Question:
Does Islam teach Muslims to kill unbelievers — the “kafirs”?
Answer:
The word “kafir” is often misunderstood. It is not an insult. It simply means someone who does not accept Islam. Just as the word “Muslim” means one who accepts Islam, the word “kafir” means one who rejects it. It is a descriptive term, not a curse.
If we translate the word directly into Tamil or English, it simply means “one who does not accept Islam.” How can that be considered abusive? If we address someone as a person who does not accept Islam, that is simply stating a fact about belief, not insulting them. It is a theological term used to describe a position regarding faith, nothing more.
If the same idea is expressed in Tamil, it does not appear wrong to you, but when it is said in Arabic it suddenly appears wrong. If we say in Tamil “those who do not accept Islam,” you agree that it is correct. But when the same meaning is expressed in Arabic as kafir, you say it is an insulting word. But the meaning is exactly the same.
The word kafir is not an abusive term. In early Islamic discussions there were two groups of people: those who accepted Islam and those who did not. Those who accepted Islam were called Muslims, and those who did not accept Islam were called kafirs. Therefore the word kafir is not a vulgar word, not an uncivilized word, not a word meant to insult or degrade anyone. It simply conveys the concept of someone who does not accept Islam. It is a descriptive term referring to belief.
Is it part of a peaceful religion to say ‘cut them down by the neck’?”
Another question they ask is: “Is it part of a peaceful religion to say ‘cut them down by the neck’?” They refer to a verse in the Qur’an where it says to strike them on their necks. Immediately people point to that verse and say, “Look, the Qur’an tells people to cut others down.” But we must look carefully at the context.
The verse contains the phrase “strike them,” but we must ask: who are “they”? Are those words referring to Hindus? Christians? Or some other group? People portray it as though the Qur’an commands Muslims to attack others in general. But if you read the verses before it, the meaning becomes clear.
The verses describe a battlefield situation. They explain that if enemies come to attack you in war and you confront them face to face in battle, then do not retreat; fight them on the battlefield. It is an instruction for warfare. In war, what else would be commanded except to fight the enemy? Even in the Mahabharata, Krishna tells Arjuna to fight in the battlefield. That is what war means.
If a war breaks out between India and Pakistan, what will the Indian president say? Will he say, “Welcome them with garlands”? Of course not. He will instruct the army to defeat the enemy. That is the nature of war.
The Qur’anic instruction about striking the enemy occurs within a war context. Before that verse, the Qur’an clearly says not to fight those who do not fight you. But if an army gathers and invades your land, then the government has the responsibility to defend women, children, and civilians.
In such a case the believers are instructed to confront the enemy and not retreat in the battlefield. The command “strike them” refers to that wartime situation. If you read only that one phrase without the preceding verses, you will misunderstand it.
Every religion, every nation, and every government gives similar instructions during war. If you were a president and another country attacked you, you would also command your army to defeat the enemy. When enemies invade, every nation issues the same type of command: defeat them, push them back, do not show weakness. If you call such wartime instructions violent, then every government in the world would have to be called violent.
Every president gives such orders to their military. If the phrase “strike them” is considered wrong, then the same idea appears in all sacred texts and in all historical wars. People even call such conflicts “holy wars” or “just wars.” Therefore, this criticism comes from misunderstanding the context.
In the case of the Prophetﷺ Muhammad, all the battles he fought occurred after he and his followers were driven out of Makkah and took refuge in Madinah. After establishing a community in Madinah, the armies of Makkah marched hundreds of kilometers to attack them. The battles such as Badr and Uhud took place near Madinah, not in Makkah.
That means the enemy forces traveled nearly 300 kilometers to attack the new Muslim community. When such an invading army approaches your city, the government must defend its people. The Qur’an instructs the believers not to show weakness on the battlefield and to fight courageously. That is simply the duty of a government defending its people. Therefore, the Qur’anic command given to defend against invading armies cannot be described as terrorism or violence; it is normal wartime instruction.