Are you aware of the doctrine of dar al-harb and dar al-Islam? Or taqiyya? If you aren't, I'd suggest you read up on it.
When they are few in number, Medina verses are heavily emphasized. These are the ones like "you have your religion, I have my religion" As they grow in numbers, they shift to the Meccan verses "slaughter the pagans" sort of verses.
I'm aware of everything you mentioned here, and you bringing these specific subjects up as an attempt to show that Islam teaches intolerance and violence proves that you didn't learn about Islam from the sources you mentioned earlier.
the doctrine of dar al-harb and dar al-Islam
In very simple terms, Dar al Islam (House of Islam) historically was a Muslim land with a Muslim government where Islamic law governed. Dar al Harb (House of War) was a land not under an Islamic government or Islamic law, which was openly hostile towards Muslims. Since there are no countries that fit these definitions today, the terms are rarely used by Muslims, with the exception being primarily Islamic extremist groups to justify their actions.
Let's take a look at what the Qur'an says about taqiyya.
First off, the word taqiyya isn't found anywhere in the Qur'an, But here is the definition:
Takiya (taqiyyah, taqiyya); “The principle of dissimulation of one’s religious beliefs in order to avoid persecution or imminent harm, where no useful purpose would be served by publicly affirming them.”
That definition is very specific as to when a lie is permissible.
Below is the ONLY verse found in the Qur'an that mentions lying as being acceptable and even then it is better to choose death rather than to lie as the hadith below it states:
"As for anyone who denies God after having once attained to faith - and this, to be sure, does not apply to one who does it under duress, the while his heart remains true to his faith, but only, to him who willingly opens up his heart to a denial of the truth upon all such falls God's condemnation, and tremendous suffering awaits them" (Qur'an 16:106)
"There is a consensus that whomsoever is forced into apostasy and chooses death has a greater reward than a person who takes the license to deny one's faith under duress, but if a person is being forced to eat pork or drink wine, then they should do that instead of choosing death." (Sahih al-Bukhari)
This following hadith makes it clear that lying is forbidden:
"Avoid falsehood, for falsehood leads to wickedness, and wickedness to Hell; and if a man continues to speak falsehood and makes falsehood his object, he will be recorded in God's presence as a great liar. And adhere to the truth, for truth leads to good deeds, and good deeds lead to Paradise. If a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his object, he will be recorded in God's presence as eminently truthful." (Sunan Abu Dawood vol. 3, no. 4971)
So as you can see a Muslim is only permitted to lie about one’s religious beliefs in order to avoid persecution, imminent harm or death. In all other cases lying is forbidden and will lead to condemnation.
The following hadith says it is one of the greatest of sins.
"Beware I inform you regarding the greatest of the mortal sins: Associating anything with Allah, disobeying parents and lying!" (Wasaelush Shia)
So based on the above, what do you thing the average Muslim's position would be on lying?
There's a playbook, the behavior and teachings depend on the population. When they are few in number, Medina verses are heavily emphasized. These are the ones like "you have your religion, I have my religion" As they grow in numbers, they shift to the Meccan verses "slaughter the pagans" sort of verses.
You can't take single verses from the Qur'an and apply them without including the surrounding verses and the historical and cultural context they were written in, as I mentioned earlier. The verses were revealed during specific battles that took place around 1400 years ago and are not applicable to Muslims living today. There's also not a single verse in the Qur'an that calls for the killing of non-Muslims simply for being non-Muslims. I'll provide a couple examples of what you would call
"'slaughter the pagans' sort of verses" to show this below:
Qur'an 2:191: "And kill them wherever you find them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you... kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers."
The historical context behind Qur'an 2:191 and its surrounding verses came after the followers of Muhammad were forced to Migrate from Mecca to Medina due to persecution from the Meccan idolaters leaving everything behind in the process. These verses were instructions to Muhammad's followers telling them that it's permissible to fight back, not just to reclaim what they had lost, but to also insure that the Meccan idolaters could never oppress others in the future.
And fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not commit aggression; God does not love the aggressors.
And kill them wherever you find them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and persecution is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
And if they cease, then indeed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.
Fight them until there is no more persecution and until worship is acknowledged to be for God . But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors. (Quran 2: 190–193)
These instructions were self-defensive and restrictive in nature and clearly don't advocate the killing of non-Muslims simply for the act of disbelief.
