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My friend Jeff once told me that he had tried to read the Qur'an many times, but could never get through "The Cow." With this segment, we have after six weeks gotten through "The Cow," the Qur'an's longest chapter. The intention of this series is to discuss the Qur'an in context, as I am forever accused of not doing, and to illuminate for non-Muslims certain aspects of Qur'anic teaching that impinge upon their lives today, since, as the Canadian columnist David Warren points out, "it is impossible to present the tenets of the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Hamas, or the Muslim Brotherhood on the Sunni side; or of Hezbollah, Iraq’s blackshirts, or Iran’s revolutionary ayatollahs on the Shia side; as complete aberrations of Islam. They do quote Koran and Hadiths accurately enough, and they evoke a semi-legendary history of armed Jihad and conquest that resonates among unwesternized Muslim listeners."
This use of the Qur'an and Sunnah is, of course, something I have drawn attention to many, many times, and I have repeatedly called upon peaceful Muslims to confront and repudiate this use of their holy texts so as to try to blunt their capacity to inspire violence and supremacism. And as I go through the Qur'an and point out how Muslim interpreters understand the various passages, I shall continue to do so. In commenting not on this week's segment but last week's, some blogger accused me of "demonizing Islam." I fail to see how combing through the Qur'an and pointing out how Muslim commentators view its various injunctions can possibly constitute demonization -- if I am relating the material accurately, anything negative in it comes from Muslims, not from me, and if I am not, then please show me where I am wrong (but no one has done so, or can do so). I rather suspect that this has by now simply become the knee-jerk response to anything I do, but those who read what I actually write will not be able to sustain such a view.
Verses 222-242 of the Qur’an’s Sura 2, “The Cow,” primarily contain various laws for marriage and divorce. Intercourse during menstruation is forbidden (v. 222). The Jews are behind the revelation of v. 223, according to a hadith recorded by the Imam Muslim and many others: “the Jews used to say that when one comes to one’s wife through the vagina, but being on her back, and she becomes pregnant, the child has a squint” – or, according to other sources, is cross-eyed. To refute this, v. 223 was revealed: “Your wives are your tilth; go then unto your tilth as you may desire.” This verse is also understood as prohibiting anal sex. Qutb says that the use of the word “tilth” (Arabic حَرْثٌ), with its “connotations of tillage and production, is most fitting, in a context of fertility and procreation” – or, as Maududi puts it, Allah’s “purpose in the creation of women is not merely to provide men with recreation.” It is also to provide them with children.
The regulations for divorce emphasize that while women “have rights similar to those (of men) over them in kindness,” nevertheless “men are a degree above them” (v. 228). This may be why men can divorce their wives simply by saying, “Talaq” – I divorce you – but women may not do this. Such an easy procedure leads to divorces in a fit of pique, followed by reconciliation – and the Qur’an anticipates this and attempts to head it off by stipulating that a husband who divorces his wife three times cannot reconcile with her until she marries another man and is in turn divorced by him (v. 230). This has given rise to the phenomenon of “temporary husbands,” who marry and divorce thrice-divorced women at the behest of Islamic clerics even in our own day, so that these poor women can then return to their original husbands. This practice has, as one may imagine, given rise to abuses.
Verses 234 and 240 concern the arrangements men make for their wives in their wills; those interested in the doctrine of abrogation will note that Ibn Kathir contends of v. 240 that “the majority of the scholars said that this Ayah (2:240) was abrogated by the Ayah (2:234).”
Verses 243-260 returns to the Children of Israel, referring to several Biblical stories, none in much detail. The Jews refuse to fight after having been commanded to do so (v. 246) and they rebel at the appointment of Saul as king (v. 247). If Allah had willed, the nations would have believed the prophets he sent to earth, but this was not his will, although his reasons are left unexplained (v. 253). According to Islamic scholar Mahmoud Ayoub, v. 255, known as the Throne Verse (Ayat Al-Kursi), is “regarded by Muslims as one of the most excellent verses of the Qur’an. It has therefore played a very important role in Muslim piety.” The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, approves of a statement about its power, “Whenever you go to your bed, recite the Verse of ‘Al-Kursi’ (2.255) for then a guardian from Allah will be guarding you, and Satan will not approach you till dawn” and of another about its being the “greatest verse in the Book of Allah.” Qurtubi reports that “when the Throne Verse was revealed, every idol and king in the world fell prostrate and the crowns of kings fell off their heads,” and recounts a saying by Muhammad in which Allah tells Moses of the many blessings that people will receive if they recite the Throne Verse – another manifestation of the assumption that the People of the Book had at least some of the contents of the Qur’an, but perversely effaced them from their own Scriptures.
