Daniel J. Pipes

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Reader comment on item: Pope Benedict Criticizes Islam
in response to reader comment: For Hamad: and reading the Qur'an in Arabic

Submitted by salman (United States), Dec 26, 2006 at 22:54

Like so many people in the world, Muslim and non-muslims alike, you took one sentence and twisted it to fit what you wanted to state.

To my knowledge, the surah you're quoting starts off like this:

  1. And there is proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to all People on the day of Great Pilgrimage that Allah is rid of the polytheists and so His Messenger, if you then repent it is then good for you, and if you turn you' face then know that you cannot tire Allah. And give good tidings to infidels of a painful torment.
  2. But those associators with whom you had covenanted they did not detract anything in your Contract, and did not help any one against you then fulfil their covenant till the promised day. Undoubtedly, Allah loves the pious ones.
  3. Then when the sacred months have passed, slay the associators wherever you find them and catch them, and confine them and sit in wait for them at every place; again if they repent and establish prayer and give the poor-due then leave their way. Verily Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

If you actually read the whole thing in whole, instead of simply taking pieces of it out, it's easy to understand that the sentences which say 'catch them, confine them, and sit in wait for them' are regarding those people who would plot against Muslims, not some random group that you may find living in a random place in some random country.


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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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