QURAN 4:90 DISCOURAGES WE, MUSLIMS, TO CONTINUE VIOLENCE EVEN NON-MUSLIMS CEASE

Submitted by Mohamad Nozzi (Singapore), May 18, 2009 at 08:07

I extract various interpretation for the same verse so that you would come to the conclusion that Quran 4:90 discourages Muslims to continue violence when non-muslims cease in violence with them:

Quran 4:90 (Yusuf Ali), "Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way for you (to war against them)."

Quran 4:90 (Shakir), "Except those who reach a people between whom and you there is an alliance, or who come to you, their hearts shrinking from fighting you or fighting their own people; and if Allah had pleased, He would have given them power over you, so that they should have certainly fought you; therefore if they withdraw from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not given you a way against them. "

Quran 4:90 (Pickthal), "Except those who seek refuge with a people between whom and you there is a covenant, or (those who) come unto you because their hearts forbid them to make war on you or make war on their own folk. Had Allah willed He could have given them power over you so that assuredly they would have fought you. So, if they hold aloof from you and wage not war against you and offer you peace, Allah alloweth you no way against them.

Quran 4:90 (Mohsin Khan), "Except those who join a group, between you and whom there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with their breasts restraining from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. Had Allah willed, indeed He would have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they withdraw from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace, then Allah has opened no way for you against them."

In order to prove that Holy Quran does not encourage muslims to have violence if non-muslims do not trigger off battle with them, I quote Quran 4:90 above with various interpretations from different translators. The phrase, if they withdraw from you and fight not against you, in Quran 4:90 implies that non-muslims cease in battle with them. The phrase, Allah opened no way for you against them, in Quran 4:90 implies that Allah discourages you to continute your battle against non-muslims. As the phrase, if they withdraw from you and fight not against you, is mentioned in Quran 4:90 with the phrase, Allah opened no way for you against them, it implies that Allah discourages muslims to fight against non-muslims if non-muslims cease in fighting with them. And it supports the teaching of moderate muslims that we, moderate muslims, do not fight with non-muslims since non-muslims do not fight with us and begin to cease battle with us.

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