Immediately following is the famous statement that “there is no compulsion in religion” (v. 256). Islamic spokesmen in the West frequently quote it to disprove the contention that Islam spread by the sword, or even to claim that Islam is a religion of peace. According to an early Muslim, Mujahid ibn Jabr, this verse was abrogated by Qur’an 9:29, in which the Muslims are commanded to fight against the People of the Book. Others, however, according to the Islamic historian Tabari, say that 2:256 was never abrogated, but was revealed precisely in reference to the People of the Book. They are not to be forced to accept Islam, but may practice their religions as long as they pay the jizya (poll-tax) and “feel themselves subdued” (9:29).
Many see v. 256 as contradicting the Islamic imperative to wage jihad against unbelievers, but actually there is no contradiction because the aim of jihad is not the forced conversion of non-Muslims, but their subjugation within the Islamic social order. Says Asad: “All Islamic jurists (fuqahd’), without any exception, hold that forcible conversion is under all circumstances null and void, and that any attempt at coercing a non-believer to accept the faith of Islam is a grievous sin: a verdict which disposes of the widespread fallacy that Islam places before the unbelievers the alternative of ‘conversion or the sword.’” Quite so: the choice, as laid out by Muhammad himself, is conversion, subjugation as dhimmis, or the sword. Qutb accordingly denies that v. 256 contradicts the imperative to fight until “religion is for Allah” (v. 193), saying that “Islam has not used force to impose its beliefs.” Rather, jihad’s “main objective has been the establishment of a stable society in which all citizens, including followers of other religious creeds, may live in peace and security” – although not with equality of rights before the law, as 9:29 emphasizes. For Qutb, that “stable society” is the “Islamic social order,” the establishment of which is a chief objective of jihad.
In this light verses 256 and 193 go together without any trouble. Muslims must fight until “religion is for Allah,” but they don’t force anyone to accept Allah’s religion. They enforce subservience upon those who refuse to convert, such that many of them subsequently convert to Islam so as to escape the humiliating and discriminatory regulations of dhimmitude — but when they convert, they do so freely. Only at the end of the world will Jesus, the Prophet of Islam, return and Islamize the world, abolishing Christianity and thus the need for the jizya that is paid by the dhimmis. Then religion will be “for Allah,” and there will be no further need for jihad.
Verses 261-286 mainly exhort the believers to charitable giving, and condemn usury (vv. 275-281) – which is the foundation of the Islamic abhorrence of interest-based banking. V. 282 stipulates that two women are equivalent to one man in giving testimony. Muhammad explained, “This is because of the deficiency of a woman’s mind.”
So much for “The Cow.” Next week: the beginning of Sura 3, “The Family of Imran,” and why believers should not take unbelievers as friends and protectors.
(Here you can find links to all the earlier "Blogging the Qur'an" segments. Here is a good Arabic Qur’an, with English translations available; here are two popular Muslim translations, those of Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall, along with a third by M. H. Shakir. Here is another popular translation, that of Muhammad Asad. And here is an omnibus of ten Qur’an translations.)
Posted by Robert at July 16, 2007 8:31 AM
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Robert,
As long as you talk about the Qur'an from the non-apologetic view point, you are "spreading hatred", and "demonization".
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at July 16, 2007 8:56 AM
Uh, hello, Mr. Blogger - Islam demonizes itself.
These dhimmis are sooooo dumb - hence, the "dim" in "dhimmi!"
Posted by: darcy at July 16, 2007 9:17 AM
Compassion for people in debt does not seem in character for Mohammed in his later years. Is there any chance that:
And if ye do not, then be warned of war (against you) from Allah and His messenger. And if ye repent, then ye have your principal (without interest). Wrong not, and ye shall not be wronged.
…came about after Mohammed found himself in debt and was looking to lighten his load?
at July 16, 2007 9:54 AM
Mr. Spenser - Thank you once again for a wonderful posting on the Qu'ran.
