DEATH CASES OF INDIAN NATIONALS in SAUDI ARABIA :: Blood Money or Diyya

http://www.cgijeddah.com/cgijed/welfare/deathbooklet.htm

SETTLEMENT OF DEATH COMPENSATION CLAIMS

The Death Compensation (Blood Money or Diyya) is admissible in cases of unnatural deaths only such as road/ traffic/ industrial/fire accidents, murder, etc. provided the responsibility or a part of it, is fixed by the Saudi authorities concerned on a causer i.e. a person other than the deceased Indian national and that the person thus held responsible is in a position to pay the Death Compensation according to the provisions of the Shariat Law.

 

+++++======>>>>>>> This is money Paid to the relatives of the Dead….This is according to Sharia Law…No Death Sentence…

 

Maximum Amount admissible :

The maximum amount of Death Compensation (Diyya) generally admissible in Saudi Arabia, in respect of road/traffic/fire accident, murder, etc. is as under:

Death Compensation in respect of a male person:

i. Muslim - SR. 100,000/-

ii. Christian/Jew - SR.50,000/-

iii. Other religions : such as Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, etc. - SR 6666.66

In the case of death of a female, death compensation allowed is equal to half the amount as admissible to males professing the same religion. Further the amount of compensation admissible, is based on the percentage of responsibility fixed on the causer e.g. if the causer is held 50% responsible for the accident resulting in the death of a Muslim, the amount of Death Compensation admissible will be SR 50,000 only.

 

 

This means when a Muslim kill a non Muslim or somebody else in Saudi Arabia….SHARIA LAW..

World Most Racist and Arrogant County of the world. Saudi Arabia ..Bullshit Saudi Arabia

5. Maximum Amount admissible :

The maximum amount of Death Compensation (Diyya) generally admissible in Saudi Arabia, in respect of road/traffic/fire accident, murder, etc. is as under:

Death Compensation in respect of a male person:

i. Muslim - SR. 100,000/-

ii. Christian/Jew - SR.50,000/-

iii. Other religions : such as Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, etc. - SR 6666.66

In the case of death of a female, death compensation allowed is equal to half the amount as admissible to males professing the same religion. Further the amount of compensation admissible, is based on the percentage of responsibility fixed on the causer e.g. if the causer is held 50% responsible for the accident resulting in the death of a Muslim, the amount of Death Compensation admissible will be SR 50,000 only.

http://www.cgijeddah.com/cgijed/welfare/deathbooklet.htm

 

DEATH CASES OF INDIAN NATIONALS

I.    DISPOSAL OF MORTAL REMAINS (LOCAL BURIAL/DESPATCH TO  INDIA)

  1. Deaths, for functional purposes, are classified as follows :

  (i)  Natural death – Death due to natural reasons like old age, sickness or heart attack etc.

  (ii)   Unnatural death – Death due to murder, suicide, traffic accident, industrial  accident or other accidents like drowning, falling down, snake bite, sun stroke etc.

On an average 2-3 death cases are registered in the Embassy at Riyadh (the Consulate General at Jeddah registers 1or 2 cases) on each working day. All deaths of expatriates, whether natural or unnatural, are dealt by the local area police in Saudi Arabia and bodies are disposed off (i.e. local burial – in case of Muslims only or dispatched to India) with the approval of the local Governorate.

Even though, under Saudi laws and regulations, the Saudi Sponsor is responsible, at his own cost, for the disposal of the dead body and completion of various formalities in this regard, the Indian Missions pursue the matter with the sponsor and local authorities concerned so as to expedite the process. After the disposal of mortal remains, the Missions are involved in pursuing the settlement of legal dues and death compensation cases, wherever admissible.

2. Mode of disposal of dead bodies  :

While the dead body of a Muslim Indian national can be buried in the Kingdom or despatched to India in accordance with the wishes of the family, the body of a non-Muslim is invariably despatched to India as the local Government normally does not allow local burial of non-Muslims in the Kingdom. However, in the following exceptional cases bodies are buried in the Kingdom irrespective of the religion.

          (1) Dead body of an expatriate executed in the Kingdom;

(2) Small Children;

(3) Cases where family of a non-Muslim wants local burial in Saudi Arabia and d the sponsor manages to get the permission.

(4) Dead bodies pending dispatch in the Kingdom for a long time where response from family is not forthcoming for acceptance of bodies on arrival at the destination.

