manner. Secondly, steps should be taken to eliminate the causes
which lead to war. The main causes for war are ideological
differences. War often breaks out because a powerful nation tries to
impose its religious beliefs or political ideology on other nations.
The Qur'an forbids compulsion in any form in matters of belief.
Man should be free to choose his own way of life; it should not be
forced on him. The Qur'an emphatically says: "There is no
compulsion in the matter of deen”(2:256). Man is free in the sphere
of deen. Freedom and compulsion do not and cannot go together.
No one has the right to force Islam on others. A Muslim equally
cannot be compelled to remain within the fold of Islam. It is for the
individual to reject or accept it as he likes:
Say: (it is) the truth from the Rabb of you all. Then, whosoever will, let
him believe and whosoever will, let him reject (18:29).
It is not only physical compulsion that is forbidden, but all irrational
methods of winning adherents to Islam. It is wrong to induce
people to embrace Islam through suggestion, false propaganda or
promise of monetary gain or political power; whoever accepts
Islam should do so freely, rationally and of his own accord. The
Qur'an, therefore, repeatedly assured the men of the time that the
Rasool did not rely on miracles but only on the intrinsic value of his
message. He consistently refused to take advantage of the credulity
of the people:
And if thy Rabb willed, all who are in the world would have believed
together. What? Wilt thou (O Muhammad) then compel so that they
may believe (10:99)?
The Qur'an treats all humanity as a single family (2:213), and is,
therefore, opposed to the division of mankind into groups. The
only division it recognises is one based on ideology. The first group
is composed of those who believe in the absolute values set forth in
the Qur'an. The other group consists of those who deny and reject
the absolute values. This is the only basis of division. The believers
and unbelievers naturally fall apart into separate groups. The
believers are united in God and are dedicated to the pursuit of
permanent values. The unbelievers lack faith in God and absolute
values, and consequently faith in their own high destiny.
The Qur'an, however, does not treat those who do not subscribe
to the ideals of Islam as "untouchables." Their rights are regarded as
Islam: A Challenge to Religion 239