Cherry Picking: Selective Quotation; A False Accusation

Critics of Islam are often accused of  cherry picking violent verses from Islam’s canon of scripture; using them to condemn Islam.  A few examples:

1. Islamofascism Speaker Misses The Point

2. Fun With Other People’s Religions (Pt. 1)

3. ‘THE LEGACY OF JIHAD: ISLAMIC HOLY WAR AND THE FATE OF NON-MUSLIMS’

The logical fallacy of these charges of cherry picking violent ayat is embedded in the nature of the Qur’an: it is a clear guide for Muslims to follow.  [Emphasis added.]

• 12:1. Alif-Lâm-Râ. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings].  These are the Verses of the Clear Book (the Qur’ân that makes clear the legal and illegal things, legal laws, a guidance and a blessing).
• 12:111 …and a detailed explanation of everything and a guide and a Mercy for the people who believe.
• 26:2. These are the Verses of the manifest Book [this Qur’ân, which was promised by Allâh in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), makes things clear].
• 27:1. Tâ­Sîn.

  [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’ân, and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Qur’ân, and (it is) a Book (that makes things) clear;

  27:2. A guide (to the Right Path); and glad tidings for the believers [who believe in the Oneness of Allâh (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism)].

• 27:75. And there is nothing hidden in the heaven and the earth, but is in a Clear Book (i.e. Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz).

  27:76. Verily, this Qur’ân narrates to the Children of Israel most of that about which they differ.

  27:77. And truly, it (this Qur’ân) is a guide and a mercy to the believers.

• 28:2. These are Verses of the manifest Book (that makes clear truth from falsehood, good from evil, etc.).
• 28:49. Say (to them, O Muhammad ): “Then bring a Book from Allâh, which is a better guide than these two [the Taurât (Torah) and the Qur’ân], that I may follow it, if you are truthful.”
• 41:44. And if We had sent this as a Qur’ân in a foreign language other than Arabic, they would have said: “Why are not its Verses explained in detail (in our language)? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (the Messenger) an Arab?” Say: “It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Qur’ân) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand).
• 43:2. By the manifest Book (that makes things clear, i.e. this Qur’ân).

The Qur’an contains clear verses whose commands are to be believed and carried out.

• 3:7. It is He Who has sent down to you (Muhammad ) the Book (this Qur’ân). In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book [and those are the Verses of Al-Ahkâm (commandments, etc.), Al-Farâ’id (obligatory duties) and Al-Hudud (legal laws for the punishment of thieves, adulterers, etc.)]; and others not entirely clear. So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah (polytheism and trials, etc.), and seeking for its hidden meanings, but none knows its hidden meanings save Allâh. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: “We believe in it; the whole of it (clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord.” And none receive admonition except men of understanding. (Tafsir At-Tabarî).

Lets consult  Ibn Kathir‘s Tafsir concerning this ayeh: The Mutashabihat and Muhkamat Ayat

• The Muhkamat are the Ayat that explain the abrogating rulings, the allowed, prohibited, laws, limits, obligations and rulings that should be believed in and implemented. As for the Mutashabihat Ayat, they include the abrogated Ayat, parables, oaths, and what should be believed in, but not implemented.

What did Allah say concerning obedience?

• 3:32. Say (O Muhammad ): “Obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad ).” But if they turn away, then Allâh does not like the disbelievers.
• 3:50. And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Taurât (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allâh and obey me.
• 3:132. And obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad ) that you may obtain mercy.
• 4:59. O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (), if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.
• 5:92. And obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad ), and beware (of even coming near to drinking or gambling or Al­Ansâb, or Al­Azlâm, etc.) and fear Allâh. Then if you turn away, you should know that it is Our Messenger’s duty to convey (the Message) in the clearest way.
• 8:1. They ask you (O Muhammad ) about the spoils of war. Say: “The spoils are for Allâh and the Messenger.” So fear Allâh and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad ), if you are believers.
• 8:20. O you who believe! Obey Allâh and His Messenger, and turn not away from him (i.e. Messenger Muhammad ) while you are hearing.
• 8:24. O you who believe! Answer Allâh (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he () calls you to that which will give you life, and know that Allâh comes in between a person and his heart (i.e. He prevents an evil person to decide anything). And verily to Him you shall (all) be gathered.
• 8:45. O you who believe! When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them and remember the Name of Allâh much (both with tongue and mind), so that you may be successful.

