Believe In One God Or Die?
It’s a misconception that in Surah Tauba polytheists were given only two opinions – either to believe or to die. Quran verse 9:5 asks the believers to kill the polytheists. The very next verse tells them to grant protection to those who seek it, and convey to them the message of God because they might be denying due to lack of knowledge . The point here is not that Muslims were asked to kill those who didn’t believe – they were asked to kill those who had understood the message but were bent on denying it . Quran verse 9:6 Translation by Asad And if any of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God seeks thy protection, grant him protection, so that he might [be able to] hear the word of God [from thee]; and thereupon convey him to a place where he can feel secure: this, because they [may be] people who [sin only because they] do not know [the truth].