Khalid Chraibi - SaudiDebate.

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Muslim society issues - Islamic law –

Pope and people must understand truth of

Qu’ranic teachings on jihad and religious
freedom
Thursday, 07 June 2007

By Khalid Chraibi
In his Regensburg lecture of September 12, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI argued that Islam,
contrary to Christianity, had resorted to violence and coercion to spread its faith (1). Quoting a
long-forgotten 14th century Byzantine emperor in support of his argument, the Pope
commented: "The emperor must have known that surah 2 : 256 reads: "There is no
compulsion in religion". It is one of the surahs of the early period, when Muhammad was still
powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed
later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war."

The Pope then quoted the emperor as saying: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that
was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to
spread by the sword the faith he preached".
The Pope's derogatory remarks offended the Muslim community worldwide. Many media
analysts saw in it the clear imprint of the Vatican's campaign to disparage Islam, in order to
counter its progress in developing countries.

The ulamas criticized the Pope for misrepresenting the facts concerning the Qur'anic verses he
quoted, and for being clearly prejudiced in his discussion of Islamic thought and history.

They reminded him that the principle of religious freedom was enunciated in numerous
Qur'anic verses, none of which was ever abrogated. Moreover, the Qur'an only prescribed
Jihad to the Muslims as a defensive war to protect themselves and their faith when under
attack.

The incident provided an opportunity for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to acquaint
themselves with the Qur'an's real stand on the issue of religious freedom.

The Qur'an proclaims the principle of religious freedom not in one, but in a multiplicity of
verses, interspersed in many surahs, usually in the context of the discussion of the
Messenger's mission. The description of the latter sets out its scope, limits and contents, with
indications as to how it is to be carried out, and how the Messenger is to deal with a variety of
issues, including his nearest kinsmen, the People of the Book, the polytheists, etc. (2)

According to this description, the Messenger's main function is to convey the Lord's Message,
to expound openly what he has been commanded and to give a clear warning to the people.
He is "to invite all to the Way of the Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue
with them in ways that are best and most gracious."

But, he is not set over people to arrange their affairs, and is not to overawe them by force. He
can admonish them but, if they disobey him, he is to leave them alone, to their own choice.
"Let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject (it)." Or again: "Everyone acts
according to his own disposition." "Those who receive Guidance, do so for the good of their
own souls; those who stray, do so to their own loss."

This point is so important in the Qur'anic message that it is reiterated on several occasions,
using different wordings: "If people accept guidance, they do it for the good of their own
souls, and if any stray, the Messenger is only a Warner."

"If any will see, it will be for [the good of] his own soul; if any will be blind, it will be to his
own [harm]: the Messenger is not [here] to watch over their doings." Thus, if he discusses the
Lord's Message with People of the Book and they dispute with him, the Messenger is to say to
them: "Allah is our Lord and your Lord: for us [is the responsibility for] our deeds, and for
you for your deeds, there is no contention between us and you."

Similarly, "If people argue with him, dispute with him, charge him with falsehood, he is to
say: ‘My work to me, and yours to you! Ye are free from responsibility for what I do and I for
what ye do!'" In such situations, the Messenger is "to turn away from them, have patience
with what they say, and leave them with noble [dignity]."

The Messenger is repeatedly reminded that: "If it were Allah's Will, He could gather people
together unto true guidance."
"If it had been Allah's Plan, they would not have taken false gods: but the Lord did not send
the Messenger to watch over their doings, nor is he set over them to dispose of their affairs."

The reason for the existence of religious freedom is explained in the following way: "If
Allah had so willed, He would have made mankind a single People, but [His plan is] to test
them in what He hath given them; so they must strive as in a race in all virtues."

On one occasion, the Messenger is admonished in the following terms: "If it had been the
Lord's Will, they would all have believed, all who are on earth! Wilt thou then compel
mankind, against their will, to believe!" The most-often quoted verse reads: "Let there be no
compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error [...]."

