No creature was granted \u2018free Will\u2019 by the Creator besides\nhuman beings and the jinn. Free will is a powerful tool, and to endow man with\nit clearly shows that there must be a special purpose attached to human life\nthat is not the case with other creatures. Since no other creature besides\nhumanity and the jinn has free will, this makes human beings far superior and\ncontrolling over other creatures. It is said that everything in the universe\nserves man one way or another, and man\u2019s special purpose is to serve Allah\n(SWT). Of course, the entire worshiping process is to serve Allah (SWT), as\ndiscussed earlier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to many dictionaries, \u2018will\u2019 is defined simply as\nthe power of making a choice or a decision or the mental faculty by which one\ndeliberately chooses or decides on a course of action. Free will is defined as\nthe freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes\nor by divine intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fact that Allah (SWT) endowed man with free will is in\nitself sufficient proof that Allah (SWT) does not compel man to do anything. If\nhumans were not granted free will, there would be neither any justification for\ntesting them nor any need for Judgment Day to reward or to punish. By endowing\nthem with free will and making choices available to the, Allah (SWT) is\njustified in testing them. It is on the basis of these test results that He\napportions rewards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the main purposes for Judgment Day is to assess how\nan individual utilized his power of free will. If there were even a minute\ninterference to man\u2019s free will or if he were compelled in any way to follow a\npre-ordained direction, then a \u2018just test\u2019 and \u2018just reward or punishment\u2019\ncould not be possible. Thus, there is no coercion, compulsion, or interference\nwith human will. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allah (SWT) conveyed His Guidance to humanity through\nprophets and finally completed it in the form of Islam, through Prophet\nMuhammad (Peace be upon them), His last prophet. Allah gives human beings the\nchance to choose between rights and wrong via their free will and without any\ncompulsion. Whoever wisely chooses to believe the ultimate truth, acquire\nultimate success, earn the pleasure of the Almighty, recognize His prophets,\nbecome Muslim, submit and surrender his will to the will of Allah (SWT), and\nwear the medal of servitude of the Almighty, benefits himself eternally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meaning of \u2018Islam\u2019 is to surrender and bow down, not to\nstones or trees, not to stars or the sun, not to animals or fire, but to the\nAlmighty Allah (SWT), the Creator of everything. We cannot see Allah (SWT),\nwitness His majesty, or directly observe His limitless power of any of His\nother qualities. Thus, it is difficult to surrender to Him unless we \u2018will\u2019\nourselves to do it through acts of beliefs and from the depths of our hearts. No\ncompulsion or coercion can play and effective role in that process of\nsurrendering <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, by saying, \u201cThere is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the\nProphet of Allah,\u201d Muslims sign a contract with Allah (SWT) out of their own\nfree will. Thus, by being under contract, they voluntarily surrender their free\nwill and choices to conform to the pleasure of Allah (SWT). There is no more\nselfish \u2018my way.\u2019 They now have to abide by all the rules of Islam, and if they\ndo not, they suffer punishment for breaching this contract that they signed of\ntheir own accord. The rest of humanity still has free will as to whether or not\nto choose Islam, but according to Islam the wise choice will not be wilfully to\nreject the call of prophets and ignore Allah\u2019s (SWT) guidance, resulting to\nultimate sufferings. I think this is fair enough, and who can be fairer to us\nthan our own Lord? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The kind of obedience that Allah (SWT) deserves and that\nwhich brings ultimate success cannot be achieved without embracing Islam out of one\u2019s own free will. <\/strong>If someone\nis force into Islam by the sword, coercively, or through any other kind of\ncompulsion, then true submission as required by Islam can never be achieved,\nand if there is some sort of submission, it cannot be permanent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike animals, human society needs moral values to survive.