  8:46. And obey Allâh and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allâh is with those who are As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.).

• 24:51. The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allâh (His Words, the Qur’ân) and His Messenger (), to judge between them, is that they say: “We hear and we obey.” And such are the prosperous ones (who will live forever in Paradise).

  24:52. And whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger (), fears Allâh, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful ones.

  24:53. They swear by Allâh their strongest oaths, that if only you would order them, they would leave (their homes for fighting in Allâh’s Cause). Say: “Swear you not; (this) obedience (of yours) is known (to be false). Verily, Allâh knows well what you do.”

  24:54. Say: “Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he (Messenger Muhammad ) is only responsible for the duty placed on him (i.e. to convey Allâh’s Message) and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to convey (the message) in a clear way (i.e. to preach in a plain way).”

  24:55. Allâh has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islâm). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).

• 47:33. O you who believe! Obey Allâh, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ) and render not vain your deeds.

  47:34. Verily, those who disbelieve, and hinder (men) from the Path of Allâh (i.e. Islâm); then die while they are disbelievers, Allâh will not forgive them.

  47:35. So be not weak and ask not for peace (from the enemies of Islâm), while you are having the upper hand. Allâh is with you, and will never decrease the reward of your good deeds.

  47:36.  The life of this world is but play and pastime, but if you believe (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism), and fear Allâh, and avoid evil, He will grant you your wages, and will not ask you your wealth.

• 48:16. Say (O Muhammad ) to the bedouins who lagged behind: “You shall be called to fight against a people given to great warfare, then you shall fight them, or they shall surrender. Then if you obey, Allâh will give you a fair reward, but if you turn away as you did turn away before, He will punish you with a painful torment.”
• 49:14.  The bedouins say: “We believe.” Say: “You believe not but you only say, ‘We have surrendered (in Islâm),’ for Faith has not yet entered your hearts. But if you obey Allâh and His Messenger (), He will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

  49:15. Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allâh. Those! They are the truthful.

• 64:12.  Obey Allâh, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ), but if you turn away, then the duty of Our Messenger is only to convey (the Message) clearly.

Obedience is heavily emphasized. But what are believers to do exactly?  The context provides our first clue.

1. Al-Anfal 1 provides our first clear evidence of intent: an explicit reference to the disposition of spoils of war.  Why would a “religion of peace” engage in war and accrue spoils? “The spoils are for Allâh and the Messenger.”
   • 8:41. And know that whatever of war-booty that you may gain, verily one-fifth (1/5th) of it is assigned to Allâh, and to the Messenger, and to the near relatives [of the Messenger (Muhammad )], …

   How do you gain war-booty without engaging in war. Well, it could be defensive. But it ain’t, as we’ll see later.

2. 8:24 looks innocent at first: “Answer Allâh (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he () calls you to that which will give you life,” but only because of the ambiguous clause. That ambiguity is cleared up by Surah As-Saff:
   • 61:10. O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment.

     61:11.  That you believe in Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad ), and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allâh with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know!

     61:12. (If you do so) He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwelling in Gardens of ‘Adn ­ Eternity [‘Adn (Edn) Paradise], that is indeed the great success.

     61:13. And also (He will give you) another (blessing) which you love, help from Allâh (against your enemies) and a near victory. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad ) to the believers.

3. The context of 8:24 and & 8:45-46 is extremely obvious; they can only refer to battle.
4. 24:51-55  leave no doubt: “when they are called to Allâh”… “We hear and we obey.” …  “ if only you would order them, they would leave (their homes for fighting in Allâh’s Cause). Say: “Swear you not; (this) obedience (of yours) is known (to be false). Verily, Allâh knows well what you do.” … “grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth”
5. 47:33-36  let the cat out of the bag with these words: “So be not weak and ask not for peace (from the enemies of Islâm), while you are having the upper hand. Allâh is with you, and will never decrease the reward of your good deeds.”  That is an obvious reference to making war, beyond any doubt.
6. 48:16 lays out reward & punishment for fighting or shirking. No doubt there!
7. That is confirmed by 49:14-15:  “Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allâh.”