Contrary to the Pope's assertion, this verse was not revealed in Makkah, in "the early period,
when Muhammad was still powerless and under threat," but in a later period, in al-Madinah,
when the Messenger was in a situation of relative power and security.

The occasion is narrated in all tafsir textbooks: in pre-Islamic times, some women gave their
child to a Jewish family to raise, often in the Jewish faith, in the belief that this would give
him a better chance to survive. When the parents of such children converted to Islam, the
children were reluctant to follow suit, so the Messenger was asked by the parents whether
they could coerce their children into changing their faith. The verse quoted by the Pope
forbade the parents to exercise any such coercion, stating: "Let there be no compulsion in
religion."

The Messenger is repeatedly reminded that, no matter what happens, it is not his role to
punish anyone who rejects the Lord's Message:"...thy duty is to make (the Message) reach
them: it is Our part to call them to account." "It is not for the Messenger, but for the Lord to
make the decision whether to turn in Mercy to the unbelievers or to punish them. It will be for
the Lord to call them to account."

The Messenger is to "leave them alone until they encounter that Day of theirs, wherein they
shall [perforce] swoon [with terror]."

Although the principle of religious freedom is thus perfectly established in the Qur'an, and
was never abrogated, the Muslim communities have at times had difficulties in applying it, for
all kinds of reasons.

As an illustration, Islamic jurists diverge to this day on how to deal with the issue of apostasy.
Some consider that the Qur'anic principle of religious freedom covers the cases of apostasy,
but most ulamas dispute that view, basing themselves on the Sunnah. Nevertheless, it remains
as a fact that the Qur'an, while denouncing the people who commit apostasy, does not
prescribe any sanction to be applied to them by any other person, as is clear from the
following verses: "Those who believe, then reject Faith, then believe [again] and [again]
reject Faith, and go on increasing in unbelief, Allah will not forgive them nor guide them on
the way." "Anyone who, after accepting Faith in Allah, utters Unbelief, - except under
compulsion, his heart remaining firm in Faith - but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on
them is Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty."

As to Jihad, the consensus of the ulamas today is that the Qur'an prescribes it to the Muslims
only to defend themselves and their faith, when under attack. This appears explicitly in the
following verses, which were the first revealed on the subject of Jihad: "To those against
whom war is made, permission is given [to fight], because they are wronged; and verily, Allah
is Most Powerful for their aid; [They are] those who have been expelled from their homes in
defiance of right, [for no cause] except that they say, "Our Lord is Allah." Did not Allah check
one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down
monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is
commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid His [cause]; for
verily Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might, [able to enforce His Will]."

The Qur'an never prescribes Jihad as an offensive war, to extend Islamic rule to foreign lands
and to convert their people "by the sword". Those who defend these views merely interpret
Qur'anic verses in a manner which suits their own purposes. They are merely attributing to
Islam their own views on the subject.

Based on the numerous rebuttals of the Pope's assertions that were published by the ulamas in
the media worldwide, one can draw the following conclusions:

The Qur'an proclaims the principle of religious freedom, explicitly and unequivocally,
throughout dozens of different verses interspersed in a variety of surahs. It prescribes the use
of dialogue and persuasion to transmit the Muslim message, and forbids the use of any form
of coercion towards anyone to this end. This principle was upheld throughout the life of the
Messenger and was applied to all, including the Muslim's own children raised in the Jewish
faith. As to Jihad, the Qur'an prescribes it to the Muslims only to defend themselves and their
faith, when under attack.

Notes :

(1) Pope's speech at University of Regensburg

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=46474
(2) All Qur'anic quotations are from the Qur'an's English translation at www.al-islam.com
(Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Islamic Affairs site) : http://quran.al-
islam.com/Targama/DispTargam.asp?nType=1&nSeg=0&l=eng&nSora=1&nAya=1&t=eng