What Koran says about religious freedom

[koranist]

Koran commanded the prophet Muhammad to respect people’s right to chose for themselves what to believe or what not to believe and it did so repeatedly:

Koran gives complete freedom

2:256 There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing.

16:82** But if they turn away from you, your only duty is a clear delivery of the Message **.

6:107 Yet if God had so willed, they would not have ascribed Divinity to aught besides Him; hence, We have not made you their keeper, nor are you a guardian over them.

4:79-80 Say:'Whatever good betides you is from God and whatever evil betides you is from your own self and that We have sent you to mankind only as a messenger and all sufficing is God as witness. Whoso obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys God. And for those who turn away, We have not sent you as a keeper."

11:28 He (Noah) said "O my people! think over it! If I act upon a clear direction from my Lord who has bestowed on me from Himself the Merciful talent of seeing the right way, **a way which you cannot see for yourself, does it follow that we can force you to take the right path when you definitely decline to take it?**°

17:53-54 And tell my servants that they should speak in a most kindly manner. Verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord between men; for verily; Satan is mans foe … Hence, We have not sent you with power to determine their Faith.

21:107-109 (O Prophet?) ‘We have not sent you except to be a mercy to all mankind:" Declare, "Verily, what is revealed to me is this, your God is the only One God, so is it not up to you to bow down to Him?’ But if they turn away then say, “I have delivered the Truth in a manner clear to one and all, and I know not whether the promised hour is near or far.”

22:67 To every people have We appointed ceremonial rites which they observe;** therefore, let them not wrangle over this matter with you, but bid them to turn to your Lord. You indeed are rightly guided. But if they still dispute you in this matter, `God best knows what you do."**

24.54. Say: "Obey God, and obey the Messenger. but if ye turn away,** he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and ye for that placed on you**. If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance.** The Messenger’s duty is only to preach the clear (Message). **

88:21 22; **And so, exhort them your task is only to exhort; you cannot compel them to believe. **

48:28 He it is Who has sent forth His Messenger with the Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to the end that tie make it prevail over every religion, **and none can bear witness to the Truth as God does. **

36:16 17 (Three Messengers to their people) Said, "Our Sustainer knows that we have indeed been sent unto you, **but we are not bound to more than clearly deliver the Message entrusted to us.’ **

39:41 Assuredly, We have sent down the Book to you in right form for the good of man. Whoso guided himself by it does so to his own advantage, and whoso turns away from it does so at his own loss. You certainly are not their keeper.

42:6 48 And whoso takes for patrons others besides God, over them does God keep a watch. Mark, you are not a keeper over them. But if they turn aside from you (do not get disheartened), **for We have not sent you to be a keeper over them; your task is but to preach … **

64:12 Obey God then and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away (no blame shall attach to our Messenger), for the duty of Our Messenger is just to deliver the message.

67:25 26 And they ask, “When shall the promise be fulfilled if you speak the Truth?” Say, “The knowledge of it is verily with God alone, and verily I am but a plain warner.”

10.99-100. If it had been thy Lord’s will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! No soul can believe, except by the will of God, and He will place doubt (or obscurity) on those who will not understand

28.55-56 And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: "To us our deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you: we seek not the ignorant,"** It is true thou wilt not be able to guide whom thou lovest; but God guides those whom He will** and He knows best those who receive guidance.

109.1-6 Say : O ye that reject Faith,! I worship not that which ye worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship, And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship, To you be your Way, and to me mine.

74.11-17** Leave Me with whom I created alone!, **To whom I granted resources in abundance, And sons to be by his side, To whom I made (life) smooth and comfortable, Yet is he greedy-that I should add (yet more);- By no means! For to Our Signs he has been refractory!, Soon will I visit him with a mount of calamities!

"And when you see those who meddle with Our revelations, withdraw from them until they meddle with another topic. And if the devil causes you to forget, sit not, after the remembrance, with the congregation of wrongdoers. 6:68

This is the role and job responsibility the Koran outlined for Muhammad. It is clear that the Koran gave people absolulte freedom to believe in the message of the prophets or not. In the end it is God that will judge them.

Koran is peace!

 

[jakasaki]

Apparently the Jews and the Christians in mohamads time and future didn’t have any religious freedom.

Submit to islam and mohamad or off with your heads…

So much for religous freedom. I guess mohamad didn’t heed to allahs words.

 

[aileenve]

Jacasaki, you took the words out of my mouth!

