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Al-Baqara 256

December 04, 2023

Verse (ayah) 256 of Al-Baqara is a very famous verse in the Islamic scripture, the Quran.[1] The verse includes the phrase that "there is no compulsion in religion".[2] Immediately after making this statement, the Quran offers a rationale for it: Since the revelation has, through explanation, clarification, and repetition, clearly distinguished the path of guidance from the path of misguidance, it is now up to people to choose the one or the other path.[1] This verse comes right after the Throne Verse.[3]

Recitation by Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais

The overwhelming majority of Muslim scholars consider that verse to be a Medinan one,[4][5][6] when Muslims lived in their period of political ascendance,[7][8] and to be non abrogated,[9] including Ibn Taymiyya,[10] Ibn Qayyim,[11] Al-Tabari,[12] Abi ʿUbayd,[13] Al-Jaṣṣās,[14] Makki bin Abi Talib,[15] Al-Nahhas,[16] Ibn Jizziy,[17] Al-Suyuti,[18] Ibn Ashur,[19] Mustafa Zayd,[20] and many others.[21] According to all the theories of language elaborated by Muslim legal scholars, the Quranic proclamation that 'There is no compulsion in religion. The right path has been distinguished from error' is as absolute and universal a statement as one finds,[22] and so under no condition should an individual be forced to accept a religion or belief against his or her will according to the Quran.[23][24][25][26]

The meaning of the principle that there is no compulsion in religion was not limited to freedom of individuals to choose their own religion. Islam also provided non-Muslims with considerable economic, cultural, and administrative rights.[27]

Text and meaning edit

Text and transliteration edit

لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ صلے قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ج فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا قلے وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝٢٥٦‎
256 Lā ’ikrāha fi d-dīn(i), qa t-tabay-yana r-rushdu mina l-ghay(yi), faman y-yakfur biṭ-ṭāghūti wayu’mim bil-lāhi faqadi s-tamsaka bil‘urwati l-wuthqā la n-fiṣāma lahā, wal-lāhu samī‘un ‘alīm(un)

لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِے اِ۬لدِّينِ صلے قَد تَّبَيَّنَ اَ۬لرُّشۡدُ مِنَ اَ۬لۡغَىِّ ج فَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِالطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُومِنۢ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اِٜسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِالۡعُرۡوَةِ اِ۬لۡوُثۡقَٜىٰ لَا اَٜنفِصَامَ لَهَا قلے وَاَ۬للَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝٢٥٥‎
255 Lā ’ikrāha fi d-dīn(i), qa t-tabay-yana r-rushdu mina l-ghay(yi), faman y-yakfur biṭ-ṭāghūti wayūmim bil-lāhi faqadi s-tamsaka bil‘urwati l-wuthqā la n-fiṣāma lahā, wal-lāhu samī‘un ‘alīm(un)

Meanings edit

256 Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in God has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

256 Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.

Translation:Yusuf Ali, 1934


256 There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allāh has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.

Translation:Saheeh International, 1997

Context edit

According to some commentators, this verse (Quran 2:256) was directed towards a small group of residents of Medina and is related to an incident during the time of the Prophet. The incident involved a Muslim boy who had been educated in a Jewish school in Medina and decided to depart with a Jewish tribe that was being expelled from the city. When the boy's distraught parents asked the Prophet if they could compel their son to stay, he told them that there is no compulsion in religion, as stated in the verse.[28][29]

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 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."

— Sunan Abu Dawood,

It is reported that Mujahid said that "This verse was revealed about a man of the Helpers who had a black boy called Subayh whom he used to coerce to become Muslim".[30]

In all cases, following the famous maxim "العبرة بعموم اللفظ لا بخصوص السبب"‎ (Consideration is granted to the Generality of the Language, not to the Specificity of the Reason [for Revelation])[31][32][33] it is concluded that the verse is general in meaning,[28][29] and thus the verse has been understood over the centuries as a general command that people cannot be forced to convert to Islam.[28][34]

Discussion edit

Relevance to apostasy edit

According to Khaled Abou El Fadl, and other scholars such as S. A. Rahman,[35] the phrase "there is no compulsion in religion" from verse Q.2:256[2] enunciates a general, overriding principle that cannot be contradicted by isolated traditions attributed to the Prophet and that the verse indicates that Quran never intended a punishment for apostasy in this life.[35][36]

Other Islamic scholars disagree.[37] First, the "no compulsion" phrase should not be used out of context and all exegesis of Quran that is "linear-atomistic" analysis of one small phrase in one verse is flawed.[38] The complete verse and nearby verses[39] should be read to understand the "complex hermeneutic totality" of context for anything in Quran.

