Question

The religion of Islam condemns the killing or even the persecution of people merely because they embrace a different religion. The Quran mandates the absolute freedom of religion in a society. It does not allow Muslims to fight except for self-defense and to enforce peace. It does not allow restrictions on those who disagree on religious matters. It urges the Muslims to treat such people kindly and equitably: The religion of Islam forbids the killing of innocent people, irrespective of the cause - religious, political or social beliefs. Attacks on the civilians and the least expecting people around the world by these groups is the kind of strife that cannot be justified by any religion or under any cause and is strongly condemned in all religions including Islam as clarified by the words of God in the Quran, the Final Testament.

And so forth.

This really puzzles me and at the same time I find it amusing. You gave several verses from the Quran about how peaceful it is, and thou shalt not kill. Are we reading from the same Quran? This is what I read in the Quran also:

"Do not take the Jews and Christians for friends" (Surah 5:51)

"..fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness" (Surah 9:123)

"..fight those who do not believe in Allah" (Surah 9:29)

"..and fight them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah" (Surah 8:39)

"..fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace" (Surah 9:14)

"..Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them" (Surah 9:30)

"I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" (Surah 8:12)

Am I reading from another book? Sounds like another contradiction along with the other many in the Quran. Waiting anxiously for your reply. G

Answer

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

We do not see any contradictions here from the verses quoted in the email. In fact some of the verses are taken completely out of context and the wording looks suspicious.

Here are the verses you quoted together with a few related verses.

Relations with other people are governed by the basic rule in 5:57 & 60:8-9. The Jews and Christians who cannot be friends are specifically mentioned in 5:57; they are the ones who mock and ridicule the believers, or attack them.

Basic Law Regulating Relations With Unbelievers

A contradiction exists when A says this thing is black while B says this thing is white. The Quran makes it clear that you can engage in warfare providing certain criteria are met:

1. To resist aggression and keep your society free from other peoples intrusions.
2. To defend your life

   [22:39] Permission is granted to those who are being persecuted, since injustice has befallen them, and GOD is certainly able to support them.

   [22:40] They were evicted from their homes unjustly, for no reason other than saying, "Our Lord is GOD." If it were not for GOD's supporting of some people against others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and masjids - where the name of GOD is commemorated frequently - would have been destroyed. Absolutely, GOD supports those who support Him. GOD is Powerful, Almighty.

3. To enable a person to follow his own religious beliefs without compulsion.

   [2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.

   As we can see here the Quran provides a very just and ethical system of war that's way ahead of its time. If you can find a verse that contradicts these principals then your email has merit. There is nothing wrong with fighting with your enemies if they wage war with you. Now compare the Quran's ethics in war to the Bible. Where do you find noble principles like these in the bible? What one finds in the bible is the Israelites fighting to make their enemies extinct. Not just force them to convert to Islam as critics charge!

   Numbers 31: And the Lord said unto Moses, "Avenge the children of the Mid'-an'ites.. They warred against the Mid'-i-an'ites, as the Lord commanded Moses, and they slay all the males. And they took all women as captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire. Moses said, "HAVE YOU SAVED ALL THE WOMEN ALIVE? NOW KILL EVERY MALE AMONG THE LITTLE ONES, AND KILL EVERY WOMAN that has known a man by lying with him, but all the young girls who have not known a man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves."

   [Joshua 6:23,21]Joshua said to the people of Israel, "The Lord has given you the city of the all silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: They shall come into the treasury of the Lord. The people utterly DESTROYED ALL THAT WAS IN THE CITY, BOTH MAN AND WOMAN,YOUNG AND OLD, AND OX AND SHEEP, AND ASS, WITH THE EDGE OF THE SWORD.

4. No one can be forced to convert or stay in Islam as verse 2:256 advocates. Religion is something you believe in by your own free will. You can't be forced to believe what you don't. The Quran even says to protect Christian and Jewish temples in Muslim lands, even from other muslims:

   [22:40] They were evicted from their homes unjustly, for no reason other than saying, "Our Lord is GOD." If it were not for GOD's supporting of some people against others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and masjids - where the name of GOD is commemorated frequently - would have been destroyed. Absolutely, GOD supports those who support Him. GOD is Powerful, Almighty.

5. Now what does the bible say about people who leave the God of Israel ?

   Deuteronomy 17:3-5 "And he should go and worship other gods and bow down to them or to the sun or the moon or all the army of the heavens, .....and you must stone such one with stones and such one must die."

   This is what Paul says about the Old Testament's "just" system, Romans 1 verses 20-32 ....32.

   "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

6. Just one more thing. Here are two verses quoted in the message taken out of their context within their verses.

   [9:29] You shall fight back against those who do not believe in GOD, nor in the Last Day, nor do they prohibit what GOD and His messenger have prohibited, nor do they abide by the religion of truth - among those who received the scripture - until they pay the due tax, willingly or unwillingly.
   [9:30] The Jews said, "Ezra is the son of GOD," while the Christians said, "Jesus is the son of GOD!" These are blasphemies uttered by their mouths. They thus match the blasphemies of those who have disbelieved in the past. GOD condemns them. They have surely deviated.

Please note that all the popular Quran translation were checked and the statement "may God destroy them" was not found in any of them. This is obviously a lie.