Posted by: tanstaafl at July 16, 2007 10:43 AM
"And as I go through the Qur'an and point out how Muslim interpreters understand the various passages, I shall continue to do so." --Robert.
First of all I'm surprised that Robert did not cite 2:286, "...Give us victory over the disbelieving people..."
I know Robert's method is generally to stick to Muslim interpretations and present them as evidence. However, there are times when it is appropriate to add a comment from a non-Muslim's perspective about these Muslim interpreters' "interpretations." This is particularly important in regards to 2:256. Some Muslim interpreters frankly admit that Islam permits forced conversions, whereas others engage in the kinds of contortions expressed by Qutb and others who insist that somehow Islam doesn't permit people to be coerced into the religion. However, from the perspective of a non-Muslim who is on the receiving end of 9:5, 8:39, or 9:29-9:33, etc., there certainly is coercion in Islam.
It is also helpful to distinguish between what Muslim apologists and even jurists say/write, by way of either public-relations spin or through an attempt to reassure themselves about what they think is the goodness of Islam, and the actual substance of the policies and their implementation. Thus, apologists and some jurists say that Islam forbids forced conversion, even though the actual mainstream policies of Islam do involve and even mandate forced conversion or other methods of coercion in matters of religion.
Even the believing Muslim must admit there is coercion in Islam. Practically all of those who believe in Islam believe that those who do not accept Islam will be burned and tortured for all eternity, or perhaps will be punished by Allah through disasters, famine, genocide, etc. For believers, that constitutes compulsion in religion.
The fact that mainstream Islamic jurisprudence requires former Muslims to convert back to Islam is one of the many counterexamples to the claim that Islam forbids forced conversions. An apostate is by definition a non-Muslim, a disbeliever, and he must convert back to Islam or be put to death. The female apostate must either be put to death or held in prison until the repent and convert back to Islam.
The Islamically-legal method of jihad permits Muslims to wage war on any people who refuse to accept Islam or temporary truce under Islamic terms and conditions.
Here are some examples of coercion in Islam, from Bostom (2005):
The Jihad or Holy War According to the Malikite School Edmund Fagan. In Bostom, The Legacy of Jihad. pp. 251-266.
Page 254.
5. The fate intended for the conquered: Aman.
-a child can be born into slavery, depending on the father’s religion at the time of the child’s conception.
“Pregnancy caused by a Muslim man does not prevent the [infidel] mother from becoming a slave, and the child is born a slave if the father was an infidel when it was conceived.”
Page 259-.
12. Slaves of Infidels; Breakup of a marriage as a result of captivity.
-a slave can be freed if he converts to Islam, but he remains a slave if his master also converts to Islam.
“The slave of an infidel becomes free, whether [or not] he converts, when he flees to our territory or when he [having converted] remains in enemy territory until he is taken as booty—but not if he flees after his master’s conversion or by the simple fact that he, himself, converts.”
-in order to remain married to her husband, the wife and husband must convert to Islam.
“The fact of being taken captive annuls a marriage [between infidels], unless the wife who has been taken prisoner converts after her husband.”
15. Breach of the head tax contract.
“The fate of the tributary who flees to an enemy country and is recaptured [is determined by the imam]; more particularly, he can be reduced to slavery, as long as his flight was not provoked by abusive acts, since in this case he is regarded as being guilty of highway robbery. If a band [of converted infidels] apostatizes and indulges in highway robbery, the individuals who make up the group are treated as [Muslim] apostates.”
[And we know how Islam treats apostates and highway robbers, e.g., see 5:33].
From Shara ‘i’ u l-Islam, by Al-Hilli (d. 1277), pp. 205-212. in Bostom, The Legacy of Jihad. (This refers to various laws and provisions for dhimmis by the thirteenth-century Shia jurist and scholar, Al-Muhaqqiq Al-Hilli).
“167. Some infidels are permitted to retain the privilege of practicing their religion, in return for a tribute; they are Jews, the Christians, and those whose revealed scripture is of doubtful authenticity, that is, the guebres [Zoroastrians]. Any infidel other than those who profess one of the above-mentioned religions must be compelled to embrace Islam.”
[brackets added]
“177. When an infidel slave has been set free, he can be compelled to leave Muslim territory or else pay the tribute.”
