Faith Matters: No Coercion

'Jihad': Never Through Compulsion!

Allah says in the Quran: 

Laa-Ikraaha fid-Deen. 
« There is no compulsion in religion. »---(Al-Baqara, 2 : 257)

It is indeed one of the most well-known Quranic verses and, moreover, of relevance, considering the conditions that prevail today. Even those who are totally ignorant of the teachings of the Holy Quran, have already heard about them. - This verse highlights the relationship between religion - in this case Islam - and compulsion and at what level compulsion can influence religious beliefs.

Some Ulema of other Jamaats, after [the revelation of] this verse, try to prove that the use of force is absolutely legal in matters of religion, but we, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam demonstrates the opposite.

The Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam accepts this verse in its entirety, and fully appreciates its message. Another aspect of this teaching, different from that of the Orthodox, was put forward by the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. Not only is there no doubt about the prohibition of the use of force, whatever its form in matters of faith, but it is impossible to achieve the goal sought by such means. This is what the following verse tells us.

   

Two Forms of Compulsion

Compulsion can be in two ways:

1. The use of force to spread a religion.

2. Forcibly remove someone from his religion.

So this verse tells us that we cannot force someone to accept a new faith, much less, we cannot force him to give up his faith. But those who do their utmost to dissociate Islam from its most faithful believers, will not succeed, because the verse tells us, further.

“... and whoever believes in Allah will surely have grasped a solid and unbreakable handhold ...” (Al-Baqara 2: 257).

This is the most tangible meaning of this verse. Those who are not convinced that one cannot force anyone to embrace or renounce a religion, need only try it. Besides, history confirms the veracity of this Quranic verse.

'Never Despair; Face All Situations'

The existence of man is not due to chance. His presence on earth either is not without purpose. His creation is a divine decree for specific purposes. Undoubtedly, and without exaggeration, he is the only creature that Allah the Supreme Creator, has preferred to others. 

“Verily, we have honoured the Children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment.” (Al-Isra, 17: 71).

His superiority over other creatures is manifested in various ways: Allah granted him free will, and he has a mind that allows him to distinguish good from evil. Moreover he has a soul which Allah has created and which Allah has ordered to the angel to breathe in his body to make it human. Allah has made His own praise in His blessed Book, when He describes the stages of the creation of man: 

“We created man from an extract of clay. 

Then We placed him as a drop of sperm in a secure receptacle. 

Then we made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot; 

and then We made the clinging clot a lump of flesh; 

and We made (from) the lump, bones,

and We covered the bones with flesh;

then We developed him into another creation.

So blessed is Allah, the best of Creators.” 

  ---(Al-Mu’minuun, 23: 13-15).

Therefore, man must recognize his value and supremacy over all other creatures. He is an unparalleled elect (from among all the creations of Allah). His soul, and his body are all a favour from the Great Creator, a wonderful gift. He is responsible to preserve, to protect and refrain from causing them (i.e. his body and soul) any harm. 

But since man ignores all these realities, the existence of man on earth becomes something meaningless to him and does not represent any value in his eyes. He considers himself a creature similar to others, with a beginning and an end. Nothing more. This way of thinking is the main cause of the loss of thousands, if not millions of lives. How many nations were exterminated from the first one to the last for no good (valid) reason?

'Value Your Life'

Neither the existence of man nor his presence on earth is due to chance and without purpose. Its creation is a divine decree for specific purposes. Undoubtedly, and without exaggeration, he is the only creature whom the Supreme Creator, Allah has preferred to others.

“And We have certainly honoured the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things, and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of Our creation.” (17: 71).

His superiority over other creatures occurs in different ways: Allah granted him free will, and he has a spirit that allows him to distinguish good from evil. He has also a soul which has been created by Allah and which He has breathed into him to make him human, and holder of some divine attributes.