Forced to Convert to Islam

Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said,

"So when Allaah سبحانه و تعالى sent His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, most of the people of other religions responded to him and to his Khulafaa رضي الله عنهم after him out of their own freewill and of their own choosing- and he never once forced anyone to enter the religion ever.

Rather he would only fight those who declared war against him and fought him, he never fought or forced to enter the religion those who kept peace with him and had a truce with him, in conformance with the order of his Lord سبحانه where He said:

"There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path." [Soorah al-Baqarah, 2:256]

And this is a negation in the form of a prohibitive order, i.e., 'Do not force anyone to enter the religion.'

This aayah was revealed concerning some of the Companions رضي الله عنهم who had children who had become Jews or Christians before Islaam, so when Islaam came and the fathers became Muslims they wanted to compel their children to enter it, so Allaah سبحانه forbade them from doing that, such that they themselves should be the ones who choose to enter Islaam.

And it will become clear to whoever ponders the biography of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he never forced anyone to enter the religion ever, and that he only fought those who fought him. And as for those who made a treaty with him, he did not fight them as long as they stuck to their treaty and did not break their covenant. In fact, Allaah, the Most High, ordered him to be faithful to the treaty between them as long as they upheld it, as He said:

"So as long as they are upright toward you, be upright toward them. Indeed, Allah loves al-Muttaqeen [1]." [Soorah at-Tawbah, 9:7]

And when he came to Medinah he made peace with the Jews and acknowledged their religion, so when they waged war against him and broke their covenant with him and initiated fighting [against him], he fought them and so was gracious to some of them, expelled some and killed some.

Likewise when he had a truce with the Quraish for ten years he never initiated any fighting against them until they themselves were the ones who started fighting him and broke their covenant, so it was then that he raided them ... and they were the ones who would invade him before that just as they had set out for him on the Day of Uhud and the Day of the Trench and the Day of Badr too. They came to fight him-and if they had turned away he would not have fought them.

The point is that he صلى الله عليه وسلم never ever forced anyone to enter his religion.

Rather people entered his religion out of their own choosing and freewill, so most of the people in the world embraced his call when the guidance became clear to them and when it became clear to them that he truly was the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah exalt his mention and grant him peace)." [2]

Mufti Muhammad Shafi رحمه الله said,

"Some people raise objections. They say this verse (2:256) tells us that there is no compulsion in faith, although the teaching of jihad and qital (fighting) in Islam 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 kuffar (disbelievers) which protects their life, property and honour? In fact, this is to remove disorder, strife or fasad, for Allah Almighty dislikes fasad, which is what the kuffar are after. Therefore, Allah Almighty says:

"And they strive throughout the land [causing] corruption, and Allah does not like corrupters." [Soorah al-Maa'idah, 5:64]

It is for this reason that Allah Almighty has ordained that the fasad created by these people should be removed by jihad 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 jihad 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 رضي الله عنه invited an old Christian woman to accept Islam, she said in reply: "I am an old woman nearing death." Hearing this, Sayyidna 'Umar رضي الله عنه did not force her to come into the fold of Islam. In fact, he recited this very verse: that is, '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 of jihad and qital are not contradictory to the verse: (There is no compulsion in Faith)." (Mazhari, Qurtubi) [3]

Notes:

[1] "Taqwa" emanates from the root wiqaayah, which means, "he protected," or "to protect." When the word taqwa is used with respect to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى it means that one must fear or protect himself from Allaah's anger and punishment. See: Fear Allaah Wherever you are - http://www.muftisays.com/forums/53-duaas--supplications/7703-fear-allah-wherever-you-are-taqwa.html

[2] Abridged from Hidaayatul-Hayaaraa fi Ajwibatil-Yahudi wan-Nasaaraa, pp. 29-30

[3] Ma'ariful Qur'an

I Was Forced to Accept Islam

The Truth is Made Clear

By Danielle LoDuca

I never aspired to be a Muslim.

I didn’t even want to be a Christian.

The whole concept of ‘organized religion’ was distasteful. I sought to use my mind, not resort to some ancient book for assistance in living my life.

If you had offered me millions of dollars to join one faith or another, I would have declined.

One of my preferred authors was Bertrand Russell, who maintained that religion is little more than superstition and generally harmful to people, despite any positive effects that it might have. He believed that religion and the religious outlook serve to inhibit knowledge and promote fear and dependency, in addition to being accountable for much of our world's wars, persecution, and misery.

I remember laughing out loud while reading “Hey, Is That You God?” By Dr. Pasqual Schievella, in which he derided the concept of God through satirical dialogue. It all seemed so logical. Thinkers like us were surely above religious devotees, I thought smugly.