Did Allah command Muslims to fight? Offensively or defensively?

• 2:190 And fight in the Way of Allâh those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allâh likes not the transgressors. [Read the footnote appended by the translators, it adds important detail about Jihad!]
• 2:191 And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-al-Harâm (the sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
• 2:193 And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allâh) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allâh (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zâlimûn (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)
• 2:195 And spend in the Cause of Allâh (i.e. Jihâd of all kinds, etc.) and do not throw yourselves into destruction (by not spending your wealth in the Cause of Allâh), and do good. Truly, Allâh loves Al-Muhsinûn (the good-doers).
• 2:216 Jihâd (holy fighting in Allâh’s Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allâh knows but you do not know.

Ok, 2:190 addresses the defensive Jihad. But click the link, scroll to the bottom of the page and read the footnote about Jihad in general!  2:195 has an interesting phrase:”do not throw yourselves into destruction” Ibn Kathir will tell us what it means.

• (And spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction.) the destruction refers to staying with our families and estates and abandoning Jihad‘.” This was recorded by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i, `Abd bin Humayd in his Tafsir, Ibn Abu Hatim, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Marduwyah, Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la in his Musnad, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim. At-Tirmidhi said; “Hasan, Sahih, Gharib” Al-Hakim said, “It meets the criteria of the Two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) but they did not record it.”

• 8:39 And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allâh) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allâh Alone [in the whole of the world ]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allâh), then certainly, Allâh is All-Seer of what they do.
• 9:29 Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allâh, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allâh and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islâm) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Beyond doubt, these two ayat are imperative and clear. Muslims are commanded to fight pagans until only Allah is worshiped; Jews & Christians until they pay extortion in a state of submission.  These are fight… until loops. How long do they run?

• Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 2526
  

  Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

  The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, “There is no god but Allah” and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist). The tyranny of any tyrant and the justice of any just (ruler) will not invalidate it. One must have faith in Divine decree

Jihad continues until Judgment day.  Is there any confirmation of the commands to fight?

• Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 387:
  Narrated Anas bin Malik:
  Allah’s Apostle said, “I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.’ And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah.” Narrated Maimun ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Malik, “O Abu Hamza! What makes the life and property of a person sacred?” He replied, “Whoever says, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah’, faces our Qibla during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have.”
• Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 92, Number 388:
  Narrated Abu Huraira:
  When Allah’s Apostle died and Abu Bakr was elected as a Caliph after him, some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief, ‘Umar said to Abu Bakr, “How dare you fight the people while Allah’s Apostle said, I have been ordered to fight the people till they say ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah’ And whoever says: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.’ waves his wealth and his life from me unless he deserves a legal punishment lusty, and his account will be with Allah! Abu Bakr said, “By Allah, I will fight him who discriminates between Zakat and prayers, for Zakat is the Compulsory right to be taken from the wealth By Allah, if they refuse to give me even a tying rope which they use to give to Allah’s Apostle, I would fight them for withholding it.” ‘Umar said, ‘By Allah, It was nothing, except I saw that Allah had opened the chest of Abu Bakr to the fight, and I came to know for certain that was the truth.”
• Abu Dawud 14.2635
  Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

  The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: I am commanded to fight with men till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Apostle, face our qiblah (direction of prayer), eat what we slaughter, and pray like us. When they do that, their life and property are unlawful for us except what is due to them. They will have the same rights as the Muslims have, and have the same responsibilities as the Muslims have.

• Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 196:
  Narrated Abu Huraira:
  Allah ‘s Apostle said, ” I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,’ and whoever says, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,’ his life and property will be saved by me except for Islamic law, and his accounts will be with Allah, (either to punish him or to forgive him.)”

