It's part of their faith: Jihad
Summary of Muhammed and the treatment of conquered peoples
We can look into some of Muhammad’s other sorry actions. Now I hope to show that this ‘outstanding example of humanity’ also gloried in the execution of PoWs, and the assignation of political opponents.
I have divided this into several parts.
Part A – Enslaving PoWs
Part B – Killing PoWs
Part C – Actual Islamic attitudes towards PoWs.
Part A - Enslaving PoWs
Sura an-Nisa' 4:24
“And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you. Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned, so that ye seek them with your wealth in honest wedlock, not debauchery. And those of whom ye seek content (by marrying them), give unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what ye do by mutual agreement after the duty (hath been done). Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Wise.”
Part B - Killing PoWs
B1 - Primary sources for the treatment of PoWs
"And He has caused to descend from their strongholds the Jews that assisted them. And he struck terror into their hearts. Some you slaughtered and some you took prisoner"
Sura 32.25
"Bani An-Nadir and Bani Quraiza fought, so the Prophet (Muhammad) exiled Bani An-Nadir and allowed Bani Quraiza to remain at their places. He then killed their men and distributed their women, children and property among the Muslims, but some of them came to the Prophet and he granted them safety, and they embraced Islam. He exiled all the Jews from Medina. They were the Jews of Bani Qainuqa', the tribe of 'Abdullah bin Salam and the Jews of Bani Haritha and all the other Jews of Medina."
(Hadith, Sahih Bukhari 5:59:362)
Surah Muhammad
47.4 So, when you meet (in fight Jihad in Allah's Cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden. Thus [you are ordered by Allah to continue in carrying out Jihad against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam (i.e. are saved from the punishment in the Hell-fire) or at least come under your protection], but if it had been Allah's Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost,
http://www.quraan.com/index.aspx?tabindex=1&tabid=27&bid=47
B2 - Secondary source for the killing of PoWs
"The members of the last surviving Jewish tribe in Medinah, Banu Qurayzah, were even less fortunate. Muhammad offered the men conversion to Islam as an alternative to death; upon their refusal, all 900 were decapitated in front of their enslaved women and children. The women were subsequently raped; Muhammad chose as his concubine one Raihana Bint Amr, whose father and husband were both slaughtered before her eyes only hours earlier."
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/Chronicles/February1999/0299Trifkovic.htm
There were, in the time of Muhammad, Arab tribes that were Christian. Some were pagan, and some were Jewish. One such Jewish tribe, the Banu Quarayza helped Muhammad in battle. However, "their loyalty was questioned and inevitably, after the siege, Muhammad moved against them. Realizing that they had no chance of surviving, the Banu Quarayza agreed to surrender on condition that they quit Medina empty-handed. Muhammad refused and wanted nothing less than unconditional surrender. The Jews then appealed to their ancient friendship with the Banu Aws and asked that Abuy Lubaba, an ally belonging to that tribe, be allowed to visit them. He was asked what Muhammad's intentions were; by way of reply Abu Lubaba drew his hand across his throat, indicating that they must fight to the end, as death was all that they could hope for. At last, after several weeks, the Jews surrendered on condition that their fate should be decided by their allies, the Banu Aws. The latter were inclined to show mercy but Muhammad decided that the fate of the Jews was to be decided by on of the Banu Aws. Muhammad nominated Sa'd ibn Muadh to be the judge...He pronounced, "My judgement is that the men shall be put to death, the women and children sold into slavery, and the spoil divided among the army." Muhammad adopted the verdict as his own: "Truly the judgment of Sad is the judgment of God pronounced on high from beyond the seventh heaven."
During the night trenches sufficient to contain the dead bodies of the men were dug across the market place...In the morning, (Muhammad), himself a spectator of the tragedy, commanded the male captives to be brought forth in companies of five or six at a time. Each company as it came up was made to sit down in a row on the brink of the trench... The butchery began in the morning, and lasted all day...(Muhammad) returned from this horrid spectacle to solace himself with the charms of Rihana, who's husband and all of her make relatives had just perished in the massacre"*
"And yes, a revelation came down from heaven justifying the stern punishment meted out to the Jews: sura 32.25 (see above)
*Muir, Sir W (1923) "The Life of Muhammad", p240 quoted in:
Ibn Warraq (1995) "Why I am Not a Muslim", pp95-96.
All the males of the tribe were asked to show their pubic region. Those who had not developed pubic hair were considered children and were not killed. All in all - at a most conservative figure - some 900 prisoners-of-war were put to death at that instance.
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/C...99Trifkovic.htm
Now Sa'd Ibn Mu'ath (RA) delivered his judgment: "I enjoin that all the men of Banu Quraithah be put to death and their wives and children be treated like prisoners of war while their wealth and properties be divided among the Muslims." Following this judgment Banu Quraithah were ordered to come out of the fort and they were all brought to Al-Madinah in custody. At last, following the judgment, their men were killed and their dwellings were given to the Muslims.
From: The History of Islam, Vol.1
http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/archive/readArt.php?id=37137&lang=E
Part 1 ends
