Another invocation of the Qur’an to justify violence. “Iraqi Qaeda-led group says Russian hostages killed” from Reuters, with thanks to M3:
DUBAI, June 25 (Reuters) – An al Qaeda-led group posted video footage on the Internet on Sunday showing the killing of three men it said were Russian hostages seized in Iraq earlier this month.
The images, posted on a Web site often used by militants, showed two masked militants beheading of a man and the “execution” of another by shooting. It also showed the beheaded body of a third.
The fate of a fourth hostage was not clear.
“This is the video for carrying out God’s ruling against the Russian diplomats which we present to heal the hearts of believers and in revenge for our brothers and sisters for the torture and killing they receive at the hands of the infidel Russian government,” the said in a statement posted on the site….
The Mujahideen Shura Council defended the killings as an eye-for-an-eye measure, citing a verse of the Koran — Islam’s holy book — which says: “Those who assault you, you shall assault with the same (form) of assault.”
That looks to me like Qur’an 42:40: “The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree)…”
“Beggar scholars (affiliated with governments) will speak that slaughtering infidels is sacrilegious and so on. We tell them that this is the book of God, which will be the judge,” its statement said.
A request for moderate Muslims: please explain to this fellow why slaughtering infidels is wrong, from the Qur’an — not so that you will convince him but so that perhaps you will turn some other mujahedin or would be mujahedin away from the path of violence. What’s that? You won’t do it? The very request is an insult?
Or if you will do it, please send me your argument at director@jihadwatch.org. Also please provide evidence that your views are mainstream within the international Islamic community, and accepted by various schools of jurisprudence. This will provide clear evidence for the existence of the broad majority of moderate Muslims we keep hearing so much about. The ones who abhor and eschew all jihad violence and happily accept the parameters of Western society.