\nThe kind of society Islam intends to build and the kind of moral values it\nadvocates cannot come about through compulsion. For example, love, brotherhood,\nunity, piety, generosity, forgiveness, kindness, simplicity, cooperation,\nself-sacrifice, charity, chastity, and tolerance are all values that cannot be\nobtained through coercion. The fact of the matter is that coercion defeats the\nentire purpose of Islam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through the abuse of power and coercion, one cannot rule for\nlong time. It is only through love and compassion that the hearts of people can\nbe conquered permanently. Any intelligent person will not imagine drawing any\nmaterial benefit from anyone after his death, let alone centuries later. Thus,\nit was not for any personal reason that the Prophet (Peace be upon them) won\nthe hearts of people through love. It was only so people could join him through\ntheir free will for the \u2018greater purpose.\u2019 Muhammad\u2019s (Peace be upon them) main\nmission was to connect humanity to Allah (SWT). This could only be achieved\nthrough love. He did not use force or coercion, but he prevailed with the power\nof love and truth, and so did his true followers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Islam does not intend simply to increase the number of its\nfollowers; it wants people to succeed here and in the Hereafter. The fact is\nthat Islam does not need us, we need Islam. To bring everlasting change in the\nlife of humans, acceptance from the heart and voluntary actions are required.\nThrough coercion, one could only obtain verbal acceptance, but the major part\nof accepting and certifying by the heart, as required by Islam, cannot be\nachieved [Bukhari].<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Islamic teachings, Allah (SWT) disapproves\nof the actions of troublemakers and mischievous people. This clearly indicates\nthat Allah (SWT) does not approve of coercion and commands, but He wants people\nto choose according to their will in reference to accepting Islam. Hundreds of\nverses in the holy Qur\u2019an allow us clearly to deduce the message. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the very beginning of the holy Qur\u2019an, Muslims are\ndirected to begin its recitation with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most\nMerciful.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n In another verse, Allah (SWT) says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026We do not\nburden any soul more than it can bear\u2026[6:152]<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to two ahadith<\/em>\nof the Prophet (Peace be upon them):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Allah does not\nshower His kindness on anyone who is not kind to other people. [Bukhari]<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sign of a momin<\/em>\n(true believer) is that he behaves well with his neighbours (both Muslim and\nnon-Muslim). <\/p>\n\n\n\n In another verse, Allah (SWT) commands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026and show kindness to parents, and kindred, and orphans, and\nthe needy, and the neighbour who is your relative, and the neighbour who is not\nyour relative and the companion by your side and the wayfarer\u2026[4:36]<\/p>\n\n\n\n At another point in the Qur\u2019an, Allah (SWT) describes a momin<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And the servants of\nthe Lord, Most Compassionate, are those who walk on the earth humbly, and when\nthe ignorant speak to them, they only say: \u201cPeace be upon you.\u201d [25:63]<\/p>\n\n\n\n These verses and ahadith\n<\/em>are but a few examples indicating clearly that kindness is the best virtue;\nto be kind is very much desirable in Islam. If an individual is kind, how could\nhe be coercive? If one preaches kindness, then compulsion is out of the\nquestion. Allah\u2019s (SWT) guidance is full of kindness; therefore, Islam is free\nfrom compulsion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reality is that compulsion and coercion suppress free\nwill. When Allah (SWT) endowed us with free will, why would He suppress it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the greatest commandments Allah (SWT) reveals is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Call towards the way of your Lord with solid strategy and\ngood counsel and debate with them in the most desirable manner..[16:125]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, as Allah (SWT) directs believers to utilize such a\nmanner of calling people to His path, He certainly cannot compel us to coerce\nor impose His guidance on others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In one very\nbeautiful verse, Allah (SWT) says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no compulsion in deen<\/em> (way of life). Surely, true guidance now stands out clearly\nfrom error\u2026 [2:256]<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no\ncompulsion in Islam. This means that if a person lives in an Islamic\nsociety\/country and does not embrace Islam, he or she should not be compelled\nto do so. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The issue of Irtidad in Islam <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Irtidad is apostasy<\/strong>.