The Violent Verses of the Qur’an in Comparison between the Classical and Modern Interpretations

Abstract

This paper examines some of “violent verses’ which have similar redaction. These verses which read, more or less are such as “kill them wherever you find them”. There are three verses which have same redaction: (1) QS. al-Baqarah [2]:191; (2) QS. al-Nisa’ [4]:89; and (3) QS. al-Tawbah [9]:5. It is to examine both the classical and the modern interpretations of these three verses. Classical interpretations mean the interpretations and commentaries of these verses as in classical books of tafsîr written by medieval, pre-modern Muslim scholars of exegesis, to which very often many Muslims today still refer. Modern interpretations mean the interpretations and commentaries that are written by modern Muslim exegetes. Along this line of elaboration, this shall compare both in order to know to what extent there has been a change in interpretations of these verses.