“Ordered to fight with the people”, “commanded to fight with men”!  Those are clear confirmation of the commands to fight. What is the penalty for refusing to fight?

• 9:38. O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allâh (i.e. Jihâd) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter.

  9:39. If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people, and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allâh is Able to do all things.

• Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 2497:
  Narrated AbuUmamah:
  The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: He who does not join the warlike expedition (jihad), or equip, or looks well after a warrior’s family when he is away, will be smitten by Allah with a sudden calamity. Yazid ibn Abdu Rabbihi said in his tradition: ‘before the Day of Resurrection”.

Is this cherry picking?  What is the Islamic law concerning Jihad, and what is it based on?

Al-Shafi’i (God have mercy on him) said: “The least that the imam must do is that he allow no year to pass without having organised a military expedition by himself, or by his raiding parties, according to the Muslims’ interest, so that the jihad will only be stopped in a year for a (reasonable) excuse.” He said: “If he did not undertake the sending of enough troops to fight, those who are absent (must) go out, and consider as an obligation that which God (who is praised) said.”

The Imam must attack Kuffar at least once a year, based on Allah’s commands. Is that clear enough for you?  But I have more evidence, from Reliance of the Traveler, the mainstream handbook of Sharia.

O-9.8: The Objectives of Jihad
The caliph (o-25) makes war upon Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians (N: provided he has first invited them to enter Islam in faith and practice, and if they will not, then invited them to enter the social order of Islam by paying the non-Muslim poll tax (jizya, def: o-11.4) -which is the significance of their paying it, not the money itself-while remaining in their ancestral religions) (O: and the war continues) until they become Muslim or else pay the non-Muslim poll tax (O: in accordance with the word of Allah Most High,
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and who forbid not what Allah and His messenger have forbidden-who do not practice the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book-until they pay the poll tax out of hand and are humbled” (Koran 9.29),
the time and place for which is before the final descent of Jesus (upon whom be peace). After his final coming, nothing but Islam will be accepted from them, for taking the poll tax is only effective until Jesus’ descent (upon him and our Prophet be peace), which is the divinely revealed law of Muhammad. The coming of Jesus does not entail a separate divinely revealed law, for he will rule by the law of Muhammad. As for the Prophet’s saying (Allah bless him and give him peace),
“I am the last, there will be no prophet after me,”
this does not contradict the final coming of Jesus (upon whom be peace), since he will not rule according to the Evangel, but as a follower of our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) ).

What does the Caliph do, and why does he do it? Is that cherry picking?!  That is Sharia, Islamic LAW!  Oh, no, that’s Sunni doctrine. Yeah, wrong! Al-Ghazali was a Sufi. Dr. Andrew Bostom reveals his ruling, at Front Page Magazine.

Below is what Al-Ghazali actually wrote about jihad war, and the treatment of the vanquished non-Muslim dhimmi peoples (from the Wagjiz, written in 1101 A.D.): …one must go on jihad (i.e., warlike razzias or raids) at least once a year…one may use a catapult against them [non-Muslims] when they are in a fortress, even if among them are women and children. One may set fire to them and/or drown them…If a person of the Ahl al-Kitab [People of The Book – Jews and Christians, typically] is enslaved, his marriage is [automatically] revoked…One may cut down their trees…One must destroy their useless books. Jihadists may take as booty whatever they decide…they may steal as much food as they need…

Falsely accused of cherry picking evidence,  I have laid out my evidence linked to Islamic sources. I quoted Hilali & Khan’s Noble Qur’an. You can see eight other translations in parallel at http://www.quranbrowser.com.  The words vary; the meanings do not.

Is Allah’s word a clear guide for mankind?  Did Allah command Jihad against pagans and “people of the book”? Did Muhammad confirm that command? Did Muhammad obey it? Read 33:26-27 & 59:2.  If  the Qur’an is not clear & imperative on the matter of fighting; if Muhammad did not confirm the commands; if Muhammad did not carry out those commands and if Sharia is not founded on Allah’s word and Muhammad’s Sunnah, then present relevant, verifiable evidence to prove it!