The Qur’an says “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256). However, what constitutes “compulsion” is in the eye of the beholder. The institutionalized subjugation of the dhimma, with its regular humiliation and harassment, from which one can be freed for the simple price of converting to Islam, is not considered compulsion. Those who are forced to convert on pain of death are likewise free: they could have chosen to be killed rather than embracing Islam. No compulsion about it.
“Pakistani clerics oppose anti-forced conversion bill,” by Kamran Chaudhry, UCANews, September 16, 2021:
Muslim clerics in Pakistan are voicing opposition to a draft bill that would only allow “mature people” to change their religion.
The top trend on Twitter in Pakistan on Sept.15 was “#Islam mukhalif bill na manzoor [reject anti-Islam bill],” as a debate on the bill aimed at stopping forced religious conversions raged in the media.
Opponents of the bill seemed to direct their ire at Naveed Amir Jeeva, a Christian legislator who has been pushing the Prohibition of Forced Religious Conversion Bill, pending with the Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, since 2019.
Some even shared the Pakistani politician’s profile on social media, spewing hate and condemnation.
Human rights and minority groups have been demanding the government resurrect and pass the bill that would criminalize the kidnapping, forced religious conversion to Islam and subsequently forced marriage of underage girls in Pakistan.
A parliamentary committee to protect minorities from forced conversions recommended in February that only a “mature person” (adult) may be allowed to change religion after appearing before an additional sessions judge.
The committee suggested that the judge set a date for an interview within seven days of receipt of the conversion application. An additional clause empowered the judge with the option to grant the person 90 days to undertake a comparative study of the religions concerned before return to his office with a final decision.
The additional sessions judge may issue the certificate of conversion only after being completely satisfied, the committee recommended.
Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, a cleric appointed as a special representative on religious harmony by Prime Minister Imran Khan, said he rejected the passage of what he called the “anti-Quran bill.”
“There is a bill to end complaints against forced conversions in the Federal Ministry for Religious Affairs and clerics are being consulted. I want to make it clear that no bill can be passed against the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah [the way of the prophet] because the Constitution of Pakistan is under the Quran,” he said in a statement….
Infidel says
It’s funny. Saudi Arabia has passed a similar law banning not just conversion, but even dawa of non-muslims by muslims. I think that Saudi Arabia is already a more tolerant country than most muslim countries: months ago, it would have been less tolerant than most muslim countries
mortimer says
What the verse actually means is that there should be no compulsion in OTHER RELIGIONS. However, compulsion to force people to join Islam is clearly the practice of Mohammed in a number of hadiths.
The verse actually means ‘Let there be no COMPULSION from other religions to PREVENT people from joining Islam.’
If Jews and Christians broke their sacred vows in order to leave Judaism and Christianity, so be it. Nothing should ‘compel’ them to remain in those supposedly ‘false’ religions. The ‘truth has come and is clearly seen’ (as Islam) over ‘falsehood’ (Judaism and Christianity).
Clearly, ‘compulsion’ should not be other religions, but ‘compulsion’ is fine in Islam.
gravenimage says
Not quite, Infidel. Saudi authorities just want to make sure that no *unauthorized* Da’wa is practiced:
“Saudi Arabia: No Islamic dawa activity without permission”
https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-no-islamic-dawa-activity-without-permission-1.81927862
They just want to ensure that all Da’wa is the “correct” kind.
mortimer says
Koran 2:256 (“There is no compulsion in religion”) is perhaps the most misunderstood of all Koranic verses. It is interpreted in the hadiths as meaning something entirely different from what it appears to say on the surface.
K. 2:256 actually means that no VOWS should COMPEL or PREVENT a person from entering Islam.
The explanation of the verse is given in Sunan of Abu Dawud, Book 14, Number 2676.
“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) a Jew. When Banu an-Nadir were expelled (from Arabia), there were some children of the Ansar (Helpers) among them. 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.”
Typical vows that converts into Islam might be expected to ANNUL would be bar mitzvah or baptismal or confirmation vows or the seven Hindu marriage vows. Mohammed wanted people to BREAK any vows they made to their god that stopped them from joining Islam. ‘Allah is GREATER’, so converts don’t need to keep vows to gods that are INFERIOR to Allah.
In fact, a number of hadiths show Mohammed compelling people to join Islam or DIE from having their heads cut off. These are authentic hadiths and most Muslims would know them, and not blink if they heard them. Compulsion is OK, if Mohammed does it. Muslims are required to imitate Mohammed.
Mohammed says that COMPELLING people to join Islam is OK. Compelling people to join Islam is Mohammed’s method.
gravenimage says
Spot on, Mortimer.
Here’s Qur’an 2:256:
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.”
This is obviously about converting to Islam, not about keeping your own faith.
The very next verse condemns non-Muslims:
“Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve – their allies are Taghut. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.”
gravenimage says
Pakistan: Muslim clerics oppose bill prohibiting forced conversion, say it’s ‘anti-Islam’
…………….
They aren’t wrong. So much for “no complusion in religion”. This just means that if you don’t want to convert to Islam that you can be murdered instead.
God, I hate Islam.