there are other Koranic passages which tell the faithful that people can only legitimately come to Islam through individual commitment and willingly, this passage not only seems to contradict that but also reflects a desire to punish and disgrace “non-believing” groups. This vengeance motif is also contradictory to much else of the Koran which generally preaches love, forgiveness, and understanding. However, there are contradictions and intellectual inconsistencies within the Koran just as there are within the Old and New Testaments.