That is, apparently, they want to deceive Allah and the Muslims; But the fact is that they are deceiving themselves; Because the end of this deception itself will be bad for them, they think that by pretending to be Muslims, they have escaped the worldly end of disbelief, although the punishment they will face in the Hereafter is worse than the punishment of this world.[40]

It is reported that Mujahid said that "This verse was revealed about a man of the Helpers [Ansar of Medina] who had a black boy called Subayh whom he used to coerce to become Muslim".[30] In addition scholar argue, no single phrase or verse in Quran is less or more relevant in Islam than other phrases or verses in Quran; and other verses in Quran such as verse 66[41] of At-Tawba state "Make ye no excuses: ye have rejected Faith after ye had accepted it. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you, for that they are in sin.",[41] As well as "Say, "The truth is from your Lord": Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it): ...",[42] "And if your Lord had pleased, surely all those who are in the earth would have believed, all of them; will you then force men till they become believers?",[43] "Therefore do remind, for you are only a reminder. You are not a watcher over them;",[44] "He said: "O my people! See ye if (it be that) I have a Clear Sign from my Lord, and that He hath sent Mercy unto me from His own presence, but that the Mercy hath been obscured from your sight? shall we compel you to accept it when ye are averse to it?".[45] According to some western scholars, in the history of Islamic exegesis scholarship, that verse is considered as an early revelation, and abrogated by verses that were revealed to Muhammad at a later stage in his life.[46] However, as stated by the famous British orientalist Sir Thomas Walker Arnold the verse in question is a Medinan verse, when Muslims lived in their period of political ascendance.[5] Moreover, Muslim scholars have established the abrogated verses and Q.2:256 isn't among them.[18][21] Finally, to understand the Quran, the sayings and actions of Muhammad as recorded in Hadith collections are considered by Islamic scholars. Taken together, the vast majority of Islamic scholars of every fiqh have traditionally held with the position that there should be punishment for apostasy in Islam.[47][not specific enough to verify]

Ibn Kathir's interpretation edit

The Quran commentator (Muffasir) Ibn Kathir, a Sunni, suggests that the verse implies that Muslims should not force anyone to convert to Islam since the truth of Islam is so self-evident that no one is in need of being coerced into it,[29]

There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the right path has become distinct from the wrong path. لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ (There is no compulsion in religion), meaning, "Do not force anyone to become Muslim, for Islam is plain and clear, and its proofs and evidence are plain and clear. Therefore, there is no need to force anyone to embrace Islam. Rather, whoever God directs to Islam, opens his heart for it and enlightens his mind, will embrace Islam with certainty. Whoever God blinds his heart and seals his hearing and sight, then he will not benefit from being forced to embrace Islam. It was reported that; the Ansar were the reason behind revealing this Ayah, although its indication is general in meaning. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Abbas said (that before Islam), "When (an Ansar) woman would not bear children who would live, she would vow that if she gives birth to a child who remains alive, she would raise him as a Jew. When Banu An-Nadir (the Jewish tribe) were evacuated (from Al-Madinah), some of the children of the Ansar were being raised among them, and the Ansar said, `We will not abandon our children.' God revealed, لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ (There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the right path has become distinct from the wrong path). Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith. As for the Hadith that Imam Ahmad recorded, in which Anas said that the Messenger of God said to a man, أَسْلِم "Embrace Islam. The man said, "I dislike it. The Prophet said, وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَارِهًا "Even if you dislike it. First, this is an authentic Hadith, with only three narrators between Imam Ahmad and the Prophet. However, it is not relevant to the subject under discussion, for the Prophet did not force that man to become Muslim. The Prophet merely invited this man to become Muslim, and he replied that he does not find himself eager to become Muslim. The Prophet said to the man that even though he dislikes embracing Islam, he should still embrace it, `for God will grant you sincerity and true intent.'[48]

Kashani's interpretation edit

Kashani, a Sufi,[49] interprets Q.2:256 as follows

{ لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي ٱلدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّاغُوتِ وَيْؤْمِن بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لاَ ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ } There is no compulsion in religion, because in reality religion is the guidance that is acquired from the light of the heart that is a concomitant of the human primordial nature and that is required for the faith of certainty, as God, exalted be He, says: so set your purpose for religion as a ḥanīf, a nature given by God, upon which He originated mankind. There is no changing God's creation. That is the upright religion [Q. 30:30], and Islam, which is the exoteric aspect of religion, is built upon this [guidance] and is something in which compulsion can have no place. The proof that the esoteric and true aspect of religion is faith, just as its exoteric aspect and [outer] form is Islam, comes in what follows: Rectitude has become clear, that is, it is distinguished, from error, by means of clear proofs, for the one who possesses insight (baṣīra) and reason (ʿaql), as they say, 'The morning is bright for he who has eyes'; so whoever disbelieves in the false deity, that is, [in] what is other than God and denies its existence and its effect, and believes in God, a belief of witnessing and in truth, has laid hold of the most firm handle [that cannot be split], that is, he has held onto the Essential Unity whose ties and modes of operation are in of Itself, such that there is nothing firmer than It, since every thing that holds onto It is firmly attached, nay, every existence is existent through It and non-existent in itself. Thus if one were to consider such [a thing's] existence, then it is split (infiṣām) in itself because a contingent thing's attachment and existence is only through the Necessary [Existent]. When consideration [of this Existent] is severed from that [contingent] thing then that contingent's existence is terminated and is no longer anything in itself. This [Necessary Existent] cannot be split from the existence of His very essence since He does not entail divisibility (tajazzuÌ) or duality (ithnayniyya). There is a subtle detail in this [concept of] 'splitting' (infiṣām), which is that a splitting (infiṣām) is a breaking (inkisār) but without separation (infiṣāl). Since no contingent can be separated from His Essence, exalted be He, or remove itself from It - given that it would either be an act of His or an attribute of His - there can be absolutely no separation. Nay, if reason would consider such [a contingent] in isolation, it would appear split, that is lacking [independent] existence, its existence attached to His existence, exalted be He. And God is Hearing, hears the speech of those who have religion, Knowing, of their intentions and their faith.[50]

Verses relating to Quran 2:256 edit

A number of verses relate to Quran 2:256 and this includes,

And if your Lord had pleased, surely all those who are in the earth would have believed, all of them; will you then force men till they become believers?

