Does Islam really allow the killing of innocent unbelievers?

Does Islam really allow the killing of innocent
unbelievers?

This is one misunderstanding that keeps rising up against Islam.
Islam does not in anyway allow for the killing of any innocent soul.
I have gathered some of the Noble Verses that I am aware of that
deal directly with war and peace to shed some light upon my readers.

Noble Verses that order the killing of the enemies:

Let us look at Noble Verses 9:28-29 "O ye believe!
Truly the pagans are unclear; so let them not, after this year of
theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear povery, soon
will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, For Allah
is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the last day, nor hold
that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger,
nor acknowledge the religion of truth, from among the people of
the book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and
feel themselves subdued."

Let us look at Noble Verse 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."

As we clearly see in the above Noble Verses, the laws of killing
the unbelievers or the pagans were for particular and specific times,
and not for all times and all places. Notice the quotes "...after
this year..." and "...when the sacred months have passed...".

It is important to know that when Prophet Muhammad peace be upon
him started preaching Islam, he had to deal with 360 Arab pagan
tribes at first, and he and his followers had to go through a lot
of battles that were imposed upon them by the pagans who were threatened
by the new System and Wonderful Religion of Islam.

 

Noble Verses that deal with peace:

"Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it
set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said:
'O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or
to treat them with kindness.' (The Noble Quran, 18:86)" In
this Noble Verse we see that if the enemy wants to do us harm, then
we must punish those who did us harm. Otherwise, we must treat the
enemy civilians and the innocents with kindness.

Let us look at Noble Verse 45:14 "Tell those who believe,
to forgive those who do not look forward to the days of Allah: It
is for Him to recompense (for good or ill) each people according
to what they have earned."

Let us look at Noble Verse 5:32 "...if any one slew a person
- unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land
- it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved
a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people..."
In this Noble Verse we clearly see that Allah Almighty honors all
the innocent souls that He created. Killing any innocent soul is
so hated by Allah Almighty that He considers it as a crime against
all of Mankind.

Let us look at Noble Verse 25:68 "Those who invoke not, with
God, any other god, nor slay such life as God has made sacred except
for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this
(not only) meets punishment." In this Noble Verse we clearly
see that Allah Almighty considers the innocent soul "sacred".
He will punish those who kill the innocent souls (by throwing them
in hell).

Let us look at Noble Verse 2:182 "But if anyone fears partiality
or wrong-doing on the part of the testator, and makes peace between
(The parties concerned), there is no wrong in him: For God is Oft-forgiving,
Most Merciful."

Let us look at Noble Verse 2:224 "And make not God's (name)
an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or
making peace between persons; for God is One Who heareth and knoweth
all things."

I'd say, this Noble Verse clearly proves my point: Let us look
at Noble Verse 8:61 "But if the enemy incline towards peace,
do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in God: for He is
One that heareth and knoweth (all things)." In this Noble Verse,
we clearly see Allah Almighty ordering us, the Muslims, to incline
toward peace when the enemy inclines toward peace. This proves that
Islam is not a religion for wars, but for peace.

Allah Almighty orders Muslims in the Noble Quran to allow total
freedom of choice to people and to never try to force them into
Islam; "Let there be no compulsion (forcing others) in religion:
Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes
in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that never
breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. (The Noble Quran,
2:256)" The Noble Quran prohibits Muslims to force any person
into Islam. Muslims must not let people resent Islam and Muslims.
They must leave people decide for themselves because the "Truth
stands out clear from error...(2:256)"

Compulsion is incompatible with religion: Because (1) religion
depends upon faith and will, and these would be meaningless by force;
(2) Truth and Error have been so clearly shown up by the mercy of
Allah Almighty that there should be no doubt in the minds of any
persons of good will as to the fundamentals of faith; (3) Allah
Almighty's protection is continuous, and His Plan is always to lead
us from the depths of darkness into the clearest light.

In the above Noble Verses, we clearly see that Allah Almighty orders
the Muslims to be forgiving to the enemies and to make peace and
peace making their top priority. It is part of the Muslim's morals
to be a peaceful person.

Muslims start their greetings with "As'salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu
Allah Wa Barakatuh", which means in English "May GOD's
peace, mercy and blessings be upon you."