User:Germen/Religious persecution by Muslims

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Misunderstanding between followers of Islam and people of other beliefs, or between different Muslim groups, has on occasion resulted in persecution of Muslims in non-Islamic countries, and conversely the persecution of non-Muslims or other Muslims in Islamic countries. Persecution in this sense refers to any arrest, imprisonment, beating, rape, torture, execution or ethnic cleansing based on belief in a contrary religious practice. This persecution can extend to confiscation and/or destruction of property, or incitement to hate.

Historically there has been ongoing conflict and persecution between various groups of Muslims, e.g. the Sunni, Shiite, Mu'tazilite and Kharijite sects of Muslims and the Druze and Ahmadiyya groups which are considered as non-Muslim by mainstream Sunni and Shi'a clergy, as well as conflict between Muslims and non-Muslim minority groups such as Jews, Christians, Sikhs or Yezidi.

Contents

[edit] Theological reasons in favour of and against persecution

The Qur'an, together with the non-Quranic sayings and acts of Muhammad (hadith) serves as the model for conduct (Sunnah) for Muslims in all matters of life, including politics. Thus, according to the Qur'an, Muslims are compelled to consider the way non-Muslims were treated by Muhammad and his followers as an ideal model for Muslim relations. This makes the religious authorized account of Muhammads life (sirah), his words and his deeds (Hadith) of paramount importance as a source of religious law and as a source for distinguishing between religiously motivated persecution by Muslims and other persecution by Muslims.

[edit] In favour of persecution

[edit] Qur'an

  • Qur'an 3:85 If anyone desires a religion other than Islám (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost.
  • Qur'an 3:87 Of such the reward is that on them [i.e. apostates] (rests) the curse of Allah, of His angels, and of all mankind
    • Those verses are cited as a justification of killing Muslim apostates (murtadd).
  • Qur'an 61:7 Who doth greater wrong than one who forges falsehood against Allah, even as he is being invited to Islám? And Allah guides not those who do wrong.
  • Qur'an 98:6 Those who disbelieve, among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists, will be in Hell-Fire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of creatures. I did not add it because it is Wikipedia policy not to repeat available sources.
    • Cited as a proof that non-Muslims are evil creatures and therefore legal to persecute.
  • Qur'an 9:30 The Jews call Ùzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!
    • Cited as a reason why Jews and Christians should be hated.
  • Qur'an 59:2 It is He Who got out the Unbelievers among the People of the Book from their homes at the first gathering (of the forces). Little did ye think that they would get out: and they thought that their fortresses would defend them from Allah! But the (Wrath of) Allah came to them from quarters from which they little expected (it), and cast terror into their hearts, so that they destroyed their dwellings by their own hands and the hands of the Believers. Take warning, then, O ye with eyes (to see)!
    • Thought to refer to the expulsion of the Banu Nadir. Instilling fear into non-Muslims is represented here as a good thing.
  • Quran 47:4 Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; at length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind (the captives) firmly: thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost.
  • Quran 9:5 Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
  • Quran 9:8-9 How can there be a league, before Allah and His Messenger, with the Pagans, except those with whom ye made a treaty near the sacred Mosque? As long as these stand true to you, stand ye true to them: for Allah doth love the righteous. How (can there be such a league), seeing that if they get an advantage over you, they respect not in you the ties either of kinship or of covenant? With (fair words from) their mouths they entice you, but their hearts are averse from you; and most of them are rebellious and wicked.
    • Cited as a justification for a perpetual war against infidels.