“181. An infidel minor, upon attaining maturity, must be compelled to embrace Islam or else to be subjected to the tribute; if he refuses, he is to be reckoned as an enemy and treated as such.”
Non-Muslim woman is held captive by Muslim state, even if she had embraced Islam and apostatized.
“222. The infidel woman captive or refugee who has embraced Islam must not be returned, even if she apostatizes, since her conversion brought her into the bosom of Islam.”
“230. An infidel who embraces a religion not recognized by his co-religionists must be prevented from doing so and compelled to choose between Islam and death.”
“234. An infidel who performs publicly an act that is not forbidden by his religion but which is prohibited by the precepts of Islam must be punished according to the precepts of Muslim law with respect to a Muslim.”
Some other examples:
Ishaq, p. 547, upon the conquest of Mecca, Abu Sufyan had been captured and brought to Muhammad
“he [Muhammad] said [to Abu Sufyan], ‘Isn’t it time that you should recognize that there is no God but Allah?’ He answered, ‘You are dearer to me than father or mother. How great is your clemency, honour, and kindness! By God, I thought that had there been another God with God he would have continued to help me.’ He said: ‘Woe to you, Abu Sufyan, isn’t it time that you should recognize that I am God’s apostle?’ He answered, ‘As to that I still have some doubt.’
I said to him, ‘Submit and testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the apostle of God before you lose your head,’ so he did so."
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 11, Number 626:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to crawl." The Prophet added, "Certainly I decided to order the Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) to pronounce Iqama and order a man to lead the prayer and then take a fire flame to burn all those who had not left their houses so far for the prayer along with their houses."
Here is Ibn Kathir on 2:256:
Ibn Kathir on this (pages 37, 38):
Allah says: "There is no compulsion in religion", meaning: do not force anyone to embrace Islam because it is clear, and its proofs and evidences are manifest. Whoever Allah guides and opens his heart to Islam has indeed embraced it with clear evidence. Whoever Allah misguides, blinds his heart and has set a seal on his hearing and a covering on his eyes cannot embrace Islam by force.
The reason for the revelation of this verse was that the women of Ansar used to make a vow to convert their sons to Judaism if the latter lived. And when the tribe of Bani an-Nadhir was expelled from Madinah, some children of Ansar were among them, so their parents could not abandon them; hence Allah revealed: "There is no compulsion in religion…" narrated by Ibn Jarir, on the authority of Ibn Abbas, Abu Dawud and an-Nasa’I, on the authority of Bandar, Abu Hatim, and Ibn Hiban from the Hadith of Shu’bah, Mujahid and others. However Muhammad Ibn Ishaq narrated that Ibn Abbas said: it was revealed with regard to a man from the tribe of Bani Salim Ibn Awf called al-Husayni whose two sons converted to Christianity but he was himself a Muslim. He told the Prophet: "Shall I force them to embrace Islam, they insist on Christianity", hence Allah revealed this verse. But, this verse is abrogated by the verse of "Fighting": "You shall be called to fight against a people given to great warfare, then you shall fight them, or they shall surrender" (sura 48:16). Allah also says: "O Prophet! Strive hard against the disbelieves and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them" (9:73), and He says, "O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who are the Pious, (9:123).”
Note:
48:16. (Pickthall) Say unto those of the wandering Arabs who were left behind: Ye will be called against a folk of mighty prowess, to fight them until they surrender*; and if ye obey, Allah will give you a fair reward; but if ye turn away as ye did turn away before, He will punish you with a painful doom.
tuqatiloonahum aw yuslimoona*
al-Jalalayn 48:16. Say to those of the Bedouins, mentioned, who were left behind, to test them: 'You shall be called against a people possessed of great might - these are said to have been the [tribe of] Banū Hanīfa, the inhabitants of [the region of] al-Yamāma; but it is also said that these were the Persians and the Byzantines - you shall fight them (tuqātilūnahum is a circumstancial qualifier referring to an implied [future] situation, which constitutes that to which the 'call' will be made); or they will submit, so that you will not [have to] fight. So if you obey, [the command] to fight them, God will give you a good reward; but if you turn away like you turned away before, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement'.
