Title: Should Hindus be Killed? Question: You state, "It may be mentioned over here that this punishment was only for those who were not polytheists by belief. As far as the polytheists were concerned, their punishment for the non-acceptance of God's truth was nothing less than death (Al-Taubah 9: 5). ". So does that imply that Hindus should be killed if Muslims conquer their territory? So, Hindus assertion that Islam spread through Sword in the Indian subcontinent is true. That is the Hindus were put to the sword and if they gave up their beliefs they were spared? How in the present day a Muslim state is to treat Hindus and other polytheist among its citizens? And if we discriminate against them, do we have any right to ask for fair treatment in non-Muslim countries? Should the Muslims in India be killed or forced to convert to Hinduism or forced into exile? Which Muslim country will accept 140 million Indian Muslims? Answer: I believe you have misconstrued the quotation you have cited from one of our previous answers. [1] The punishment that is referred to is the punishment inflicted upon a generation of disbelievers whom received all the proper guidance, proof, admonition and final warning. This, of course, can only come from one of God's prophets and no one else. After a community has been solicited, depending on their response, they are dealt with justly. Hence, it should be appreciated that this has gone on for centuries according to the Laws of God and how he deals with His human subjects. The people that bear witness to absolute Truth are invited to accept it. If they refuse then they are punished, in one way or the other, in this life and the hereafter. A few examples of such punishments of people who refused the Truth even though they knew it to be so are: the people of Noah who were drowned by the flood, the people of Lot who were tormented and annihilated with brimstone, Pharaoh and his army drowning for rejecting Moses, etc... God has even used men to fulfill this punishment as in the case of Moses and his people fighting the rejecters of God's message. The same is true of the Prophet Muhammad who was ordained a prophetic mission to bring his people to the religion of God. Those who rejected received punishment. The Disbelievers who rejected the Truth even after they were convinced it was the Truth were executed. As for the People of the Book (i.e. Christians and Jews), they were subjected to a tax (i.e. Jizyah ) as punishment for their rejection of the Truth after it had been proven to them to the point they could not deny it as the Truth but rather rejected it because of their pride. A very important fact to keep in mind is that these laws ended when the authority of the prophets and their companions or disciples no longer ruled. In the case of Prophet Muhammad, the execution of the rejecters and the Jizyah imposed ended with the reign of Banu Ishmael . In other words, no Muslim rulers or anyone else has the God-given right to impose these punishments on any individual or community after sovereignty of Banu Ishmael . From the above all your questions should be answered. Clearly, no, Hindus should not be killed by any Muslim rulers. Whatever the historical "truth" of Islam being spread by the sword in India has nothing to do with this Divine Law. Hindus in an Islamic state are to be treated with respect, justice and freedom to worship as they please. Except where an individual or a group is breaking any law then they should face the legal consequences. However, I find it hard to believe that any Hindu or most other religious rituals consist any offense to civil laws. Muslims anywhere in the world should have the right to be treated fairly, regardless of what other Muslims do elsewhere. Muslims are not a monolithic group; they are diverse in many ways and should not be blamed for the actions of those who break God's laws as constituted in the Qur'an and Sunnah . It is obvious that Muslims, or anyone else for that matter, should not be killed or forced into exile for their religious beliefs. There should be no grand exodus of 140 million people for such reasons. With tolerance and understanding we can all live in peace with our differences on God's earth. I hope I have clarified the issue. God knows best. Ronnie Hassan February 22, 2004 [1] Regarding Jizyah on non-Muslim Citizens