Times of Ahmad: “UNDERSTANDING ISLAM” with Imam Shamshad on KCAA -1070 AM San Barnardino, California

ABSTRACT: Imam Shamshad A. Nasir of the Baitul Hameed Mosque in Chino, CA explains the context of the Quranic commandment containing the directive: 'Kill the idolaters wherever you find them'; contained in Chapter 5, Verse 9. Imam Shamshad, an Ahmadiyya Muslim Missionary of the Southwest Region of the United States explains how the Muslims were persecuted for 13 years at Mecca but they did not take the law into their own hands. Instead they migrated to another city more than 200 miles north. Even here their persecutors would not leave them alone and attacked them with huge armies for 9 years. When finally these brutal attacks were successfully brought to an end these same people were told they had four months to think it over and decide to never again create disorder in the land or they would be hunted down and killed wherever they may be found.

SHOW #: 4 TITLE: “Does Islam Say Kill the Infidels?”

AIR TIME: 9:30am to 9:40am DATE: Tue. Sept. 29, 2009

DENNIS: As-salaam A-leh-kum Imam Shamshad and welcome. Last week I asked you about loyalty to Islam or to the U.S. and you told us how Islam makes loyalty to the country of residence a requirement of the faith itself, and how the Prophet Muhammad taught that love of one's country was a part of the faith. . .

Today I want to ask you another question in the same line of thinking. People say that Islam tells its followers to “kill the infidels wherever you find them. . . ”

Is this true? Does the Quran say that?

IMAM: Dennis, thank you for asking this. This verse is often quoted but never explained in context so that its true meaning is made clear. Allow me to clarify all this.

The truth is that when Muhammad (saw) started to preach the Unity of God in Mecca, Arabia, the people he preached to started to persecute him. . . just like it happened with other Prophets. . .

Jesus was persecuted. . . Abraham was opposed and so it happened with Muhammad. . . but this went on for 13 years. . . and as I said last time, Islam does not allow Muslims to take the law into their own hands.. . It tells the Muslims to leave such places where they are persecuted rather than fight.

So the Muslims left their homes and friends and families and Muhammad also left Mecca but the enemies of the Muslims did not leave the Muslims alone in their new

home...within a year an army of 1,000 came to attack them and wipe them out..

IMAM: The Muslims were weak and had no ability to fight such a huge army. . . they were also poor. . . but God told them that they must defend themselves and told them that He would help them even though they are totally weak and helpless and will make them victorious.

So the Muslims got together 313 people, some were children some had wooden swords. . . some were old. . . but whoever could do something came and stood up to defend their right to freedom of religion. . . And this persecution and warfare on the part of the Meccans did not stop.

The Meccans attacked the Muslims in Medina on and off for a period of nine years after the Muslims left Mecca. Finally, in the ninth year after migrating from Mecca to Medina, the Holy Prophet received the chapter Tauba, chapter 9.

This is the chapter that contains verse 5 that so many people quote out of context. I will quote it here and then the verses before and after it and it will be clear what the context is.

[9:5] And when the forbidden months have passed, kill the idolaters wherever you find them and take them prisoners, and beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent and observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, then leave their way free. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.

IMAM: Now even this clearly does not say kill the Christians or the disbelievers, but kill the idolaters – the Meccans – who had been persecuting and killing the Muslims for more than 20 years in Mecca and Medina. And that’s because they will not stop attacking the Muslims. Let’s start with 9:3. . .

[9:3] And this is a proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage, that Allah is clear of the idolaters, and so is His Messenger. So if you repent, it will be better for you; but if you turn away, then know that you cannot frustrate the plan of Allah. And give tidings of a painful punishment to those who disbelieve,

[9:4] Excepting those of the idolaters with whom you have entered into a treaty and who have not subsequently failed you in anything nor aided anyone against you. So fulfill to these the treaty you have made with them till their term. Surely, Allah loves those who are righteous.

IMAM: This clearly says that those idolaters with whom you have a treaty of peace and they

have not broken that treaty or aided someone in violence against you, they are not the enemy of Muslims.

IMAM: The forbidden months refer to the period of time which

coincided with four holy months in Arabia wherein the Holy Prophet (saw) gave his enemies the chance to

go travel about in the land and see what the fate was of those who had opposed the Muslims and persecuted them – to see how these enemies had been defeated and all their evil plots to destroy Islam had failed. When, after these four months had passed and the enemies of Islam still would not leave the Muslims in peace, Muhammad was commanded by God to take the fight to them and meet them in battle to defend Muslims and the religion of Islam from extinction.

IMAM: It would be as though terrorists were in America and were told them, you have four months to decide to be stop being terrorists, after which time, we will hunt you down and kill you because of your past evil deeds and the evil you are still intent on committing against us. Muhammad gave his enemies four months to think it over. How many months would – or should – America give to anyone who threatens to kill us?

Let’s continue with verse 6:

[9:6] And if anyone of the idolaters ask protection of thee, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah; then convey him to his place of security. That is because they are a people who have no knowledge.

IMAM: This is the clincher – if the commandment had been to simply kill all the idolaters, there would not be this sentence ordering Muslims to give safe passage to any enemy who wanted the chance to learn about Islam. And even if they did not accept, the Muslims had to escort them back to their place of security so they could continue to fight against the Muslims if they wanted to.

[9:7] How can there be a treaty of these idolaters with Allah and His Messenger, except those with whom you entered into a treaty at the Sacred Mosque? So, as long as they stand true to you, stand true to them. Surely, Allah loves those who are righteous.

IMAM: This says that if the idolaters enter into a treaty of peace with the Muslims and do not break it, the Muslims cannot “go after them” and kill them at all. Finally, there’s verses 11 and 12 from chapter 9. Here’s what 9:11 and 9:12 say in the Holy Quran:

[9:11] But if they repent and observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, then they are your brethren in faith. And We explain the Signs for a people who have knowledge.

[9:12] And if they break their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion, then fight these leaders of disbelief — surely, they have no regard for their oaths — that they may desist.

IMAM: The verses that people cite from the Quran – usually out of context -- relate to these persecutors and tormentors and murderers of innocent helpless people for no other crime than that they believe in ONE GOD. .

The Holy Quran says clearly: (2:257) Laa ikraha fid-deen. . . “There is no compulsion in religion. . .” And there are so many verses in the Holy Quran that tell the Prophet and through him, us, that: If God had wished He could have made all of humanity one people and forced them to adopt the faith. . . but God doesn’t.

God in the Holy Quran says we, as Muslims, should Proclaim the Unity of God and let him who chooses to accept the faith do so, and to let him who chooses to reject the faith do so. . . God will settle with them their account. . . on the basis of what they did. . . again and again the Messenger was told. .

You are but a Messenger. . . You are not a guardian over them. . . you are not responsible for them. . . you are only responsible for the plain delivery of the message.

This is repeated so often and so forcefully that the people who make these accusations either do not read the Quran or are simply bent on distorting it to present a bad impression instead of the truth.

DENNIS: Thank you, Imam, for another imsightful episode of “Understanding Islam.”