Violent Verses Part Two By HJS

The following verse undoubtedly has chilled the spine of many people who have been given to believe that the described violence will be directed at them. Violence, of course, may still be directed at them, but not because of instructions from this verse.

(Sura 5:33) The punishment for those who make war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement.

In contrast to this extract, the actual set of verses in this connection are relatively innocuous. For example, in this Sura 5, starting with verse 11, according to Mawdudi’s introduction to the Sura, [From the Noble Qur’an of Saudi Arabia] people are warned not to be aggressive, but to stay within the prescribed laws. They are cautioned to see what happens to other people because they strayed.

“The Muslims have been warned to guard against the
errors of their predecessors; they should follow the Right Path and avoid the bad example of the Jews and the Christians, who broke their Covenants and went
astray into evil ways. They, in their turn, have been admonished to give up their wrong ways and accept Islam. 11 - 26

The story of the two sons of Adam has been related to reproach the Jews for their plot to kill the Holy Prophet and his Companions. The story has also been used to emphasize the sanctity of human life. 27 - 32

To achieve this object, punishments have been prescribed for those who create chaos in the Islamic State, and the Believers have been urged to exert their utmost to establish the Right Way; the sanctity of property has also been emphasized. 33 – 40”
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The discussed theme begins directly after the verses which relate the story of Cain and Able, 5:27 through 5:31--HJS

The Original Theme
Because of this did We ordain unto the children of Israel that if anyone slays a human being – unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading corruption on earth – it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.

And, indeed, there came unto them1 our apostles with all evidence of the truth; yet behold, notwithstanding all this, many of them go on committing all manner of excesses on earth.2 (32)

It is but a just recompense for those who make war on God and His apostle,3 and endeavour to spread corruption on earth, that they are being slain in great numbers, or have, in result of their perverseness, their hands and feet cut off in great numbers,4 or are being [entirely] banished from [the face of] the earth: such is their ignominy in this world.5 But in the life to come [yet more] awesome suffering awaits them (33) – save for such [of them] as repent ere you [O believers] become more powerful than they: four you must know that God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. (34)

One can see from the quotations and the notes that all of the actors are still in the seventh century; no authority is given to the followers to take any action against anyone with whom they do not agree with respect to words or actions. The last two verses suggest properly that appointed authorities will review punishment alternatives whenever applicable, and in other cases, judgment will be rendered in the after life. The following notes further clarify the theme. Note that the word murder is not used in this translation (Asad) nor in the Noble Qur'an (Saudi Arabia). Pickthal and others, however, use the term "killed (slain) or crucified" in their translations. The only translation I could find in which "murder" was used was the M.H. Shakir translation. Click here for the Shakir Qur'an website.

--HJS


1 The followers of the Bible, both the Jews and Christians, Message of the Qur’an, Muhammad Asad, note 41

2 Crimes of violence, in particular, the ruthless killing of human beings. Ibid, note 42

3 The term “apostle” is evidently generic in this context. By “making war on God and His apostle” is meant a hostile opposition to, and willful disregard of, the ethical precepts ordained by God and explained by all His apostles, combined with the conscious endeavour to destroy or undermine other people’s belief in regard as well. Ibid, note 43

4 In classical Arabic idiom, the “cutting off of one’s hands and feet” is often synonymous with “destroying one’s power”, and it is possibly in this sense that the expression has been used here. Alternatively, it might denote “being mutilated”, both physically and metaphorically – similar to the [metonymical] use of the expression “being crucified” in the sense of being tortured. Ibid, note 44 [hjs note: It is unfortunate that some extremists today take the punishment literally and set themselves up as judge and jury to commit these atrocities. It is also unfortunate that the extremist leadership encourages underlings in these acts. It goes beyond war crimes; these are crimes against humanity.]

5 This verse is controversial and should not be taken as a legal injunction. [Muhammad Asad’s notes on this verse are extensive, but technical, and need not be repeated in their entirety here – hjs]. Ibid, note 45