(5) Dead body is too mutilated to be dispatched, as a result of traffic/industrial accident etc.

3. Action to be taken by the Next of Kin in India for disposal of a body : 

INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE MISSION WITH THE FIRST INTIMATION

When the Next-of-Kin from India report the death of an Indian national in the Kingdom they should ensure the following :-

(1) Provide full name, passport number, address, telephone/fax number of the deceased;

(2). Provide name and full address of the sponsor. viz, Post Box Number, City and his Telephone/Fax numbers;

(3) Date, place and cause of death;

(4) Location (Hospital) of the dead body;

(5) Name, address, Telephone/Fax nos. of the next-of-Kin in India;

(6) Next of Kin (NOK) should also clearly indicate their willingness for disposal of body. In case the deceased was a Muslim, NOK should clearly indicate whether they want the body to be despatched to India or buried locally in the Kingdom. All the legal heirs should sign this consent and get it authenticated by a Gazetted Officer or the district authorities.

(7) Bodies of non-Muslims are invariably despatched to India. Next of Kin should authorise the sponsor or a relative/friend of the deceased to collect the body from the hospital authorities and arrange despatch of body to India. The authorization should be signed by all the legal heirs viz. parents, wife etc., and their signatures should be authenticated by a Gazetted Officer or the district authorities.

(8) AIRLINES REQUIREMENT FOR DESPATCH OF A DEAD BODY

The Next of Kin of the deceased who would like to receive the body in India should immediately contact Saudi Airlines Agent / GSA at the nearest International Airport and give their consent in writing for receipt of body indicating name, address and telephone number of the person authorized to receive the body on arrival. The NOKs should also ensure that the GSA/Agent should forward their consent to Saudi Airlines Cargo Office in Riyadh/Dammam. Please note bodies are booked by the Cargo Office only after obtaining the consent from the receiving end.

Saudi Foreign Ministry has intimated all Foreign Missions in the Kingdom that bodies of natural death cases will not be kept in mortuaries for more than two months from the date of death if the consent of the family is not received for disposal.

  Should a next-of-kin decide to bury the dead body of a Muslim within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in lieu of transporting it back, the notion that he may get some monetary compensation for savings that may have accrued to the sponsor on this account is incorrect and has no legal basis.

As soon as the first intimation of death, along with the relevant details,

is received by the Mission, either locally or from India, the Mission contacts

the sponsor on the same day, advising him to complete necessary local

formalities for issue of No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Mission for

disposal of the body.

4. RECEIPT OF DEATH DOCUMENTS & ISSUE OF NOC :

Even though under the local regulations, Saudi sponsor is generally responsible for disposal of dead body and completion of various formalities connected with it, the Missions urge the Saudi sponsor to complete the formalities urgently so as to expedite disposal of the dead body. Despite vigorous efforts put in by the Mission, it generally takes 4-6 weeks (even more) to receive the required documents, such as death certificate, medical report, police report, etc. in the case of a natural death and 6-10 weeks in cases of un-natural death, provided the Saudi sponsor is cooperative. In complicated cases and where the sponsor is unhelpful, the time taken is much longer.

The sponsor is required to submit the following documents along with English translation, to the Mission for attestation and issue of its No Objection Certificate for disposal of body.

          1. Death Certificate;

2. Medical Report;

3. Police Report (in case of unnatural deaths);

4. List of the belongings of the deceased.

5. Receipt of Labour Department showing that legal dues have been settled or deposit Legal Dues by cheque or cash directly at the Mission.

5. ATTESTATION OF DEATH DOCUMENTS & ISSUE OF NOC

As soon as requisite legal/medical documents such as death certificate, medical report, police report with English translations thereof, passport of the deceased Indian national are received in the Mission, the same are attested across the counter (even if received during closed holidays) and necessary clearances issued for despatch of dead body to India or local burial in Saudi Arabia, as the case may be.

6. COMPLETION OF REMAINING FORMALITIES BY SAUDI SPONSOR

- Permission of local Governorate for Despatch of body/local Burial

  - Obtaining an exit visa on the passport of the deceased after obtaining a sealed letter from the police addressed to the Passport authorities.

  - Embalming of Mortal Remains and PreparationlSealing of Coffin, costing SR.2000/- to SR.2500/- approx. (Rs.25,OOO/- to Rs.30,OOO/- approx.) to the Saudi sponsor.

