It is therefore evident that the claim of anyone who imagines that the command to fight has, without qualification, abrogated the command to argue is groundless.

Fourth point: When someone says, “The verse that commands disputation with the unbelievers—indeed, any verse I allege to be abrogated—has been abrogated by the ‘verse of the sword,’” we put to him the question: “What exactly do you mean by the verse of the sword? Do you have one specific verse in mind, or do you mean every verse that contains a command to fight?”

If he intends the first, the response is two-fold. First, the verses that mention fighting are many, so it is impermissible to single out one of them while ignoring the rest. If he then says, “I am referring to the Almighty’s words, ‘When the sacred months have passed, slay the polytheists wherever you find them’ (9:5),” we reply: “That verse concerns fighting the polytheists, and after it He speaks about fighting the People of the Book …”