I am profoundly disturbed by the recent string of beheadings murdering Americans in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. I oppose the death penalty in general and am intensely disgusted by this particular form of it.
Which is why I was greatly dismayed when it was brought to my attention that this act may be sanctioned by the Quran. Two verses are conspicuous on this issue:
“Recall that your Lord inspired the angels: “I am with you; so support those who believed. I will throw terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved. You may strike them above the necks, and you may strike even every finger.” (8:12)
“If you encounter (in war) those who disbelieve, you may strike the necks. If you take them as captives you may set them free or ransom them, until the war ends. Had GOD willed, He could have granted you victory, without war. But He thus tests you by one another. As for those who get killed in the cause of GOD, He will never put their sacrifice to waste.” (47:4)
What exactly does it mean to “strike the necks” and fingers of enemies (as opposed to taking them as captives), if not to dismember them? Please understand that this issue has caused me much distress as of late and that it would be difficult for me to accept a religion which encourages torture and intimidating forms of execution.
I would also like to thank Edip and Iconoclast for their kind responses to my previous questions.
Peace,
Peter
——
Dear Peter:
First, we cannot take one verse out of its immediate context and we should also consider the entire context of the Quran. By taking sentences out their context, I can pick plenty statements in any book conveying a meaning not exactly intended by their authors.
Now let’s take notice of the following Quranic principles:
1. Killing a human being without self defense or justice is considered like killing all humanity (5:32).
2. Believers can only fight for self defense; no wars of aggression. No, pre-emptive strike based on speculations and lies (60:8-9).
3. The Quran gives permission to believers to fight against aggressors (22:39-40…). In the past, the wars were done by sword, and sword cuts the head and body organs.
Now let’s assume:
Just because you have different religious and political position, a group of people decides to attack and evict you, your family and friends from your homes. You leave behind everything and seek refuge in another town and hoping to start a fresh life there from zero. These aggressors, however, do not leave you alone and they mobilize gangs against you, your family and friends, and kill your father, several siblings and relatives and friends with their swords. If you experience these events in such a condition, and if you have a sword in your possession, will you hesitate to defend yourself and your loved ones against these murderers? Wouldn’t you try to cut the necks and the hands of those who are viciously trying to kill you and your loved ones? Yes, this is a horror, but you did not start it, and you will not going to escalate it.
Now, let’s reflect another important point.
Yes, indeed beheading of prisoners or the kidnapped is a cruel and profoundly disturbing act.
But, is bombing, burning, maiming, torturing people less than that? The American Inc’s propaganda machine is working again. As if the killing of American Talibans is less painful than the killing of Iraqi or Afgani Talibans. Go see the hospitals and visit the Iraqi children who lost their legs, lost their faces, suffering from severe burnings and their consequences all their lives. Do you think that destroying houses by missiles and causing Iraqi men, women or children getting stock under concrete blocks and causing them to suffer for hours or days before they die is more humane than beheadings?
More than hundred thousands Iraqis were killed and hundreds of thousands more were wounded and we are all targeting our hatred towards a few beheadings.
I condemn beheadings of the captives. Equally, I condemn the bombing, burning, maiming, torturing of Iraqi people; especially by those who waged this war based on lies and dubious motives.
Propaganda machine works this way:
If you I kill by the bullets of my sophisticated machines, by demolishing your house on you by my smart bombs, this is a good killing. Your suffering will be a civilized suffering. But, if the enemy kills with their archaic weapons, it is barbaric.
If we kill children and civilians in our own style they are collateral damage. But, if our enemies kill our soldiers we are terrorized and murdered.
If we arrest fighters and civilians sympathetic to them, and put them in our prisons for unlimited period of time and subjecting them to all kinds of interrogations and tortures, it is civilized; they are prisoners. But, if my enemy does not have tanks, warplanes, prisons, and if they arrest my soldiers, then they are kidnappers and terrorists!
If our soldiers, with the aid of their modern training and weapons, kill and torture people in refugee camps it is justice and retaliation; but if their teenage children blow themselves to kill our people they are terrorists!
Dear Peter:
Like all of us, you are too influenced by this propaganda machine. War is a horrible experience and we should try our best to stop it from happening. If we are going to be appalled, we should be appalled by all atrocities, not the one chosen by one of the aggressing parties.
I recommend you Michel Foucault’s book Discipline and Punish. It will open your eyes. Also, I highly recommend you Noam Chomsky’s Manufactured Consent, and Michael Moore’s recent film, Fahrenheit 9/11.
Regerd,
Edip Yuksel, Turkey
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