- Confirmation of Cargo-space

Confirmation of Cargo Space is possible only after the Saudi Airlines Cargo office has received a direct confirmation from the family of the deceased Indian national, their willingness to receive dead body on arrival at the specified airport in India. The Saudi sponsor is also required to pay a sum of SR.2000/- to SR.3000/- (Rs.25,OOO/- to Rs.30,OOO/- approx.) towards air-freight, etc. The following documents are required to be carried by the Saudi sponsor to the Air Cargo office for booking the cargo :

(1). Death Certificate in original, with English translation + 8 photocopies each;

(2). Medical Report in original, with English translation + 8 photocopies each;

(3). Passport of the deceased with 6 photocopies of all pages incl. the exit visa;

(4). Permission of the Governorate with English translation + 6 photocopies; and

(5). Letter of the mortuary to the Air Cargo authorities for confirmation of the cargo space.

- Booking of Air Cargo A pick-up van or ambulance is required for transportation of coffin from the hospital to the Airport. The coffin is required to be booked at least 6 hours before the actual departure of the flight.. A departure stamp is affixed on the deceased's passport.

7. INTIMATION OF FLIGHT DETAILS/DATE OF LOCAL BURIAL

In case of local burial, the date/time and place of burial are communicated at the earliest to the family. For cases involving dispatch of mortal remains, the flight details are communicated to the next of kin, authorities concerned in India as soon as ascertained from the Saudi sponsor. Understandingly, the next of kin in India, also, in many cases, do not acknowledge receipt of dead body and ignore Mission’s various communications to save money on account of sending telegrams or faxes.

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SETTLEMENT OF LEGAL DUES OF DECEASED INDIAN NATIONALS

The work involved in the settlement of Legal Dues and Death Compensation concerning deceased Indian nationals is directly related to the number of death cases registered (averaging 4 per working day) in the Indian Missions in Saudi Arabia.

The realisation of Legal Dues/Death Compensation is an arduous and time-consuming task keeping in view, the local regulations which involves compliance of detailed legal requirements by the next-of-kin in India in accordance with prescribed procedure.

1. Admissibility of Legal Dues :

Except in a few cases, where legal dues might not be payable for reasons such as death of Indian worker immediately after arrival and without taking up employment with the Saudi sponsor, in almost all other cases, Legal Dues in one form or the other are payable to the next of kin in India, irrespective of the nature of death.

2. Composition of Legal Dues :

Legal Dues generally consist of one or more of the following :

i. Unpaid salary;

ii. Leave salary;

iii. Service benefits such as gratuity, etc.;

iv. Cash found in possession of the deceased; and

vi. Ex-gratia payment, if any, made by Saudi sponsor.

3. Procedure for claiming Legal Dues :

As soon as the death of an Indian national is notified to the Mission, the Saudi sponsor is, interalia, asked to dispatch the personal belongings of the deceased to his family in India as well as arrange payment of outstanding Legal Dues admissible in respect of deceased Indian national by means of a cheque/demand draft issued in favour of the Mission for onward transmission to the next-of-kin in India according to the procedure prescribed by the Government of India.

4. Mode of Payment of Legal Dues :

     There is hardly any uniform method prevailing in Saudi Arabia pertaining to the settlement of Legal Dues concerning expatriate workers. Various Saudi Governorates, and local authorities, especially in interior areas, have laid down their own regulations/procedures for the settlement of such dues. The Mission has generally witnessed the following four modes of payment of Legal Dues concerning deceased Indian nationals:

(i). Legal Dues received in the Misson through the Saudi Foreign Ministry :

       In most cases, the Saudi sponsors are normally required to work out the exact amount towards Legal Dues (unpaid salary, service benefits, cash found, etc.) in respect of deceased Indian national, and deposit these dues with the local Labour office before the approval for disposal of dead body is given by the concerned local authorities i.e. police station, local Governorate, etc. Such Legal Dues are then transferred by local Labour office to the local Treasury office, who in turn transfers the amount deposited to the Main Treasury office in Riyadh. The Legal Dues are finally received in the Embassy/Consulate in the form of Cheque/Draft through the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Despite vigorous follow up by the Mission, the Legal Dues are generally received in this Embassy in this manner after a delay of few months.

(ii). Legal Dues received in this Embassy directly from the Saudi sponsors:

In some cases, the Saudi sponsors are allowed by various local Governorates to directly deposit the Legal Dues in the Mission, either in the form of Cash or Cheque/Draft, mostly at the time of attestation of death documents by the Missin, for transmission to the legal heirs of deceased Indian national, according to GOI regulations.

