"Besides, it is worth reading the passages of the Qu'ran in context - invariably it was when a nascent Islam was under attack from pagan Arabs."
Utter rubbish. Read this http://www.muslimhope.com/WhatIsJihad.htm. From that page: .......119 other verses of Qur’an that suggest that Jihad is not merely limited to defensive war alone."
Mohammed himself fought mainly offensive wars, to conquer territory, enrich himself and his men, loot, subjugate, rape and gather more wives for himself and his men.
"Certainly the overwhelming majority of Muslim scholars believe in contextual reading."
Indeed they do. That is why almost all of them have interpreted "smite at their necks" to mean "cut off their heads", within the context you see, of war, war, war.
Re: Islam
So Islam cannot be criticised.
"Besides, it is worth reading the passages of the Qu'ran in context - invariably it was when a nascent Islam was under attack from pagan Arabs."
Utter rubbish. Read this http://www.muslimhope.com/WhatIsJihad.htm. From that page:
.......119 other verses of Qur’an that suggest that Jihad is not merely limited to defensive war alone."
Mohammed himself fought mainly offensive wars, to conquer territory, enrich himself and his men, loot, subjugate, rape and gather more wives for himself and his men.
"Certainly the overwhelming majority of Muslim scholars believe in contextual reading."
Indeed they do. That is why almost all of them have interpreted "smite at their necks" to mean "cut off their heads", within the context you see, of war, war, war.