The Guiding Light — Page 161
S u rah al-Baqarah, Verses 9-17 161 repudiation of the claim of the hypocrites to be believers. If a mere negation of their claim had been intended, it would have been expressed by some such expression as “they are hypocrites”. Strong denunciation of hypocrites is characteristic of the Qur’ a n (3:168; 5:42 & 5:62). According to the Qur’ a n, hypocrites are only disbelievers. This view of the Qur’ a n furnishes a strong refutation of the criticism that Islam permits the use of force in religious matters. Conversion by force can never be sincere, while the Qur’ a n insists upon sincerity in believers. A religion which makes sincerity a necessary quality of belief cannot tolerate, much less encourage, the use of force in religion. zš χθ ã ã Ï ‰ ≈ s ƒ ä † © ! $ # t Ï % © ! $ # u ρ ( # θ ã Ζ t Β # u $ t Β u ρ š χθ ã ã y ‰ ø ƒ s † H ω Î ) ö Ν ß γ | ¡ à Ρ r & $ t Β u ρ t βρ á ã è ô ± o „ ∩∪ [2:10] They would deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive none but themselves; only they perceive it not.