How does this correlate to the Quran telling Muslims to kill the unbelievers where ever they may be found?Beiruty wrote: No, the cases you mentioned are mass murder and a criminal behavior, this is what is called terrorism. Under Islamic law, it is forbidden to harm, Mame, or kill non-combatants, such as civilians, children, animals even intentionally destroying property and farms and vegetation is forbidden. Even surrendered enemy combatants (POW) are protected and should be well treated.
9:5. Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun {unbelievers} wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat {the Islamic ritual prayers}), and give Zakat {alms}, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
8:39. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.
And if POWs are to be protected and well treated, why did Mohammad himself behead 600-900 Jewish prisoners after the Battle of Medina? Mohammad is considered "al-insan al-kamil" (the perfect man) and all Muslim morality comes from his actions. Therefore, the actions of the perfect man (Mohammad) beheading prisoners explains the Muslim penchant for doing so, as Mohammad's actions provide a moral precedent for Muslims to do the same.9:29. Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
After Mohammad conquered Mecca, he outlined the future of Islam, which Muslims today still heed:Sira, p463-4: Then they {the tribe of Quraiza} surrendered, and the apostle confined them in Medina in the quarter of d. al-Harith, a woman of Bani al-Najjar. Then the apostle went out to the market of Medina and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. Among them was the enemy of Allah Huyayy bin Akhtab and Kab bin Asad their chief. There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900. As they were being taken out in batches to the Apostle they asked Kab what he thought would be done with them. He replied, "Will you never understand? Don't you see that the summoner never stops and those who are taken away do not return? By Allah it is death!" This went on until the Apostle made an end of them.
Sunnah, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 177; Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour {of the Last Judgment} will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."
I believe bin Laden and the so-called "extremists" are practicing Islam EXACTLY as Mohammad intended it to be practiced. The true extremists are those Muslims who are attempting to drag Islam into the 21st Century, and allow Islam to peaceably exist with all the other religions of the world. Time will tell which of those factions wins.Sunnah, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 24; Narrated Ibn Umar: Allah's Apostle said: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform that, then they save their lives and property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah."