When you encounter those who disbelieve, strike at their necks. Then, when you have routed them, bind them firmly. Then, either release them by grace, or by ransom, until war lays down its burdens.)… (Muhammed Suresi, 4)

Many atheists refer to this verse and say that those who are in Isis mentality are true Muslims and they fulfill the decree of the verse. Or they claim that Islam is the religion of brutality that dictates decapitating the disbelievers. The truth, however, is the exact opposite of what is known. When I decipher the verse above with, what you read will be so astonishing and if you have conscience you will give up distorting the meaning of this verse…

Let’s look at the “rikab” word in the verse which translated as neck. Rikab Word means “monitoring, being under surveillance” in Arabic. One of Allah’s name is ”Er Rakib”. It comes from RKB base and this Word has monitoring, surveillance, protection, standing guard meanings. It tells us that Allah never unwary of his subjects, he always monitors, protects and keep them in check. After this brief information, I would like to give you other surahs and verse numbers which includes the word “Rakabe”. (The first is the surah number, the second is the verse number.)

Other verses that includes the Word Rakabe: (28-18), (28-21), (44-59), (11 -93), (5-117,) (50-18), (4-1)

You will see after a brief investigation on the Internet that the Rekabe word has been translated as monitoring in all the other verses. It is only translated as neck only in Muhammed Surah Verse 4. And many other translators were influenced by each other and gave the meaning of “necks” to the word “rikabi”. In fact, the neck is expressed as the word “A’nâk” in Arabic. The surah and verse numbers in which this Word is written is as follows;

Other verses in which the word “A’nâk” is written: (17-29), (17-13), (8-12), (34-33), (38-33), (13-5), (26-4), (36-8), (40-71)

Let’s look at what this the verse all about;

When you encounter those who disbelieve, strike their surveillance/command centers. Then, when you have routed them, bind them firmly. Then, either release them by grace, or by ransom, until war lays down its burdens. … (Muhammed Surah, 4)

When you read a verse, you should read it together with the beginning, the end, before and after of it so that the subject will not be decontextualized. In the first sentence of this verse, it says, at the time of the battle you have confronted with the disbelievers, you shall shoot the commanding/surveillance centers of those who disbelieve. Then it says when you surpass them, take them captive. And after the war ends, release your captives gratuitously or with ransom.

Now I ask this; When you strike the necks of those who deny in war time – which does not have the exact meaning of their neck – how do you capture the man you killed by cutting the neck? Isn’t this man already dead? there is no expression related to the cutting of the necks in this verse. Those who continue to distort the meaning of this verse in spite of the evidences must question their sincerity and conscience, not Islam. (Allah knows the very best)

Result: War in Islam is waged for defense if there is an attack pursuant to the “Permission is given to those who are fought against, and God is Able to give them victory.” (al-Hajj Surah, 39) verse. And as defined in “And fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not commit aggression; God does not love the aggressors.” (al-Baqarah Surah, 190) verse, waging war against the ones who fights with Muslims is justified. But it is forbidden to go too

far. And when the battlefield is formed, the parties kill each other in order not to die. The name of disabling an attacker without killing is holding captive. Post-war prisoners are released mutually or gratuitously.

The source of the massacre ISIS commits is not the Qur’an; it is made up hadiths. ISIS decapitates even the people who says they are faithful. But Allah says; “Whoever kills a believer deliberately, the penalty for him is Hell, where he will remain forever. And God will be angry with him, and will curse him, and will prepare for him a terrible punishment.’‘(an-Nisa Surah, 93) in the verse. Those who say “ISIS is the real Muslim,” should look at these verses …