[edit] Traditions

[edit] Against persecution

[edit] Qur'an

  • [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 256]: “Let there be no compulsion in religion."
  • [Sûrah Âl `Imrân: 20]: “So if they [unbelievers] dispute with you, say ‘I have submitted my whole self to Allah, and so have those who follow me.’ And say to the People of the Scripture and to the unlearned: ‘Do you also submit yourselves?’ If they do, then they are on right guidance. But if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message. And in Allah’s sight are all of His servants.”
  • [Sûrah al-Mâ’idah: 99]: “The Messenger’s duty is but to proclaim the Message.”
  • [Sûrah Yûnus: 99]: “If it had been your Lord’s will, all of the people on Earth would have believed. Would you then compel the people so to have them believe?”
  • [Sûrah al-Kafirun (complete)]: Say : O ye that reject Faith! , I worship not that which ye worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. To you be your Way, and to me mine.
  • [Surat an-Nahl: 125]: "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair admonition, and argue with them in the kindest way. Your Lord knows best who is misguided from His way. And He knows best who are guided."
  • [Surat al-Ma'ida: 82]: "...You will find the people most affectionate to those who have iman are those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because some of them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant."
  • [Surat al-'Ankabut: 46]: "Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way - except in the case of those of them who do wrong - saying, 'We have iman in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him.'"

[edit] Traditions

[edit] Relations with non-Muslims during the life of Muhammad

[edit] In Mecca

Early in the history of Islam, Muhammad and his followers lived in the central-Western Arab city of Macoraba[1], the pre-Islamic name of Mecca. During those years the Muslims did not persecute other but rather suffered from discrimination and harassment by the local population and were persecuted for their beliefs. Muhammed and a group of his followers were compelled to flee to Medina (the hijra). According to Islamic tradition, most of the Qur'anic verses which describe tolerance towards other faiths, were revealed during this period or the early Medinense period. Traditional and Islamist Muslims consider those verses as abrogated by later, more belligerent verses, while more liberal Muslims consider those verses as more generally valid than those later verses which are seen as a response to a particular threat during Muhammads Medinense period.

[edit] In Medina

In Medina they were welcomed by the Arab tribes of the city, most of whom soon converted to Islam. As the ideals of Islam became more popular, and after the Battle of Badr, Muhammed and his followers consolidated their power as the ruling party. However the local Jewish population mostly retained their ancestral way of life. Three of the Jewish tribes that lived in Medina were the Banu Quraiza, the Banu Qaynuqa and the Banu Nadir. These groups and Muhammad signed a pact, the Constitution of Medina, outlining their reciprocal obligations: alliance against any attack on the town, not helping each others' enemies, not killing each other except for legitimate revenge, etc.

During this period, the foundations of the dhimmi system were laid, although this word came not into use until later. Jews and other non-Islamic people living under the protection of the islamic authorities were considered dhimmi. In exchange for paying a tax, or jizya, they were entitled to military protection by the Muslims. Although the dhimmi were extended fewer civil rights than the Muslim population were afforded, they were allowed to continue their traditional way of living and worship. The Hanbali school of Shariah, which is dominant in Saudi-Arabia, considers the dhimmi system as abrogated and hence does not allow non-Muslims to practice their non-Muslim religion.

Although generally spoken the Shari'ah awards more civil rights to Muslims than to non-Muslims, there are three exceptions to this rule:

  • A Muslim converting to another religion is considered "apostate" or murtadd and sentenced to death when he does not recant within three days, while non-Muslims were permitted to change their religion to whatever religion they liked.
  • Non-Muslims are not obligated to fight when a Muslim leader calls for a jihad.
  • Muslim women are allowed to marry only Muslim men, while non-Muslim women could marry men of any religion. However, the same does not apply for non-Muslim men, which were not allowed to marry Muslim women without converting to Islam.

[edit] Expulsion of the Banu Qaynuqa

Thus a truce between all Jewish tribes, including the Banu Qaynuqa, and the Muslims was concluded. A member of the Banu Qaynuqa was alleged to have denuded a Muslim woman and was killed in retaliation by a Muslim. The Banu Qaynuqa killed the Muslim killer in revenge. This led to acts of violence between the two groups. After arbitration failed, a full scale war ensued and Muhammad allegedly advocated the mass slaughter of the Banu Qaynuqa, however Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul convinced him to banish them and to confiscate their lands and possessions..[2]

This incident, among others, served as the motivation for the rule that if any conflict between the ruling faction and the non-Muslim population arose, the dhimmi pact was considered void. The Muslim military leader (amir) had the legal choice to either kill the dhimmis, sell them as slaves, banish them or forgive them, whichever outcome best served Islamic interests. Opinions abut which option generally spoken is best differ among Islamic theologians, while the most austere brands if Islam like the Hanbali madhab of shari'ah favour execution or enslavement, while more liberal brands and Quranic Muslims favour releasing the prisoners with or without paying ransom.