— Quran 10:99

He said: "O my people! See ye if (it be that) I have a Clear Sign from my Lord, and that He hath sent Mercy unto me from His own presence, but that the Mercy hath been obscured from your sight? shall we compel you to accept it when ye are averse to it?

— Quran 11:28

Say, "The truth is from your Lord": Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it): for the wrong-doers We have prepared a Fire whose (smoke and flames), like the walls and roof of a tent, will hem them in: if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!

— Quran 18:29

Therefore do remind, for you are only a reminder. You are not a watcher over them;

— Quran 88:21-22

These verses indicate that compulsion is strictly prohibited.[22][27][29][34][36][51][52]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Mustansir Mir (2008), Understanding the Islamic Scripture, p. 54. Routledge. ISBN 978-0321355737.
  2. ^ a b Quran 2:256.
  3. ^ Jacques Berque (1995), Le Coran : Essai de traduction, p.63, note v.256, éditions Albin Michel, Paris.
  4. ^ John Esposito (2011), What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, p. 91. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-979413-3.
  5. ^ a b Sir Thomas Walker Arnold (1913), Preaching of Islam: A History of the Propagation of the Muslim Faith, p. 6. Constable.
  6. ^ Mapel, D.R. and Nardin, T., eds. (1999), International Society: Diverse Ethical Perspectives, p. 233. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691049724.
  7. ^ Taha Jabir Alalwani (2003), La 'ikraha fi al-din: 'ichkaliyat al-riddah wa al-murtaddin min sadr al-Islam hatta al-yawm, pp.92-93. ISBN 9770909963.
  8. ^ "this verse is acknowledged to belong to the period of Quranic revelation corresponding to the political and military ascendance of the young Muslim community. ‘There is no compulsion in religion’ was not a command to Muslims to remain steadfast in the face of the desire of their oppressors to force them to renounce their faith, but was a reminder to Muslims themselves, once they had attained power, that they could not force another's heart to believe. There is no compulsion in religion addresses those in a position of strength, not weakness. The earliest commentaries on the Quran (such as that of Al-Tabari) make it clear that some Muslims of Medina wanted to force their children to convert from Judaism or Christianity to Islam, and this verse was precisely an answer to them not to try to force their children to convert to Islam." Open Letter to his holiness Pope Benedict XVI (PDF) 2009-02-12 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Richard Curtis (2010), Reasonable Perspectives on Religion, p. 204. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0739141892. Quote: "While the pope, following many anti-Islam propagandists, seemingly argues that the oft-cited Quranic dictum "no compulsion in religion" was abrogated by subsequent revelations, this is not the mainstream Muslim interpretation. Indeed, the pope made a major scholarly blunder when he claimed that the "no compulsion in religion" verse was revealed during the Meccan period, "when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat." In fact, it was revealed during the later Medinan period--the same period as the verses that authorize armed struggle against the Meccan enemies of the nascent Muslim community in Medina, that is, "when Muhammad was in a position of strength, not weakness."" (emphasis added)
  10. ^ Ibn Taymiyya, Qāʿidah Mukhtaṣarah fī Qitāl al-Kuffār wa Muhādanatihim wa Taḥrīm Qatlihim li-Mujarrad Kufrihim: Qāʿidah Tubayyn al-Qiyam al-Sāmiyah lil-Haḍārah al-Islāmiyyah fī al-Harb wa al-Qitāl, p.123. Ed. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ibrāhīm al-Zayd Āl Hamad. Riyadh: N.p., 2004/1424. Quote: "جمهور السلف و الخلف على أنها ليست مخصوصة و لا منسوخة، ..." Translation: "Most of the salaf considered the verse to be neither specific nor abrogated but the text is general, ..."
  11. ^ Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimma, pp.21-22.
  12. ^ Al-Tabari, Jāmiʿ al-bayān ʿan ta'wīl āy al-Qur'ān 4, Dar Hajar, 2001, p.553.
  13. ^ Abi ʿUbayd, Kitab al-Nasikh wa al-Mansukh, p.282.
  14. ^ Al-Jaṣṣās, Aḥkām al-Qur'ān 2, p.168.
  15. ^ Makki bin Abi Talib, al-Idah li Nasikh al-Qur'an wa Mansukhih, p. 194.
  16. ^ Abu Jaʿfar al-Nahhas, al-Nasikh wa al-Mansukh fi al-Quran al-Karim, p.259.
  17. ^ Ibn Jizziy. at-Tasheel. p. 135.
  18. ^ a b Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, Al-Itqān fi ʿUlum al-Qur’an 2. p.22-24.
  19. ^ Muhammad al-Tahir ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir, (2:256).
