Unbelievers: To be persecuted or forgiven?
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 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 acording to what they have earned."
There is no contradiction in the above Noble Verses !.
It is quite clear that Noble Verses 9:28-29 came for a certain period of time and for a certain reason (battle or conflict). Notice that Allah Almighty said "....after this year... (9:28)" This clearly proves that this order from Allah Almighty regarding fighting/killing unbelievers was for that particular conflict/war for that year.
It is prohibited to kill non-Muslims in Muslim lands or under the Islamic ruling: "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.
Please visit Does Islam really allow the killing of innocent unbelievers? for more details.
As for Noble Verse 45:14, it is a general one. 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.
Please visit Islam prohibits terrorism.
Does Islam really allow the killing of innocent unbelievers?
Is suicide bombing against Israel allowed in Islam?
My explanation to the "Attack" on the US from the Islamic perspective.
Unbelievers: Be persecuted or forgiven?