\nA murtad<\/em> is an apostate; anyone who\nreturns to kufr (<\/em>infidelity) after\nbeing a Muslim. Many have heard about a heavy punishment for irtidad<\/em>, which is in fact true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a heavy punishment from Allah (SWT) that He Himself\nbrings on a murtad<\/em>, both here and in\nthe Hereafter. Of course, no one is compelled to enter into Islam, but once you\nare in, the story changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By accepting Islam, a person recognizes Allah (SWT),\nsurrenders his will to the will of Allah (SWT) and literally signs a contract\nto abide by His rules. Any violation of Islamic principles from thereon is a\nbreach of that contract and is punishable by Allah (SWT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now one can ask, since there is free will, how can anyone be\npunished for apostasy? There is no capital punishment for a murtad, <\/em>because there is not compulsion\nin Islam. However, if a murtad <\/em>denounces\nIslam publicly, purposely defames Islam, creates mischief, wages war against\nthe Islamic state, and does not repent after repeated warnings, then is due for\ncapital punishment. Anyone purposely undermining and giving rise to instability\nand committing treasonous activities by waging war against the Islamic state is\npunishable through due process of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Man has free will, and when he enters into the fold of\nIslam, it is for his own good, and he benefits from it. On the same accord, if\nhe decides to leave Islam out of his own free will, he chooses to become the\nultimate loser according to the divine decree. Since there is no coercion in Islam, no one can be forced to embrace\nit, forced to stay in it, or forced out of it<\/strong>. One cannot even be punished\nif one decides to leave Islam. An ex-Muslim is not pushed for irtidad but for\ntreason if he goes so far as to commit treason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no historical record showing that Prophet Muhammad\n(Peace be upon them) ever having executed anyone for irtidad<\/em> (apostasy). However, a hadith states that capital\npunishment applies to that murtad<\/em>\n(apostate) who wages war against the Islamic state. [Bukhari] The issue\/crime\nhere is of treason against the state, not of becoming an apostate. Capital\npunishment for the crime of treason is not only a part of Islam, but is\nenforced all around the world, including the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Islam, as people embrace it, they come to life,\nto home, and under the grace of the Almighty, but if and when they leave it,\nthey become murtad<\/em>, lifeless, and are\nwithdrawn from the umbrella of peace and grace of Allah (SWT). Islam is no\ndifferent when it comes to bringing traitors to justice. Certainly, the road to\nrepentance is always open to everyone until their last breath of life, and as\nfar as Islam is concerned repentance is possible, up until the Ange of Death\nbecome clearly visible, whereupon the door to repentance are closed shut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the purpose of Free Will?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some may ask, what is the purpose of free will if we have to\nchoose between Islam and suffering in the Hereafter? Since there is no way out,\nwhere is the freedom of choice? How is Islam free of coercion?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The freedom to choose means that we are free to choose any\none of two paths: one is Allah\u2019s (SWT) path, which leads to Heaven; the other\nis not and leads to Hell. It is not possible to choose the path of kufr (Infidelity<\/em>) in this world and end\nup in Heaven in the other world. You cannot take half from one and half from\nthe other. You have to take the whole package, whichever one you like. Allah\n(SWT) does not present the concept of Hell to make you choose Islam in this\nworld. He simply shows us both paths and their respective destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The mercy and kindness of Allah (SWT) are that He informs us\nof the two destinations, so that we may choose wisely. Allah (SWT) does not\nplace hurdles even in the path of those who choose the path leading to Hell.\nSince we clearly know the two paths and their destinations, Allah (SWT) is\njustified in trying us according to what we choose through our own free will. Islam recognises our decision making ability\nand suggests that we make an informed decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Allah (SWT) has nothing to lose if all of us choose the\nright path and end up in Heaven or choose the wrong one and end up on Hell. It\nis we who win or lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Forgiveness and tolerance in Islam <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Human history has yet to produce a parallel to the concept\nof forgiveness and tolerance as defined and practiced in Islam. A few examples\nin support of this proposition are presented in the following.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After announcing his prophet hood in Makkah and until his\nforced migration from there to Madinah, Muhammad (Peace be upon them) faced all\nkinds of suffering and physical pains at the hands of disbelievers, most of\nwhom were members of his own tribe. He never fought back, never raised arms\nagainst them, and never permitted his followers to retaliate. In the face of\nadversity, he and his companions held to a policy of forgiveness and tolerance.