ISLAM SAFEGUARDS FREEDOM OF THINKING & CONVICTION
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Allah gave man the freedom to believe or reject faith, or in other words, man has a free choice to make. Since man is not forced to believe against his will, he bears the responsibility for his decision and man is therefore accountable. The Qur’an in many verses clearly establishes this concept of free choice:
وَقُلِ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَاراً أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا وَإِن يَسْتَغِيثُواْ يُغَاثُواْ بِمَآءٍ كَٱلْمُهْلِ يَشْوِى ٱلْوجُوهَ بِئْسَ ٱلشَّرَابُ وَسَآءَتْ مُرْتَفَقاً
Say, "The Truth is from your Lord": Let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject (it
Al-Kahf 18 : 29
We learn :
Allah does not leave man alone without guidance, rather He sends down His message clear and unambiguous. Such a divine message is brought by messengers who apply the message on themselves and serve as examples for their people
No one is to force another human being to believe against his will
ٱللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـٰهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلأَرْضِ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَآءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error
Al-Baqara 2 : 256
We learn:
Compulsion is not allowed in Islam: I cannot force anyone to believe against his will
Truth has its own way of proving itself: it is different and clear when contrasted to falsehood. Therefore, it is our job to contrast the truth to what is wrong. In other words, Muslims should serve, in their words and in their behavior, as a guide to mankind to the truth in the Qur’an, and to guide others to Allah.
أَنَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا فَٱحْتَمَلَ ٱلسَّيْلُ زَبَداً رَّابِياً وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِى ٱلنَّارِ ٱبْتِغَآءَ حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثْلُهُ كَذٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ وَٱلْبَاطِلَ فَأَمَّا ٱلزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَآءً وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِى ٱلأَرْضِ كَذٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلأَمْثَالَ
He sends down water from the skies, and the channels flow, each according to its measure: but the torrent bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface. Even so, from that (ore) which they heat in the fire, to make ornaments or utensils therewith, there is a scum likewise. Thus doth Allah (by parables) show forth Truth and Vanity. For the scum disappears like froth cast out; while that which is for the good of mankind remains on the earth. Thus doth Allah set forth parables.
Ar-Ra’d 13 : 17
We learn
Allah’s way is to contrast the truth to falsehood in order to see the difference. In many verses in the Qur’an the arguments of the unbelievers is stated, then the truth is made clear to anyone willing to listen and understand
Truth has a way of lasting and benefiting people, in contrast to what is wrong and false which disappears like froth and is transient
Messengers invite to Allah, but do not force others into belief
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وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَـآمَنَ مَن فِى ٱلأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعاً أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ ٱلنَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
If it had been thy Lord's Will, they would all have believed, all who are on earth! Wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!
Yunus 10 : 99
We learn:
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ), as well as other messengers before him, was sent to educate and guide, and not to enforce belief.
It is not the will of Allah that every human being believes
As Muslims, following in the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) we too invite others with knowledge and conviction, but we do not force others to believe against their will :
قُلْ هَـٰذِهِ سَبِيلِيۤ أَدْعُو إِلَىٰ ٱللَّهِ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَاْ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِى وَسُبْحَانَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say thou: "This is my Way: I do invite unto Allah - on evidence clear as the seeing with one's eyes - I and whoever follows me. Glory to Allah! and never will I join gods with Allah!"
Yusuf 12 : 108
Guidance is from Allah, He knows who is ready to receive guidance
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Belief must settle in our hearts and take hold in order to motivate our behavior. Only Allah knows what is truly in our hearts, and He knows who is guided, and who is arrogant and not willing to receive guidance:
إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance.
Al-Qasas 28 : 56
Judgment belongs to Allah: it is not our job to judge the fate of others
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We need to devote our energy and effort to our work, and not worry about the fate of others. Allah told His messenger:
وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْبَلاَغُ وَعَلَيْنَا ٱلْحِسَابُ
Whether We shall show thee (within thy life-time) part of what We promised them or take to Ourselves thy soul (before it is all accomplished), thy duty is to make (the Message) reach them: it is Our part to call them to account.
Ar-Ra’d 13 : 40
And:
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ
Therefore do thou give admonition, for thou art one to admonish.
Al-GHasheya 88 : 21
لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُسَيْطِرٍ
Thou art not one to manage (men's) affairs.
Al-Ghasheya 88 : 22
إِلاَّ مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ
But if any turns away and rejects Allah,
Al-Ghasheya 88 : 23
فَيُعَذِّبُهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ٱلأَكْبَرَ
Allah will punish him with a mighty Punishment.
Al-Ghasheya 88 : 24
إِنَّ إِلَيْنَآ إِيَابَهُمْ
For to Us will be their Return;
Al-Ghasheya 88 : 25
ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُمْ
Then it will be for Us to call them to account.
Al-Ghasheya 88 : 26
We learn:
Our job is to remind, guide and serve as examples, not to enforce or threaten or punish others
Every human being is accountable to God.
The way to invite to Allah is by wisdom and good example
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And not by force or punishment
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ٱدْعُ إِلِىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَٱلْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.
An-Nahl 16 : 125
We are taught that even with tyrants we should be gentle and not threatening : When Musa and Haroon were ordered by Allah to go to Pharaoh, they were told:
ٱذْهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَىٰ
"Go, both of you to Pharaoh, for he has indeed transgressed all bounds;
Ta Ha 20 : 43
فَقُولاَ لَهُ قَوْلاً لَّيِّناً لَّعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ
"But speak to him mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah)"
Ta Ha 20 : 44
When we hear someone speaking evil or saying something wrong, even against Allah or His messenger ( PBUH ), our approach should be one of rational explanation and allowing the truth to shine, rather than an emotional outburst, or even worse threats and wrong-doing. We had several instances in which Islam, and Islam’s prophet were distorted and attacked. The reaction of Muslims was predictable: the masses demonstrated and in their rage and anger burned and shouted. The proper reaction was to illustrate the truth from the life and sayings of the Prophet ( PBUH ), and to show his noble character, patience and forgiveness. There is a wealth of material in the sayings of the Prophet ( PBUH ) and in his stand on issues that speaks for his honesty, sincerity, truthfulness and noble character. We can refute each charge from his life and using the guidance of the Qur’an.