(iii). Legal Dues claimed through concerned Shariat Courts :

Sometimes, the Legal Dues are paid by Saudi sponsors to the concerned Saudi authorities i.e. Dept. of Civil Rights, Police Dept., Treasury offices, etc. who in turn transfer such amounts to the concerned Shariat Courts. In all such cases, the legal heirs of deceased Indian national are required to claim the Legal Dues through their attorney in Saudi Arabia, after the production of completed legal documents from India Embassy's efforts to obtain Legal Dues through concerned Shariat Courts without fulfillment of legal requirements generally remains unsuccessful.

(iv). Legal Dues paid directly to the next of kin/family’s representative. etc. :

In several cases, after repeated reminders, the Mission is finally informed by the Saudi sponsors that the Legal dues have either been remitted directly to the next of kin in India or paid to the family's authorised representative (relative, friend, colleague, etc.) working in Saudi Arabia.

5. Disbursement of Legal Dues to the next-of-kin in India

As soon as the Legal Dues (cash, valid cheque/draft in Saudi Riyals) of a deceased Indian national are received and the amount has been credited into the Mission's account, the equivalent amount in Indian Rupees, in the form of an RBI draft, is sent to the district authorities concerned in India by registered post, under intimation to the next of kin. The district authorities in India are required to disburse the respective shares to the legal heirs on the basis of Legal Heirship Certificate issued by the district/ revenue authorities of the State concerned and send the receipts to the Mission.

****

SETTLEMENT OF DEATH COMPENSATION CLAIMS

1. Admissibility :

The Death Compensation (Blood Money or Diyya) is admissible in cases of unnatural deaths only such as road/ traffic/ industrial/fire accidents, murder, etc. provided the responsibility or a part of it, is fixed by the Saudi authorities concerned on a causer i.e. a person other than the deceased Indian national and that the person thus held responsible is in a position to pay the Death Compensation according to the provisions of the Shariat Law.

2. Inadmissibility of Death Compensation in some cases :

Death Compensation is not admissible in the following cases of unnatural deaths:

Suicide cases;

Deceased held fully responsible for his accidental death. (In many cases, deceased is held responsible, in part, which accordingly reduces the compensation amount.);

Death of the causer at the same time in case of an accident;

Untraceability of the causer, especially in a hit and run accident;

Untraceability of camel owner(s) where traffic accidents are attributed to sudden arrival of camels on the roads;

Fixing of responsibility on the causer is waived due to technical reasons or mechanical failure of vehicle;

Lightning, dust-storms, etc. which are treated as acts of God; and

Agricultural workers are not entitled to compensation in an industrial accident.

3. Volume of work .

Around 70% of the total deaths registered in the Missions are unnatural. Both, the Embassy & the Consulate handle settlement of Legal Dues and Death Compensation in their respective areas of jurisdiction. However, final records are maintained in the Embassy and almost all enquiries relating to settlement of Legal Dues/Death Compensation are received in the Embassy only.

4. Mode of Pavment :

All Death Compensation cases (except industrial accidents) in Saudi Arabia are settled through concerned Shariat Courts in accordance with the Shariat Law.

5. Maximum Amount admissible :

The maximum amount of Death Compensation (Diyya) generally admissible in Saudi Arabia, in respect of road/traffic/fire accident, murder, etc. is as under:

Death Compensation in respect of a male person:

i. Muslim - SR. 100,000/-

ii. Christian/Jew - SR.50,000/-

iii. Other religions : such as Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, etc. - SR 6666.66

In the case of death of a female, death compensation allowed is equal to half the amount as admissible to males professing the same religion. Further the amount of compensation admissible, is based on the percentage of responsibility fixed on the causer e.g. if the causer is held 50% responsible for the accident resulting in the death of a Muslim, the amount of Death Compensation admissible will be SR 50,000 only.

6. Ex-Gratia Payment :

In cases where it is not possible to claim the Death Compensation, the next of kin in India are suitably apprised of the position. In many such cases, bereaved families repeatedly approach the Mission for some monetary assistance to alleviate their financial difficulties and sufferings. In deserving cases, the Mission makes arrangements to provide ex-gratia relief to the bereaved families.

