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If someone tells me, “Come here, there is a Jew here, come and kill him,” I would regard this individual as a psychopath, as no rational Muslim would do that. Even if the Jewish person in question is someone who has committed a crime, he should be put on trial and sentenced by a judge. There is a legal system and he would be punished for the particular crime he commits. This does not mean that whoever wishes can go off and kill anyone he meets.

In addition, Prophet Mohammed explains the technology of the End Times in many hadiths, and this one regarding stones and trees could possibly be indicating a future technology of the End Times. For instance, it could be micro cameras and intelligence devices in rocks and stones and wood. This would be referring to a system that will be developed in a defensive war. So the meaning of the hadith can be thus: the Jews -the ones who are criminals- will not be able to hide, and their evil activities will be hindered. Of course, this does not hold true only for Jews but indeed for anyone who commits persecution. This is how I would interpret the hadith. However if you put the Qur’an or any other Scripture into the hands of people who are loveless, who desire blood and violence, then the result would no doubt be very different.

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Consequently, killing children, killing innocent people or killing women is simply not acceptable. A Muslim can only protect himself in legitimate self-defense. Otherwise, killing the innocent is a grave sin. There is no justification in the Qur’an for killing innocent people. God says in the Qur’an that killing someone for no reason is like killing all of mankind:

… if someone kills another person – unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth – it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind… (Qur’an, 5:32) This being the case, it is obvious what great sins are: the murders, massacres and bombing attacks, popularly known as “suicide attacks,” committed by terrorists. Islam absolutely forbids suicide attacks. God says: “Do not kill yourselves.” (Qur’an, 4:29) And in one hadith it is stated:

“Indeed, whoever (intentionally) kills himself, then certainly he will be punished in the Fire of Hell, wherein he shall dwell forever.” (Bukhari, 5778 and Muslim 109-110) As a result, killing oneself and killing other people -no matter the reason- are both prohibited in Islam. For that reason, it is quite impossible for someone who says he abides by the Qur’an to do such a thing. The only people who can do such things are those who have a very mistaken perception of religion, and fail to use their reason and conscience and who have been brainwashed with feelings of hatred and revenge. God says that the essential thing is peace; He tells people to enter the abode of peace (Qur’an, 10:5). God also tells us to hold to forgiveness (Qur’an, 7:9) and to enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil (Qur’an, 9:71); He does not tell us to kill and commit wanton slaughter.

What is more, according to the Qur’an, Jews have a special status as ‘People of the Book’ and there is no obstacle for Muslims to live side by side with Jews. On the contrary, Muslims can establish warm human relationships with them through marriage and the sharing of food. God says that food of Jews is lawful (halal) for Muslims. That means that God creates some sort of closeness with Jews as ‘People of the Book’, and that He wants us to consider them as friends and to have a humane affection for them. He wants Muslims to approach their food with a sense of security and eat them. If we are able to eat together and set tables together, how is it conceivable that Jews are Muslims’ inherent foes? It is obvious that Muslims can invite Jews to their homes and dine with them together. It is illogical to claim that you go to the home of a person you consider to be a foe. If God says Muslims can marry and eat with the People of the Book, this is the clearest possible proof that we -Jews and Muslims- can live together in a climate of peace and love.

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Sinem Tezyapar is an executive producer on Turkish Television. She is a political and religious commentator and a peace activist. She can be reached on Facebook, and Twitter.