  20. ^ Mustafa Zayd, al-Naskh fi al-Qur'an al-Karim 2, p.510. Dar al-Wafa'. Quote: "تبطل دعوى النسخ في قوله جل تناؤه:  لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ  : ٢٥٦ في سورة البقرة."
  21. ^ a b Muhammad S. Al-Awa (1993), Punishment in Islamic Law, p.51. US American Trust Publications. ISBN 978-0892591428.
  22. ^ a b A.C. Brown, Jonathan (2014). Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet's Legacy. Oneworld Publications. p. 186. ISBN 978-1780744209.
  23. ^ Yousif, Ahmad (2000-04-01). "Islam, Minorities and Religious Freedom: A Challenge to Modern Theory of Pluralism". Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. 20 (1): 35. doi:10.1080/13602000050008889. ISSN 1360-2004. S2CID 144025362.
  24. ^ Leonard J. Swidler (1986), Religious Liberty and Human Rights in Nations and in Religions, p.178. Ecumenical Press.
  25. ^ Farhad Malekian (2011), Principles of Islamic International Criminal Law, p.69. Brill. ISBN 978-9004203969.
  26. ^ Mohammad Hashim Kamali, The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam: The Qur'anic Principle of Wasatiyyah (Religion and Global Politics), pp. 110-1. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190226831.
  27. ^ a b David Ray Griffin (2005), Deep Religious Pluralism, p.159. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0664229146.
  28. ^ a b c A.C. Brown, Jonathan (2014). "3. The Fragile Truth Of Scripture". Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet's Legacy. Oneworld Publications. p. 92. ISBN 978-1780744209.
  29. ^ a b c d Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Ayat al-Sayf, pp.50-51.
  30. ^ a b Al-Wahidi, Asbab Al-Nuzul, (2:256).
  31. ^ Ali Gomaa, al-Tariq ila al-Turath, p.207.
  32. ^ Muhammad ash-Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar, 8:112.
  33. ^ Ahmed Al-Dawoody (2011), The Islamic Law of War: Justifications and Regulations, p.51. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230111608.
  34. ^ a b Sir Thomas Walker Arnold (1913), Preaching of Islam: A History of the Propagation of the Muslim Faith, p.420. Constable. Quote: "Forcible conversion was forbidden, in accordance with the precepts of the Qur'an : — " Let there be no compulsion in religion " (ii. 257). " Wilt thou compel men to become believers ? No soul can believe but by the permission of God " (x. 99, 100). The very existence of so many Christian sects and communities in countries that have been for centuries under Muhammadan rule is an abiding testimony to the toleration they have enjoyed, and shows that the persecutions they have from time to time been called upon to endure at the hands of bigots and fanatics, have been excited by some special and local circumstances rather than inspired by a settled principle of intolerance."
  35. ^ a b S. A. Rahman (2007). "Summary and Conclusions". Punishment of Apostasy in Islam. The Other Press. pp. 132–142. ISBN 978-983-9541-49-6.
  36. ^ a b Abou El Fadl, Khaled (January 23, 2007). The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists. HarperOne. pp. 158–159. ISBN 978-0061189036.
  37. ^ S. A. Rahman (2007). Punishment of Apostasy in Islam. The Other Press. pp. 7–15, 110–123. ISBN 978-983-9541-49-6.
  38. ^ Asma Barlas (2002), Believing Women in Islam, ISBN 978-0292709041, University of Texas Press, page 8
  39. ^ Quran 2:254–257
  40. ^ "Surprising Benefits of Reciting Surah Ikhlas". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  41. ^ a b Quran 9:66
  42. ^ Quran 18:29.
  43. ^ Quran 10:99.
  44. ^ Quran 88:21, Quran 88:22.
  45. ^ Quran 11:28.
  46. ^ Peters & De Vries (1976), Apostasy in Islam, Die Welt des Islams, Vol. 17, Issue 1/4, pp 15 (footnote 38)
  47. ^ Abdul Rashied Omar (2009), "The Right to Religious Conversion: Between Apostasy and Proselytization", in Peace-Building by, between, and beyond Muslim and Evangelical Christians, Editors: Abu-Nimer, Mohammed and David Augsburger, Lexington, pages 179-194
  48. ^ Tafsir Ibn Kathir Part 3: Surah Al-Baqaray, Ayat 253 to 286, Surah Al-Imran, Ayat 1 to 92, by Ar-Rafa'i, Muhammad Nasib, Al-Firdous Ltd., London, 1999: First Edition, Part 3, pp. 37-38
  49. ^ [1], ʻAbd al-Razzāq Kamāl al-Dīn al-Kāshānī (d. c. 730 / 1330)., Hurqalya Publications: Center for Shaykhī and Bābī-Bahā’ī Studies
  50. ^ "موقع التفير الكبير". Altafsir.com.
  51. ^ Hashim Kamali, Mohammad (2008). Shari'ah Law: An Introduction. Oneworld Publications. pp. 202–3. ISBN 978-1851685653.
  52. ^ Iḥsān, Al-Hindī (1993). Aḥkām al-Ḥarb wa al-Salām fī Dawlat al-Islām (in Arabic). Damascus: Dār al-Numayr. pp. 16–7.

