A Rejoinder to Pope's Allegations Against Islam — Page 34
COMPULSION IN THE RELIGION In his lecture, the Pope quoted: "The emperor touches on the theme of the holy war. The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". According to some of the experts, this is probably one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "inJidels ". Following is the verse of the Holy Quran which is mentioned in the above quotation given by Pope; ~ " J /. /. /. ~ ". . . . ~\ ~ D}\ ;;;J ~ ~:u\ ~ ;\~l ~ -", ,. -/ ,/ "There is no compulsion in religion. Surely the right has become distinct fr " om wrong. (HOLY QURAN 2:257) According to the statement of the above quote, this declaration of the Holy Quran was for the early days of Islam, when Holy Prophet was powerless, but when he gained power he started the Holy war, God forbid. Verse of 34