Islam is involved in much violence in the world. No attempt will be made to prove this, because anyone who follows the news is aware of it. Muslims are, however, not necessarily violent people. It has already been shown that a Muslim is a person who is subject to the Islamic faith. This faith, Islam, is based on their sacred books, the Qur’an and the compilations of the Hadith (the traditions of Muhammad). Because of their deep respect and reverence for these books, Muslims live in obedience to them and follow their teachings faithfully. The more faithfully a Muslim follows Allah, the more faithfully he obeys the teachings of Muhammad in the Qur’an and the Hadith. The following teachings from these books regarding violence, including Jihad (holy war), determine whether a Muslim is allowed to always act peaceful, regardless of how peaceful he may be by nature.
Allah, through His messenger Muhammad, calls Muslims to, among other things, violence against the enemy. In Islam, the enemy is all non-Muslims, who are called “unbelievers” in Islam’s books. Christians and Jews are specifically named as unbelievers against whom action must be taken. This is called Jihad, but Muslims also refer to it as a holy war, because its purpose is the dominance of Islam. Allah frequently commands his followers in the Qur’an to fight for him. Muslims offer various explanations of what Jihad is, but it includes “fighting” or “striving” for the dominance of Islam.
A few quotations from the Qur’an, among many, in which Muslims are urged to violence against “unbelievers,” meaning non-Muslims:
Sura 4:74: “Let those fight in the cause of Allah Who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter. To him who fighteth in the cause of Allah,- whether he is slain or gets victory – Soon shall We give him a reward of great (value).”
Sura 4:76: “Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject Faith Fight in the cause of Evil: So fight ye against the Friends of Satan:”
Non-Muslims are described here as “friends of the Satan,” while Muslims are described as “those who believe.” Muslims have no choice but to carry out Allah’s commands.
Sura 4:84: “So fight in the way of Allah – … – and urge on the believers (Muslims). Peradventure, Allah will restrain the might of those who disbelieve.” (Pickthall, 1997:63)
Sura 4:89: “They long that ye should disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that ye may be upon a level (with them). So choose not friends from them till they forsake (flee from) their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity), then take them and kill them wherever ye find them,” (Pickthall, 1997:63)
Sura 38:2–3: “But the Unbelievers (are steeped) in Self-glory and Separatism. How many generations before them did We destroy? In the end they cried (for mercy)- when there was no longer time for being saved!”
Muslims must fight and kill – this is Allah’s command. Yet they often claim that they fight only in self-defence. This passage, however, refers to people who have already fled for Allah’s sake, and who must then be killed wherever they are found. They must be sought out and killed. This cannot reasonably be described as self-defence. See also Sura 4:104:
“Relent not in pursuit of the (hostile) people.” (Pickthall, 1997:65), and: “And slacken not in following up the enemy.” (Ali, 2000:74)
If you pursue the enemy, it means the enemy is fleeing. What does Allah mean when he says the pursuers must not “slacken in following up the enemy”? They must be unyielding toward non-Muslims. “Relent not in pursuit” means at the very least that Allah does not want them to escape, but to be overtaken. What will happen after the successful pursuit of non-Muslims will become clear from the rest of the discussion.
Sura 48:29: “Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other.” (Ali) Pickthall (1997:372) renders it as follows: “Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves.”
How strict and unyielding must they be toward non-Muslims? When the “children of Israel” in the following passage defend themselves against attacks from Muhammad’s forces because they refused to accept his “reasoning,” they must be punished as follows:
Sura 5:33: “The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land.” (Pickthall, 1997:76)
Muslims must fight, they are encouraged to do so by Allah’s prophet, Muhammad:
Sura 8:65: “O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred steadfast they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence.” (Pickthall, 1997:125). Ali (2000:147) renders this verse as: “O Prophet, rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty among you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred; if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers, for these are people without understanding.“
Note that in this case they must fight not to repel an attack, but because the non-Muslims are “without understanding.” But the Qur’an’s command is clear, they must fight:
Sura 2:216: “Fighting (Jihad) is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you,” (Ali, 2000:270). (Pickthall, 1997:25) renders it as: “Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you: but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you,”
This is a direct encouragement to war by Islam’s prophet Muhammad, acting on Allah’s command. The same applies to the following quotations:
Sura 9:73–74: “O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell,- an evil refuge indeed. … Allah will punish them with a grievous penalty in this life and in the Hereafter:”
Sura 9:111: “Lo! Allah hath bought from the believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs: they shall fight in the way of Allah and shall slay and be slain.” (Pickthall, 1997:137).”