December 04, 2023
baqara, verse, ayah, baqara, very, famous, verse, islamic, scripture, quran, verse, includes, phrase, that, there, compulsion, religion, immediately, after, making, this, statement, quran, offers, rationale, since, revelation, through, explanation, clarificati. Verse ayah 256 of Al Baqara is a very famous verse in the Islamic scripture the Quran 1 The verse includes the phrase that there is no compulsion in religion 2 Immediately after making this statement the Quran offers a rationale for it Since the revelation has through explanation clarification and repetition clearly distinguished the path of guidance from the path of misguidance it is now up to people to choose the one or the other path 1 This verse comes right after the Throne Verse 3 source source source track track Recitation by Abdul Rahman Al SudaisThe overwhelming majority of Muslim scholars consider that verse to be a Medinan one 4 5 6 when Muslims lived in their period of political ascendance 7 8 and to be non abrogated 9 including Ibn Taymiyya 10 Ibn Qayyim 11 Al Tabari 12 Abi ʿUbayd 13 Al Jaṣṣas 14 Makki bin Abi Talib 15 Al Nahhas 16 Ibn Jizziy 17 Al Suyuti 18 Ibn Ashur 19 Mustafa Zayd 20 and many others 21 According to all the theories of language elaborated by Muslim legal scholars the Quranic proclamation that There is no compulsion in religion The right path has been distinguished from error is as absolute and universal a statement as one finds 22 and so under no condition should an individual be forced to accept a religion or belief against his or her will according to the Quran 23 24 25 26 The meaning of the principle that there is no compulsion in religion was not limited to freedom of individuals to choose their own religion Islam also provided non Muslims with considerable economic cultural and administrative rights 27 Contents 1 Text and meaning 1 1 Text and transliteration 1 2 Meanings 2 Context 3 Discussion 3 1 Relevance to apostasy 3 2 Ibn Kathir s interpretation 3 3 Kashani s interpretation 4 Verses relating to Quran 2 256 5 See also 6 ReferencesText and meaning editText and transliteration edit Hafs from Aasim ibn Abi al Najudل آ إ ك ر اه ف ى ٱلد ين صلے ق د ت ب ي ن ٱلر ش د م ن ٱل غ ى ج ف م ن ي ك ف ر ب ٱلط غ وت و ي ؤ م ن ب ٱلل ه ف ق د ٱس ت م س ك ب ٱل ع ر و ة ٱل و ث ق ى ل ا ٱنف ص ام ل ه ا قلے و ٱلل ه س م يع ع ل يم ٢٥٦ 256 La ikraha fi d din i qa t tabay yana r rushdu mina l ghay yi faman y yakfur biṭ ṭaghuti wayu mim bil lahi faqadi s tamsaka bil urwati l wuthqa la n fiṣama laha wal lahu sami un alim un Warsh from Nafiʽ al Madaniل آ إ ك ر اه ف ے ا لد ين صلے ق د ت ب ي ن ا لر ش د م ن ا ل غ ى ج ف م ن ي ك ف ر ب الط غ وت و ي و م ن ب الل ه ف ق د ا س ت م س ك ب ال ع ر و ة ا ل و ث ق ى ل ا ا نف ص ام ل ه ا قلے و ا لل ه س م يع ع ل يم ٢٥٥ 255 La ikra ha fi d din i qa t tabay yana r rushdu mina l ghay yi faman y yakfur biṭ ṭaghuti wayu mim bil lahi faqadi s tamsaka bil urwati l wuthqa la n fiṣama laha wal lahu sami un alim un Meanings edit 256 Let there be no compulsion in religion for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood So whoever renounces false gods and believes in God has certainly grasped the firmest unfailing hand hold And God is All Hearing All Knowing Translation Dr Mustafa Khattab the Clear Quran 2015 256 Let there be no compulsion in religion Truth stands out clear from Error whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand hold that never breaks And Allah heareth and knoweth all things Translation Yusuf Ali 1934 256 There shall be no compulsion in acceptance of the religion The right course has become clear from the wrong So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it And Allah is Hearing and Knowing Translation Saheeh International 1997Context editAccording to some commentators this verse Quran 2 256 was directed towards a small group of residents of Medina and is related to an incident during the time of the Prophet The incident involved a Muslim boy who had been educated in a Jewish school in Medina and decided to depart with a Jewish tribe that was being expelled from the city When the boy s distraught parents asked the Prophet if they could compel their son to stay he told them that there is no compulsion in religion as stated in the verse 28 29 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 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 Sunan Abu Dawood 14 2676It is reported that Mujahid said that This verse was revealed about a man of the Helpers who had a black boy called Subayh whom he used to coerce to become Muslim 30 In all cases following the famous maxim العبرة بعموم اللفظ لا بخصوص السبب Consideration is granted to the Generality of the Language not to the Specificity of the Reason for Revelation 31 32 33 it is concluded that the verse is general in meaning 28 29 and thus the verse has been understood over the centuries as a general command that people cannot be forced to convert to Islam 28 34 Discussion editRelevance to apostasy edit This section may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia s quality standards You can help The talk page may contain suggestions December 2015 According to Khaled Abou El Fadl and other scholars such as S A Rahman 35 the phrase there is no compulsion in religion from verse Q 2 256 2 enunciates a general overriding principle that cannot be contradicted by isolated traditions attributed to the Prophet and that the verse indicates that Quran never intended a punishment for apostasy