 

[jakasaki]

Koranist - if the koran is “all about religious freedom”, how do you as a “koranist” explain the conquest of the Arbian nations to spread islam in the 7th, 8th, 9th,… etc… etc… Africa, Persia, Spain, Europe…???

 

[Eucharisted]

[2.190] And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.
[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.
[2.193] And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.

[5.51] O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

[61.4] Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall.

[22.39] Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them;

 

[jakasaki]

[2.190] And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.
[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.
[2.193] And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.

[5.51] O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

[61.4] Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall.

[22.39] Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them;

Eucharisted, I hope you don’t mind if I borrow these three verses and bold them…

**[5.51] O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

[61.4] Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall.

[2.193] And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.**

 

[tomarin]

Apparently the Jews and the Christians in mohamads time and future didn’t have any religious freedom.

Submit to islam and mohamad or off with your heads…

So much for religous freedom. I guess mohamad didn’t heed to allahs words.

You’re conflating the Jews and Christians with the pagan polytheists that dominated the Arabian Peninsula in Mohammad’s era. Classical Islam was (relatively) tolerant towards Jews and Christians as fellow monotheists (and in India towards Hindus, who were granted “people of the book” status), but absolutely intolerant towards polytheism. It’s a vitally important distinction because if you ignore it you make Muslims seem more antagonistic to other faiths than they actually were, which is misrepresentation.

 

[koranist]

[2.190] And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.
[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.
[2.193] And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.

[5.51] O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

[61.4] Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall.

[22.39] Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them;

The verse of 5-51 says do not take the Jews and Christians as patrons(or guradians) besides God. The Koran says never take ANYBODY or ANYONE as a patron BESIDES God.

17.2. And We gave Muoses the Book and made it a guidance to the children of Israel, saying:** Do not take a protector besides Me;**

It also says that God tells Satan:

17.65. Surely (as for) My servants, you have no authority over them; and your Lord is sufficient as a Protector.

17.68. What! Do you then feel secure that He will not cause a tract of land to engulf you or send on you a tornado?** Then you shall not find a protector for yourselves**.

And then tells and warns the prophet himself:

1. And if We please, We should certainly take away that which We have revealed to you, then you would not find for it any protector against Us

And says again concerning the Jews and Christians:

2.120.** Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with thee unless thou follow their form of religion**. Say: “The Guidance of Allah,-that is the (only) Guidance**.” Wert thou to follow their desires after the knowledge which hath reached thee, then wouldst thou find neither Protector nor helper against Allah.**

So no one should seek a patron or a protector of anything and anyone BESIDES God and should follow the scriptures regardless of the cost.

The other verses I have already talked about them. Many here throw red herrings and do not bring all the verses concerned about a topic. Concerning war and fighting I have talked about the verses concerned.

 

[tomarin]

Koranist - if the koran is “all about religious freedom”, how do you as a “koranist” explain the conquest of the Arbian nations to spread islam in the 7th, 8th, 9th,… etc… etc… Africa, Persia, Spain, Europe…???

You’re making two big assumptions here:

1 - that the Arab armies that swept through the Middle East and the Near East were religiously motivated (and not primarily in say, acquiring loot and territory or military glory).

2 - the conquered populations were forced to convert to Islam. This is hard to square with the “people of the book” status that most of them enjoyed by virtue of their monotheism.

 

[Eucharisted]

The verse of 5-51 says do not take the Jews and Christians as patrons(or guradians) besides God. The Koran says never take ANYBODY or ANYONE as a patron BESIDES God.

17.2. And We gave Muoses the Book and made it a guidance to the children of Israel, saying:** Do not take a protector besides Me;**

It also says that God tells Satan:

17.65. Surely (as for) My servants, you have no authority over them; and your Lord is sufficient as a Protector.

17.68. What! Do you then feel secure that He will not cause a tract of land to engulf you or send on you a tornado?** Then you shall not find a protector for yourselves**.

And then tells and warns the prophet himself:

1. And if We please, We should certainly take away that which We have revealed to you, then you would not find for it any protector against Us

And says again concerning the Jews and Christians:

2.120.** Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with thee unless thou follow their form of religion**. Say: “The Guidance of Allah,-that is the (only) Guidance**.” Wert thou to follow their desires after the knowledge which hath reached thee, then wouldst thou find neither Protector nor helper against Allah.**

So no one should seek a patron or a protector of anything and anyone BESIDES God and should follow the scriptures regardless of the cost.

The other verses I have already talked about them. Many here throw red herrings and do not bring all the verses concerned about a topic. Concerning war and fighting I have talked about the verses concerned.