Ibn Abbas, 48:16. (Say) O Muhammad (unto those of the wandering Arabs who were left behind) Dayl, Ashja‘, and a group of people from both Muzaynah and Juhaynah: (Ye will be called) after the Prophet (pbuh) (against a folk) to fight a folk (of mighty prowess) who are tough in fighting; the reference here is to the people of al-Yamamah, Banu Hanifah, the folk of Musaylimah the liar, (to fight them) because of religion (until they surrender; and if ye obey) and agree to fight and make your profession of Allah’s divine Oneness pure, (Allah will give you a fair reward) in the Garden; (but if ye turn away) from Allah’s divine Oneness, repentance, sincerity and acceptance to fight against Musaylimah the liar (as ye did turn away before) at the conquest of al-Hudaybiyyah, (He will punish you with a painful doom).
Posted by: Khaybar Oasis at July 16, 2007 12:45 PM
Forced conversion:
Al-Jalalayn (on-line version), 9:5.
"Then, when the sacred months have passed - that is, [at] the end of the period of deferment - slay the idolaters wherever you find them, be it during a lawful [period] or a sacred [one], and take them, captive, and confine them, to castles and forts, until they have no choice except [being put to] death or [acceptance of] Islam; and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush, [at every] route that they use (kulla, 'every', is in the accusative because a [preceding] genitive-taking preposition has been removed). But if they repent, of unbelief, and establish prayer and pay the alms, then leave their way free, and do not interfere with them. God is Forgiving, Merciful, to those who repent."
Ibn Abbas, 9:5:
"(Then, when the sacred months have passed) then after the day of immolation when the month of Muharram passes, (slay the idolaters) whose treaty is for fifty days (wherever ye find them) whether in the Sacred Precinct or outside it, during the sacred months or at any other time, (and take them (captive)) imprison them, (and besiege them) in their homes, (and prepare for them each ambush) on every road they tread for trade. (But if they repent) from idolatry and believe in Allah (and establish worship) and acknowledge the five daily prayers (and pay the poor-due) acknowledge the payment of the poor-due, (then leave their way free) if they wish to go to the House of Allah. (Lo! Allah is Forgiving) He forgives whoever repents, (Merciful) towards whosoever dies in a state of repentance."
Ibn Kathir's tafsir of 9:5 http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=9&tid=20750
"This is the Ayah of the Sword
Mujahid, `Amr bin Shu`ayb, Muhammad bin Ishaq, Qatadah, As-Suddi and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that the four months mentioned in this Ayah are the four-month grace period mentioned in the earlier Ayah,
(So travel freely for four months throughout the land.) Allah said next,
(So when the Sacred Months have passed...), meaning, `Upon the end of the four months during which We prohibited you from fighting the idolators, and which is the grace period We gave them, then fight and kill the idolators wherever you may find them.' Allah's statement next,
(then fight the Mushrikin wherever you find them), means, on the earth in general, except for the Sacred Area, for Allah said,
(And fight not with them at Al-Masjid Al-Haram, unless they fight you there. But if they attack you, then fight them. )[2:191] Allah said here,
(and capture them), executing some and keeping some as prisoners,
(and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush), do not wait until you find them. Rather, seek and besiege them in their areas and forts, gather intelligence about them in the various roads and fairways so that what is made wide looks ever smaller to them. This way, they will have no choice, but to die or embrace Islam,
(But if they repent and perform the Salah, and give the Zakah, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq used this and other honorable Ayat as proof for fighting those who refrained from paying the Zakah. These Ayat allowed fighting people unless, and until, they embrace Islam and implement its rulings and obligations. Allah mentioned the most important aspects of Islam here, including what is less important. Surely, the highest elements of Islam after the Two Testimonials, are the prayer, which is the right of Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, then the Zakah, which benefits the poor and needy. These are the most honorable acts that creatures perform, and this is why Allah often mentions the prayer and Zakah together. [...]"
at July 16, 2007 1:05 PM
Robert,
I can't wait till you blog Sura 9.
Instead of doing them in numerical order, please consider blogging Sura 9 next. That's the Sura with the highest density of ominous zingers.
at July 16, 2007 4:22 PM
It took 7 weeks to do Surah 2. I wonder whether the latter surahs would be bunched in together, or else, this is going to take forever. ;-|
Posted by: Infidel Pride at July 16, 2007 4:34 PM
Thank you for doing this, Robert Spencer.
Posted by: David Blue at July 17, 2007 9:56 AM
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