After the events of 9/11, attacks on Islam increased greatly, and Islam was exposed to a constant barrage of misrepresentation and defamation in order to portray it as a religion of violence and terrorism.
No text - whether Divine or human - is safe from being misunderstood or misinterpreted including the Qur’an. As a book of guidance, the words of the Qur’an have to be read and pondered within its context.
After the events of September 11th, some self - appointed experts on terrorism and extremism recommended that Muslims should remove the chapter number 9 from the Quran, namely altawba or the repentance. After all, the Quran contains 114 chapters, so removing one of them was no big deal! That’s what they think.
Their argument was that this chapter contains verses that incite violence. One of its verses, forexample, says: “As soon as the inviolable months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them at every passage”. So they argue that this is extremely violent rhetoric in the holy book of the Muslims, and it is the reason that drives them towards violence.
That is why we need to understand this chapter, which is a very beautiful and magnificent chapter that explains to Muslims the three kinds of non-Muslims and how to interact with each type of them. In other words, Muslims look upon non-Muslims as one of three groups – there are no other possibilities. The first of these is decent non-Muslims, who respect their treaties or covenants, then there is a group who do not respect their treaties and, finally, there is a group who seek political refuge within Muslim countries. Chapter number 9 tells Muslims how they should deal with each of those three types. I have mentioned before that in order to properly understand the meaning of any verse in the Quran, one must view it in context: the verses preceding it and the verses following it. The verse that I just mentioned is verse number five, and if we go back just one verse, to verse number four, we find that it talks about the first type of non-Muslims: those who respect their covenants and treaties. It says: “except for those of the polytheists whom you have covenanted then they did not fail you in anything, nor did they back anyone against you. So fulfill with them their covenant to the end of their term; indeed, Allah loves the people who are mindful of Him”. So does the verse order Muslims to go and kill these people? Of course not. Sadly, there are some extremist Muslims that claim that all verses of the Quran that advocate leniency and peacefulness with non-Muslim have been abrogated, or cancelled. Such people must understand that these verses are not open to being abrogated. The reason is that such a verse as the one I quoted ends with the words “Allah loves the people who are mindful of Him”, which represents the reason for which Muslims are ordered to respect their treaties with these non-Muslims. God is saying that honoring treaties with such people is a facet of righteousness and mindfulness of Him. So how would it make sense for such a verse to be cancelled or reversed? Could God have decided that instead of loving the righteous he loves the non-righteous? Of course that does not make sense. So honoring treaties with decent people who honor their part is an irrefutable command and such verses are non-abrogable. Verse number 7 also says: “As long as they are upright with you, be upright with them; indeed, Allah loves the people who are mindful of Him”. Again there is the same mention of Mindfulness of God and righteousness; so no one can claim that these verses have been abrogated. The ending of both verses clearly makes them immune to abrogation, because it gives a rationale or reason that is not open to abrogation. Now let us examine the other kind of non-Muslims who do not honor their covenants or respect their treaties. God Almighty says, regarding these people: “But if they violate their oaths after making their covenant and defame your religion, then combat the leaders of denial—surely, they have no binding oaths—so that they may desist”. God commands Muslims to fight those people who do not honor their peace agreements. The next verse explains that these people are the ones who started attacking Muslims and God reprimands the Muslims for not fighting such people. He says: “Will you not combat a people who have violated their oaths and have advanced forward to evict the Messenger, and it was they who initiated hostilities against you? Do you fear them? It is Allah who is worthier of being feared, if you are believers”.
So a Muslim is required to fight those who do not honor peace agreements and who initiate attacks. The third kind of non-Muslims are the kind who seek political refuge and sanctuary, and God clearly commands Muslims to provide refuge for them. Verse 6 in the same chapter says: “And if anyone of the polytheists asks you for protection, then grant him protection so that hemay hear the Word of Allah, then escort him to where he can be safe”.
In other words, this verse says that if a non-Muslim asks for protection, Muslims must provide it for him/her, then talk to him/her about Islam, or give a book about Islam to read. If a refugee decides to embrace Islam, well and good; if not then what should Muslims do next? Muslims are required to deliver the refugee to safety. Muslims should go so far as to fight anyone who seeks to harm the non Muslim refugee, whether that aggressor is a Muslim or non-Muslim because-according to this verse- they became responsible for the safety of the non Muslim refugee. A Muslim can even end up losing his life for the sake of protecting that non-Muslim. This is chapter number 9, Surat Al Tawba which Islamophobes sought to remove from the Quran. It just tells Muslims to deal peacefully, honestly and friendly with honest and peaceful non Muslims, combat hostile non Muslims who attack them and initiate hostilities against them and finally give refuge and protection to non Muslim asylum seekers.
If the words of the Quran are read properly within its context, they will inspire the reader, draw him/her closer to God and bring serenity and tranquility to the heart. But if the words of the Quran are read by the cut and paste ISIS mentality, they will never be understood properly, and in this case the blame falls on the reader not on the Book.
The solution is to educate people about the true message of the Quran, that’s why we chose that as a slogan for Bridges foundation: “peacemaking through education”.






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