\nEven under such harsh conditions he continued to deliver Allah\u2019s (SWT) guidance\nto humanity through patience, steadfastness, and absolute faith and\ndetermination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Forgiveness and tolerance are among the great qualities\nprofessed and perfected by Islam and practiced by the Holy Prophet (Peace be\nupon them). He left indelible marks that attracted millions to Islam and, in a\nvery short period, brought the East and the West under the umbrella of Islam.\nAmong other things, the rapid growth of Islam was due to its basic teachings of\ntolerance and forgiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Allah (SWT)) reveals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026And (O men) If you should forgive, it is nearest to piety\u2026[2:237]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Islam considers forgiveness and tolerance to be extremely desirable\nand laudable qualities. Allah (SWT) offers pardon to those who forgive and\ntolerate. The holy Qur\u2019an commands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026.And let them forgive and overlook. Do you not love that\nAllah should forgive you? .. [24:22]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite continuous infliction of pain and hardship on the\nProphet (Peace be upon them) and his followers, Allah (SWT) instructed them to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Forgive and command what is good and stay aloof from the\nignorant. [Qur\u2019an 7:199]<\/p>\n\n\n\n At another place, the Qur\u2019an states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And never can good and evil be equal. Remove what is to be\nremoved through utmost good\u2026[41:34]<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the same manner, keeping grudges is strictly discouraged\nboth in the holy Qur\u2019an and the Sunnah. Once, a companion of the Prophet (Peace\nbe upon them) requested him to bring a curse upon the Makkans. Upon hearing\nthis, the Prophet (Peace be upon them), a man of tolerance, became filled with\nanger [Trimidhi and Bukhari]. On another occasion, while preaching in the city\nof Ta\u2019if, people threw stones at the Prophet (Peace be upon them), whereupon an\nangle appeared and asked his permission to crush the city with the two\nbordering mountains. He replied, \u201cI have come as the mercy to mankind and not\nas a wrath\u201d [Tirmidhi and Bukhari].<\/p>\n\n\n\n He commanded his followers to create ease for people and not\nto put them in hardship, to make them happy and not hateful. He further stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe one who is not kind, no kindness is brought upon him.\n[Bukhari]<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Prophet (Peace be upon them) also stated that <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are kind to people on Earth, Allah will be kind to\nyou in the Hereafter. [Tirmidhi]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once, the Prophet (Peace be upon them) stood up (in respect)\nas people passed by carrying a coffin. His companions informed him that the\nfuneral was a Jewish man. He replied, \u201cWas he not a person?\u201d meaning that he\nwas a human, as we all are, and Allah (SWT) had created him just as he created\nus [Mishkar].<\/p>\n\n\n\n In reality, there are at least three types of commonality\namong all people. The first is that we are all salves of Allah (SWT). The\nsecond is that we are all descendants of Adam (A.S). The third is that we all, Muslims and non-Muslims, are part\nof the ummah<\/em> (community) of Prophet\nMuhammad (Peace be upon them).<\/strong> Here, the ummah<\/em> means the community to whom a prophet is sent, whether they\nbrought faith in him or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The beloved Prophet (Peace be upon them) always respected\nthese relationships. In fact, even during battles, he prayed for his enemies [Bukhari].\nHas any general ever prayed in favour of the opposing army? This was nothing\nshort of kindness from the merciful Prophet (Peace be upon them). He never\nharmed, let alone killed anyone. He never even used foul language or became mad\nat people at his service. Once, in a battlefield while lining up his\ncompanions, he accidentally poked the chest of a companion with his staff. Immediately,\nhe presented himself to the companion to allow him to avenge for this mistake.