In previous parts, we have shown how we and others have interpreted the verses with respect to the original meanings and intent of each verse. In this part, we will show a more practical aspect of misinterpretation. The question one could ask is: are these examples of legitimate, accidental misconceptions concerning the verse, or is it at all conceivable that they are perverse, intentional misapplications of the verse in order to commit nefarious deeds against one’s neighbors?
The original Arabic Verse
سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنفَال
وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتۡنَةٌ۬ وَيَڪُونَ ٱلدِّينُ ڪُلُّهُ ۥ لِلَّهِۚ فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوۡاْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ۬ (٣٩)
The Verse as translated by legitimate translators
The original Arabic Verse
سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنفَال
وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتۡنَةٌ۬ وَيَڪُونَ ٱلدِّينُ ڪُلُّهُ ۥ لِلَّهِۚ فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوۡاْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ۬ (٣٩)
The Verse as translated by legitimate translators
YUSUFALI: And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do.
PICKTHAL: And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah. But if they cease, then lo! Allah is Seer of what they do.
SHAKIR: And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah; but if they desist, then surely Allah sees what they do.
Current misapplications of the verse
DHAKA, Bangladesh, January 14 (Compass Direct News) – Muslims in a village in western Bangladesh have forced two brothers to expel their parents from their home for converting to Christianity. (…And religion is all for Allah!)
Ishmael Sheikh, 70, and his wife Rahima Khatun, 55, were baptized on Nov. 9. By the end of the month, Sheikh told Compass, Muslim neighbors in Kathuly village, near Gangni town in Meherpur district, had compelled their two sons to expel them from their house. Meherpur district is 270 kilometers (168 miles) west of Dhaka.
The ailing Sheikh told Compass that his two sons had come under tremendous pressure from neighbors in the village, which was entirely Muslim before the coupled received Christ. The neighbors threatened that the children of Sheikh’s sons would not be allowed to marry anyone from the village if the brothers allowed their parents to remain in the home.
VENNABARI, Bangladesh, January 20 (Compass Direct News) – The pastor of a Baptist church in this village about a 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Dhaka said that earlier this month local Muslims tied him and his wife up, robbed his living quarters on the church property and gang-raped his wife. (Persecution is no more…and religion is only for Allah!)
The Rev. Shankar Hazra, 55, of Chaksing Baptist church in Gopalganj district, said that before leaving, the assailants desecrated the church building.
VENNABARI, Bangladesh, January 20 (Compass Direct News) – The pastor of a Baptist church in this village about a 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Dhaka said that earlier this month local Muslims tied him and his wife up, robbed his living quarters on the church property and gang-raped his wife. (Persecution is no more..and religion is only for Allah!)
The Rev. Shankar Hazra, 55, of Chaksing Baptist church in Gopalganj district, said that before leaving, the assailants desecrated the church building.
From Maududi’s Introduction to Sura 8
[Besides other warnings and instructions…] Then it also gives normal instructions concerning the laws of peace and war for these were urgently needed to be explained at the stage which the Islamic Movement had entered.
It enjoined that the Muslims should refrain from ways of
"ignorance" in peace and war and thus should establish their moral superiority in the world. It also meant, to demonstrate to the world in actual practical life the morality which it had been preaching to the world from the very beginning of Islam and had been enjoining that practical life should be based on the same.
Actual meanings of the verse (Muhammad Asad)
Tell those who are bent on denying the truth that if they desist (quit trying to turn others away from the path of God, and stop waging war against the believers), all that is past shall be forgiven them; but if they revert to their wrongdoing, let them remember what happened to the like of them in times gone by (disasters that usual befall those who deny moral truths). [8:38]
And fight against them until there is no more oppression and all worship is devoted to God alone (until man is free to worship God). And if they desist – behold, God sees all that they do (He knows their motives). [8:39]
And if they turn away from righteousness, know that God is your Lord Supreme; and how excellent this Giver of Succour. [8:40]
Analysis
As one can see, the verse has absolutely nothing to do with and does not justify man’s inhumanity to man, as shown above. Nonetheless, some people have been abusing these verses for centuries to justify greed, lust, and murder. It is past time that the nations involved censure and eliminate their system of vigilante “justice” and adopt less radical forms of law, order, and justice.
Credits: Legitimate Verses - USC Center for Muslim - Jewish Engagement; Arabic Verse: Quran Explorer; Maudud's Introduction - imaanstar.com; Actual Meanings: The Message of the Qur'an, Muhammad Asad.
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