A friend asked me about "the hate speech of Islam"; how should I reply?

Question

He actually sent me a message with this content:

The Islam is clearly hate speech, have a look at these parts:

Believers are loved by God, whereas infidels are hated to the extent that they are tortured for eternity (3:32, 4:56) merely for not believing. Muslims are told not to take unbelievers as friends (3:28) and to shun them (3:118). Those outside the circle are called “helpers of evil” (25:55), “wicked” (4:160), “fond of lies” (5:42) and compared to the worst of animals (8:55, 7:176, 7:179). Muslims are told to be merciful to each other, but ruthless to those outside of the faith (48:29). Violence is also sanctioned against those who are obstinate against Islamic rule (8:12-13, 9:5).

How should I answer him? He is Hindu.

Answer 1

Firstly, you should answer that there is no hate speech in Islam. To pick out some ayat from the Holy Qur'an without any context as a proof that Islam is violent and hateful is not giving a truthful picture of the final monotheistic religion.

You can find in the Bible even worse passages of hate and then conclude that Christianity is a violent religion. Nobody would do that.

Have a look at this clip,where some students in the Netherlands made a little experiment in the streets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEnWw_lH4tQ

Secondly, God's mercy is the most frequently mentioned quality of God in the Qur'an. His mercy is all-embracing and all-inclusive. He is merciful towards all his creation, He even was merciful to Shaitan when He allowed him to survive. His mercy is infinite and includes people who do not know Him or fight against Him.

How many disbelievers live a very comfortable life? It is because of Allah's mercy. So how can this merciful creator propagate hate?

Al-Rahman (الرحمان): Literally meaning the All-compassionate or the All-merciful. This is the second most famous name of God in Islam. In the Qur’an God tells the Prophet Mohammad:

“Say, ‘Invoke ‘‘Allah’’ or invoke ‘‘al-Rahman.’’ Whichever [of His Names] you may invoke, to Him belong the Best Names.’” (17:110)

This term is mentioned 169 times in the Qur’an. Al-Rahim

Al-Rahim (الرحيم): Literally meaning the Compassionate or the Merciful. It is the most repeated attribute of God in the Qur’an. It is mentioned 226 times in the Qur’an. According to some hadiths, Al-Rahman refers to the compassion and mercy of God for all creatures and al-Rahim refers to the special extra compassion and mercy that He has for the believers. Thus, it may be more accurate to translate al-Rahman into the All-merciful and al-Rahim into the Most merciful.

(http://www.al-islam.org/image-god-quran)

Answer 2

I guess the obvious thing to do is read those Qur'an verses one by one. Experience shows that verses, translations, and snippets are carefully cherry-picked, and they're usually straightforward to debunk by actually reading the Qur'an.

Throughout this list, we see the repeated theme of taking Qur'an verses that relate to battle and war, and presenting them as if they're everyday guidelines. The Qur'an translation by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan addresses this problem directly under "Jihad is a Peaceful Ideological Struggle" (starting on page xvii):

Such verses, relate, in a restricted sense, to those who have unilaterally attacked the Muslims. ...

Similarly, Jesus Christ said, `Do not think that I came to bring peace on Earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.' (Matthew, 10:34)

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• "tortured for eternity merely for not believing":

  Say, "Obey Allah and the Messenger." But if they turn away - then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers. -- Qur'an 3:30

  Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a Fire. Every time their skins are roasted through We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise. -- Qur'an 4:56

  In Islam, indeed, we accept there is punishment for those who reject the message of Muhammad (along with sinning). Whether or not the punishment is eternal, it's complicated (see e.g. Do non-Muslims have a chance to go to Paradise?, and Do people who never convert to islam still go to hell even if they believe in God?), and up to Allah's all-knowing, perfect judgement. However, judging from many ahadith, it only takes a modicum of goodness to get into Paradise. It also seems that time behaves differently after death (Qur'an 22:47: "...a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count.").

