Some Qur’anic verses are always used by non-Muslims in smearing the Qur’an. They have some kind of a list for those verses which they always use in the media, on internet sites dedicated to this issue, and sometimes in movies. In the next few pages, I shall tackle some of these verses and clear up the misconceptions about them in a very simplified manner placing the context as the evidence on the fallacy of such accusations. First I’m going to write down the translations submitted to me by a fellow non-Muslim when he was presenting his argument against the Qur’an. Thereafter, I’m going to write down the complete Qur’anic context with the proper translation of the same verses underlined, and I shall respond to the accusation accordingly.

1. “Those who reject [Islamic] Faith, Allah will not forgive them nor guide them to any path except the way to Hell, to dwell therein forever. And this to Allah is easy.” [The Qur’an (4:168-167)].

Islam bashers say that this verse is enough to prove that Islam is an exclusive religion. It looks down upon other faiths and treats their adherents as infidels who don’t believe in the Creator whom Muslims call Allah.

Now let’s read the previous verse in its complete context in order to understand what it is actually saying. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Because of the wrongdoings of the Jews, We forbade them certain good things that had been allowed to them before, for having frequently debarred others from God’s path, for taking usury, when they had been forbidden to do so. And because of their devouring people’s wealth wrongfully. We have prepared a painful punishment for those of them who [continue to] deny the truth. But those well-grounded in knowledge among them, and the believers, believe in what has been revealed to you and what has been revealed before you, as well as those observing prayers and paying obligatory charity, and those believing in Allah and the judgment day. To them we shall give a great reward. Surely, We have sent Our revelations to you like We have sent them to Noah and to the prophets after him, and We have revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes, and to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron and Solomon, and We gave the Psalms to David. (We have sent) Messengers, some of whom We have told you about, and some others We did not tell you about, and Allah has spoken to Moses directly. (We have sent) Messengers giving glad tidings and warnings, so that people may have no plea against Allah after the Messengers (have come). Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. But Allah bears witness that what He has revealed to you, He has revealed it with His knowledge. The angels too, bear witness, (though) Allah is sufficient as witness. Surely, those who disbelieved and prevented (people) from the way of Allah have gone far astray. Surely, those who disbelieved and transgressed, Allah will not forgive them, nor will He lead them to a way other than the way of the hellfire where they are to remain forever. That is easy for Allah.” [The Qur’an (4:160-167)].

These verses are describing a certain sect from among the people of the book. The people of this sect act as religious leaders and admonishers, while they are not well grounded in knowledge. They refuse Islam without any truthful study or trial to understand the Qur’an. They never try to compare it to the old scriptures which they have, in order to confirm whether it’s truly the Creator’s message or not. They don’t try to compare the knowledge in the Qur’an to what they perceive in this worldly life every day. They don’t even stop at that limit, but they try to hinder others from giving this book a proper chance of reading and pondering over its content. They never ask themselves the following extremely important question:

“What if the Qur’an was truly the final message from the Creator of this universe and we were wrong not to study it properly and give it a true examination?”

The end product of their attitude is that they drive themselves astray and many others as well. In the previous verses as obvious, Allah is warning them, He is telling them that if they do the aforementioned and show arrogance against His message and messenger, He shall not grant them His pardon on the judgment day, and their dwelling in the next life shall be in the hellfire.

By all means, those who attack the Qur’an using the last two verses of the aforementioned Qur’anic context are doing exactly what the verses are criticizing. They trim out those two verses and present them to their followers in order to plant in their minds that: Islam is a dreadful religion, so stay away from it and don’t try to read its holy book. Allah is All-Aware of what they do, may He save the people from their schemes and twisted desires. This should make it crystal clear that laymen from other faiths are not the ones intended by these verses. I believe that those who receive a distorted image about Islam in this life or are unable to examine the Qur’an properly themselves due to some incompetence, shall not be wronged in the hereafter. Allah is never unjust, not in the least sense, He shall grant them the choice whether to embrace Islam or not after having it presented to them properly.

2. “Believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends.” [The Qur’an (5:51)].

