IN RESPONSE TO such verses as we have quoted above, anti-Islam writers like Dr. Qureshi often go on to cite other verses that, taken in isolation, seem to be encouraging Muslims to attack non-Muslims. Is it true then that whether one is a peaceful Muslim or an extremist is just dependent on which verses you prefer and how you interpret them?
The answer is a resounding: No! This is because the Holy Quran itself tells you how it should be interpreted. It states that some verses form the basis of its teachings (i.e. moḥkamāt), while others are context-specific (mutashābihāt). It goes on to condemn those who apply the context-dependent verses outside of their appropriate context, as defined by those verses that form the basis of the book. Furthermore, it states that those who correctly interpret the Holy Quran are those who look at the book as a whole and interpret it without creating contradiction:
He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book; in it there are verses that are decisive in meaning — they are the basis of the Book — and there are others that are susceptible of different interpretations. But those in whose hearts is perversity pursue such thereof as are susceptible of different interpretations, seeking contradiction and seeking wrong interpretation of it. And none knows its right interpretation except Allah and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge; they say, ‘We believe in it; the whole is from our Lord.’ — And none heed except those gifted with understanding.23
Those who are well-grounded in knowledge accept that the whole is from God. In other words, they try to understand any given topic in its entirety by looking at all the verses of the Holy Quran.
When one turns to the issue of Jihad as mentioned in the Holy Quran, one has to understand why Muslims were permitted to fight, and with whom? The Holy Quran itself explains both, in the first ever injunction that granted permission to take up arms in self-defence:
Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged — and Allah indeed has power to help them — Those who have been driven out from their homes unjustly only because they said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ — And if Allah did not repel some men by means of others, there would surely have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft commemorated. And Allah will surely help one who helps Him. Allah is indeed Powerful, Mighty.24
Permission to fight was given because Muslims were thrown out of their homes for no other reason than their religious beliefs. Even after they migrated, they were still harassed in their new homes in another town. In fact, Muslims undertook three migrations: two to Abyssinia, to live under the rule of the Christian king, Negus, who ruled with justice, and one to Madīnah. In all three cases, their pagan persecutors pursued them still to their resettlements and harassed them there. In the first case, ‘Amr ibn Al-Ās was sent all the way from Makkah to Abyssinia in order to persuade the Abyssinian king to send the Arab Muslim refugees back to Makkah.25 In the third case, as soon as the Muslims arrived in Madīnah, the pagan persecutors in Makkah sent messages to the Medinites, warning them that if they did not kill or expel the Muslims, the pagans would invade Madīnah to kill them all:
The disbelievers of Quraish wrote to ‘Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl and also to those members of the Aus and Khazraj tribes who were idolaters. This occurred while the Messenger of God resided in Madīnah but before the incident at Badr. The Quraish said, “You have given shelter to our tribes men, and you remain the more numerous of Madīnah’s inhabitants. We swear by God that you had better either kill him or expel him, or else we will rally the Arabs to help us and march against you in our full numbers, slaying your warriors and ravishing your women!26
This is the context of why the Muslims were permitted to take up arms in self-defence. This is also why the Holy Quran speaks of “fighting disbelievers” because the two sides of the fight were Muslims (referred as, the believers) and non-Muslims (referred as, the disbelievers). Quite clearly, it does not mean that it is an abiding teaching that Muslims should fight all non-Muslims, indiscriminately, for all of time. Nowhere does the Holy Quran even remotely suggest this by any stretch of the imagination.
Indeed, the Holy Quran clearly commands the Muslims that they must not fight against, or persecute, those non-Muslims who do not persecute them for their faith. Instead, they should be treated with kindness and equity:
Allah forbids you not, respecting those who have not fought against you on account of your religion, and who have not driven you forth from your homes, that you be kind to them and act equitably towards them; surely Allah loves those who are equitable.27
This is why it is so important to read all the verses of the Holy Quran together, rather than misrepresenting the teachings of the Holy Quran by isolating various verses, tearing them out of context, and do cherry-picking to falsely present the isolated verses as representing the whole picture.
All the verses of the Holy Quran quoted thus far, demonstrate beyond a shadow of doubt that the terrorist organizations are not at all following the commandments of the Holy Quran and do not represent its teachings in the least.