The Ultimatum: Does the Qur’an Command Killing Non-Muslims?

Certain verses in the Qur’an and traditions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, are abused by extremists to legitimize their acts of terrorism and violence. On April 21, 2018, the French daily Le Parisien published a manifesto demanding that “the verses of the Qur’an calling for murder and punishment of Jews, Christians, and nonbelievers be struck to obsolescence by religious authorities,” so that “no believer can refer to a sacred text to commit a crime.” The manifesto was signed by some prominent figures, including former President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The manifesto is an indication of how much the Qur’an is misunderstood and the grave need for the clarification in the meaning of the scripture, especially in matters that relate to violence. In the light of the context of revelation and the universal purposes of Islamic message, this book aims to explain certain verses (Al-Baqarah 2:190-195, At-Tawbah 9:1-24, An-Nisa 4:88-89) and a particular hadith of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, which are intensely debated and abused.