Islam bashers say that this verse is enough to prove that Islam is a religion of hatred and enmity. It orders Muslims not to befriend the people of the book (i.e. Jews or Christians) on account of their faith.

Now let’s read the previous verse in its complete context in order to understand what it is actually saying. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“O Messenger, do not be grieved by those who vie with one another in denying the truth, those who say with their tongues, ‘We believe,’ but have no faith in their hearts. From among the Jews also, there are those who listen eagerly to any lies and listen to others (i.e. their religious leaders) who did not come to meet you [out of pride and conceit]. They (i.e. these Jewish leaders) take the words out of their context and they say, ‘If this [Qur’an] be inspired to you, receive it, but if not, then beware of it!’ [O Prophet] if anyone’s trial is intended by Allah, you cannot in the least give aid to him. Those whose hearts Allah does not intend to purify, shall be subjected to disgrace in this world and a severe punishment in the Hereafter. [This is because] they listen eagerly to falsehood, and devour forbidden things voraciously. If they come to you [seeking arbitration], you may judge between them or turn away from them. If you turn away from them, they can in no way harm you. But if you do judge between them, then judge justly, for Allah loves those who are just. Why do they come to you for judgment when they have the Torah, which enshrines Allah’s own judgment? Yet, in spite of that, they turn their backs to it, and certainly, those are not believers. Verily, We have revealed the Torah in which there was guidance and light. By it Our obedient prophets judged between the Jews. So did the rabbis and the priests judge according to Allah’s Book which had been entrusted to their care, and to which they were witnesses. Have no fear of people but fear Me, and do not sell My revelations for a paltry sum. Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down are deniers of the truth. We prescribed for them in [the Torah]: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and a wound for a wound. But, if anyone forgoes, this shall be atonement for him. Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down are wrongdoers! We caused Jesus, son of Mary to follow in their footsteps, fulfilling what had been revealed before him in the Torah. We gave him the Gospel, in which there was guidance and light, fulfilling what was revealed before it in the Torah: a guide and an admonition to the God fearing. Therefore, let those who follow the Gospel judge according to what Allah has revealed in it. Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down are rebellious. We have sent down the Book to you with the truth, fulfilling [the predictions] revealed in the previous scriptures and determining what is true therein, and a guardian over it. Judge, therefore, between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires turning away from the truth that has come to you. To every one of you We have ordained a law and a way, and had Allah so willed, He would have made you all a single nation, but He did not so will, in order that He might try you by what He has given you. Vie, then, with one another in doing good works, to God you shall all return, then He shall make clear to you what you have been disputing about. Judge between them by what Allah has sent down and do not be led by their desires. Beware of them lest they turn you away from a part of that which Allah has revealed to you. If they reject your judgment, know that Allah intends to punish them for the sins they have committed. Indeed a large number of the people are disobedient. Is it pagan laws that they wish to be judged with? Who is a better judge than Allah for those whose faith is firm? O believers do not take the Jews and Christians as allies. They are allies with one another. Whoever of you takes them as allies then he is one of them. Allah does not guide the wrongdoers. You will see those whose minds are diseased hastening towards them, saying, ‘We fear lest a misfortune befalls us.’ But Allah may well bring about victory or a decision according to His will. Then will they repent of the thoughts which they secretly harbored in their hearts. Then the believers will say, ‘Are these the men who swore their strongest oaths by God that they were with you’? Their works will come to nothing and they will lose all. O believers, if any among you apostates from his faith, Allah will replace them by others who love Him and are loved by Him, who will be kind and considerate towards the believers and firm and unyielding towards those who deny the truth. They will strive hard for the cause of Allah and will in no way fear the reproaches of the fault finders. Such is Allah’s bounty, which He gives to whomever He wishes. Allah is Bountiful and All-knowing. Verily, your helpers are Allah, His Messenger and the believers who preserve their prayers and pay the alms and bow down in worship. Those who ally themselves with God, His Messenger, and the believers must know that Allah’s party is sure to triumph. O believers! Do not seek alliance with those who were given the Book before you (i.e. Jews and Christians) and the deniers who ridicule your religion and make a jest of it, if you are true believers. When you call for prayers, they take it in amusement and treat it as a jest. This is because they are people who have no understanding.” [The Qur’an (5:41-58)].