\nThe prophet (Peace be upon them, with such an elaborate display of equality,\njustice, tolerance, and mercy, amazed the world and enlightened hearts and\nminds, permanently changing people\u2019s lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While migrating to Madinah from Makkah, his birthplace, the\nProphet (Peace be upon them), along with his most beloved companion, Abu-Bakr\nSiddiq (R.A) was pursued by a non \u2013believer named Suraqa bin Malik, who was\npromised a great reward for their capture. As he came close to them, his horse\nwas miraculously buried knee-deep into the sand and could not move. He yelled\nout to the Prophet (Peace be upon them) for mercy and pardon. The Prophet of\nMercy (Peace be upon them) forgave him. Moreover, he requested his forgiveness\nto writing to show to his people upon the return. Can such a show of mercy to one\u2019s staunchest\nenemy be duplicated?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only granting pardon, the Prophet (Peace be upon them)\ninformed Suraqa that soon he would wear the gold bracelets worn that time by\nthe king of Persia. This prophecy came true just two decades later, when the\nsecond Khalifa<\/em> (caliph) of Islam\ndefected the Persian Empire. The Khalifa <\/em>took\nthe gold bracelets from the king, put them on Suraqa\u2019s hand, and said, \u201cIs this\nnot of what the Prophet hand informed you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the prophet (Pace be upon them) reached Madinah, he drew\nup The Madinah Constitution, which included all the tribes, including those of\nthe Jewish faith. The following are some\narticles of that charter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every article of the charter expressed and clearly defined\nthe basic philosophy of Islam and its principles of tolerance and mutual\nrespect, as practices and preached by the Prophet (Peace be upon them) This\nnewly formed setting was based on equality, justice, and freedom of religion and\nchoice, with tolerance as its main element. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even after his migration from Makkah to Madinah, the Makkan\nleaders\/idolaters continued their efforts to undermine Islam and its followers.\nThey conspired against Muslims and made secret alliances with tribes in Madinah\nand outside of it. Many battles took place between them and the Muslims in the\nfirst decade of the Prophet\u2019s (Peace be upon them) migration. Within this period,\nsome tribes breached the treaties made with Muslims, and back in Makkah Muslims\u2019\nhouses and belongings were plundered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually, Muslims peacefully conquered Makkah and entered\nas Victors into the city they had been forced to leave just a decade earlier.\nThe Makkans feared a devastating backlash for their barbaric behaviour towards\ninnocent Muslim men, women and children, but instead the Prophet (Peace be upon\nthem) granted general amnesty to all and pardoned everyone. The Prophet (Peace\nbe upon them) said, \u201cToday, all of you are free, and no charge is upon you\u201d\n[Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi].<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among those freed was a woman named Hind, one of the\nstaunchest enemies of the Prophet (Peace be upon them) To avenge her father and\nbrother, who were killed in the Battle of Badr, she had cut open the chest of\nthe Prophet\u2019s beloved uncle, Amer Hamza, and chewed his heart at the Battle of\nUhud. The Prophet (Peace be upon them) forgave even her consequently, they all\nturned from being enemies of Islam to protectors and loyal followers. No one\nbefore or since has duplicated this show of forgiveness and tolerance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Commenting on the unparalleled tolerance and pure heart of\nMuhammad (Peace be upon them), Stanley Lane Poole, a British orientalist and archaeologist\nof the nineteenth century, wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut what is this? Is there no blood in the streets? Where are the bodies of thousands that have been butchered? Facts are hard things, and it is a fact that the day of Muhammad\u2019s greatest triumph over his enemies was also the day of his grandest victory over himself. He freely forgave the Kureysh (Quraysh) all the years of sorrow and cruel scorn they had inflicted on him: he gave amnesty to the whole population of the Makkah. Four criminals whom justice condemned made up Muhammad\u2019s proscription list; no house was robbed, no woman insulted. It was thus that Muhammad entered again his native city. Through all the annals of conquest, there is not triumphant entry like unto this one.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When Jerusalem was conquered by the second caliph Umar, he made an agreement with the conquered citizens of that city, clauses of which have not yet produced the parallel in history, that’s what kind of heartfelt generosity and tolerance they displayed with opponents and enemies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are numerous opinions, commentaries, articles, and books by non-Muslim historians in recognition of such Islamic characteristics as forgiveness, generosity and tolerance. Unfortunately, however, some have dedicated their lifetime to creating misunderstandings about Islam and its teachings. One of the greatest, misunderstandings of our time is that, Islam was spread with the sword. Therefore, this issue must be addressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The rule of the sword in Islam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Putting it simply, to utilize a sword, you need two things.