Expert: Le Anne Clausen - 6/28/2007

Question
what are the chapter and verse quotations condoning revenge in the K
oran. give texts.

Answer
Greetings Jack, and thanks for your question. I would want to start a conversation about Qur'anic texts condoning revenge only first by saying the predominant emphasis is on orderly justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation of grievances.  To do otherwise would be somewhat akin to ignoring most of the Gospels in the Christian scriptures.

That said, here are some thoughts and some web resources that can help you address this question:

http://www.unification.net/ws/theme142.htm  Verses of reconciliation among several religions

And from http://ecumene.org/IIS/csss117.htm

The Qur’an says that killing one person without justification amounts to killing whole humanity and saving one life amounts to saving whole humanity (5:32). Thus the Qur’an has very rigorous standards about respecting the right to live and no one has right to deprive others of this right to take revenge or otherwise except through due process of law. Also, no one has right to kill non-combatants even if one has waging jihad. Shari’ah law strictly prohibits killing non-combatants, children, women and old people. And in such bomb blasts or suicide bombing only such people get killed.

Also, this may be helpful from the same website:
Women who give birth to life should never be involved in any act, which leads to extinguishing life. And one who is truly religious can never indulge in revenge killing in the name of Islam. The Qur’an requires Muslims to suppress their anger rather than kill in retaliation. Thus we find in the Qur’an among virtues of the believers “Those who spend in ease as well as in adversity and those who restrain (their); anger and pardon men. And Allah loves the doers of good.” (3:133).

Many sacred scriptures are written in times of violent persecution of the newly-forming religious group that try to rally the spirits and survival strategies of the group at the time.  This also can be found in Jewish, Christian, and Hindu teachings as well as others.  The caution for all religions is to not mis-appropriate these texts for a time when their religion becomes the majority rule in the land.

Hope this helps!

peace,
Le Anne Clausen