The Qur’an actually warns us that non-believers will resort to such tactics of distortion and misinformation to attack Islam:
لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِيۤ أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوۤاْ أَذًى كَثِيراً وَإِنْ تَصْبِرُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ ذٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلأُمُورِ
Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves; and ye shall certainly hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those who worship many gods. But if ye persevere patiently, and guard against evil, then that will be a determining factor in all affairs.
The issue of Ridda
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Someone who denounces Islam as his religion, and elects to have another faith is called a “ Murtad “ Apostate. The Qur’an talks about this issue but does not specify any punishment in this life, rather it describes that their deeds will fail, and will face the wrath of God and punishment in the Hereafter:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلشَّهْرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ ٱلْقَتْلِ وَلاَ يَزَالُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَن دِينِكُمْ إِن اسْتَطَاعُواْ وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُوْلۤـٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلآخِرَةِ وَأُوْلۤـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ ٱلنَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be Companions of the Fire and will abide therein.
Al-Baqara 2 : 217
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) however, did state :
( Whoever changes his religion kill him )
Ahmad & Bokhari after Ibn Abbas
There is difference among the scholars regarding this Hadeeth and the punishment of the Apostate:
Some believe that he should be given time to repent and go back to Islam; If he does not, then he should be killed
Others believe that killing the apostate is done because he fights against Muslims, not because he rejected Islam
Others believe that he should not be killed because:
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) did not kill those who reverted from their Islam or the hypocrites in Madinah
There is no verse in the Qur’an that states that those who revert should be killed
The Hadeeth of the Prophet is an advice given at his time and is not an order. If the circumstances change in the society, this ruling may not apply
The idea of Ridda at the time of prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) was associated with fighting Islam and the Muslims. Aesha related that Allah’s messenger ( PBUH ) said:
( It is not allowed to kill a Muslim except under three circumstances:
A married person who commits adultery
A person who kills another person deliberately.
And a person who reverts from Islam and fights Allah and His messenger
Other versions of the Hadeeth after Ibn Masoud:
( A Muslim cannot be killed except under three circumstances: A murderer; or a person committing adultery after being married; or a person who denounces his Islam and leaves the company of Muslims ) Bokhari
Similar Hadeeth related in Bokhari after Ibn Abbas & Ikrima.
The Ridda at the time of Abou Bakr was refusal to pay Zakat, and not rejection of Islam in most cases
Islam safeguards freedom of thinking and freedom to accept or reject faith, hence we cannot punish someone who refuses to accept Islam, whether he was never a Muslim, or rejected Islam after being a Muslim for a while.
To deprive himself of being a Muslim is his own choice, and God will deal with him as He wishes
The companions of the Prophet ( PBUH ) did not say that those who do not believe in Qadar are not Muslims. Those who followed them did not say that Al-Mu
Tazela were unbelievers.
If an American Muslim no longer wishes to remain a Muslim, and wants to go back to his original faith of Christianity, do we kill him? It is a free country, and we are not supposed to force someone to believe against his will. If we do it shows hypocrisy and portrays Islam as rigid, dogmatic and has no respect for human freedom or human rights.
The issue of fighting in Islam
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The Qur’an is clear that fighting in Islam is done to defend one’s country but is not allowed for aggression:
وَقَاتِلُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْتَدُوۤاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.
Al-Baqara 2 : 190
We learn:
Fighting is done against those who fight us. In other words, fighting in Islam is defensive in nature
Fighting is done for Allah, and not for personal reasons like glory, expansion, power etc
No aggression or transgression is allowed: you only fight those who fight you, you do not kill women & children. You do not destroy dwellings or burn crops.
Some people misunderstand the saying of the Prophet ( PBUH ) :
( I have been commanded to fight An-Nas ( people ) till they bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that I am His messenger ) Muslim after Ibn Omar
An-Nas here refers to Qoraysh at the time of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) :
ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُواْ لَكُمْ فَٱخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَاناً وَقَالُواْ حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ
Men said to them: "A great army is gathering against you, so fear them": but it (only) increased their Faith; they said: "For us Allah sufficeth, and He is the best disposer of affairs."
Al-Imran 3 : 173
This Hadeeth cannot be understood as an order from God to His messenger to fight all mankind till they accept Islam, or an order from God to the Muslims to fight all mankind till they all become Muslims. It is then against the teachings of the Qur’an where there is no compulsion in religion, and Muslims are not allowed to force others to Islam against their will.
The Hadeeth concerns the fight between the prophet & his companions with Qoraysh and is limited to the situation that existed in Arabia at the time. Islam calls for peace and inviting to Allah with wisdom and not by force.
The whole world is not our enemy, unless we chose to make it so by wrong interpretation and rigid incorrect ideology. If we show that we are intent on fighting everyone and spreading our faith with force, and that we consider everyone who is a non-Muslim as an enemy, then surely, the whole world will react to our threat and consider our brand of Islam as the enemy and behave accordingly.
This is not what our Islam teaches. The behavior of the Prophet in Madinah shows that he never forced Jews or Christians to become Muslims against their will, nor fight them because of their faith. He only fought when the Muslim state was threatened and its enemies declared war.