The contextual reading of Islamic texts prohibits targeting innocent people such as women, children, religious people and others even during times of war. Disbelief, in and of itself, is not an excuse to kill anyone. The koranic verses, which seem violent, were revealed at a time when the non-Muslims of Mecca attacked Muslims on a regular basis. They are to be interpreted within a legal and historical context, and not in isolation. (Mohamad Abdalla: Killing of innocent people has no place in Islam)