[edit] Expulsion of the Banu Nadir

Muhammad received what he described as a relevation from Allah in which he was warned of a murder attempt on his life by the Banu Nadir. He and his followers prepared for an attack on the Banu Nadir. After negotiations, Muhammad agreed to allow the Banu Nadir to leave Medina with their possessions, leaving behind their houses and lands.

[edit] Execution of the Banu Qurayza

According to several hadith of the Bukhari collection, the Banu Qurayza, a remaining Jewish tribe in Medina, allegedly committed treason during the Battle of the Trench. The Muslims laid siege to their fortifications. The Banu Qurayza agreed to surrender to the Muslims and agreed to be judged by Sa'd ibn Muadh, who ordered all adult males to be killed. Except for a few which converted to Islam, all Banu Quraiza men were killed and their families were sold as slaves. Muhammad approved of this judgment, allegedly calling it "a judgment of the King", (Allah). One of the Banu Qurayza women, Rayhana, became either Muhammed's wife or one of his concubines. Some Muslim theologians [3] [4] have used this event as a precedent and justification for the killing of infidel prisoners of war. It has also been used as a justification for the enslavement of prisoners of war and the taking of female prisoners of war as concubines or sex slaves. [5] [6]

[edit] Expulsion of non-Muslims from Mecca and Medina

By 628, the Muslim position was strong enough for Muhammad to return to Mecca, this time as a peaceful pilgrim. In March 628 he set out for Mecca, followed by 1,600 men. After some negotiations the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, was signed at the border town of al-Hudaybiyah. Muhammad would not be allowed to finish his pilgrimage that year. Hostilities would cease and the Muslims would have permission to make a pilgrimage to Mecca in the following year. However, Muhammed and his cadre reneged on the agreement, and war resumed. Muhammad's reasons for breaking it has often served as a role model for concluding treaties (hudna) with non-Muslims.

In 630, Muhammad marched on Mecca with an enormous force, said to number 10,000 men. Faced with inevitable disaster, the Meccans submitted without a fight. Muhammad in turn promised a general amnesty (from which some people were specifically excluded). Most Meccans converted to Islam and Muhammad destroyed the idols in the Kaaba. Henceforth the pilgrimage would be a Muslim pilgrimage and the shrine a Muslim shrine. Arab pagans, Jews and Christians who did not convert to Islam were ordered to leave Mecca. Since Muhammad's expulsion of non-Muslims from the Hejaz, non-Muslims have been excluded from entering the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The Hanbali school of Shariah considers this event as a basis for its position not to allow any dhimmis to stay in Muslim territories.

[edit] Religious persecution by Muslims during the reign of the four "Rightly Guided Caliphs"

(to be expanded)

[edit] Religious persecution by Muslims in Africa

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[edit] Religious persecution by Muslims in Sudan

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[edit] Religious persecution by Muslims in India

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[edit] Religious persecution by Muslims in 20th century Middle East

[edit] Farhud

On June 1 and June 2 of 1941, Iraqi policemen and Muslim citizens attacked members of the local Jewish population in an event known as Farhud. Between 200 and 600 Iraqi Jews were murdered, and thousands more wounded. Farhud is considered one of the seminal events in the expulsion of the Iraqi Jewish population. The present Jewish community in Iraq is said to number only a few hundred, compared to nearly 150,000 in the 1940s. [7]

[edit] See also

  • Persecution of Muslims
  • Religious persecution by Christians
  • Religious persecution by Jews
  • Religious persecution by Hindus
  • Religious persecution by Sikhs
  • Religious persecution by Mormons
  • Religious persecution by Zorostrians
  • Religious persecution by atheists
  • Religious persecution by pagans

[edit] References