Procedure for claiming Death Compensation, wherever admissible:

7. Police Investigation Report:

The first step in the settlement of Death Compensation case is getting the Police Investigation Report which determines the cause of death and fixes a percentage-wise responsibility on the causer, a person held responsible for the death. This report, which forms the basis of payment of Death Compensation (Blood Money or Diyya) to the legal heirs of the deceased Indian national, is generally received in this Embassy, through the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after several months from the date of death.

In each case the Mission takes up the matter vigorously, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting the local authorities to ensure receipt of Police Report at the earliest possible. As soon as the detailed Police Investigation Report, in Arabic, is received in this Embassy, the same is translated into English and studied carefully to ascertain the scope, if any, for collection of Death Compensation.

8. Local Regulations concerning Causer :

Under the local regulations, the person held responsible for death in road/traffic accident, etc. is arrested. He is subsequently released, either on bail or when he deposits the prescribed amount of Death Compensation payable under the Shariat Law, according to his percentage of responsibility determined by the concerned Saudi authorities.

However, in murder cases the accused person is held imprisoned till a pardon (Tanazul) is obtained from the legal heirs of the deceased. Death penalty (Qisas) is imposed on the accused, if so desired by the legal heirs.

In some cases, the causer is unable to pay the amount of Death Compensation due to his poverty and undergoes prescribed imprisonment in lieu thereof. This is true of nationals of several third world countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc. However, this is seldom communicated, in writing, by the authorities here despite repeated reminders to ascertain the position regarding payment of Blood Money.

9. Requirement of Legal Documents from India :

In all cases, where Death Compensation is admissible, the legal heirs of deceased Indian national are required to file a personal claim by either appearing personally in the Shariat Court or through an attorney to claim the amount deposited in the local treasury office through lengthy Court proceedings. In such cases involving other parties and where there is a scope for collecting the Blood Money, the Mission advises the legal heirs, by registered post/fax, to take the following action:

(1) To obtain Legal Heirship Certificate (LHC) from the district authorities concerned in India, incorporating names, relationship, date of birth, etc. of all legal heirs i.e. parents, spouse, children, etc. A specimen of LHC is attached at Annexure ‘II.

(2) To execute a General Power of Attorney (POA) duly signed by all legal heirs, including the guardian in case of minors, in favour of an individual of their choice (if they are unable to come to Saudi Arabia) as their attorney or the Ambassador of India in Saudi Arabia, in case no such person is available to the pursue their case on their behalf in the concerned Shariat Court. The legal heirs are also required to authorize the Ambassador through the POA to nominate any of the officers of the Mission to act on his behalf. A specimen of POA is attached at Annexure ‘III’.

(3) The legal heirs are required to get the aforesaid documents prepared in English, to be duly translated into Arabic. The English & Arabic versions are then required to be attested by the following authorities in India:

(a) Department of Home Affairs / concerned District authorities/ State Govt. concerned;

(b) Ministry of External Affairs, Consular Section, New Delhi; and

(c) Saudi Embassy in New Delhi or Saudi Consulate in Bombay.

Attached herewith is a note containing Guidelines ( at Annexure I) for the legal hairs along with specimen copies of the legal documents viz. LHC and POA, in the format acceptable to the local authorities here, in English & Arabic (at Annexure II & III).

10. Fixation of Court Hearing Date and Settlement of cases :

As soon as completed documents are received, the Mission obtains further necessary attestations from the Saudi Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice as per local requirement. The Embassy also makes a provisional claim with the concerned Saudi authorities by sending a note verbale to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. Thereafter, Saudi authorities are immediately asked, through the Saudi Foreign Ministry, to fix a hearing date. On the date of hearing, the Mission's representative visits the concerned offices along with completed legal documents, Ambassador's authorisation letter, file, etc. to attend the Court's proceedings. Most of the major cities which are frequently required to be visited by Embassy/Consulate officials, for a day or two, for the settlement of Death Compensation cases are generally between 300-1200 kms away from Riyadh/Jeddah.

After the decision of the Court is pronounced, the Mission’s representative approaches the Civil Rights Department for getting the decision of the court implemented and for collecting the amount of Death Compensation. This involves at least 2-3 separate visits. As soon as the Death Compensation amount is received, it is deposited into Mission's account and remitted to the district authorities concerned in India, through RBI draft, for disbursement to all legal heirs of the deceased Indian national, in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

Does the Qur'an really contain verses promoting violence?

Does the Qur'an really contain verses promoting violence?