I keep forgetting how you Muslims enjoy lying and are brainwashed by your leaders and historians.

 

[tomarin]

I keep forgetting how you Muslims enjoy lying and are brainwashed by your leaders and historians.

I’m not even sure this is a coherent response. Don’t religious people always appear brainwashed to those outside that religion? What makes you think he’s lying, i.e. deliberately telling falsehoods?

 

[Eucharisted]

I’m not even sure this is a coherent response. Don’t religious people always appear brainwashed to those outside that religion? What makes you think he’s lying, i.e. deliberately telling falsehoods?

The first sentence in his post. It’s a falsehood. I provided the Qu’ran verse, and he’s attempting to show me the verse is wrong. Which it is not.

005.051
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

 

[tomarin]

The first sentence in his post. It’s a falsehood. I provided the Qu’ran verse, and he’s attempting to show me the verse is wrong. Which it is not.

Okay, I see what you’re getting at. He does have a far-fetched interpretation of that verse.

 

[koranist]

The first sentence in his post. It’s a falsehood. I provided the Qu’ran verse, and he’s attempting to show me the verse is wrong. Which it is not.

005.051
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

Lets see about that. i hate it when people think I am lying:

43.** But why do they come to thee for decision, when they have (their own) law before them?- therein is the (plain) command of Allah. yet even after that, they would turn away. For they are not (really) People of Faith**.

1. It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah.s will, by the rabbis and the doctors of law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah.s book, and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.
2. We ordained therein for them: “Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal.” But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers.
3. And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
4. Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel.
5. To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah. it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute;
6. And this (He commands): Judge thou between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they beguile thee from any of that (teaching) which Allah hath sent down to thee. And if they turn away, be assured that for some of their crime it is Allah.s purpose to punish them. And truly most men are rebellious.
7. **Do they then seek after a judgment of (the days of) ignorance? **But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than Allah.
8. **O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. **Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.

The Koran here is talking about following the scriptures, the Torah and Gospel and the Koran. These Jews and Christians were not interested in what the Torah or Gospel says, cause the Jews mentioned left the Torah for the Talmud and the Christians mentioned left God and started worshiping Jesus instead.

Read the verses yourself:

islamicity.com/mosque/QURAN/5.htm

Its even a Sunni translation, Yusuf Ali who was supported by the Saudi government.

 

[OnlyAmbrose]

2:256 There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing.

This verse is used quite a bit by moderate Muslims, but often I think they go way further with it than was originally intended.

IF we are to assume that there is no abrogation or contradiction (which I’m sure you do), then we are forced assume that the use of “compulsion” here is pretty narrow. By that I mean it basically boils down to “There is no [violent] compulsion in religion.”

Obviously the jizya, given divine sanction by 9:29, is a form of “compulsion.” The restriction of the religious rights of the people of the book are obviously a form of “compulsion” (see the Pact of Umar, approved by the “rightly guided” Umar).

What the Qur’an says about religious freedom is essentially that people can practice their religion so long as they are willing to be “humbled” and accept a poll tax, among other discriminatory laws. The possibility of escape from these laws is certainly a form of compulsion. To use an example from fairly recent history, two Americans captured in the Tripoli War in the early 19th century were freed due to their conversion to Islam while the rest of their comrades were left in slavery.

 

[koranist]

This verse is used quite a bit by moderate Muslims, but often I think they go way further with it than was originally intended.

IF we are to assume that there is no abrogation or contradiction (which I’m sure you do), then we are forced assume that the use of “compulsion” here is pretty narrow. By that I mean it basically boils down to “There is no [violent] compulsion in religion.”

Obviously the jizya, given divine sanction by 9:29, is a form of “compulsion.” The restriction of the religious rights of the people of the book are obviously a form of “compulsion” (see the Pact of Umar, approved by the “rightly guided” Umar).

What the Qur’an says about religious freedom is essentially that people can practice their religion so long as they are willing to be “humbled” and accept a poll tax, among other discriminatory laws. The possibility of escape from these laws is certainly a form of compulsion. To use an example from fairly recent history, two Americans captured in the Tripoli War in the early 19th century were freed due to their conversion to Islam while the rest of their comrades were left in slavery.

The “there is no compulsion” verse is actually a statement. I don’t often cite that verse. The Koran makes many statements it does not mean its the right thing to do like “most people are ungrateful” verse. I look at what the Koran tells Muhammad about his job responsibility and how to respond if he gets rejected.

