"There is no compulsion in Faith. The correct way has become distinct from the erroneous. Now, whoever rejects the Rebel and believes in Allah has grasped the strongest ring that never breaks. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." (2:256)

Commentary

One who holds on to Islam firmly stays protected against destruction and deprivation. It was for this reason that such a person was likened to one who holds on firmly to the 'ring', the looped support of a strong rope, and thus manages to avoid falling down. As there is no danger of such a rope breaking apart and causing a fall, so there is no danger of destruction or loss in Islam — should somebody just abandon the rope, that would be an entirely different matter. And should somebody abandon Islam itself, that would be an entirely different matter too. (Maulana Thanavi: Bayan al-Qur'an). Keeping this verse in view, some people raise objections. They say this verse tells us that there is no compulsion in faith, although the teaching ofjihad and qitaal (fighting) in Islaam appears contrary to this principle.

Looking at this a little carefully, we can find out that the objection is not valid, since the teaching of jihad and qital in Islam is not to coerce people into accepting Faith. Had it been so, why would there be Islamic injunctions of jizyah to provide an umbrella of security for kuffaar (disbelievers) which protects their life, property and honour? In fact, this is to remove disorder, strife or fasad, for Allah Almighty dislikes fasaad, which is what the kuffdr are after. Therefore, Allah Almighty says: 'And they go about the earth spreading disorder and Allah does not like those who spread disorder.' (5:64) It is for this reason that Allah Almighty has ordained that the fasad created by these people should be removed byjihad and qital. So, killing such people is like the killing of serpents, scorpions and their harmful likes. Islam has firmly banned the killing of women, children, the aged and the crippled etc., even in the heat of jihaad on the battlefield, since they are incapable of creating disorder. Similarly, it has stopped the killing of those who become law-abiding citizens by promising to pay jizyah (compensatory dues paid by free non-Muslims under Muslim rule against guarantee of the security of their life, property and honour).

This approach of Islam makes it clear that it does not force people to accept and enter Faith, rather far from it, by using it as a method of stopping oppression in the world, it hopes to establish justice and equity and peace and security. When Sayyidna 'Umar (ra) invited an old Christian woman to accept Islam, she said in reply: 'I am an old woman nearing death.' Hearing this, Sayyidna 'Umar (ra) did not force her to come into the fold of Islam. In fact, he recited this very verse: 'there is no compulsion in Faith.'

Really and truly, coercion and compulsion to make one accept a faith are not possible at all because faith is not related to outward physical response; it relates to the heart. Coercion and compulsion affect nothing but the outsides of physique and this is all that is affected by jihad and qital (fighting in the way of Allah). Consequently, it is just not possible that people can be forced to accept faith through these measures. This proves that the verses ofjihad and qital are not contradictory to the verse: (There is no compulsion in Faith). (Mazhari, Qurtubi, Ma'ariful Qur'an)

» Posted by Seifeddine-M on 19th September 2011

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