 

http://tpo.net/Quran/

http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/023-violence.htm

Summary Answer:

The Quran contains at least 109 verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers.  Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding.  Muslims who do not join the fight are called 'hypocrites' and warned that Allah will send them to Hell if they do not join the slaughter.

These verses are mostly open-ended, meaning that the historical context is not embedded within the surrounding text - as are nearly all of the Old Testament verses of violence.  They are part of the eternal, unchanging word of Allah, and just as relevant or subjective as anything else in the Qur'an.  

Unfortunately, there are very few verses of tolerance and peace to abrogate or even balance out the many that call for nonbelievers to be fought and subdued until they either accept humiliation, convert to Islam, or are killed.  This proclivity toward violence - and Muhammad's own martial legacy - has left a trail of blood and tears across world history. The Qur'an:

Qur'an (2:191-193) - "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]...and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah."  There is a good case to be made that the textual context of this particular passage is defensive war, even if the historical context was not.  However, there are also two worrisome pieces to these verse.  The first is that the killing of others is authorized in the event of "persecution" (a qualification that is ambiguous at best).  The second is that fighting may persist until "religion is for Allah."  The example set by Muhammad is not reassuring.

Qur'an (2:244) - "Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things."

Qur'an (2:216) - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."  Not only does this verse establish that violence can be virtuous, but it also contradicts the myth that fighting is intended only in self-defense, since the audience was obviously not under attack at the time.  From the Hadith, we know that Muhammad was actually trying to motivate his people into raiding caravans with this verse.

Qur'an (3:56) - "As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help."

Qur'an (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority".  This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be 'joining companions to Allah').

Qur'an (4:74) - "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward."  The martyrs of Islam are unlike the early Christians, led meekly to the slaughter.  These Muslims are killed in battle, as they attempt to inflict death and destruction for the cause of Allah.  Here is the theological basis for today's suicide bombers.

Qur'an (4:76) - "Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah…"

Qur'an (4:89) - "They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks."

Qur'an (4:95) - "Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) Hath Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward,-"  This passage not only criticizes "peaceful" Muslims who do not join in the violence, but it also demolishes the modern myth that "Jihad" doesn't mean holy war in the Qur'an, but rather a spiritual struggle.  Not only is the Arabic word used in this passage, but it is clearly not referring to anything spiritual, since the physically disabled are given exemption.  (The Hadith reveals the context of the passage to be in response to a blind man's protest that he is unable to engage in Jihad).

Qur'an (4:104) - "And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain..."  Is pursuing an injured and retreating enemy really an act of self-defense?

Qur'an (5:33) - "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement"

Qur'an (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them"  No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.

Qur'an (8:15) - "O ye who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them. (16)Whoso on that day turneth his back to them, unless maneuvering for battle or intent to join a company, he truly hath incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey's end."

Qur'an (8:39) - "And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah"  From the historical context we know that the "persecution" spoken of here was simply the refusal by the Meccans to allow Muhammad to enter their city and perform the Haj.  Other Muslims were able to travel there, just not as an armed group, since Muhammad declared war on Mecca prior to his eviction.  The Meccans were also acting in defense of their religion, since it was Muhammad's intention to destroy their idols and establish Islam by force (which he later did).  Hence the critical part of this verse is to fight until "religion is only for Allah."

Qur'an (8:57) - "If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember."

Qur'an (8:59-60) - "And let not those who disbelieve suppose that they can outstrip (Allah's Purpose). Lo! they cannot escape.  Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy."

Qur'an (9:5) - "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them."  According to this verse, the best way of staying safe from Muslim violence is to convert to Islam.  Prayer (salat) and the poor tax (zakat) are among the religions Five Pillars.

Qur'an (9:14) - "Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace..."

Qur'an (9:20) - "Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant."  The "striving" spoken of here is Jihad.

Qur'an (9:29) - "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, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."  "People of the Book" refers to Christians and Jews.  This was one of the final "revelations" from Allah and it set in motion the tenacious military expansion, in which Muhammad's companions managed to conquer two-thirds of the Christian world in just the next 100 years.  Islam is intended to dominate all other people and faiths.

Qur'an (9:30) - "And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!"

Qur'an (9:38-39) - "O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place."  This is a warning to those who refuse to fight, that they will be punished with Hell.

Qur'an (9:41) - "Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew."  See also the verse that follows (9:42) - "If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them"  This contradicts the myth that Muslims are to fight only in self-defense, since the wording implies that battle will be waged a long distance from home (in another country and on Christian soil, in this case, according to the historians).

