Is the Quran a peaceful book

My opponent fails to realise the objective of the Analogy I made (by comparing the Qur’an & the US Constitution from the aspect that they both contain passages that sanction violence), & that is to elucidate that a the mere fact of containing passages that sanction violence (regardless if the violence is justified or not) does not imply either the Qur’an or the Constitution are violent. => Therefore, his conclusion is invalid. My opponent fails to bring proof to link the following verse in the Qur’an: “Fighting is prescribed for you” to his false & unjustified interpretation of it: “encouraged to Kill”. Whereas, “Fighting” in the verse is not specified & could thus mean anything or be against anything: > fighting with pillows, with sticks, with bear hands, with brains, with weapons… > fighting frogs, weather, believers, unbelievers, those who fight you… => Therefore, his argument is void. - " The right to bear arms is not a call to war like many passages in the Quran-it is for your own protection and enjoyment (hunting animals). " > My opponent claims the Qur’an calls for War based on inauthentic sources & non-authoritative false inadmissible interpretations of verses in the Qur’an. => Therefore, his claim is irrelevant to the Islamic Tradition. - " The right to bear arms is not a call to war like many passages in the Quran-it is for your own protection and enjoyment (hunting animals). However it does have legal bounds (no murder, injury, unless defending yourself etc.). The Quran's verses have no legal bounds, you are encouraged to kill:"And kill them (those who fight you) wherever you overtake them""but if they fight you, slay them."while the constitution and the law of the land makes murder illegal. " > My opponent believes -without evidence- that there are no legal bounds concerning “Fighting” in Islamic Law! > Plus, he contradicts himself in affirming that:* Manslaughter subsequent to bearing arms to defending oneself is not an encouragement to kill.* Killing subsequent to defending oneself from militant attackers during War is an encouragement to kill! > Even more so, he makes the false & unjustified insinuation that murder is legal in Islamic Law. => Therefore, his irrational unjustified beliefs can not be taken seriously, & are to be rejected. "Tabari 9:69 "Killing Unbelievers is a small matter to us" The words of Muhammad, prophet of Islam." My opponent brings an inexistent fabricated quote falsely attributed to Muhammad from an inauthentic dubious source to support his claim. => Therefore, his conclusion is false. My Case: 1)— Every single Aya & Hadith sanctioning -Military- Jihad is restricted to the position of self-defence in War < All of them. Let's see about the ones my opponent brough up: Quran (8:12) - - Context: “[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”.” (8:9-12) > The verse was revealed about the battle of Badr (muslims: 314, meccans: ~1,000) where (as the verse states) Allah promises to send down angels to aid the muslims & reveals to the angles that He will instil fear in the hearts of the enemy while they are to aid the believers in battle by striking the enemy. > The verse was specifically & exclusively addressed to angels in the battle of Badr. Also, striking fear in the hearts of the enemy is the most used & useful tactic of War. => Clearly, the verse is restricted in the context of the battlefield. Quran (9:14) - Context: This verse was revealed in a series of verses going from (9:1) through (9:15) concerning the affair where Q’uraysh violated the Covenant they signed with Muhammad by killing clan members under his protection, & thus the Qur’an sanctions fighting the Pagans that declared war on Muhammad, but only after the sacred months have past: "So travel freely [O pagans] throughout the land [during] four month;["]And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the pagans wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush" (9:2+5) (+) According to Tafsir (Exegesis of the Qur'an, made by Authoritative Exegetists) : Kill > Kill the invaders of the land of muslims, who are in war with muslims. Capture > Capture the intruders in the land of muslims who are in war with muslims. Besiege > Stop - before entering the land of muslims - those who are in war with muslims. Sit in wait > Guard your borders against those who are in war with muslims. => & then, in the same line of verses, the Qur’an comes again to enforce the spirit of self defence (to make sure that non-militant parties shouldn't get mistakenly involved in the conflict) & says: "Those of the Pagans with whom you have a treaty, and who have not failed you, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfil their treaty to them to the end of their term. Surely Allah loves the righteous. ["]If one amongst the Pagans asks you for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure" (9:4+6) => Clearly, the verse is applicable as a measure of constrained self-defence in times of war. Qur’an (48:29) - Context: The verse was revealed about the incident of Hudaybiya (Year 6: when the muslims went to preform the pilgrimage in Mecca, & the Meccans kidnapped ‘Uthman messenger of the Prophet to Q’uraish & raised arms to fight Muhammad). So it concerns the Companions that swore allegiance to Muhammad to fight by his side against Q’uraish. => Clearly, the verse is meant for the context of war. Qur’an (61:4) “Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.” => Clearly the verse is speaking of armies in the battlefield. It, most definitely, does not a call to war. Qur’an (61:5) - Context: “And when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?” […]And when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." […]It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it.” - The same Context can be seen in this other verse speaking in the same sense about Jesus: “[Remember] when Allah said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection.” (3:55) - The Qur'an describes itself as a continuation of all past Revelations of God’s Religion that is Islam: > "To you We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it, and as a criterion over it" (5:48) - The Qur'an also states that God sent Prophets to all past nations: > "And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying]: "Worship Allah and avoid false gods." (16:36) > "And there was no nation but that there had passed within it a warner a messenger)". (35:34) > "Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many Were the messenger that passed away before him." (3:144) > "Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth." (5:75) > Muhammad said: " [Prophets] are a hundred and twenty four thousands, among them three hundred and fifteen Messengers"=> The verse speaks generally about the Religion of God on earth, it has no relation whatsoever with war or killing. 2)— Here is the real peaceful spirit of the Qur'an & the Hadith: - “Let there be no compulsion in religion” (2:256) - “And say, "The truth is from your Lord”, so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve.” (18:29) - “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most pious of you.” (49:13) - Muhammad said: “O! people! your Lord is one and your ancestor is one. there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor of a non-Arab over an Arab, nor of a white over a black, nor a black over a white, except by piety.” [^Ahmad #22871] - Muhammad said: “Humans are equal, like a set of a tooth-comb, there is no superiority of the arabs among them over the non-arabs, or the whites among them over the blacks except by piety” [^al-Mustadrak #75-6] - Ali (cousin & son in law to the Prophet, 4th Caliph) said: “People are of two types, they are either your brothers in Religion or your equals in Humanity” - "whoever kills a soul - unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely." (5:32) - "Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity." (60:8) - Muhammad said: “The merciful are shown mercy by The Most Merciful. Be merciful on the earth, and you will be shown mercy from Who is above the heavens.” [^at-Tarmidhi #1429] - Muhammad never forced anyone to convert to Islam in his life. - He also never initiated a War: all the 29 campaigns he led, from which 9 turned into battles (& 20 into treaties or truces), were defensive campaigns. Sources:* http://library.islamweb.net...* http://ia902702.us.archive.org...;