Islam is the religion of mercy, forgiveness and tolerance toward all people, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. The most salient evidence and brightest proof to this fact is that Islam has never compelled anyone against his free will, to convert to it. Hence, the idea of compulsion associated to Islam is by no means true. Islam is, rather, a call that strongly adheres to quiet dialogue that aims at distinguishing right from wrong so that those who believe in it would do so with full conviction and satisfaction and those who disbelieve in it would do so with free will.
The principle of free faith is explicitly and firmly established in the Holy Qur’an. Allah says: “Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error.” {2:256} It is reported that the above verse was revealed commenting on the position taken by a man toward his two sons who embraced Christianity before the advent of Islam. Following the Proclamation of Islam, the man tried his best to compel them to convert to Islam but Allah taught Muslims through this event that compelling others to convert to Islam is wrong. In the same context, another verse was also revealed commenting on the Prophet’s strong wish to have all people converting to Islam. Allah says: “If it had been your Lord’s will, they would all have believed, – all who are on earth! Will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!” {10:99}
Thus, Islam is based on free faith and tolerance with the followers of other religions. James Mechner said: “The West thought that Islam would not have expanded had not Muslims resorted to the sword. However, fair researchers did not accept this view. The Qur’an is explicit in supporting free faith. There is also strong evidence that Islam welcomed people from differentre1religions as long as they behaved well. Muhammad was very keen on dictating Muslims to cooperate with the people of the Book, i.e. Jew and Christians. There is no doubt that wars sometimes erupted between Muslims and others. However, the reason for that was that the followers of other religions insisted on fighting.”
One of the splendid images of to tolerance in Islam was the mercy and tolerance that the Prophet demonstrated to Quraishites following the conquest of Makkah in spite of the fact that they had exercised harshest types of oppression against Muslims. When he defeated them, he told them, “Go, you are free!”
Islamic history gives ample evidence that Muslims adopted the principle of tolerance over ages. An example to this was the pledge that Umar bin Al-Khattab gave to the Christian inhabitants of Jerusalem. The pledge reads: “He pledges to provide them security for their lives, properties, churches, crosses, patient and healthy; and all followers of their religion. He also respects their wish that their churches should not be inhabited, destroyed or trespassed over, that their crosses and properties should not be misused, that they should not be compelled to abandon their religion and that no one of them should be caused any harm.”
Islam has been tolerance with all people since its main mission has always been to promote security among them, a principle which it has upheld through all ages. Examples to Islamic tolerance and mercy are countless and need no proof for those who have fair minds and hearts.
* King Saud University, Riyadh