Qur'an (9:73) - "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination."  Dehumanizing those who reject Islam, by reminding Muslims that they are merely firewood for Hell, makes it easier to justify slaughter.  It also explains why today's devout Muslims have little regard for those outside the faith.

Qur'an (9:88) - "But the Messenger, and those who believe with him, strive and fight with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper."

Qur'an (9:111) - "Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."

Qur'an (9:123) - "O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness."

Qur'an (21:44) - "We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?"

Qur'an (25:52) - "Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them with the utmost strenuousness, with the (Qur'an)."   "Strive against" is Jihad - obviously not in the personal context.  It's also significant to point out that this is a Meccan verse.

Qur'an (47:4) - "So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners,"

Qur'an (47:35) - "Be not weary and faint-hearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost (Shakir: "have the upper hand") for Allah is with you,"

Qur'an (48:17) - "There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom."  Contemporary apologists sometimes claim that Jihad means 'spiritual struggle.'  Is so, then why are the blind, lame and sick exempted?

Qur'an (48:29) - "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves"  Islam is not about treating everyone equally.  There are two very distinct standards that are applied based on religious status.

Qur'an (61:4) - "Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way"  Religion of Peace, indeed!

Qur'an (61:10-12) - "O ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous Penalty?- That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah, with your property and your persons: That will be best for you, if ye but knew! He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity."  This verse was given in battle.  It uses the Arabic word, Jihad.

Qur'an (66:9) - "O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. Hell will be their home, a hapless journey's end."  The root word of "Jihad" is used again here.  The context is clearly holy war, and the scope of violence is broadened to include "hypocrites" - those who call themselves Muslims but do not act as such.

From the Hadith:

Bukhari (52:177) - Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour 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."

Bukhari (52:256) - The Prophet... was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophet replied, "They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans)." In this command, Muhammad establishes that it is permissible to kill non-combatants in the process of killing a perceived enemy.  This provides justification for the many Islamic terror bombings.

Bukhari (52:220) - Allah's Apostle said... 'I have been made victorious with terror'

Abu Dawud (14:2526) - The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist)

Abu Dawud (14:2527) - The Prophet said: Striving in the path of Allah (jihad) is incumbent on you along with every ruler, whether he is pious or impious

Muslim (1:33) - the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah

Bukhari (8:387) - Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah

Muslim (1:149) - "Abu Dharr reported: I said: Messenger of Allah, which of the deeds is the best? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Belief in Allah and Jihad in His cause..."

Muslim (20:4645) - "...He (the Messenger of Allah) did that and said: There is another act which elevates the position of a man in Paradise to a grade one hundred (higher), and the elevation between one grade and the other is equal to the height of the heaven from the earth. He (Abu Sa'id) said: What is that act? He replied: Jihad in the way of Allah! Jihad in the way of Allah!"

Muslim (20:4696) - "the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: 'One who died but did not fight in the way of Allah nor did he express any desire (or determination) for Jihid died the death of a hypocrite.'"

Muslim (19:4321-4323) - Three separate hadith in which Muhammad shrugs over the news that innocent children were killed in a raid by his men against unbelievers.  His response: "They are of them (meaning the enemy)."

Tabari 7:97 The morning after the murder of Ashraf, the Prophet declared, "Kill any Jew who falls under your power."  Ashraf was a poet, killed by Muhammad's men because he insulted Islam.  Here, Muhammad widens the scope of his orders to kill.  An innocent Jewish businessman was then slain by his Muslim partner, merely for being non-Muslim.

Tabari 9:69 "Killing Unbelievers is a small matter to us"  The words of Muhammad, prophet of Islam.

Ibn Ishaq: 327 - “Allah said, ‘A prophet must slaughter before collecting captives. A slaughtered enemy is driven from the land. Muhammad, you craved the desires of this world, its goods and the ransom captives would bring. But Allah desires killing them to manifest the religion.’”

Ibn Ishaq: 990 - Lest anyone think that cutting off someone's head while screaming 'Allah Akbar!' is a modern custom, here is an account of that very practice under Muhammad, who seems to approve.

Ibn Ishaq: 992 - "Fight everyone in the way of Allah and kill those who disbelieve in Allah." Muhammad's instructions to his men prior to a military raid.