These verses are describing a certain sect of Muslims, Jews and Christians. They all claim to be adhering to their faiths while actually, they are hypocrites. Although they know the truth and understand it with their minds, they don’t truly believe with their hearts nor do they follow Allah’s messages. Their actions contradict their understanding. They follow man-made laws in their judgments and neglect Allah’s laws. The end product of their hypocritical attitude is that the world inclines towards a distorted unbalanced system more and more every day. Eventually, this shall lead to our destruction. As for the believers who acknowledged the truth when they received it, they take Allah and each other as allies in this unbalanced system. Muslims who take hypocrite Jews or hypocrite Christians as allies are described in the verses as apostates, Allah knows what’s in their hearts, He proclaims that He shall replace them with others who are sincere in their faith.

Now the reader may wonder, why couldn’t we as Muslims take allies from among the people of the book when the prophet himself took Negus, king of Abyssinia, as an ally and he was still a Christian? The prophet also took the Jews of Madinah as his allies when he immigrated to Madinah and he respected this alliance until they committed high treason when Madinah fell under attack during the invasion of the confederates. The prophet used as well to praise a rabbi named “Mukhaireeq” for refusing to betray the alliance with the Muslims and died while defending Madinah with the Muslims’ army in the “Battle of ‘Uhud.” The verses answer all these questions saying that those among the people of the book who ridicule Islam and treat it as a jest are the ones intended. There are many from among the people of the book who respect Islam and treat Muslims in a very kind manner. I have known an American who was raised in adoption by a Christian mom. He told me that when he started thinking about embracing Islam, she gave him great support and never tried to hinder him from following his own heart. He described her to be the most honest woman he ever knew. When he spoke about her final illness and departure, the grief in his voice was honestly heartbreaking. People are not all alike, some non-Muslims may respect Islam more than some born Muslims do. Those who respect your religion are the only ones worthy of your friendship and alliance.

Amazingly, Islam haters neglect the entire preceding context and trim out only verse (5:51) from amidst it. The worst forgery of all is when they neglect verse (5:57) in the same page, this verse is very clear in stating that those who ridicule Islam and mock Muslims are the ones intended by the preceding verses, but as the verses describe their attitude “This is because they are people who have no understanding.”

The Qur’anic context is clear, it doesn’t need an elaborated explanation. Please read it again and decide for yourself whether this is a religion that promulgates hatred, or mutual respect.

3. “I will terrorize the disbelievers. Therefore smite them on their necks and every joint [and incapacitate them. Strike off their heads and cut off each of their fingers and toes]” [The Qur’an (8:12)].

Islam bashers say that this verse is enough to prove that Islam is terrorism and violence. They say it’s a sick religion that orders its adherents to kill those who don’t accept it in the most terrible ways.

Now let’s read the previous verse in its complete context in order to understand what it is actually saying. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“[Remember] When you begged your Lord for help, He answered you, ‘I will reinforce you with a thousand angels in succession.’ God made this a message of hope to reassure your hearts. Help comes only from God, He is mighty and wise. Remember when He covered you with slumber as a reassurance from Him, and sent down water from the sky to purify you, to remove Satan’s insinuations from your [hearts], to make your hearts strong and your feet firm. Your Lord revealed to the angels: ‘I am with you: give the believers firmness, I shall cast terror into the hearts of the disbelievers, strike above their necks and strike their fingertips.’ That was because they defied Allah and His Messenger, and if anyone defies Allah and His Messenger, Allah punishes him severely, ‘That is what you get! Taste that!’ and the torment of the hellfire awaits the disbelievers.” [The Qur’an (8:9-14)].

