Figure 1.--Here American Muslim children are memorizing the Koran. Few non-Muslim Americans Ameruicans are aware of the level of intolerance contained in the Koran.

We do not want to repear the many intolerant passages reffering to Jews, Christians and viloence detailed on the previous page. But some intolerant pasages from the Koran should be noted and discussed here. The two most notable verses are "the sword verse" (9:5) and "the verse of tribute" (9:29). There are other important verses which need to be considered.to coinsider. Note thsat these are not isolated verses or verses taken out of the context of the Koran. There are some verses that advocate peaceful friendship, but these are early verses when Mohammed had still attracted few followers. When he had suceeded in attracting more followers, his tone switches from peace and toleration to intolerance and violence. The previous verses are seen by Islamic scholars as abrogated by the later verses. Of course contradictory verses sholud raise questions to a Muslim cinc\vinced that the Koran is the infalable wird of Allah.

Surah 1

Verses 1:5-7

"Show us the straight path, The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray"

This is a prayer that Muslims are enjoined to to repeat each day. "Those who earn Thine anger" here specifically refers to Jews and "those who go astray" refers to Christians.

Surah 2

Verse 2:24

Surah 3

Verse 3:10

"[As for] those who disbelieve, surely neither their wealth nor their children shall avail them in the least against Allah, and these it is who are the fuel of the fire."

Note that those who not accept Islam are designated as fuel for the fire of Hell.

Verse 3:28

"Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them..."

This last part means that the Muslim is allowed to feign friendship if it is of benefit, a strange passage for a religiion that clims toleration. Revered Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir states writes, "... believers are allowed to show friendship outwardly, but never inwardly."

Verse 3:85

"And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers."

Verse 3:118

"O you who believe! do not take for intimate friends from among others than your own people, they do not fall short of inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater still; indeed, We have made the communications clear to you, if you will understand."

This verse warns Muslims not to take non-Muslims as friends. It is a statement from the very bityh of Islam of the profound paranoia commonly expressed in the Islamic world that other people are waging war on Islam.

Surah 5

Verse 5:51

"O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."

Verse 5:80

"You will see many of them befriending those who disbelieve; certainly evil is that which their souls have sent before for them, that Allah became displeased with them and in chastisement shall they abide." Those Muslims who befriend unbelievers will abide in hell."

Surah 7

Verse 7:44

"The Companions of the Garden will call out to the Companions of the Fire: 'We have indeed found the promises of our Lord to us true: Have you also found Your Lord's promises true?' They shall say, 'Yes'; but a crier shall proclaim between them: 'The curse of Allah is on the wrong-doers.'

Here Muslims in heaven are essentially amusing themselves by looking down on non-Muslims in Hell and mocking them while they are being tortured in the flames.

Surah 9 (Repentance)

Verse 9:5--The sword verse

One translation reads, "When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and pay the alms-tax, let them go their way. Allah is forgiving and merciful." Another translation reads, "Once the Sacred Months are past, (and they refuse to make peace) you may kill the idol worshipers when you encounter them, punish them, and resist every move they make. If they repent and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), you shall let them go. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful."

Verse 9:23

"O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers"

Here Muslims are warned not even to take family members as friends if they do not accept Islam. This can be seen as the mildest interpretation of this verse from the 9th Surah which famously instructs "slaying the unbeliever wherever ye find them".

Verse 9:29--The tribute verse

"You shall fight back against those who do not believe in GOD, nor in the Last Day, nor do they prohibit what GOD and His messenger have prohibited, nor do they abide by the religion of truth - among those who received the scripture - until they pay the due tax, willingly or unwillingly."

The verse of tribute concerns the "people of the book". This is a Koranic terms understood by most Muslims to be faith communities possessing a scripture, in the Abrahamic tradition, primarily Jews and Christians. Hindus and Zoaristrians often do not receive similar status, although Islamic scholars differ on this. The Koramic command ihere is to fight those who have been given the book "until they pay the tribute (jizya) out of hand and have been humbled."

Surah 21

Verse 21:98

Surah 53

Verse 53:29

"Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message and desire nothing but the life of this world."

Surah 61 (The Battle Array)

Verse 61:4

Allah loves those who fight in his way."

Here the Arab verb is also "qatala".

Surah 66

Verse 66:6

Sources

MacEoin, Denis. Letter to John Reid, Home Secretary, August 14, 2006.

Created: 2:44 AM 9/29/2006
Last updated: 8:35 AM 9/12/2010