Today’s verse is easily confused with an earlier verse discussed in Part One, “And slay them wherever you find them and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out.” The earlier verse was from the Qur’an, Sura 2, ayats 191-193.
The earlier verse, however, targeted the Meccans who rejected Muhammad’s preaching, while today’s verse is from Sura 9, ayat 5, and targeted polytheists and others occupying the rest of Arabia. If the idea emerges that perhaps Middle East unrest occurs and remains constant because one particular group is forever “targeting” some other group, the idea indeed is worthy of consideration. The question “why” quite understandably comes to mind, but the answer to that, though volumes and volumes have been written, seems to have eluded the Western leaders. The world is becoming more dangerous because the Western leaders do not know the answer. Hint: Have they been listening to the right people?
Slay the idolaters wherever you find them! (Qur’an 9:5)
Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush.
سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة
فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلۡأَشۡہُرُ ٱلۡحُرُمُ فَٱقۡتُلُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ حَيۡثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمۡ وَخُذُوهُمۡ وَٱحۡصُرُوهُمۡ وَٱقۡعُدُواْ لَهُمۡ ڪُلَّ مَرۡصَدٍ۬ۚ فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ (٥) وَإِنۡ أَحَدٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٱسۡتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرۡهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسۡمَعَ كَلَـٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبۡلِغۡهُ مَأۡمَنَهُ ۥۚ ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّہُمۡ قَوۡمٌ۬ لَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ (٦)
NOTE: Idolaters and polytheists were the usual translations for ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
“mushrikun”, which is the plural for mushrik. As David Dakake reports in his “Some Misappropriations of Islamic Verse” (Islamic Research Institute, Washington, DC), this term is never applied to Jews or Christians, but to the idol worshippers, particularly the Meccans who rejected Muhammad’s invitation to Islam.
From Mawdudi’s Introduction to Sura 9 (From The Noble Qur’an)
Now that the administration of the whole of Arabia had come in the hands of the Believers, and all the opposing powers had become helpless, it was necessary to make a clear declaration of that policy which was to be adopted to make her a perfect Dar-ul-Islam. Therefore the following measures were adopted:
Slay the idolaters wherever you find them! (Qur’an 9:5)
Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush.
سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة
فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلۡأَشۡہُرُ ٱلۡحُرُمُ فَٱقۡتُلُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ حَيۡثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمۡ وَخُذُوهُمۡ وَٱحۡصُرُوهُمۡ وَٱقۡعُدُواْ لَهُمۡ ڪُلَّ مَرۡصَدٍ۬ۚ فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ (٥) وَإِنۡ أَحَدٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٱسۡتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرۡهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسۡمَعَ كَلَـٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبۡلِغۡهُ مَأۡمَنَهُ ۥۚ ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّہُمۡ قَوۡمٌ۬ لَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ (٦)
NOTE: Idolaters and polytheists were the usual translations for ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
“mushrikun”, which is the plural for mushrik. As David Dakake reports in his “Some Misappropriations of Islamic Verse” (Islamic Research Institute, Washington, DC), this term is never applied to Jews or Christians, but to the idol worshippers, particularly the Meccans who rejected Muhammad’s invitation to Islam.
From Mawdudi’s Introduction to Sura 9 (From The Noble Qur’an)
Now that the administration of the whole of Arabia had come in the hands of the Believers, and all the opposing powers had become helpless, it was necessary to make a clear declaration of that policy which was to be adopted to make her a perfect Dar-ul-Islam. Therefore the following measures were adopted:
A clear declaration was made that all the treaties with the
mushriks were abolished and the Muslims would be released from the treaty obligations with them after a respite of four months. This declaration was
necessary for uprooting completely the system of life based on shirk and to make Arabia exclusively the center of Islam so that it should not in any way interfere with the spirit of Islam nor become an internal danger for it.
A decree was issued that the guardianship of the Ka`abah, which held central position in all the affairs of Arabia, should be wrested from the mushriks and placed permanently in the hands of the Believers, (vv. 12-18) that all the customs and practices of the shirk of the era of 'ignorance' should be forcibly abolished: that the mushriks should not be allowed even to come near the "House" (v. 28). This was to eradicate every trace of shirk from the "House" that was dedicated exclusively to the worship of Allah.
The evil practice of Nasi, by which they used to tamper with the sacred months in the days of 'ignorance', was forbidden as an act of kufr(v. 37). This was also to serve as an example to the Muslims for eradicating every vestige of the customs of ignorance from the life of Arabia (and afterwards from the lives of the Muslims everywhere).
In order to enable the Muslims to extend the influence of Islam outside Arabia, they were enjoined to crush with sword the non- Muslim powers and to force them to accept the sovereignty of the Islamic State. As the great Roman and Iranian Empires were the biggest hindrances in the way, a conflict with them was inevitable. The object of Jihad was not to coerce them to accept Islam they were free to accept or not to accept it-but to prevent them from thrusting forcibly their deviations upon others and the coming generations. The Muslims were enjoined to tolerate their misguidance only to the extent that they might have the freedom to remain misguided, if they chose to be so, provided that they paid Jizyah (v. 29) as a sign of their subjugation to the Islamic State.
Original Text (Pickthal)
Al-Tawba
Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom ye made a treaty. (1) Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers (in His guidance). (2) And a proclamation from Allah and His messenger to all men on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage that Allah is free from obligation to the idolaters, and (so is) His messenger. So, if ye repent, it will be better for you; but if ye are averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve, (3) Excepting those of the idolaters with whom ye (Muslims) have a treaty, and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. (As for these), fulfill their treaty to them till their term. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty (unto Him). (4) Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (5) And if anyone of the idolaters seeketh thy protection (O Muhammad), then protect him so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and afterward convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a folk who know not. (6)
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An old joke still heard in the United States is “Call me anything you want; just don’t call me late for dinner.” Some of us Americans, fortunately, are naturally tolerant and remain unfazed by the name calling by others, even those whose own record of tolerance is often called into question.
We have been taking much verbal abuse from a group of people who seem to have little understanding of the human world, though they profess to have the final word. They shout to the world that they are better and smarter than we, but their own social development appears to have taken an unusual turn centuries ago, while the West continues to develop, albeit through much adversity.When we are criticised, for example, we normally look inward and ask ourselves, “Could we possibly be guilty of such terrible accusations—even inadvertently?” Yet the people making the empty accusations against us, consider any form of negative comment aimed at them—including the most innocent of constructive criticism—as warranting criminal penalties or death.
It is well beyond the time when this deadly childishness was behind us. United Nations, this childishness is keeping us apart and in turmoil. Have you no plans to help? The world is waiting.
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