If Anyone Slays a Person (Qur'an 5:32): Difference between revisions

However, this verse cannot be found in any printed copy of the Qur'an, regardless of whether or not it is in the original [[Arabic]] or in one of its many English translations. The reason for this is simple: the verse in question does not exist.

What is actually presented by apologists is a distorted, out-of-context and misleading paraphrasing of the following verse:

The preceding verses 5:27-31 talk about the Jewish story of Cain and Abel. Abel offered animal sacrifice to Allah and Abel offered crops. Allah liked the animal sacrifice, but he rejected the crops, so Cain got angry and killed Abel <ref>[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=27&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn 5:27]</ref>. Then comes the verse 5:32, beginning with "for that reason" or "on that account" (مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ, ''min ajli dhaalika''), meaning "for the reason Cain killed Abel" <ref>"Because of that which Cain did We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever slays a soul..." - [http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=32&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn 5:32]</ref>. Then the verse describes a decree given to "the Children of Israel" i.e. the Jews who, according to Islam, received an [[Taurat|earlier set]] of scriptures. Incidentally, the Qur'an here is mistakingly referencing a very human [[Parallelism:_Sanhedrin_37a|rabbinical commentary found in the Talmud]]<ref>[http://www.come-and-hear.com/sanhedrin/sanhedrin_37.html Talmud Sanhedrin 37a]- "For this reason was man created alone, to teach thee that whosoever destroys a single soul of Israel, scripture imputes [guilt] to him as though he had destroyed a complete world; and whosoever preserves a single soul of Israel, scripture ascribes [merit] to him as though he had preserved a complete world." - It explains why Man was created only 1 (Adam), while animals were created in masses. [http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/192,2230417/From-where-does-the-saying-Save-a-life-save-a-whole-world-originate.html]</ref> as if it had been a decree in the words of Allah.

Ibn Abbas is also cited by ibn Kathir for this verse, giving the more general opinion, that it refers to the killing of a "soul that Allah has forbidden killing". Being a companion of Muhammad, Ibn Abbas was present around the time these verses were revealed. Together with ibn Jabr, he went through the Qur'an thirty times and memorised the meanings.

Uthman is also recorded in ibn Kathir's tafsir to have paraphrased the verse as applying to all people. This refers to the [[w:Siege_of_Uthman| siege of Uthman's]] house by a Muslim delegation who had intercepted a letter from him calling for their execution. He convinces an ally not to fight the besiegers by citing verse 5:32.

It is fairly obvious that the polytheists were one such group meant by the phrase "those who wage war against Allah and his messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land". A hadith graded hasan by al-Albani in Sunan Abu Dawud confirms this:

{{ quote | {{Abudawud|38|4359}} | Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

Retribution for murder is one of the caveats in verse 5:32 for which the peaceful principle does not apply. Some of the punishments prescribed in verse 5:33 are ordered by Muhammad after the following murder incident narrated in sahih hadiths and cited in tafsirs for these verses:

So what is first offered as the height of moral teachings found in the Qur'an, was widely understood as compatible with violent intolerance elsewhere within Islam.

==Conclusion==

 

 

In the Islamic world, those who propagate their non-Islamic faiths or [[free Speech|publicly criticize Islam]] are often [[persecution of Non-Muslims|harassed, imprisoned and even executed]] by their communities or their governments, under laws against "spreading disorder [mischief] through the land" and [[Islam and Apostasy|apostasy]].  

 

They are unable to because their claim is false, and (as proven by the actions of many)<ref>For example, on the 20^th of July, following the [[Images of Jihad (United Kingdom)#7/7 Terror Attacks|7/7 terrorist attacks]] on London, Islamic cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed publicly stated "I condemn the killing of innocent people." only to be secretly recorded by an undercover reporter for the Sunday Times explaining two days later "Yes I condemn killing any innocent people, but not any kuffar." <BR><BR>One of his followers, Islamic preacher Anjem Choudary, also explained in a BBC interview "when we [Muslims] say 'innocent people' we mean 'Muslims'. As far as non-Muslims are concerned, they have not accepted Islam. As far as we are concerned, that is a crime against God." Ref: Daniel Pipes - [http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2005/08/can-infidels-be-innocents Can Infidels be Innocents?] - Danielpipes.org, August 7, 2005</ref> anyone who is familiar with the Qur'an already knows this.