9:2 For four months you shall go unmolested in the land. But know that you shall not escape God’s judgement, and that God will humble the unbelievers.

9:3 A proclamation to the people from God and His apostle on the day of the greater pilgrimage:

God and His apostle are under no obligation to the idolaters. If you repent, it shall be well with you; but if you give no heed, know that you shall not be immune from God’s judgement.

Proclaim a woeful punishment to the unbelievers,

9:4 except to those idolaters who have honoured their treaties with you in every detail and aided none against you. With these keep faith, until their treaties have run their term. God loves the righteous.

9:5 When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and render the alms levy, allow them to go their way. God is forgiving and merciful.

9:6 If an idolater seeks asylum with you, give him protection so that he may hear the Word of God, and then convey him to safety. For the idolaters are ignorant men.

9:7 God and His apostle repose no trust in idolaters, save those with whom you have made treaties at the Sacred Mosque. So long as they keep faith with you, keep faith with them. God loves the righteous.

9:8 How can you trust them? If they prevail against you they will respect neither agreements nor ties of kindred. They flatter you with their tongues, but their hearts reject you. Most of them are evil doers.

Translations & Commentary via Wikipedia

“Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.([Qur’an 9:5])”

“But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.”

“Do not wait until you find them. Rather, seek and besiege them in their areas and forts, gather intelligence about them in the various roads and fairways so that what is made wide looks ever smaller to them. This way, they will have no choice, but to die or embrace Islam.”

Hesham A. Hassaballa, the Deputy Director of the Illume Magazine[5] and a Chicago pulmonologist and writer writes in his article Does Islam Call For The Murder of ‘Infidels’?:

It is clear, therefore, that this verse is one of self-defense. The Muslims here are commanded to “slay the pagans” who are hostile towards them. It is not a carte blanche to “kill all infidels”. This verse is specific to a specific time, and it is not understood by the overwhelming majority of Muslims to be a general call for murder against all those who are not Muslim.—Hesham A. Hassaballa, Does Islam Call For The Murder of ‘Infidels’?[6]

Muhammed Asad, one of the first Pakistani ambassadors to the United Nations, in his book The Message of The Qur’an writes:

Now the enemy’s conversion to Islam - expressed in the words, “if they repent, and take to prayer (lit., ‘establish prayer’) and render the purifying dues (zakah)” - is no more than one, and by no means the only, way of their “desisting from hostility”; and the reference to it in verses 5 and 11 of this surah certainly does not imply an alternative of ‘conversion or death,’ as some unfriendly critics of Islam choose to assume.—Muhammed Asad, The Message of The Qur’an[7]

Notable scholar on Islam and Comparative Religion Studies, Dr. Zakir Naik refutes this criticism in the following way:

Critics of Islam actually quote this verse out of context. In order to understand the context, we need to read from verse 1 of this surah. It says that there was a peace treaty between the Muslims and the Mushriks (pagans) of Makkah. This treaty was violated by the Mushriks of Makkah. A period of four months was given to the Mushriks of Makkah to make amends. Otherwise war would be declared against them. This verse is quoted during a battle, and hence the Qur’an says, “Kill the Mushriks wherever you find them”, during a battle to boost the morale of the Muslim soldiers. What the Qur’an is telling Muslim soldiers is, don’t be afraid during battle; wherever you find the enemies kill them.—Dr. Zakir Naik

In his refutation, Naik goes even a step further to quote the succeeding verse (6) from the same Surah which reads:

If one amongst the pagans asks thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are men without knowledge.—[Qur’an 9:6]

He then asks

The Qur’an not only says that a Mushrik seeking asylum during the battle should be granted refuge, but also that he should be escorted to a secure place. In the present international scenario, even a kind, peace-loving army General, during a battle, may let the enemy soldiers go free, if they want peace. But which army General will ever tell his soldiers, that if the enemy soldiers want peace during a battle, don’t just let them go free, but also escort them to a place of security?—Dr. Zakir Naik

Sick of them, sick of all the bickering.

Had to get rid of them, tied up shivering.

Couldn’t think of something to rhyme with synonym…

Cinnamon, stricken all these sinner man, slew quicker then…

Wait, that’s not how it goes, it’s…

Drank them like something with liquor in,

Body broke from the blows I be giving and…

Other emcee’s critisizing and despising

Never realising. Hardly suprising.

Where the coffin is, that’s where the body lies in.

Lies in. Me? Just over six feet of prime beef.

Hard to compete when I speak to the beat.

Must I repeat I’m a lyrical elite. Never close to complete.

Let the fleets come. Sweet. Looking for the weapon of choice,

to release the Armada, activate boys to cease all this drama.

Here to police the palaver ,

with impeccable flow and lingo to release bad karma.

Scarper from a tongue that’s far sharper, eats through geeks

& similes armoured, rocking stolen Prada, guard her,

it’s all gathered from round the way, rather than name and shame,

lets play a mind game, forget fame and it’s oxymoronic attributes

how about we focus on moral ambiguities,

‘terrible, critical, miracle,

spiritual, physical,

biblical…’

ridicule me all you want, taunt, say whatever

or applaud… i’m unorthodox, yet my style still

rocks,
Might drop a couple of bars and
blow off your socks.