• "Muslims are told not to take unbelievers as friends":

  Let not believers take disbelievers as allies rather than believers. And whoever [of you] does that has nothing with Allah , except when taking precaution against them in prudence. And Allah warns you of Himself, and to Allah is the [final] destination. -- Qur'an 3:28

  Many Muslims have non-Muslim friends (including your Hindu friend, it seems), and that ayah does not say otherwise. In fact, the Qur'an itself says the complete opposite:

  Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. -- Qur'an 60:8

• "Muslims are told... to shun [unbelievers]":

  O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason. -- Qur'an 3:118

  Again, the cited ayah does not support the claim, and the Qur'an says the complete opposite:

  And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant. -- Qur'an 4:86

• "Those outside the circle are called 'helpers of evil'":

  But they worship rather than Allah that which does not benefit them or harm them, and the disbeliever is ever, against his Lord, an assistant [to Satan]. -- Qur'an 25:55

  There's inconsistent translations of this (see Islam Awakened). E.g. the version "...the unbelievers are defiant against their Lord" is almost a tautology. I don't think it's intended to mean that disbelievers are going around invoking Satan. The next ayah suggests it's more of an expression of concern:

  And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. -- Qur'an 25:56

• "Those outside the circle are called 'wicked'...":

  For wrongdoing on the part of the Jews, We made unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had been lawful to them, and for their averting from the way of Allah many [people], -- Qur'an 4:160

  Seems unrelated to the claim.

• "Those outside the circle are called 'fond of lies'...":

  [They are] avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful. So if they come to you, [O Muhammad], judge between them or turn away from them. And if you turn away from them - never will they harm you at all. And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. -- Qur'an 5:42

  The preceding ayah gives the context:

  O Messenger, let them not grieve you who hasten into disbelief of those who say, "We believe" with their mouths, but their hearts believe not, and from among the Jews. [They are] avid listeners to falsehood, listening to another people who have not come to you. They distort words beyond their [proper] usages, saying "If you are given this, take it; but if you are not given it, then beware." But he for whom Allah intends fitnah - never will you possess [power to do] for him a thing against Allah . Those are the ones for whom Allah does not intend to purify their hearts. For them in this world is disgrace, and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment. -- Qur'an 5:41

  So it's referring to people who say "we believe" but don't; not those "outside the circle".

  (I asked about the Jewish reference here: Does Qur'an 5:41 mean that all Jews "listen eagerly to lies", or that among the Jews there are some who "listen eagerly to lies"?)

• "Those outside the circle are... compared to the worst of animals":

  Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who have disbelieved, and they will not [ever] believe -- Qur'an 8:55

  Wait, the sentence hasn't finished.

  Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who have disbelieved, and they will not [ever] believe - The ones with whom you made a treaty but then they break their pledge every time, and they do not fear Allah. -- Qur'an 8:55-58

  So, those who break treaties are referred to as "the worst of living creatures", which is consistent with the history of the ayah:

  This refers especially to the Jews. After arriving in Madina, the Prophet (peace be on him) concluded a treaty of mutual co-operation and good neighbourliness with them. ... But somehow the Jewish rabbis and scholars were irked... They were constantly engaged, therefore, in efforts to sabotage the new religious movement. -- IslamicStudies.info

• "Those outside the circle are... compared to the worst of animals" (again):

  And if We had willed, we could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered [instead] to the earth and followed his own desire. So his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought. -- Qur'an 7:176

  This is described as "...the tale of the man..." in several translations (see IslamAwakened). The preceding ayah:

  And recite to them, [O Muhammad], the news of him to whom we gave [knowledge of] Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Satan pursued him, and he became of the deviators. -- Qur'an 7:175

  It's a bit of a stretch to say it's comparing disbelievers to dogs.

• "Those outside the circle are... compared to the worst of animals" (again):

  And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless. -- Qur'an 7:179

  This is not about those "outside the circle" it's about "many of the jinn and mankind".

• "Muslims are told to be merciful to each other, but ruthless to those outside of the faith":

  Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward. -- Qur'an 48:29

  This is in Surah 48 "The Victory". This is in the context of battle, where Muslims were being persecuted.

• "Violence is also sanctioned against those who are obstinate against Islamic rule":

  [Remember] when your Lord inspired to the angels, "I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, so strike [them] upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip." That is because they opposed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger - indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. -- Qur'an 8:12-13

  This is in Surah 8 "The Spoils of War", in the context of the Battle of Badr. Soldiers kill people---it's not limited to Muslim soldiers.

  And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. -- Qur'an 9:5

  This is the so-called Sword Verse; Wikipedia writes:

  According to mainstream Islamic scholarship, the verse relates to a specific event in Islamic history. [Namely] that Arabian Pagans made and broke a covenant with Arabic Muslims. The verses immediately preceding and following 9:5, 9:4 and 9:6, make the context very clear: Only those Pagans who broke the covenant were subject to violent repercussions. Furthermore, any Pagans who honored the covenant as well as those who repented were to be spared.