Sword Verse

The Sword Verse (Arabic: آية السيف, romanized: ayat as-sayf) is the fifth verse of the ninth surah (at-Tawbah) of the Quran (also written as 9:5). It is a Quranic verse widely cited by critics of Islam to suggest the faith promotes violence against pagans (polytheists, mushrikun) by isolating the portion of the verse "kill the polytheists wherever you find them, capture them".

Quotes

• And so, when the sacred months are over, slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you may come upon them, and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place! Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace
  • Quran 9:5, Muhammad Asad

• Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
  • Quran 9:5, M. M. Pickthall

• But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful
  • Quran 9:5, Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)

• Then, when the sacred months are drawn away, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them, and confine them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms, then let them go their way; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate
  • Quran 9:5, Arthur John Arberry

• And when the months wherein ye are not allowed to attack them shall be past, kill the idolaters wheresoever ye shall find them, and take them prisoners, and besiege them, and lay wait for them in every convenient place. But if they shall repent, and observe the appointed times of prayer, and pay the legal alms, dismiss them freely; for God is gracious and merciful
  • Quran 9:5, George Sale

• And when the sacred months are passed, kill those who join other gods with God wherever ye shall find them; and seize them, besiege them, and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush: but if they shall convert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms, then let them go their way, for God is Gracious, Merciful
  • Quran 9:5, John Medows Rodwell

• When the sacred months¹ are over kill the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and render the alms levy, allow them to go their way. God is forgiving and compassionate
  • Quran 9:5, N J Dawood (2014)

About

• It was these hardened polytheists in Arabia, who would accept nothing other than the expulsion of the Muslims or their reversion to paganism, and who repeatedly broke their treaties, that the Muslims were ordered to treat in the same way – to fight them or expel them. Even with such an enemy Muslims were not simply ordered to pounce on them and reciprocate by breaking the treaty themselves; instead, an ultimatum was issued, giving the enemy notice, that after the four sacred months mentioned in 9:5 above, the Muslims would wage war on them. The main clause of the sentence ‘kill the polytheists’ is singled out by some Western scholars to represent the Islamic attitude to war; even some Muslims take this view and allege that this verse abrogated other verses on war. This is pure fantasy, isolating and decontextualizing a small part of a sentence. The full picture is given in 9:1–15, which gives many reasons for the order to fight such polytheists. They continuously broke their agreements and aided others against the Muslims, they started hostilities against the Muslims, barred others from becoming Muslims, expelled Muslims from the Holy Mosque and even from their own homes. At least eight times the passage mentions their misdeeds against the Muslims. Consistent with restrictions on war elsewhere in the Quran, the immediate context of this ‘Sword Verse’ exempts such polytheists as do not break their agreements and who keep the peace with the Muslims (9:7). It orders that those enemies seeking safe-conduct should be protected and delivered to the place of safety they seek (9:6). The whole of this context to v.5, with all its restrictions, is ignored by those who simply isolate one part of a sentence to build their theory of war in Islam on what is termed ‘The Sword Verse’ even when the word ‘sword’ does not occur anywhere in the Quran.
  • Muhammad Abdel Haleem, Understanding the Quran: Themes and Style, I.B. Tauris (2001), pp.65-66

• Praise be to Allah who revealed the verse of the Sword to his servant and messenger, in order to establish truth and abolish falsehood.
  • Osama bin Laden, “Bin Laden’s Sermon for the Feast of the Sacrifice,” Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Special Dispatch No. 476, March 6, 2003.

• The Tafsir al-Jalalayn says that the Muslims must “kill the idolaters wherever you find them” and “seize them by capture and besiege them in citadels and fortresses until they either fight or become Muslim.”
  • Tafsir al-Jalalayn , 398. Jalalu’d-Din al-Mahalli and Jalalu’d-Din as-Suyuti, Tafsir al-Jalalayn , translated by Aisha Bewley (London: Dar Al Taqwa Ltd., 2007) quoted in The critical qur’an: explained from key islamic commentaries and contemporary historical research. (2021). . Bombardier Books.

• If they repent of their unbelief, and establish the prayer and pay the zakat, let them go on their way and do not interfere with them.
  • Tafsir al-Jalalayn , 398. Jalalu’d-Din al-Mahalli and Jalalu’d-Din as-Suyuti, Tafsir al-Jalalayn , translated by Aisha Bewley (London: Dar Al Taqwa Ltd., 2007) quoted in The critical qur’an: explained from key islamic commentaries and contemporary historical research. (2021). . Bombardier Books.

• These Ayat [verses] allowed fighting people unless, and until, they embrace Islam and implement its rulings and obligations.
  • Ibn Kathir, IV, 377. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) (Riyadh: Darussalam, 2000) quoted in The critical qur’an: explained from key islamic commentaries and contemporary historical research. (2021). . Bombardier Books.

• Abu Bakr As-Siddiq [according to Islamic tradition, the first caliph of the Muslims after Muhammad’s death] used this and other honorable Ayat as proof for fighting those who refrained from paying the Zakah.
  • Ibn Kathir, IV, 377. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) (Riyadh: Darussalam, 2000) quoted in The critical qur’an: explained from key islamic commentaries and contemporary historical research. (2021). . Bombardier Books.

• Al shafi’i commented: Allah protected blood and restricted the taking of wealth, except for a lawful reason, by belief in Allah and in His Messenger or through a covenant given by the believers, based on the law of Allah and His Messenger, to the People of the Book. He allowed shedding the blood of Mature Men who abstain from belief and who do not possess a Covenant as Allah said: ...(9:5)
  • Al Shafi’i. Kitab al Umm. maktaba shamela. p. 1/293.

• When Allah revealed Surah bara’ah and commanded the Prophet to end the indefinite truces, he could no longer make truces as he used to do. Rather he was obligated to Wage Jihad against everyone, as Allah says in the verse..(9:5)
  • Ibn Taymiyyah Taymiyyah, Ibn. Majmu Fatawa. maktaba shamela. p. 19/20.

• Ibn Hazm commented: “And the statements of Allah: ‘(9.5)’. And: (9.29)... are indicative of Allah the Exalted not acknowledging and nullifying every treaty, therefore leaving the polytheists no course but to accept Islam, or be fought. While the opportunity to pay the Jizyah in a state of humiliation, is specifically for the People of the Book.
  • Ibn Hazm, Abu Muhammad. Al Muhalla. Al Andalus: maktaba Shamela. p. 5/362.