The word Islam means peace in Arabic. Islam is a religion which was sent down in order to present man with a life full of tranquility and peace in which endless mercy and compassion of Allah is manifest. Allah calls all people to Islamic ethics as a model in which mercy, compassion, tolerance and peace can be practiced. The following is stated in verse 208 of the chapter of al-Baqara:
"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the Evil One; for he is to you an avowed enemy."
As it is seen in the verse, Allah states that the security of people can be ensured only through accepting Islam and practicing the ethics of the Quran.
Allah damns mischief
Allah orders people to avoid committing bad deeds and prohibits them from unbelief, sins, rebellion, oppression, tyranny, killing and shedding blood. Those who do not obey this order of Allah are defined as those who follow the footsteps of Satan as the verse puts it; they openly assume an attitude that Allah has rendered haram. There are many verses regarding the issue in the Quran. Two of them are as follows:
"But those who break the Covenant of Allah, after having plighted their word thereto, and cut asunder those things which Allah has commanded to be joined, and work mischief in the land― on them is the Curse; for them is the terrible Home!."(ar-Rad, 13/25)
1 Muhammad’s actions
Let us now look at the actions of Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam, as the Quran says “Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah” 33:21
"لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا" الأحزاب 21:33
Aisha (the beloved wife of Muhammad) said: “His (Muhammad's) character was the Qur’an” (narrated Muslim). Therefore the life of Mohammad reflects an accurate interpretation of the Qur’an.
When we read of the actions of the prophet of Islam, we see many cases of assassination. Most of these cases happened because someone criticized the prophet of Islam in speech only.
We read:
Ibn Ishak said: “The apostle said, “Kill any Jew that falls into your power.” Thereupon Muhayyisa محيصة b. Masud leapt upon Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish merchant with whom they had social and business relations, and killed him. Huwayyisa حويصة was not a Muslim at the time though he was the elder brother. When Muhayyisa killed him Huwayyisa began to beat him, saying, ‘You enemy of God, did you kill him when much of the fat on your belly comes from his wealth?’ Muhayyisa answered, ‘Had the one who ordered me to kill him ordered me to kill you I would have cut your head off.’” (El badyah wa alnihaya – Ibn Katheer – vol. 4 – in the chapter on killing Ka’ab bin al’Ashraf)
2 `Umayr’s Expedition To Kill Abu Afak
Mohammad once killed a man named (al-Harith b. Suwayd). When Abu Afak wrote a poem objecting to the murder, Muhammad said,“Who will deal with this rascal for me?” Whereupon Salim b. Umayr, brother of B. Amr b. Auf, one of the “weepers”, went forth and killed him. (Ibn Hisham – Dar el jeel Beirut – 1411 –Vol. 6 - UMAYR’S EXPEDITION TO KILL ABU AFAK)
3 UMAYR B. 3adi JOURNEY TO KILL ASMA D. MARWAN
After Abu Afak was murdered, Asma wrote a poem blaming Islam and its followers of killing their opponenets.
When Muhammad heard what she had said he said, “Who will rid me of Marwan’s daughter?” Ummayr b. Adiy al-Khatmi who was with him heard him, and that very night he went to her house and killed her. In the morning he came to the apostle and told him what he had done and he [Muhammad] said, “You have helped God and His apostle, O Umayr!” When he asked if he would have to bear any evil consequences the apostle said, “Two goats won’t butt their heads about her”, so Umayr went back to his people. Now there was a great commotion among B. Khatma that day about the affair of bint [girl] Marwan. She had five sons, and when Umayr went to them from the apostle he said, “I have killed bint Marwan, O sons of Khatma. Withstand me if you can; don’t keep me waiting.” That was the first day Islam became powerful among B. Khatma.
The day after Bint Marwan was killed the men of B. Khatma became Muslims because they saw the power of Islam.”
(Ibn Katheer el bedayah wa alnehaya – vol. 5 – in the mention of the year 11 of hijrah also found in- Ibn Hisham – dar al jeel Beirut – vol. 6 UMAYR B. ADIYY’S JOURNEY TO KILL ASMA D. MARWAN)
(البداية والنهاية ـ ج 5 ـ في ذكر السنة 11 من الهجرة ـ(
4 Killing of a slave woman.
A blind man had a slave who he had taken a concubine, the mother of his children, who used to abuse the Prophet and disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop.
One night she began to slander the Prophet and abuse him. So he took a dagger, placed it on her belly, pressed it, and killed her. A child who came between her legs was smeared with the blood that was there. When the morning came, the Prophet was informed about this. He assembled the people and said: “I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up.” The man stood up. He sat before the Prophet and said: “Apostle of Allah! I am her master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.” Thereupon the Prophet said:“Oh be witness, no retaliation is payable for her blood.”
«اشهدوا أن دمها هدر» . ) نيل الأوطار للشوكاني _ دار الطباعة المنيرية ـ القاهرة ـ دون تاريخ ـ الجزء السابع. كتاب حد شارب الخمر. باب قتل من صَرّحَ بسب. النبي ـ و في سنن أبي داود ـ مركز الأبحاث والدراسات الثقافية ـ الجزء الثاني ـ باب الحكم فيمن سب النبي.)
(Naylu Al’wtar - Al-Shawkani – Al muneeriah pulishing – Cairo – Vol 7 – Book of Drinking – Chapter on Killing Of One who declared a warning to the prophet - also in Sunan Abi Daowd – Markaz Al’bhath wa aldersat althkafiah – Vol 2 – Chapter the judgment on one who swore to the prophet)
5 `Amr B Umayya EXPEDITION
Once Muhammad sent one of his followers named `Amr, to murder Muhammad’s enemy Abu Sufyan. However, the assassination attempt failed. As he returned home, he met a one-eyed shepherd. The shepherd and the Muslim man both identified themselves as members of the same Arab clan. Prior to going asleep, the shepherd said that he would never become a Muslim. Umayya waited for the shepherd to fall asleep and thereafter: ”as soon as the bedouin was asleep and snoring I got up and killed him in a more horrible way than any man has been killed.”
Umayya returned and spoke with Muhammad. He relates.... ”He [Muhammad] asked my news and when I told him what had happened he blessed me.”
6 Umm Qirfa
Another example of Muhammad assassinating those who criticised him was when a woman named "Umm Qirfa" (Fatima) was taken prisoner. She was a very old woman. She used to mock Mohammad in speech and poems. Zayd ordered Qays to kill Umm Qirfa and he killed her cruelly, by tying a rope to each of her two legs and to two camels and driving the camels in opposite directions until they tore her in two. (Al ‘saba – Ibn Hagar – vol. 4, page 231)
Muhammad’s companions
قال الرسول: أصحابي كالنجوم،بأيهم اقتديتم اهتديتم “My companions are like stars, if you imitate any of them, you will, indeed, be guided” His companions were those who became Muslims and saw Mohammad while he was alive.
Yet reading the history of these companions we find some horrifying stories. Some of the incidents below would be considered war crimes nowadays.
Abu Bakr (the first caliph)
Waging war as the ultimate tool for propagating and defending Islam became a rule for who ever was in power and ruling the Islamic society. The first Caliph, Abu Bakr, who took the lead after the death of Muhammad, even launched wars against Muslims to force them to pay dues to him that Muhammad used to collect for himself (as related in the Qur’an 9:103).
Omar ibn al-Khatab (the second caliph)
Abd Allah ibn Sa’ed (Omr ibn al-Khatab servant) said: “Arab Christians are not Christians, I am not leaving them until they become Muslims or I cut their throats.” (Kanzu ‘umal – al mutka al hindi – vol. 4, No. 11770)
Khalid ibn al-Walid (the unsheathed sword of Allah)
The letter of Khalid Ibn al-Walid to the people of Madain:
“From Khaled ibn al-Walid to Marazebah the people of Faris [Persian people] peace be to those who follow the guidance. Praise God that your servants left you and you lost your possession and have been weakened. Anyone who prayed our prayer and accepted our place of prayer to the East [Qiblah] and ate our sacrifice that would be a true Muslim who has the same privileges and duties as us. When you receive my letter send me the ransom for the hostage we hold and asked for a covenant, or in the name of the God who there is no other god like him I will send you people who love to die as you love to live."
"والله الذي لا إله إلا هو،لأرسلن لكم أقواماً يحرصون على الموت كما تحرصون على الحياة".
During the battle with the Persians, and it was very tough war, Khaled said: “O Allah, if you give us victory over them, I swear I won’t leave one of them alive and I will run their river with their blood.”
Then when Allah gave them victory, Khaled send people to call for capturing everyone and asking Muslims not to kill anyone except who refuses to submit. After they captured them, they (the Persians) were brought to the river and were beheaded. The Muslims did that for three days till they had killed 70000.
(أبو بكر الصديق لمحمد رشيد رضا ـ البداية والنهاية لابن كثير في ذكر سنة 12 من الهجرةـ عن برنامج المحدث)
(Abu Bakr – By Muhammad Rashid Rida – “Muhaddith Program”[2] – And Bedaya wa nehaya –Ibn Katheer – In the mention of year 12 of Hijrah “Muhaddith”)
Now
I recognize that the information above is too much for some people, but I have used only little of what can be found in the Qur’an, the Hadeeth, and Islamic history books.
We have seen what the Qur’an and the Hadeeth teach; we have seen the actions of the last prophet of Islam, and the understanding of these teachings by his companions.
The question now is how do Muslims reconcile all of this with what we hear many saying; namely, that Islam is a peace-loving religion and it teaches co-existence with all other religions. I would love to believe that Islam is indeed the peaceful religion as many say it is. But until someone gives me a credible and peaceful interpretation of the writings and events I have outlined, I’m afraid I cannot.
One final thing concerns me. Imam Abu Hammid Ghazali says: “Speaking is a means to achieve objectives. If a praiseworthy aim is attainable through both telling the truth and lying, it is unlawful to accomplish through lying because there is no need for it. When it is possible to achieve such an aim by lying but not by telling the truth, it is permissible to lie if attaining the goal is permissible.” (Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, The Reliance of the Traveller ( عمدة السالك ), translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller, amana publications, 1997, section r8.2, page 745)
Ibn Shihab, another Muslim scholar said: “there were only three cases where lying was acceptable: in battle, for bringing reconciliation amongst persons and the narration of the words of the husband to his wife, and the narration of the words of a wife to her husband (in a twisted form in order to bring reconciliation between them).” (More information is provided by William Muir’s “Life of Mahomet”, Volume I, footnote p.88) (Sahih Muslim, Book 32, No. 6303 – from the Alim program)
I hope Muslims can tell us why should we believe what they say about how peace-loving a religion Islam is, when we know that they are permitted to lie in order to achieve a noble goal, i.e. making Islam the dominant religion of mankind. (8:39,40)
These are questions of the utmost importance, and I still hope we will hear an answer one day—before its too late.
If you have comments, questions????
