Answer
Short Answer: Is It A Muslim’s Duty to Kill Infidels? The deliberate blur between jihad and acts of terror has been a phenomenon that has resulted from those unqualified in the science of Sacred Law. Mainstream Islam engenders a faith and practice that makes the taking of innocent lives unimaginable and this belief is shared by the great majority of the Muslims worldwide. However, the radicals appear to have overlooked this pivotal pillar with their perverted interpretations of Sacred Law. Anyone objectively studying the sources of Shari’ah (Islamic law), Quran, and Sunnah (Traditions) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), would discover that they are devoid of any import of extremism, acts of violence or terrorism, which imply carrying out aggression against others without a just cause.
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Salam (Peace) Dear Questioner,
Thank you for contacting About Islam with your question.
Please find part one at the link here, part two here, part three here, and part four here. Please find the final part below.
Prophet Muhammad’s Message of Peace
This is Prophet Muhammad’s message of peace to the monks of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai:
This is a message written by Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, far and near, we are behind them. Verily, I defend them by myself, the servants, the helpers, and my followers, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be changed from their jobs, nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet.
Verily, they (Christians) are my allies and they have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them.
If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, this is not to take place without her own wish. She is not to be prevented from going to her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected.
They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation is to disobey this covenant till the Day of Judgment and the end of the world. Ref: The Life of the Prophet and “Muslims and non-Muslims, Face to Face” by Dr Ahmad Sakr ISBN: 091119-31-9
The Islamic Fiqh Council states
The felony of taking away one life without a just cause is tantamount to killing all people, whatever the faith of the murdered or the murderer; and that punishments and retributions are solely the prerogative of the ruler, not of individuals or groups.
The Islamic Fiqh Council would like to call the attention of all nations, peoples, and organizations of the world to the necessity of drawing a distinction between legitimate Jihad against aggression or oppression designed to establish truth and justice, and the act of violence which aims at occupation of land, encroaching on national sovereignty and terrifying civilian populations and turning them into refugees. Note: 82% of the world’s refugees are Muslims (Reprinted from the Muslim World League Journal, 1423 – July 2002)
Note: Fiqh is the understanding of Islam
In its 16th session, (5-10 January 2002), the Islamic Fiqh Council emphasized: extremism, violence, and terrorism have no connection with Islam. These are perilous acts with dangerous consequences, and an aggression and iniquity against the individual.
Definition of Terrorism and Islam’s attitude towards it
In order to draw an Islamic definition of terrorism that unites the vision and attitudes of all Muslims; and in order to clearly state this fact and highlight the danger of associating Islam with extremism and terrorism, the Islamic Fiqh Council presents the following definition of terrorism and Islam’s attitude towards it.
According to Islam, terrorism is:
- an outrageous attack
- by individuals, groups or states against the human being (his religion, life, intellect, property, and honor)
- it includes all forms of intimidation, harm, threatening, killing without just cause and everything connected with any form of armed robbery: making pathways insecure, e.g. banditry
- every act of violence or threats intended to fulfill a criminal scheme individually or collectively, so as to terrify and horrify people by hurting them or by exposing their lives, liberty, security, or conditions to danger
- it can also take the form of inflicting damage on the environment or on a public or a private utility or exposing a national or natural resource to danger
It is illogical to equate violence committed by usurpers and tyrants—who violate human dignity, defile sanctuaries, and plunder wealth—with the right of legitimate self-defense, exercised by the oppressed in asserting their legitimate right of self-determination.
The Media
The media don’t portray facts about Islam, nor do they seek to cover the truth of this religion.
Their efforts to obscure the message of Islam is immense. Allah speaks about it in the Quran:
{They intend to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will complete His light even though the disbelievers hate (it)} (Quran 61:8)
Islam is a religion of peace. So why the misunderstanding? How can a religion of peace become depicted as being a religion of war and terror?
The answer lies in the way that Islamic scriptures are misinterpreted to suit perverted agendas. Words and phrases that are often repeated in the media have been misconstrued by individuals to give abhorrently incorrect meanings.
Is It A Muslim’s Duty to Kill Infidels?
The deliberate blur between jihad and acts of terror has been a phenomenon that has resulted from those unqualified in the science of Sacred Law.
Mainstream Islam engenders a faith and practice that makes the taking of innocent lives unimaginable and this belief is shared by the great majority of the Muslims worldwide.
However, the radicals appear to have overlooked this pivotal pillar with their perverted interpretations of Sacred Law.
Anyone objectively studying the sources of Shari’ah (Islamic law), Quran, and Sunnah (Traditions) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), would discover that they are devoid of any import of extremism, acts of violence or terrorism, which imply carrying out aggression against others without a just cause.
I hope this answers your question and clears up misconceptions. Please keep in touch.
Salam (Peace).
(From Ask About Islam archives)
Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:
Is It A Muslim’s Duty to Kill Infidels? (Part 1)
Is It A Muslim’s Duty to Kill Infidels? (Part 2)
Is It A Muslim’s Duty to Kill Infidels? (Part 3)
Is It A Muslim’s Duty to Kill Infidels? (Part 4)
Did Islam Grow by Killing Non-Believers?
Defining the Kafirs (Infidels)?
Can Muslims Befriend People of Other Faiths?
Does Islam Promote Killing Innocent People?
Confusion Over The Fighting Verses