Qur'an 9:5: "kill the polytheists wherever you find them and take them prisoners, and beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush."
Verse 9:5 was also revealed to address particular groups of people and their relationship with the Muslims at that time. Qur'an 9 starts by saying
"A declaration of immunity from God and His Messenger to the polytheists with whom you had made a treaty." This was addressed to Quraysh who broke the terms of treaty that was made between Muhammad, representing the state of Medina, and the Quraysh tribe in Mecca in March 628 AD.
The verse in Chapter 9 where it says
"Once the sacred months have passed kill the polytheists wherever you find them" is referring to a very specific group of non-Muslims, the Quraysh which Muhammad had made a treaty with. It's not talking about all non-Muslims.
At the beginning of Chapter 9 we can see which polytheists are being talked about.
1. A declaration of immunity from God and His Messenger to the polytheists [the Quraysh]
with whom you had made a treaty.
4. Except for those among the polytheists with whom you had made a treaty, and did not violate any of its terms, nor aided anyone against you. So fulfill the treaty with them to the end of its term. God loves the righteous.
As seen in these two verses, it's not talking about all polytheists. Since verse 4 says
"Except for those among the polytheists with whom you had made a treaty, and did not violate any of its terms, nor aided anyone against you," then
this automatically tells us that some of the polytheists have broken their treaties.
7. How can there be a treaty with the polytheists on the part of God and His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at the Sacred Mosque? As long as they are upright with you, be upright with them. God loves the pious.
8. How? Whenever they [the Quraysh] overcome you, they respect neither kinship nor treaty with you. They satisfy you with lip service, but their hearts refuse, and most of them are immoral.
10. Towards a believer they respect neither kinship nor treaty. These are the transgressors.
In the above verses we again see a distinction between polytheists, Those who upheld their treaties (Verse 7) and those who didn't respect their treaties (Verses 8 & 9). Those who didn't keep their treaties are the transgressors.
13. Will you not fight a people who violated their oaths, and planned to exile the Messenger, and initiated hostilities against you? Do you fear them? It is God you should fear, if you are believers.
The above question wouldn't have been asked had there not been polytheists who had already broken their treaty. So when you read verse 5:
When the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them. And capture them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every ambush. But if they repent, and perform the prayers, and pay the alms, then let them go their way. God is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
When it says
"Once the sacred months have passed kill the polytheists wherever you find them," it's obvious that it's only talking about those who have already broken their treaties, the Quraysh, and not all polytheists.
When you take verse 5 out of context it sounds like a command to kill all non-Muslims:
9:5
kill the polytheists wherever you find them and take them prisoners, and beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush.
But with the added context, it's clear that it's not saying that at all. It also becomes clear that Qur'an 9:5 is not a command for Muslims living in 2025.
What makes you think it is only 1%?
Simple math. In 2021,
580,000 people in the world died violently. This includes conflict deaths, intentional homicides, and killings during legal interventions. If every violent death in 2021 came at the hands of a Muslim, they would represent only 0.025% of the Muslim population. Also, if you add up all the members of ISIS, al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Hamas, Jemaah Islamiya, and even the lesser-known groups like Gama’a al-Islamiyya and Jaysh Rijal Al-Tariq Al-Naqshabandi from the
US Department of State Country Reports on Terrorism 2023, there are less than 1,000,000 known Islamic terrorists in the world. Even if you double that number to 2,000,000 just to be sure every single terrorist is counted, like lone wolves, etc., it would only add up to 0.1% of the Muslim population. To reach 1%, there would need to be 20 million violent jihadists.
Using common sense, if less than 1% of the followers of Islam are engaging in violence, then this must not be what Islam teaches.
Are you aware of where the Zakat goes?
Where do you think it goes?
Who do you think funds the ones who actually engage in violent jihad?
Based in
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Comprehensive Update on Terrorist Financing Risks, most lone wolf actors are self funded. Large terrorist groups rely on a mix of state sponsorship, illegal activities, and donations, and smaller ones through criminal activities like kidnapping, piracy, and extortion. Private donations only account for between 10-30% of the funding and these donations mainly go to long established terror groups like Hamas.
You keep mentioning 2 billion followers, and seem to be ignoring the political landscape of the majority muslim world. Why do you think there are so many Islamic refugees?
War and conflict are the primary factors.