in this life 35 36 Other Islamic scholars disagree 37 First the no compulsion phrase should not be used out of context and all exegesis of Quran that is linear atomistic analysis of one small phrase in one verse is flawed 38 The complete verse and nearby verses 39 should be read to understand the complex hermeneutic totality of context for anything in Quran That is apparently they want to deceive Allah and the Muslims But the fact is that they are deceiving themselves Because the end of this deception itself will be bad for them they think that by pretending to be Muslims they have escaped the worldly end of disbelief although the punishment they will face in the Hereafter is worse than the punishment of this world 40 It is reported that Mujahid said that This verse was revealed about a man of the Helpers Ansar of Medina who had a black boy called Subayh whom he used to coerce to become Muslim 30 In addition scholar argue no single phrase or verse in Quran is less or more relevant in Islam than other phrases or verses in Quran and other verses in Quran such as verse 66 41 of At Tawba state Make ye no excuses ye have rejected Faith after ye had accepted it If We pardon some of you We will punish others amongst you for that they are in sin 41 As well as Say The truth is from your Lord Let him who will believe and let him who will reject it 42 And if your Lord had pleased surely all those who are in the earth would have believed all of them will you then force men till they become believers 43 Therefore do remind for you are only a reminder You are not a watcher over them 44 He said O my people See ye if it be that I have a Clear Sign from my Lord and that He hath sent Mercy unto me from His own presence but that the Mercy hath been obscured from your sight shall we compel you to accept it when ye are averse to it 45 According to some western scholars in the history of Islamic exegesis scholarship that verse is considered as an early revelation and abrogated by verses that were revealed to Muhammad at a later stage in his life 46 However as stated by the famous British orientalist Sir Thomas Walker Arnold the verse in question is a Medinan verse when Muslims lived in their period of political ascendance 5 Moreover Muslim scholars have established the abrogated verses and Q 2 256 isn t among them 18 21 Finally to understand the Quran the sayings and actions of Muhammad as recorded in Hadith collections are considered by Islamic scholars Taken together the vast majority of Islamic scholars of every fiqh have traditionally held with the position that there should be punishment for apostasy in Islam 47 not specific enough to verify Ibn Kathir s interpretation edit The Quran commentator Muffasir Ibn Kathir a Sunni suggests that the verse implies that Muslims should not force anyone to convert to Islam since the truth of Islam is so self evident that no one is in need of being coerced into it 29 There is no compulsion in religion Verily the right path has become distinct from the wrong path لا إ ك ر اه ف ي الد ين There is no compulsion in religion meaning Do not force anyone to become Muslim for Islam is plain and clear and its proofs and evidence are plain and clear Therefore there is no need to force anyone to embrace Islam Rather whoever God directs to Islam opens his heart for it and enlightens his mind will embrace Islam with certainty Whoever God blinds his heart and seals his hearing and sight then he will not benefit from being forced to embrace Islam It was reported that the Ansar were the reason behind revealing this Ayah although its indication is general in meaning Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Abbas said that before Islam When an Ansar woman would not bear children who would live she would vow that if she gives birth to a child who remains alive she would raise him as a Jew When Banu An Nadir the Jewish tribe were evacuated from Al Madinah some of the children of the Ansar were being raised among them and the Ansar said We will not abandon our children God revealed لا إ ك ر اه ف ي الد ين ق د ت ب ي ن الر ش د م ن ال غ ي There is no compulsion in religion Verily the right path has become distinct from the wrong path Abu Dawud and An Nasa i also recorded this Hadith As for the Hadith that Imam Ahmad recorded in which Anas said that the Messenger of God said to a man أ س ل م Embrace Islam The man said I dislike it The Prophet said و إ ن ك ن ت ك ار ه ا Even if you dislike it First this is an authentic Hadith with only three narrators between Imam Ahmad and the Prophet However it is not relevant to the subject under discussion for the Prophet did not force that man to become Muslim The Prophet merely invited this man to become Muslim and he replied that he does not find himself eager to become Muslim The Prophet said to the man that even though he dislikes embracing Islam he should still embrace it for God will grant you sincerity and true intent 48 Kashani s interpretation editKashani a Sufi 49 interprets Q 2 256 as follows لا إ ك ر اه ف ي ٱلد ين ق د ت ب ي ن ٱلر ش د م ن ٱل غ ي ف م ن ي ك ف ر ب ٱلط اغ وت و ي ؤ م ن ب ٱلل ه ف ق د ٱس ت م س ك ب ٱل ع ر و ة ٱل و ث ق ى لا ٱنف ص ام ل ه ا و ٱلل ه س م يع ع ل يم There is no compulsion in religion because in reality religion is the guidance that is acquired from the light of the heart that is a concomitant of the human primordial nature and that is required for the faith of certainty as God exalted be He says so set your