Alright. Well Quran has general verses and specific verses.
When it comes to verses regarding war, there are more general, then there are more specific. But over all, they are specific verses with a general application.
What I mean by that is take for example the verse saying "And if they incline to peace, you too incline to peace". This is a verse, but if it's universal, then enemies of Mohammad would've been able to take advantage of it, and incline to peace whenever it suits them and fight back when it suits them. So it has interpretation that there must be somewhat of a sincere inclination to peace.
The verses you are thinking of that talks about killing polytheists or disbelievers, the same Surah says those who remained true to their treaties were not to be fought.
So while it says disbelievers or polytheists, it's referring to particular people in a region in a certain time.
That said, the over all spirit of Quran with regards to war seems to prefer peace over war but fight when needed too as well. When and why they fought when they did is situational, and the war ethics in Islam to me, seems to remain like that, it remains situational and open to the situation and is not anything set in stone, but the general spirit is that of peace.
When it comes to verses regarding war, there are more general, then there are more specific. But over all, they are specific verses with a general application.
What I mean by that is take for example the verse saying "And if they incline to peace, you too incline to peace". This is a verse, but if it's universal, then enemies of Mohammad would've been able to take advantage of it, and incline to peace whenever it suits them and fight back when it suits them. So it has interpretation that there must be somewhat of a sincere inclination to peace.
The verses you are thinking of that talks about killing polytheists or disbelievers, the same Surah says those who remained true to their treaties were not to be fought.
So while it says disbelievers or polytheists, it's referring to particular people in a region in a certain time.
That said, the over all spirit of Quran with regards to war seems to prefer peace over war but fight when needed too as well. When and why they fought when they did is situational, and the war ethics in Islam to me, seems to remain like that, it remains situational and open to the situation and is not anything set in stone, but the general spirit is that of peace.
