Mauao Man

Myth 1: “Islam Is a Religion of Peace”

📉 The Reality: Peace When Convenient, War When Commanded

This myth has been repeated so often that many people accept it without question. But the actual doctrine of Islam—when examined in full—is not about unconditional peace. It is a religion of submission, and peace is granted only when Islam dominates or violence is not tactically viable.

📖 I. The Qur’an: Peace Verses vs. War Verses

Islam’s scripture includes both peaceful and violent commands—but the violent ones often abrogate the peaceful ones (see naskh, or abrogation doctrine).

A. The Peaceful Verses (Revealed in Mecca)

Qur’an 5:32 is often quoted:

“…whoever kills a soul … it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.”

But what’s never quoted is the full verse or the context:

It’s directed at the Children of Israel, not Muslims.
The verse ends by justifying execution for “corruption in the land.”

It is not a blanket prohibition of violence—it’s a limited moral exhortation to Jews.

B. The Violent Verses (Medinan Period)

When Islam gained military power in Medina, the tone shifted dramatically.

🔺 Qur’an 9:5 – The “Verse of the Sword”

“Then, when the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them at every ambush…”

This is a clear command for offensive violence—not self-defense. It abrogated dozens of earlier peaceful verses, according to scholars like al-Suyuti and Ibn Kathir.

🔺 Qur’an 9:29 – Subjugate Jews and Christians

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah … from the People of the Book … until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.”

This isn’t just rejection—it’s licensed aggression toward people who simply disbelieve in Islam. The condition for peace? Pay up and accept inferiority.

⚔️ II. Hadith: The Prophet’s Own Words and Practice

A. Commanded to Wage War Until Submission

“I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah...”
— Sahih Bukhari 25, Sahih Muslim 22

This hadith is mutawatir (mass-transmitted). It leaves no room for peaceful coexistence as equals. War is commanded until religious submission.

B. Peace Is Tactical, Not Moral

“Make peace with them if you wish, and ask Allah for help against them.”
— Sahih Muslim 1746a

The Prophet made temporary truces (e.g., Hudaybiyyah), but always with the intention to break them when strength returned. This is recorded in Ibn Ishaq’s Sira and the Battle of Mecca.

🏹 III. Early Islamic Expansion: Conquest, Not Conversation

A. Rashidun Caliphate (632–661 CE)

Within 30 years of Muhammad’s death, the caliphs launched wars of conquest that:

Took Syria and Palestine from the Byzantines
Captured Persia from the Sassanids
Invaded Egypt, North Africa, and parts of Europe

B. Not Defensive Wars

Islamic historians (e.g., al-Tabari) openly recorded that these campaigns were offensive jihad, aimed at spreading Islam and establishing Sharia rule.

“We were told to fight until there is no more fitnah and the religion is entirely for Allah.” — Qur’an 8:39

This was not metaphorical. It was implemented—through swords, taxation, and religious subjugation.

💣 IV. Jihad: The Central Doctrine of Expansion

A. Not Just “Inner Struggle”

Modern apologetics love to say “jihad means inner struggle.” That’s only a minor usage. In legal texts and hadith, jihad means:

Armed struggle against non-Muslims to expand Islamic rule.

Confirmed by:

Al-Shafi‘i: Jihad is collective obligation unless the enemy attacks.
Al-Ghazali: Non-Muslims must be invited to Islam, and if they refuse, they are fought.
Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim: Jihad continues until Islam is dominant.

⚖️ V. Logical Breakdown: You Can’t Ignore the War Verses

A. Cherry-Picking ≠ Doctrine

You can’t define Islam by quoting only verses that make you feel comfortable while ignoring verses commanding war, subjugation, and violence.

B. Dualism Is Built In

Islam has a doctrine of as-sulh (peace treaties) and jihad (armed struggle). Peace is permissible only when Muslims are weak, not as a final goal.

This is not accidental—it’s embedded in the Prophetic example (sunnah) and codified in Islamic jurisprudence.

🚨 Final Verdict:

Islam is not a religion of peace.
It is a religion of conditional peace, governed by Islamic dominance and theological supremacy.
Where Islam rules, peace is extended to those who submit.
Where Islam does not rule, jihad remains the path to that end.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------About the Author

Mauao Man is a blog created by a New Zealand writer who believes in following the evidence wherever it leads. From history and religion to culture and society, Mauao Man takes a clear, critical, and honest approach — challenging ideas without attacking people. Whether exploring the history of Islam in New Zealand, the complexities of faith, or the contradictions in belief systems, this blog is about asking the hard questions and uncovering the truth.

If you value clarity over comfort and truth over tradition, you’re in the right place.