purpose for religion as a ḥanif a nature given by God upon which He originated mankind There is no changing God s creation That is the upright religion Q 30 30 and Islam which is the exoteric aspect of religion is built upon this guidance and is something in which compulsion can have no place The proof that the esoteric and true aspect of religion is faith just as its exoteric aspect and outer form is Islam comes in what follows Rectitude has become clear that is it is distinguished from error by means of clear proofs for the one who possesses insight baṣira and reason ʿaql as they say The morning is bright for he who has eyes so whoever disbelieves in the false deity that is in what is other than God and denies its existence and its effect and believes in God a belief of witnessing and in truth has laid hold of the most firm handle that cannot be split that is he has held onto the Essential Unity whose ties and modes of operation are in of Itself such that there is nothing firmer than It since every thing that holds onto It is firmly attached nay every existence is existent through It and non existent in itself Thus if one were to consider such a thing s existence then it is split infiṣam in itself because a contingent thing s attachment and existence is only through the Necessary Existent When consideration of this Existent is severed from that contingent thing then that contingent s existence is terminated and is no longer anything in itself This Necessary Existent cannot be split from the existence of His very essence since He does not entail divisibility tajazzuI or duality ithnayniyya There is a subtle detail in this concept of splitting infiṣam which is that a splitting infiṣam is a breaking inkisar but without separation infiṣal Since no contingent can be separated from His Essence exalted be He or remove itself from It given that it would either be an act of His or an attribute of His there can be absolutely no separation Nay if reason would consider such a contingent in isolation it would appear split that is lacking independent existence its existence attached to His existence exalted be He And God is Hearing hears the speech of those who have religion Knowing of their intentions and their faith 50 Verses relating to Quran 2 256 editA number of verses relate to Quran 2 256 and this includes And if your Lord had pleased surely all those who are in the earth would have believed all of them will you then force men till they become believers Quran 10 99He said O my people See ye if it be that I have a Clear Sign from my Lord and that He hath sent Mercy unto me from His own presence but that the Mercy hath been obscured from your sight shall we compel you to accept it when ye are averse to it Quran 11 28Say The truth is from your Lord Let him who will believe and let him who will reject it for the wrong doers We have prepared a Fire whose smoke and flames like the walls and roof of a tent will hem them in if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass that will scald their faces how dreadful the drink How uncomfortable a couch to recline on Quran 18 29 Therefore do remind for you are only a reminder You are not a watcher over them Quran 88 21 22 These verses indicate that compulsion is strictly prohibited 22 27 29 34 36 51 52 See also editApostasy in IslamReferences edit a b Mustansir Mir 2008 Understanding the Islamic Scripture p 54 Routledge ISBN 978 0321355737 a b Quran 2 256 Jacques Berque 1995 Le Coran Essai de traduction p 63 note v 256 editions Albin Michel Paris John Esposito 2011 What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam p 91 Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 979413 3 a b Sir Thomas Walker Arnold 1913 Preaching of Islam A History of the Propagation of the Muslim Faith p 6 Constable Mapel D R and Nardin T eds 1999 International Society Diverse Ethical Perspectives p 233 Princeton University Press ISBN 9780691049724 Taha Jabir Alalwani 2003 La ikraha fi al din ichkaliyat al riddah wa al murtaddin min sadr al Islam hatta al yawm pp 92 93 ISBN 9770909963 this verse is acknowledged to belong to the period of Quranic revelation corresponding to the political and military ascendance of the young Muslim community There is no compulsion in religion was not a command to Muslims to remain steadfast in the face of the desire of their oppressors to force them to renounce their faith but was a reminder to Muslims themselves once they had attained power that they could not force another s heart to believe There is no compulsion in religion addresses those in a position of strength not weakness The earliest commentaries on the Quran such as that of Al Tabari make it clear that some Muslims of Medina wanted to force their children to convert from Judaism or Christianity to Islam and this verse was precisely an answer to them not to try to force their children to convert to Islam Open Letter to his holiness Pope Benedict XVI PDF Archived 2009 02 12 at the Wayback Machine Richard Curtis 2010 Reasonable Perspectives on Religion p 204 Lexington Books ISBN 978 0739141892 Quote While the pope following many anti Islam propagandists seemingly argues that the oft cited Quranic dictum no compulsion in religion was abrogated by subsequent revelations this is not the mainstream Muslim interpretation Indeed the pope made a major scholarly blunder when he claimed that the no compulsion in religion verse was revealed during the Meccan period