Islam and Violence: Difference between revisions

This page provides brief summaries of a few select articles concerning Islam and its relationship with various forms of violence. More relevant articles can be found via the Hub and Category pages (see the Site Map).

Violence Under Muhammad

Facts and Figures

Islamic Scripture

Muslim Statistics

Related Articles

Correspondence Prior to Violence

Killings Ordered or Supported by Him

The use of assassination to achieve political/religious goals has been important throughout the history of Arabia and Islamic expansion, and the very word "assassin" has Arabic roots (حشّاشين). Violence under Prophet Muhammad was a frequent occurrence, and the list of killings ordered or supported by him number at least forty-three. He and his men murdered (and even tortured for monetary gain) hundreds of people, mostly Jews. Here we list the results and reasons for the targeted killings and assassinations ordered or supported by Muhammad, as well as the primary sources which mention these incidents.

Genocide of the Jewish Banu Qurayza

Murder of Umm Qirfa of the Banu Fazara

Violence Against Women

Facts and Figures

Islamic Scripture

Muslim Statistics

Related Articles

Wife Beating

Honor Violence

Rape

Witch Hunts

Terrorism

Facts and Figures

Islamic Scripture

Muslim Statistics

Related Articles

Lesser vs Greater Jihad

Suicide Bombing

Converts to Islam

Persecution

Facts and Figures

Islamic Scripture

Muslim Statistics

Related Articles

Persecution of Ex-Muslims

Islam is the only major world religion that does not allow its followers the freedom to change faith. According to Shari'ah laws (extracted from the Qur'an and Sunnah), apostates of Islam must be sentenced to death. This has led to ex-Muslims often being persecuted, abused and killed. This treatment of apostates is not simply down to the issue of state-enforced religion as some may suggest. As you will find out on this page, the violence or threats of violence against apostates in the Muslim world usually derives not from government authorities but from family members and individuals from the Islamic communities themselves, who operate very often with impunity from the government. This point is further emphasised by the persecution and murder of ex-Muslims which has now become evident in many non-Muslim societies across the globe.

Persecution of Non-Muslims

According to Islamic laws, non-Muslims in Islamic lands should be subdued and be treated as dhimmis (second class citizens). They should be coerced and intimidated to convert to Islam, through special humiliating taxes like Jizyah imposed on them. Following Prophet Muhammad's example, this has been taking place throughout Islam's history. While Muslims demand for concessions in non-Muslim countries, non-Muslims are systematically persecuted, terrorized and ethnically cleansed from Islamic lands. In 2008 alone, there were 2,204 separate documented incidents of Islamically motivated violence which led to death. In total there were 10,779 deaths and another 18,213 critically injured. That is more people killed each and every year in the name of Islam, than in all 350 years of the Spanish Inquisition combined. More than 29 people are killed in religiously motivated attacks every single day at the hands of Muslims. If you spend just one short hour reading through some of the news articles compiled on this page, there would have been another one to two deaths attributed to Islam and countless other incidents involving beatings, rapes, abductions, forced conversions, desecration of non-Muslim buildings, etc.

Persecution of Homosexuals

Homosexuality is considered to be one of the worst sins in Islam and one of the greatest crimes punishable under Islamic law. The Prophet Muhammad not only condemned homosexuality but even the "appearance" of homosexuality (effeminate men and masculine women). With the rise of the Islamic population amongst historically non-Muslim societies, also comes the rise in persecution. For example, while Muslims comprise just 2% of the total British population, they commit 25% of all anti-Homosexual crimes. However, this ongoing and increasing persecution of homosexuals by Muslims around the world, rarely makes the mainstream news. The fear of offending Islamic sensibilities and enraging the Muslim populous has effectively silenced the free world in many areas. Thanks to the Internet, those of us who search can find many news items that would otherwise be lost.

Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes

In attempting to deceive people into believing that they are being persecuted around the world for their faith, many Muslims have been caught fabricating anti-Muslim hate crimes. This is particularly important to some of them, hoping to paint the persecutor as the persecuted and shifting focus away from the millions who face real persecution at the hands of Islam. Fabricated hate crimes are also useful in creating an atmosphere of fear among the general Muslim population, gaining the sympathy and political support of non-Muslims, and shaming vocal critics of Islam into silence.

According to FBI hate-crime statistics, hate crimes directed against Muslims "remain relatively rare" in the United states,^[1] with gays, lesbians and caucasians more frequently a target than the followers of Islam. Jewish victims of hate crimes also outnumber Muslim victims by a ratio of almost 9 to 1, and anti-Muslim incidents only account for a tiny 1.3% of all hate crimes. Even anti-Christian (Catholic/Protestant) incidents outnumber those perpetrated against Muslims in America. Some of the cases listed in this article also put into doubt the truth behind all 105 reported incidents.

Miscellaneous

Violence in the Afterlife

Violence in Islam is not only limited to this life, but is also an integral part of the afterlife. The belief that disbelievers will be punished may be true for other faiths, but the amount of text that Islamic devotes to detailing this punishment and the explicit and triumphant nature of their descriptions is certainly not. There are nearly 500 verses (roughly one out of every twelve) in the Qur'an which speak of Jahannam (Hell). We are told it was specifically created and prepared with eternal fire by Allah, so that he could torture disbelievers. In fact, disbelievers are the fuel of Allah's fire, and he even says that he had the option of 'giving every soul its guidance' but would prefer to 'fill Hell with jinns and men'. Some of the tortures include; wearing garments of liquid pitch and fire, being bound in yokes and chains, spending eternity in a blazing fire with exchangeable skins so that they can be roasted over and over again, faces being covered in fire and lips being burned off, boiling water being poured over heads and used to scald skin and internal organs, being dragged by the face through boiling water and fire, beaten with maces of iron, and being fed painful, noxious, choking foods which will leave people hungry and boil their insides.

See Also

Articles

• Free Speech - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Free Speech

Multimedia

Other Core Articles

Core articles contain an overview of other articles related to a specific issue, and serve as a starting point for anyone wishing to learn about Islam:

• Islam and Apostasy
• Islam and Homosexuality
• Islam and Miracles
• Islam and Pedophilia
• Islam and Propaganda
• Islam and Science
• Islam and Scripture
• Islam and the People of the Book
• Islam and Women

References