But, for me, it wasn’t enough to just think I was better off without religion. I wanted to systematically prove religions were no more than a hoax. I purposefully set out to do just that.

Yet, here I am. Muslim.

Sure, I made the declaration of faith, but the choice I had was really no choice at all. Essentially, I was compelled - forced to accept Islam.

Interestingly, in my talks with followers of religions, especially those other than Islam, I have often noticed that they clearly desire to believe. As if, no matter how many contradictions or errors are pointed out in their scriptures, they brush them aside and maintain their unquestioning faith.

Rarely do I ever find that the scriptures themselves convinced them, but rather they decided to have faith, and then the studies began after that decision, if at all. They knew what they believed, either by having been raised upon it, or like a friend of mine told me, “Islam seems foreign, so I never looked into it. Christianity is more familiar and convenient, because most of the people around me are Christian. So when I was seeking God, I chose Christianity.”

Personally, I never considered myself to be seeking God, but if I had, the last place I think I would have looked would have been in an old book, or a building, or a person.

A friend of mine once began ranting about how God in Islam is angry and vengeful.

Some people, who decide to believe in something at the outset, may then develop selective vision when it comes to learning the faith they’ve chosen. I had also decided to believe something; I chose to believe that religions were simply fabricated delusions of grandeur.

In actuality this notion was not built on hard facts, it was an assumption. I had no evidence. When I undertook reading the religious books, I was not biased towards them, but my intentions were to look for flaws. This approach helped me manage to maintain a fair amount of objectivity.

My paperback translation of the Quran had been acquired for free. I didn’t even stop to chat with the MSA students standing at the table stacked with books. I curtly asked, “Is it free?” When they replied in the affirmative, I grabbed one and continued on my way. I had no interest in them, only the free book to assist me in accomplishing my goal of debasing religions once and for all.

But, as I read that Quran; as its cover became worn and its pages tattered, I became more and more subdued. It was distinct from the other religious books I had also collected. I could understand it easily. It was clear.

A friend of mine once began ranting about how God in Islam is angry and vengeful. I came to its defense without even realizing it, opening it up and easily flipping to one of the many pages that said, “Surely, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

It was if the Quran was speaking to me directly - responding to my life. It was an “old book” but somehow, it was entirely relevant. Something about its cadence and imagery and the way it communicated to me intimately; It was exquisite beauty I hadn’t really felt before, reminiscent only of the moments I had spent out west, staring out over a seemingly endless desert landscape. I found it exhilarating; comparable to the way it felt running barefoot in the sand under the stars with powerful waves crashing at my side.

The Quran was appealing to my intellect. Offering me signs and then telling me to think, to ponder and consider. It rejected the notion of blind faith, but encouraged reason and intelligence. It directed humanity towards goodness, recognition of the Creator, plus moderation, kindness, and humility.

After some time, and life-changing experiences my interest intensified. I began reading other books about Islam. I found that the Quran contained prophecies, as did many of the hadiths. I found that the prophet Muhammad was corrected several times in the Quran. This seemed strange if he had in fact, been its author.

My mind was split asunder when I read this. It was the Big Bang – suddenly not just a theory

I had begun walking down a new path. Led by the amazing Quran, paired with the beautiful paradigm of devotion; the Prophet Muhammad. This man showed no signs of being a liar.

Praying through the nights, asking forgiveness of his oppressors, encouraging kindness. Refusing wealth and power and persevering with the pure message of devotion to God alone, he endured unfathomable hardship.

It was all so uncomplicated, easy to understand. We’ve been created; all this intricacy and diversity could not pop out of nothing. So follow the One who created us - Simple.

I remember the warm artificial lighting in my apartment and the weight of the air on the night I read this verse:

Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We split them asunder and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?

(Quran 21:30)

My mind was split asunder when I read this. It was the Big Bang – suddenly not just a theory… And every living thing from water… wasn’t that what scientists had just discovered? I was astonished. It was the most exciting and yet frightening time of my life.

I read and studied and double-checked book after book until one night I sat in my library at Pratt Institute, staring wide-eyed at the piles of open books. My mouth must have been dropped open slightly. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I realized I had in front of me, the truth. The truth I had been so sure did not exist.

Now what?

There were only two choices and one was no choice at all. I could not deny what I had discovered, ignoring it and going on with my life as before, though I did consider it briefly. That left only one option.

I knew I had to accept it, because the only alternative was denying truth.

http://www.onislam.net/english/reading-islam/understanding-islam/islam-and-the-world/worldview/486925-i-was-forced-to-accept-islam.html

Forced to Convert to Islam

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