Sura 9:123: “O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near you, and let them find harshness in you, …” (Pickthall, 1997:138).
Sura 61:4: “Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.”
Sura 66:9: “O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them” (Pickthall, 1997:415).
Not every Muslim can fight physically, and the “peace-loving” subjects of Allah must provide the finances and resources for Jihad or holy war. Muslims must pay Zakat – compulsory “charity” – which is also used to cover the costs of Jihad. They must also make their possessions available for the purpose of Jihad. Islam also obtains funds from Jizya – a form of tax paid by non-Muslims (called zimmis or dhimmis) to a Muslim authority, if they are fortunate enough not to be killed. In his footnote on the word Jizya, Ali (1946:447) says:
“the root meaning is compensation. … was a poll-tax levied from those who did not accept Islam,”
There are also many highly successful Muslim businessmen, especially in non-Muslim countries, who make large contributions used for Jihad. The money and possessions of Muslims – including resources gathered in non-Muslim countries – are meant to be used for Allah’s holy war against unbelievers (all non-Muslims). The Qur’an and Hadith are clear on this, and every Muslim is obliged to obey, because it is Allah’s command.
Sura 9:34: “And there are those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce for them a most grievous chastisement“ (Ali, 2000:154) “a painful doom” awaits them according to Pickthall (1997:130).
Sura 9:41: “Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew” (Pickthall, 1997:131).
But why is Jihad – this never-ending war that is called holy – so important in Islam? Why is it necessary? What must be achieved? It is already clear from the above quotations that it is done for Allah’s sake. One wonders why Allah, if he is God, cannot take care of himself. The following quotations show that no one may worship anyone other than Allah, and that this is the reason for war against all non-Muslims:
Sura 9:29: “Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.” According to Dawood’s (1999) rendering, unbelievers must be fought “until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued.” (Pickthall (1997:129)
Sura 48:28: “It is He (Allah) who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to make it prevail over all religions;”
Sura 2:193: “And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah.” (Pickthall, 1997:22)
Sura 8:39: “And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah.” (Pickthall, 1997:123).
The Hadith agrees with the Qur’an. A few quotations from Al-Bukhari confirm the above:
Al-Bukhari (Khan, 1987, Vol. 4:viii): “Holy fighting in the cause of Allah or any other kind of effort to make Allah’s Word (Islam) superior, which is regarded as one of the principles of Islam.”
Al-Bukhari (Khan, 1987, Vol. 9:167): “And fight them until there are no more afflictions (i.e. no more worshipping of others beside Allah).”
Al-Bukhari (Khan, 1987:196, Vol. 4:124): “Allah’s Messenger (Mohammed) said, ‘I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, ‘none has the right to be worshipped but Allah.’ and whoever says, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,’ his life and property will be saved by me.’”
Al-Bukhari (Khan, 1987:355, Vol. 4:228): “A Bedouin asked the Prophet: ‘A man may fight for the sake of booty, and another may fight so that he may be mentioned by the people, and a third may fight to show his position (i.e. bravery); which of these is regarded as fighting in Allah’s cause?’ The Prophet said, ‘He who fights so that Allah’s Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights for Allah’s cause.’“
Al-Bukhari Vol. 9, 93: 550: Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said, “The one who fights that Allah’s Word (Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah’s Cause.“
Al-Bukhari (Khan, 1987:594 bk 26 Vol. 2): Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet was asked, “Which is the best deed?” He said, “To believe in Allah and His Apostle.” He was then asked, “Which is the next (in goodness)?” He said, “To participate in Jihad in Allah’s Cause.“
A few examples of statements by other Muslim leaders:
Ahmed Deedat, a man who, for years, had been left completely incapacitated by a stroke – unable to help himself in any way and no longer able to speak – had previously been a fiery and zealous South African Muslim apologist and propagandist. It had been his great passion to run down and ridicule Christianity, and especially the Lord Jesus Christ, in his pamphlet What is his Name? (Islamic Propagation Centre, Durban, 1986), quoted in Hunt (Cup of Trembling, 1995 p. 275):
“Our armour, sword and shield in this battle of Faiths are in the Koran (Qur’an), we have been chanting it for centuries … now we must bring them forth into the battlefield.”
Ayatollah Khomeini, former religious and political leader of Iran, after large-scale killings of non-Muslims including Christians, under his leadership, said:
“In Persia (Iran) no people have been killed so far – only beasts!” and elsewhere: “The purest joy in Islam is to kill and be killed for Allah.” (from Moshay, 1994 p. 31-32)
Do the quotations above, taken from Islam’s most important books and some Muslem leaders, appear to be peace-loving?