The call to convert to Islam must precede jihad violence, according to Muhammad:
“Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war…When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withhold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them….If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them.” — Muhammad (Sahih Muslim 4294)
“Muslims in Italy tell those concerned over Christianophobia: Convert to Islam!,” from Speroforum, January 22 (thanks to Benedict):
“Islam is the true religion; convert to Islam!” was the demand issued by a Pakistani radical Islamic organization, led by Malik Shaib, to promoters of a demonstration to be held on January 26 in Rome. The demonstraters express concern over Christianophobia in Muslim-dominated countries and, in particular, the case of Aasi Bibi – a Pakistani Christian woman who was sentenced to death for blasphemy according to Islamic law.
The demonstration, known as “Italy for Asia Bibi: freedom, justice, human rights” has been promoted by a group of parliamentarians and Italian civil associations, including the multi-partisan Association of Parliamentary Friends of Pakistan, Association of Italy-Pakistan International Cooperation (Isiamed), Association of Pakistani Christians in Italy, Amnesty International – Italian Section, Community of Sant’Egidio, TV2000, Religions for Peace, and Padana Onlus.
The invitation, written in Urdu, Pakistan’s radical organization and forwarded to the Organising Committee, which has now informed the agency Fides, shows how the international initiatives enjoy attention and are significant for the scenario of Pakistan.
The demonstration aims to reaffirm the urgency of respect for religious freedom, dignity and inalienable rights of all Pakistani citizens, of any religion; to launch a message of peace, closeness and solidarity to Asia Bibi, seeking her immediate release. It also calls for the abolition of the blasphemy law and the death penalty in Pakistan. The initiative involves more than 35 associations from the academic world, the Catholic world, from other religious communities such as Sikhs, Jews and Muslims, giving a visible sign of the extensive involvement of civil society in Italy….