Bismillah Erahman Erahim.In last night’s Quran study group we came across an ayat that has caused considerable consternation and criticism from non-Muslims and thus defensiveness on the part of Muslims themselves.This is ayat 4:89 which says…”Then ,if they turn away,seize them and kill them wherever you find them….”
This ayat has been used to portray Islam as a violent and aggressive religion(Estagfirullah) but that is because it is taken out of context.

The context was a group of hypocrites that were leaving Medina to join up with the Quraysh in Mecca at a time where the Qujraysh were the sworn enemies of Islam.Remember,this is a time of war.If the Allies in WW2 were faced with soldiers deserting to join the German occupation forces in France,what would be the ruling?! Treason and deserting to join the enemy has usually carried execution as the natural punishment.So let’s get real! There is nothing unusual in this ruling.It was a time of war- a time where survival was the first priority.BTW the same is true for apostasy(murtadd). At the time of the Prophet saws the apostates joined the ranks of the enemy.So the punishment was death.This is no longer the case but the Islamic authorities,at least in some countries,have not caught up with the times.What else is new?!