Islam and violence

The use of politically and religiously-motivated violence dates back to the early history of Islam. Islam has its origins in the behavior, sayings, and rulings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his companions, and the first caliphs in the 7th, 8th, and 9th centuries CE.^[1]^[2] Mainstream Islamic law stipulates detailed regulations for the use of violence, including corporal and capital punishment, as well as regulations on how, when, and whom to wage war against.^[1]^[3]^[4]

At the same time, many Muslims and Islamic scholars reject violence and advocate for peaceful coexistence, emphasizing the core values of compassion, justice, and mercy within their faith. Understanding the multifaceted nature of politically and religiously-motivated violence within Islamic history and its ongoing manifestations is essential for fostering dialogue, promoting tolerance, and addressing the root causes of extremism.

The Quranic verse, "Whoever kills one innocent person, it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind; and whoever saves one person, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind" (Quran 5:32), underscores the sanctity of human life and the imperative of preserving it.

^ ^a ^b Gleave, Robert; Kristó-Nagy, István, eds. (2015). Violence in Islamic Thought from the Qur'an to the Mongols. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 27–31, 106–127. doi:10.3366/edinburgh/9780748694235.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-7486-9423-5.
^ Sahner, Christian C. (2020) [2018]. "Introduction: Christian Martyrs under Islam". Christian Martyrs under Islam: Religious Violence and the Making of the Muslim World. Princeton, New Jersey and Woodstock, Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press. pp. 1–28. ISBN 978-0-691-17910-0. LCCN 2017956010.
^ Juergensmeyer, Mark (2003) [2001]. "Modern Islamic Justifications for Violence". Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence. Comparative Studies in Religion and Society (3rd, Revised and Updated ed.). Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press. pp. 80–84. ISBN 978-0-520-24011-7. JSTOR 10.1525/j.ctt4cgfbx.8. LCCN 2003008770.
^ Berger, Maurits S. (May 2018). Sapir, Gideon (ed.). "Understanding Sharia in the West". Journal of Law, Religion and State. 6 (2–3). Leiden and Boston: Brill Publishers: 236–273. doi:10.1163/22124810-00602005. eISSN 2212-4810. hdl:1887/62331. ISSN 2212-6465.

[Gleave_2015-1] Gleave, Robert; Kristó-Nagy, István, eds. (2015). Violence in Islamic Thought from the Qur'an to the Mongols. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 27–31, 106–127. doi:10.3366/edinburgh/9780748694235.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-7486-9423-5.

[Sahner_2020-2] Sahner, Christian C. (2020) [2018]. "Introduction: Christian Martyrs under Islam". Christian Martyrs under Islam: Religious Violence and the Making of the Muslim World. Princeton, New Jersey and Woodstock, Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press. pp. 1–28. ISBN 978-0-691-17910-0. LCCN 2017956010.

[3] Juergensmeyer, Mark (2003) [2001]. "Modern Islamic Justifications for Violence". Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence. Comparative Studies in Religion and Society (3rd, Revised and Updated ed.). Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press. pp. 80–84. ISBN 978-0-520-24011-7. JSTOR 10.1525/j.ctt4cgfbx.8. LCCN 2003008770.

[4] Berger, Maurits S. (May 2018). Sapir, Gideon (ed.). "Understanding Sharia in the West". Journal of Law, Religion and State. 6 (2–3). Leiden and Boston: Brill Publishers: 236–273. doi:10.1163/22124810-00602005. eISSN 2212-4810. hdl:1887/62331. ISSN 2212-6465.

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