Al- Quran 5:32 “…if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.†(Al Qur’an 9:5) “… Fight and slay the Mushrik/Kafir wherever you find them …†If you read the Qur’an, this verse exists but it is quoted out of context by Arun Shourie. The first few verses of Surah Tawbah before verse 5 speak about the peace treaty between the Muslims and Muskhriks (polytheists) of Makkah. This peace treaty was unilaterally broken by the Mushriks of Makkah. In verse no. 5 Allah (swt) gives them an ultimatum to put things straight in four months’ time, or else face a declaration of war. It is for the battlefield that Allah says “fight and slay the Mushriks (i.e. the enemies from Makkah) wherever you find them and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of warâ€. This verse is revealed and instructs the Muslims to fight in the battlefield and kill the enemy wherever you find them. But natural, any army general to boost up the morale of the soldiers and to encourage them will say “Don’t get scared, fight and kill the enemies, wherever you find them in the battlefield. Arun Shourie in his book ‘The World of Fatwas’ after quoting Surah Tawbah chapter 9 verse 5 jumps to verse 7. Any logical person will realize that verse 6 has the reply to his allegation. Surah Tawbah chapter 9 verse 6 says: “If any amongst the Mushriks (i.e. the enemies) ask thee for asylum, grant it to him so that he may hear the word of Allah and then escort him to where he can be secureâ€. (Al Qur’an 9:6) Today the most merciful army general may tell his soldiers to let the enemy go, but Almighty Allah in the Qur’an says if the enemy wants peace do not just let them go but escort them to place of security. Which army general in today’s day and age, or rather in the whole of recorded human history is ever known to have given such merciful instructions? Now will someone ask Mr. Arun Shourie why did he deliberately not quote verse 6?
hashif: 5:32 refers only to Jews, you chopped off the front of the verse to obfuscate it's meaning. 9:6 simply says not to murder people who convert to Islam. That's sort of a no brainer, even for a bloodthirsty wretch like Muhammad. Muhammad says you're being a bad Muslim by sitting in front of your PC instead of getting out there and murdering nonbelievers: 2:216 Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not.
Why he did it and whether he is deliberate or whether he is wrong can't be decided by one reference you made here. Shouri is a very well known and lauded social activist and majority of his readers accept his view point instantly. Now, I have two things to say with regard to killing of kafirs (whatever it means) and it's quranic justifications. One, at least here is someone who tried to be honest to himself by trying to speak as much truth as he could. Two, polytheism is a choice for way of life much before Allah was created, let alone Islam, just like atheism is. I am not sure what the treaty was all about before polytheists broke it (really?). Nevertheless, it couldn't definitely be about them offering themselves to be killed in the bargain. The point is, believing another god is the birth right of all of us in the world which existed much before allah was created. Allah, if he is god, is just an addition to the long list of other, powerful, mature and old gods and he has no grounds to say “fight and slay the Mushriks (i.e. the enemies from Makkah) just because they happened to not believe him. Look, your god is still young and is a spoilt brat unlike my god who is mature and level headed. Your god certainly needs a lesson or two in harmonious living from him.