"Kill them wherever you find them"

Greetings everyone. My name is Hasinah. I made this blog in a attempt to help clear up misconceptions about Islam. I only have average knowledge of what is in the Quran, so please forgive me if I make any mistakes.I know this might not make a huge different, but it has to start with something. I think more Muslims need to step up and speak out in any way that they can.

My first topic will be about one of the most common verses used by Islamophobes. That is Surah 2 (Baqarah), verse 191.

"Kill them wherever you find them (Those who fight against you), drive them out of the places from which they drove you out, for tumult and persecution is worst than killing. But do not fight them at the Invoilable Sanctuary (Masjid Al-Haram) until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there), then kill them. Such is the reward of the disbelievers." - 2:191, Quran

Now, not only the bigots fail to read the entire verse, they forgot one very important factor, context. Bigots tend to only read the first six words of the verse. Their objective is to try and make it seem like the Quran tells Muslims to kill the Non-Muslims wherever we find them. That is completely false. To understand the meaning of this verse, you just have to read 1 verse before and 2 after it, something that it obviously very difficult for the Bigots.

Before I reveal the other verses, I want you to read the first and look at a very important part. Fight those who fight against you and don't attack them unless they attack you first. In other words, self defense. The verse before 191 is also about self defense.

"Fight for the sake of Allah those that fight against you, but do not attack them first. Allah does not love the aggressors." - 2:190, Quran

This verse specifically says do not attack first and fight those who fight you. Clearly not what the Islamophobes want you to think. The two following verses are very important.

"But if they desist, then (know that) Allah is forgiving, Merciful / And fight them until tumult and persecution are no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against the evil-doers." - 2:192 and 2:193, Quran

Based on what I have read from the Quran, these verses are specifically connected with a time when Muslims where being persecuted for being Muslim. Muslims were were being denied the right to practice their religion. The Muslims were attacked first and they had to defend themselves just like anyone else. When verse 2:192 says "and religon is for Allah", it means when the Muslims had the right to practice their religion freely again. It also says, if they stop, then you stop too. So my conclusion is that these verses mean: Defend yourself from those who fight you, and if they stop fighting then you stop.

If people read the Quran in this way instead of listening to verses Bigots take out of context, things would be alot different. Please try to learn what Islam really is before making judgements.

-Hasinah

Sources:

The Quran