I think that some here have chosen to marginalize the Koran like Sunnis do. Anyways Jizya could mean compensation or war reperation. I have not found any verse that says Christians and others should pay taxes to Muslims. But there are verses that talks about compensation(man slaughter) or reperations or even bond(for prisoners).

 

[OnlyAmbrose]

The “there is no compulsion” verse is actually a statement. I don’t often cite that verse. The Koran makes many statements it does not mean its the right thing to do like “most people are ungrateful” verse. I look at what the Koran tells Muhammad about his job responsibility and how to respond if he gets rejected.

I think that some here have chosen to marginalize the Koran like Sunnis do. Anyways Jizya could mean compensation or war reperation. I have not found any verse that says Christians and others should pay taxes to Muslims. But there are verses that talks about compensation(man slaughter) or reperations or even bond(for prisoners).

…What?

9:29 - Fight those among the People of the Book [ie, Jews, Christians, and in some cases Zoroastrians] who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden [Christianity does not forbid eating pork, drinking, or gambling], and do not profess the true religion [obviously, those who don’t buy Muhammad’s message], till they pay the poll-tax out of hand submissively.

Not “war reparations.” Poll tax.

But people can interpret anything any way they want, really, so let’s go to the earliest Muslims and see how they interpreted it.

This sura was revealed shortly after Muhammad took over most of the Arabian peninsula. He died shortly thereafter, and his “rightly guided” successors used this verse to implement a tax on dhimmis throughout the expanding Muslim empire. That religious minorities should be “humbled” was a matter they took quite seriously as well. Again, see the Pact of Umar.

So once again, regardless of how many verses you cite from the Qur’an regarding religious freedom, the actual manifestation and interpretation of those verses during Muhammad’s time and the time of his immediate successors essentially boiled down to this: You are allowed to practice your religion so long as you abide by certain discriminatory laws regarding dress, where and when you can pray, and an inability to construct new places of worship - and pay a divinely sanctioned poll tax.

 

[tomarin]

So once again, regardless of how many verses you cite from the Qur’an regarding religious freedom, the actual manifestation and interpretation of those verses during Muhammad’s time and the time of his immediate successors essentially boiled down to this: You are allowed to practice your religion so long as you abide by certain discriminatory laws regarding dress, where and when you can pray, and an inability to construct new places of worship - and pay a divinely sanctioned poll tax.

Historically the Muslims left them alone (the Christians and Jews). I think that’s a kind of religious freedom. Perhaps not up to the standards of the 20th century, but better than non-Christians and heretical Christians got in Europe before the Enlightenment and the rise of secularism as an official ideology.

 

[swplan76]

…What?

9:29 - Fight those among the People of the Book [ie, Jews, Christians, and in some cases Zoroastrians] who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden [Christianity does not forbid eating pork, drinking, or gambling], and do not profess the true religion [obviously, those who don’t buy Muhammad’s message], till they pay the poll-tax out of hand submissively.

Not “war reparations.” Poll tax.

But people can interpret anything any way they want, really, so let’s go to the earliest Muslims and see how they interpreted it.

This sura was revealed shortly after Muhammad took over most of the Arabian peninsula. He died shortly thereafter, and his “rightly guided” successors used this verse to implement a tax on dhimmis throughout the expanding Muslim empire. That religious minorities should be “humbled” was a matter they took quite seriously as well. Again, see the Pact of Umar.

So once again, regardless of how many verses you cite from the Qur’an regarding religious freedom, the actual manifestation and interpretation of those verses during Muhammad’s time and the time of his immediate successors essentially boiled down to this: You are allowed to practice your religion so long as you abide by certain discriminatory laws regarding dress, where and when you can pray, and an inability to construct new places of worship - and pay a divinely sanctioned poll tax.

Its good that you brought this surah up. Surah 9, ‘Repentance,’ holds the most authority for Muslims. It abrogates/replaces any verses that encourage Muslims to have peace with non-muslims. The Qur’an presents the idea in 4 places that Allah will replace some verses in the Qur’an with similar or better ones - This was done chronologically, so we have to look for the Surah which was revealed last to give us the best idea of what the Qur’an is teaching and what Islam is really about. Surah 9 is the second last revealed Surah of the Qur’an. The last revealed Surah is only 3 verses long.

Islam is about controlling and conquering non-Muslims - that is the core of the message of Islam.

 

[distracted]

well, we can all argue back and forth all day long…

but you know… there’s one thing for sure

***No devout Roman Catholic ever rammed a plane into a skyscraper (etc) and killed 3000 + people s/he didn’t even know…

God is love… ***