Islam and Slavery — Page 61
CAN PRISONERS OF WAR BE PUT TO DEATH ?. WE have already pointed out that Islam does not allow putting the prisoners of war to death, but as some. Muslim ulema have dissented from this view and as some of the Christian writers have made this point an object of attack against Islam, it appears desirable to discuss it here at some length. . First of all, we must remember that verse 5 of. Chapter 47 of the Quran which has already been referred to in the course of this article clearly shows that it is not lawful for a Muslim to put the prisoners of war to death, and obviously no one has the right to devise a new law in opposition to the injunctions of the Quran. . But in order to satisfy the reader, we wish to make it plain that the meaning which we have ascribed to the verse in question is not an innovation. It is the interpretation which the companions of the Holy Prophet put on it and they acted accordingly. This view is borne out by the following incident: -Hassan says, "A captive was brought before Hajjaj, who said to Abdullah, son of Caliph Omar who happened to be there, 'Get up and cut off the head of this prisoner. ”. Abdullah answered, 'We have not been commanded to do so%; for God says that when prisoners are taken in war they are to be released either as an act of favour or for ransom. There is no injunction to put them to death. " (¹) (1) Kitab Al-Ķhiraj, by Qazi Abu Yusaf, p. 121,