BEWEGING VAN BELGISCHE EX-
MOVEMENT OF BELGIAN FORMER MUSLIMS
STUDY OF ISLAM
The Islamic Smoke Screen: no religious compulsion
Koran verse 2.256 is extremely popular in Belgium. It is constantly referred to in all manner of different circumstances whereby it is held that “a leading theme in Islam is the absence of compulsion”. It is often resorted to in debates about the headscarf, during which it is advanced that the decision is freely left to each and every woman personally. It manifests the moderate nature of Islam. However, how far this freedom extends is not mentioned. And nobody actually bothers to question this precept critically.
It can hardly imply that a good Muslim is allowed to do whatever he or she likes, without any thought or concern for the thousand and one rules and precepts, while still remaining a good Muslim in the process? What then is meant by, “no compulsion”? And why is this same verse not popular in Islamic nations? Why is it not applicable in Saudi-Arabia where the religious police is everywhere on the look-out with its Argus eyes and ready to “adjust and straighten out” the conduct of the believers with an iron fist? Read on to find out the reason.
We quote here the entire verse under consideration:
2.256. Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
The next verse goes on to clarify further the limits of this “no compulsion”:
2.257. Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the evil ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein [For ever].
It thus appears that ‘not believing’ is not an option, unless “no compulsion” means that you are free to believe or not and that the unbelievers, those who reject the true faith, are bound for hell. If one reads through the Koran, he will note that the threat of hell is an endlessly repeated theme. The unbelievers are threatened more than one hundred times with hell’s damnation in most diverse phrasing and wording.
Moreover, it is reiterated ad nauseam that Allah and Muhammad must be obeyed. This obviously means that believers must follow all of the rules laid down for them by Allah and Mohammed in the Koran and the traditions/Hadith and of which the Koran states in 33.36 that the believer has no choice in this. All rules must be obeyed, also the wearing of the headscarf.
All is finally made clear when we look at the context wherein verse 2.256 has been revealed. The following tradition /Hadith 14.2676 of Abu Dawood clarifies this:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
When the children of a woman (in pre-Islamic days) did not survive, she took a vow on herself that if her child survives, she would convert it to be a Jew. When the Banu an-Nadir [a Jewish tribe in Medina] were expelled (from Arabia, by Mohammed), there were some children of the Ansar (Helpers) among them [persons from Medina that were converts to Islam]. They said: We shall not leave our children. So Allah the Exalted revealed; "Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error."
Within the influential Koran commentary of Ibn Kathir, this is in the following link interpreted as: “you may not compel anybody to become a Muslim”. This is likewise confirmed in one of the last revealed chapters of the Koran, e.g., chapter 9 in verse 9.29, wherein it stands written that Jews and Christians who submit to the Islamic authority and pay a special poll tax (the jizya) are allowed to keep their religion. However, in the same chapter it is also written in 9.5 that this rule is not valid for the followers of other religions. They are given the option: conversion to Islam or execution.
Today – the 21st century – this is still so stated in the Islam legal texts such as the “Reliance of the Traveller” of the Shafi’i School. We can still read this in the chapter on Jihad about Jews and Christians and about the treatment of all others.
It should be stated that at least one other school, Hanafi, treats all non-Muslims equally and offers all of them the choice between conversion to Islam or submission to Islamic authority with payment of the special poll tax (jizya).
CONCLUSION:
“No compulsion in religion” does not mean what is generally said it means, namely that a Muslim/Moslima is free to choose at will. Or even is free to change religion. About the apostate from Islam, Mohammed proclaimed: “whoever changes his religion, slay him” (Bukhari 9.84.57).
It does however mean that Jews and Christians must not be forced to convert to Islam. Christians and Jews do not obey Allah and Mohammed and, hence, are headed for hell. It’s their own free choice. They have been warned.
Moreover, it is reiterated ad nauseam that Allah and Muhammad must be obeyed. This obviously means that believers must follow all of the rules laid down for them by Allah and Mohammed in the Koran and the traditions/Hadith and of which the Koran states in 33.36 that the believer has no choice in this. All rules must be obeyed, also the wearing of the headscarf.
All is finally made clear when we look at the context wherein verse 2.256 has been revealed. The following tradition /Hadith 14.2676 of Abu Dawood clarifies this:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
When the children of a woman (in pre-
Within the influential Koran commentary of Ibn Kathir, this is in the following link interpreted as: “you may not compel anybody to become a Muslim”. This is likewise confirmed in one of the last revealed chapters of the Koran, e.g., chapter 9 in verse 9.29, wherein it stands written that Jews and Christians who submit to the Islamic authority and pay a special poll tax (the jizya) are allowed to keep their religion. However, in the same chapter it is also written in 9.5 that this rule is not valid for the followers of other religions. They are given the option: conversion to Islam or execution.
Today – the 21st century – this is still so stated in the Islam legal texts such as the “Reliance of the Traveller” of the Shafi’i School. We can still read this in the chapter on Jihad about Jews and Christians and about the treatment of all others.
It should be stated that at least one other school, Hanafi, treats all non-
CONCLUSION:
“No compulsion in religion” does not mean what is generally said it means, namely that a Muslim/Moslima is free to choose at will. Or even is free to change religion. About the apostate from Islam, Mohammed proclaimed: “whoever changes his religion, slay him” (Bukhari 9.84.57).
It does however mean that Jews and Christians must not be forced to convert to Islam. Christians and Jews do not obey Allah and Mohammed and, hence, are headed for hell. It’s their own free choice. They have been warned.