when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat In fact it was revealed during the later Medinan period the same period as the verses that authorize armed struggle against the Meccan enemies of the nascent Muslim community in Medina that is when Muhammad was in a position of strength not weakness emphasis added Ibn Taymiyya Qaʿidah Mukhtaṣarah fi Qital al Kuffar wa Muhadanatihim wa Taḥrim Qatlihim li Mujarrad Kufrihim Qaʿidah Tubayyn al Qiyam al Samiyah lil Haḍarah al Islamiyyah fi al Harb wa al Qital p 123 Ed ʿAbd al ʿAziz ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ibrahim al Zayd Al Hamad Riyadh N p 2004 1424 Quote جمهور السلف و الخلف على أنها ليست مخصوصة و لا منسوخة Translation Most of the salaf considered the verse to be neither specific nor abrogated but the text is general Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya Ahkam Ahl al Dhimma pp 21 22 Al Tabari Jamiʿ al bayan ʿan ta wil ay al Qur an 4 Dar Hajar 2001 p 553 Abi ʿUbayd Kitab al Nasikh wa al Mansukh p 282 Al Jaṣṣas Aḥkam al Qur an 2 p 168 Makki bin Abi Talib al Idah li Nasikh al Qur an wa Mansukhih p 194 Abu Jaʿfar al Nahhas al Nasikh wa al Mansukh fi al Quran al Karim p 259 Ibn Jizziy at Tasheel p 135 a b Jalal al Din al Suyuti Al Itqan fi ʿUlum al Qur an 2 p 22 24 Muhammad al Tahir ibn Ashur Al Tahrir wa al Tanwir 2 256 Mustafa Zayd al Naskh fi al Qur an al Karim 2 p 510 Dar al Wafa Quote تبطل دعوى النسخ في قوله جل تناؤه nbsp ل ا إ ك ر اه ف ي الد ين nbsp ٢٥٦ في سورة البقرة a b Muhammad S Al Awa 1993 Punishment in Islamic Law p 51 US American Trust Publications ISBN 978 0892591428 a b A C Brown Jonathan 2014 Misquoting Muhammad The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet s Legacy Oneworld Publications p 186 ISBN 978 1780744209 Yousif Ahmad 2000 04 01 Islam Minorities and Religious Freedom A Challenge to Modern Theory of Pluralism Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs 20 1 35 doi 10 1080 13602000050008889 ISSN 1360 2004 S2CID 144025362 Leonard J Swidler 1986 Religious Liberty and Human Rights in Nations and in Religions p 178 Ecumenical Press Farhad Malekian 2011 Principles of Islamic International Criminal Law p 69 Brill ISBN 978 9004203969 Mohammad Hashim Kamali The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam The Qur anic Principle of Wasatiyyah Religion and Global Politics pp 110 1 Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0190226831 a b David Ray Griffin 2005 Deep Religious Pluralism p 159 Westminster John Knox Press ISBN 978 0664229146 a b c A C Brown Jonathan 2014 3 The Fragile Truth Of Scripture Misquoting Muhammad The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet s Legacy Oneworld Publications p 92 ISBN 978 1780744209 a b c d Yusuf al Qaradawi Ayat al Sayf pp 50 51 a b Al Wahidi Asbab Al Nuzul 2 256 Ali Gomaa al Tariq ila al Turath p 207 Muhammad ash Shawkani Nayl al Awtar 8 112 Ahmed Al Dawoody 2011 The Islamic Law of War Justifications and Regulations p 51 Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 9780230111608 a b Sir Thomas Walker Arnold 1913 Preaching of Islam A History of the Propagation of the Muslim Faith p 420 Constable Quote Forcible conversion was forbidden in accordance with the precepts of the Qur an Let there be no compulsion in religion ii 257 Wilt thou compel men to become believers No soul can believe but by the permission of God x 99 100 The very existence of so many Christian sects and communities in countries that have been for centuries under Muhammadan rule is an abiding testimony to the toleration they have enjoyed and shows that the persecutions they have from time to time been called upon to endure at the hands of bigots and fanatics have been excited by some special and local circumstances rather than inspired by a settled principle of intolerance a b S A Rahman 2007 Summary and Conclusions Punishment of Apostasy in Islam The Other Press pp 132 142 ISBN 978 983 9541 49 6 a b Abou El Fadl Khaled January 23 2007 The Great Theft Wrestling Islam from the Extremists HarperOne pp 158 159 ISBN 978 0061189036 S A Rahman 2007 Punishment of Apostasy in Islam The Other Press pp 7 15 110 123 ISBN 978 983 9541 49 6 Asma Barlas 2002 Believing Women in Islam ISBN 978 0292709041 University of Texas Press page 8 Quran 2 254 257 Surprising Benefits of Reciting Surah Ikhlas Retrieved 2023 11 07 a b Quran 9 66 Quran 18 29 Quran 10 99 Quran 88 21 Quran 88 22 Quran 11 28 Peters amp De Vries 1976 Apostasy in Islam Die Welt des Islams Vol 17 Issue 1 4 pp 15 footnote 38 Abdul Rashied Omar 2009 The Right to Religious Conversion Between Apostasy and Proselytization in Peace Building by between and beyond Muslim and Evangelical Christians Editors Abu Nimer Mohammed and David Augsburger Lexington pages 179 194 Tafsir Ibn Kathir Part 3 Surah Al Baqaray Ayat 253 to 286 Surah Al Imran Ayat 1 to 92 by Ar Rafa i Muhammad Nasib Al Firdous Ltd London 1999 First Edition Part 3 pp 37 38 1 ʻAbd al Razzaq Kamal al Din al Kashani d c 730 1330 Hurqalya Publications Center for Shaykhi and Babi Baha i Studies موقع التفير الكبير Altafsir com Hashim Kamali Mohammad 2008 Shari ah Law An Introduction Oneworld Publications pp 202 3 ISBN 978 1851685653 Iḥsan Al Hindi 1993 Aḥkam al Ḥarb wa al Salam fi Dawlat al Islam in Arabic Damascus Dar al Numayr pp 16 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Al Baqara 256 amp oldid 1183922615, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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