\nFirstly, you have to possess a sword; secondly, you must know how to use it.\nThe greater the purpose to be achieved through the sword. The more expertise\nyou have to have. If you have a sword but lack swordsmanship and only know how\nto wave it in the air, you cannot achieve much with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a general principle, anyone interested in pursuing a\ncareer in science must take, from the very beginning, every necessary course in\nthe subject of science to reach their goal. Similarly, every field requires relevant\nstudies and training for one to become an expert. However, this is the general\nrule, and there can be exceptions to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to some, Muhammad (Peace be upon them) was \u201cjust\nan intelligent man\u201d with many good qualities, but was not a Prophet. For them,\nhis Prophethood cannot be verified through empirical means. For argument\u2019s\nsake, let us suppose that he was \u201cjust an intelligent man\u201d and that through his\nintelligence and other qualities he invented Islam. Then, realistically, we\nwill have to admit that he was not \u201cjust and intelligent man,\u201d but must have\nbeen \u201cextraordinarily intelligent\u201d because the system he developed, if he\ndeveloped it, was such a great and fine system that, just an intelligent man\u201d\ncould not have developed it. Moreover, that extraordinarily intelligent man\nmust have devised, well in advance, all the plans necessary to invent such a\ncomprehensive religion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If people\u2019s contention that Islam was spread by the sword is\nvalid, then we have to suppose that Muhammad (Peace be upon them) must have\nknown he would be utilizing a sword to spread that ideology. Therefore, he would certainly have thought of\nmastering an unparalleled skill in using the sword. Moreover, he must have\ntrained himself to be a great swordsman and gathered many other swordsmen in advance,\nin order to achieve this purpose later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The problem is that we do not find anything to support the\ncontention that the Prophet (Peace be upon them) or any of the early converts\nto Islam possessed any expertise or special training in swordsmanship. We also\ndo not find any group that was trained well in advance that would join him\nlater. Even if we assume that he did have special training expertise in\nswordsmanship, then the question is, who or what prevented him for defending himself\nwhen, for example, Makkan threw filth, specifically camel intestines, on him\nwhile he was peacefully praying in front of the Ka\u2019ba? Why did he not protect himself\nthrough this swordsmanship when children were led to throw stones at him in Ta\u2019if?\nIf he were a swordsman, why did he suffer all kinds of hardships at the hands\nof Makkans for thirteen continues years and never retaliate with his sword? Why,\neven that night when all the chiefs of Makkah, through their representatives, raided\nhis house in an attempt to take his life, did he not defend himself with his\nsword?<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make the long story short, he was a prophet from the Lord\nand did not invent Islam; instead, he delivered the message and guidance of the\nLord to us. He never acquired any special training and never planned to use the\nsword. He did not come to fight but to teach the knowledge and wisdom of Islam\nand to warn about the assured events of the Hereafter. For this purpose, he did\nnot need a sword because he could not have achieved by the sword what he was\nsent to achieve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As far as his personal security and protection was\nconcerned, the Lord Who sent him promised his protection. If swords never\nplayed any role, even in those early days of Islam when their use would have seemed\nto be necessary and justified to increase the number of followers, how could\nthey be necessary at the climax of its success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, even after emigrating from Makkah in order to\npractice Islam peacefully in MADINAH, Muslims were not freed from the\npersecutions of the Quraysh. Soon, the situation became warlike, and the need\nto defend Muslims against the imminent threats to their lives and property\nincreased. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was only then that the use of the sword was permitted. At\nthis point, a role for the sword entered into Islam as means of defence. It is\nto be remembered that even then it was not to promote or impose, but merely to protect,\nIslam. In the matter of propagation, Islam inherently contains enough qualities\nand benefits to attract people towards it; swords are not necessary and cannot\nplay any role in the true propagation of Islam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first person, a woman, the first wife of the Prophet\n(Peace be upon them) kadija (R.A) embraced Islam as soon as the Prophet (Peace\nbe upon them) declared his prophethood. She accepted Islam without the sword.