After the advent of Islam, Muslims lived under persecution for 13 years. Whenever they asked the prophet P.B.U.H. to invoke Allah to deliver them from the hands of the Makkan pagans, he ordered them to be patient for Allah has promised His sincere servants a great triumph, but it was not the time for it yet. During those 13 years, many men and women were tortured and killed for holding on to their faith. Prophet Muhammad himself was beaten and targeted to be killed several times, but never did the Muslims raise one finger in the faces of their persecutors. Near the end of year 13, Prophet Muhammad ordered Muslims to forsake their homeland and immigrate to Madinah. After Muslims immigrated to Madinah leaving behind their homes, lands and all possessions, the Makkan pagans didn’t leave them alone, they sent scouts after them and started to make their preparations seeking to attack the Muslims in their new home at Madinah. It was only then when Muslims started to fight back. Please read my relevant post “Roots of Jihad” for complete understanding.

The first battle that the Muslims ever led against the pagans was the “Battle of Badr.” They were outnumbered by 3 to 1. Their army comprised nothing but 313 shepherds and former slaves who never fought before. They only had “two horsemen” and the rest of them were foot-soldiers armed with swords and light shields. The pagans’ army, on the other hand, comprised more than 1000 soldiers, most of whom were strong husky combatants, known of having fierce fighting skills, they had more than 100 horsemen and 600 strong shields. Any quick analysis of the situation will tell you that the Muslims didn’t stand a chance to even face the pagans’ army for more than 15 minutes.

On the battle’s eve, Muslims were unable to sleep out of fear and worry. The news brought back by their scouts weren’t auspicious. On the battle’s day, they woke up astonished that they all fell asleep and they even enjoyed a sound sleep to the extent that some of them had wet dreams. This could cynically make you laugh, but actually, it’s an indication of how deeply and securely they slept without any traces of worry or fear on their minds. Those who had wet dreams during their sleep woke up afraid that they might get killed in the battle without praying for they were impure and needed to wash their bodies. Against all odds, and although it was mid March—a time when rain rarely falls at this region—it started raining and they all washed their bodies, performed ablution and prayed. They prepared themselves in ranks for the battle and it was then when the prophet gave them glad tidings of victory and told them that Allah has sent His angels to fight alongside the Muslims.

Amazingly Muslims won this battle in a miraculous way. The above verses were revealed after this battle as a commemoration of the incident so that Muslims throughout the ages would remember that victory is not given for the stronger army, but it is given to those who have stronger faith. Allah grants His victory only to those who are noble and righteous.

Although the context is clear and the reason for revelation is written in all exegesis, some people twist the meaning of the verses to satisfy their own inclination and prejudice. If you compare the two preceding translations, you will instantly notice that the words placed between square brackets in the red colored translation given by Islam bashers is an addition not found in the Original Arabic wording of the Qur’an. Moreover, the incident itself was one of self-defence against a much stronger and mightier army. Muslims were defending their new homeland against those who drove them out from their original one after having tortured and persecuted them for 13 years. So the question here is: “What exactly is the way which “Islam bashers” deem appropriate to deal with those unscrupulous invaders, lie on the ground and play dead?!”

The worst forgery of all is when Islam bashers trim out the words from amidst the verse and tamper with its translation to portray Muslims as a bunch of bloodthirsty cannibals who are sitting above the bodies of their decapitated victims and cutting off their fingers and toes. This is the instant image that anyone gets when reading the incomplete verse, while the complete context is actually ordering the fighters to either strike with their swords the enemies above the neck and kill them instantly, or strike at their fingertips in order to restrain them from attacking the Muslims. This is also why Prophet Muhammad said, “If you kill [your enemy] then make it a quick death.” And this is also how the prophet P.B.U.H. never killed anyone in all of his battles except one man, and we have already told this story before. This was a sword fight for crying out loud, so what exactly is it that Islam bashers want Muslims to do, throw down their swords and deliver thunderous slaps on their enemies’ faces?! Even the context of the order itself was not directed to the Muslims, but it is a narration of Allah’s orders to the angels whom He sent to support the Muslims’ army, and the verses were revealed to Muslims after the battle was over, this is why Allah is continuously saying “Remember.”

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Written by: Ehab Shawky