Additional Notes:

Other than the fact that Muslims haven't killed every non-Muslim under their domain, there is very little else that they can point to as proof that theirs is a peaceful, tolerant religion.  Few verses in the Qur'an can be construed to fit the contemporary virtues of religious tolerance and universal brotherhood Those that do are earlier "Meccan" verses that are obviously abrogated by later ones.  Small wonder that Muslim apologists spend a lot of time speaking of the "risks" of trying to interpret the Qur'an without their "assistance."

Far from being mere history or theological construct, the violent verses of the Qur'an have played a key role in actual massacre and genocide.  This includes the brutal slaughter of tens of millions of Hindus for five centuries beginning around 1000 AD with Mahmud of Ghazni's bloody conquest, including the massacre of those who defending their temples from destruction.  Buddhism was very nearly wiped off the Indian subcontinent.  Judaism and Christianity met the same fate (albeit more slowly) in areas conquered by Muslim armies, including the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe, including today's Turkey.  Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of a proud Persian people is despised by Muslims and barely survives in modern Iran.

So ingrained is violence in the religion that Islam has never really stopped being at war, either with other religions or with itself. 

Muhammad was a military leader, laying siege to towns, massacring the men, raping their women, enslaving their children, and taking what was once the property of others for his own.  On several occasions he rejected offers of surrender from the besieged inhabitants and killed those whom he could take prisoner.  He inspired his followers to battle even when they did not feel it was right to fight, promising them slaves and booty if they did and threatening them with Hell if they did not.  Muhammad allowed his men to rape traumatized women captured in battle. 

It is important to emphasize that Muslim armies waged aggressive campaigns, and it was the companions of Muhammad who made the most dramatic military gains in the decades following his death.  The principle set in motion early on was that the civilian population of a town was to be destroyed (ie. men executed, women and children taken as slaves) if they defended themselves.  Although modern Muslim apologists often claim that Islam only attacked in self-defense, this is not only an oxymoron, but it is flatly contradicted by the accounts of Muslim historians and others going back to the time of Muhammad.

Muhammad's failure to leave a clear line of succession resulted in perpetual internal war following his death.  Those who knew him best first fought to keep remote tribes from leaving Islam and reverting to their preferred religion (the Ridda or 'Apostasy wars').  Then within the closer community, early Meccan converts battled later ones.  Hostility developed between those immigrants who had traveled with Muhammad to Mecca and the Ansar at Medina who had helped them settle in.  Finally there was a violent struggle within Muhammad's own family between his favorite wife and favorite daughter - a jagged schism that has left Shias and Sunnis at each others' throats to this day. 

The strangest and most untrue thing that can be said about Islam is that it is a Religion of Peace.  If every standard by which the West is judged and condemned (slavery, imperialism, intolerance, women's rights, sexuality, warfare...) were applied equally to Islam, the verdict would be absolutely devastating.  Islam never gives up what it conquers, be it religion, culture, language or life.  Neither does it make apologies or any real effort at moral progress.  It is the least open to dialogue and the most self-absorbed.  It is convinced of its own perfection, yet brutally shuns self-examination and represses criticism.

This is what makes the verses of violence so dangerous.  They are given the weight of divine command.  While Muslim terrorists take them as literally as anything else in the Qur'an, and understand that Islam is incomplete without Jihad, moderates offer little to contradict them - outside of opinion.  Indeed, what do they have?  Speaking of peace and love may win over the ignorant, but when every twelfth verse of Islam's holiest book either speaks to Allah's hatred for non-Muslims or calls for their death, forced conversion, or subjugation, it's little wonder that sympathy for terrorism runs as deeply as it does in the broader community - even if most Muslims personally prefer not to interpret their religion in this way.

In fact, many Muslims are simply unaware of the Qur'an's near absence of verses that preach universal non-violence.  This is because their understanding of Islam comes from what they are taught by others.  In the West, it is typical for Muslims to come to believe that their religion must be like Christianity - preaching the New Testament virtues of peace, love, and tolerance - because Muslims are taught that Islam is supposed to be superior in every way.  They are somewhat surprised and embarrassed to learn that the evidence of the Qur'an and the bloody history of Islam are very much in contradiction to this.

For their part, Western liberals would do well not to sacrifice critical thinking on the altar of political correctness, or look for reasons to bring other religion down to the level of Islam merely to avoid the existential truth that this it is both different and dangerous.

There are just too many Muslims who take the Qur'an literally... and too many others who couldn't care less about the violence done in the name of Islam.