\nThe second Muslim, the first adult man to accept it, a successful\nbusinessman\/merchant, embraced Islam under no coercion. Many other early\nconverts to Makkah embraced Islam out of their free will and without a sword extended\nabove their heads. As a matter of fact, swords were hanging over their heads\nthreatening them if they did not leave Islam, but the firmly-rooted faith did\nnot shake, and these new converts did not budge and stood firm in their commitment\nto Islam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, when the fortieth Muslim and the second khalifa\nof Islam, the famous Umar ibn al-Khattab (R.A), a strong and brave man who was\nfeared by many, surrendered his will to the will of Allah (SWT) in front of\nMuhammad (Peace be upon them) and embraced Islam, the sword was in his hands\nand he was in fact a great swordsman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The famous general, Khalid bin Waleed (R.A) fought many\nbattles against Islam, inflicted heavy injuries on Muslims, and was a great\nwarrior and swordsman. It is thus obvious that even if a sword was used against\nhim, it could not convert him to Islam. \nHe embraced Islam through his own free will, laid his sword at the feet\nof the Prophet (Peace be upon them) and permanently surrendered himself to\nIslam. Through these two examples, we witness how swords were laid to rest\nbefore embracing Islam. During the lifetime of the Prophet (Peace be upon them),\nthe fear of the sword never converted anyone into being a Muslim; it was always\nthe other way around. Swords were never used to propagate Islam, but were later\nneed to protect it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us suppose that even if a sword were utilized, it could\nonly acquire verbal submission, but could never obtain inner convictions, as it\u2019s\nrequired in Islam. Swords may cause one to convert temporarily, but they cannot\nkeep one in Islam permanently. If one does not convert from the heart, what is\nthe sense of forcing him or her to accept Islam? Forceful acceptance brings no\nbenefit to the individual or to anyone else. By the way, how many swords would\nyou currently need, and how many people to hold them, to control and subjugate 1.6\nbillion Muslims throughout the world? Additionally, how many more swords would\none need on a daily basis throughout the world for newcomers? Manufacturing\nswords would be a thriving business if this were the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A sword can slice a heart, but it cannot enlighten it. It\ncan sever the head, but it cannot bend it voluntarily for daily prayers. It can\nseparate one from this world, but it cannot bring any success in the other\nworld. It can fill the heart with fear, but it cannot free it from the filth of\nthis world. It can shut the eyes forever, but it cannot open them to see the\ntruth. It can cause one to surrender everything else, but it cannot cause one\nto surrender his or her will. It can rob\na person, but it cannot make him generous. It can make a person proud and\narrogant, but it cannot make anybody humble and modest. It can exclude one from\nsociety, but it cannot make anybody humble and modest. It can exclude one from\nsociety, but it cannot make one caring and sharing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Islam intends to kill the kufr <\/em>(infidelity), not the kafir <\/em>(one who commits infidelity).It wants to eradicate shirk<\/em> (polytheism) not the mushrik <\/em>(polytheist). It wants to suppress the evil inside of people, not the people themselves. It seeks to build societies, not turn them into graveyards. It wants humans to achieve the higher status, not eradicate people from the face of this earth. The portrayal of a Muslim holding a Qur\u2019an in one hand and sword in the other is not only a misrepresentation of Islam, but is purposely drawn to deceive and conceal the truth from people. The sword and Islam are not synonymous. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This post is in a series of many to come on the topic of Islam from a Sufi Perspective. More articles are to follow. Please follow in the Category : Islam as a Sufi Perspective, or Alternatively subscribe to our blog!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" No creature was granted \u2018free Will\u2019 by the Creator besides human beings and the jinn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1997,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[38,37,34],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1996"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1996"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2009,"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1996\/revisions\/2009"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kgn-sanjari.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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