Through Force or Faith? — Page 122
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 122 Then Allah, the Exalted, declares categorically in this regard: َكَسْمَتْسا ِةَوْرُعْلاِب ىٰقْثُوْلا ١ۗ اَل َماَصِفْنا اَهَل١ؕ َو ُهّٰللا ٌعْيِمَس ٌمْيِلَعۤاَل َهاَرْكِا يِف ِنْيِّدلا١ۙ۫ ْدَق َنَّيَبَّت ُدْشُّرلا َنِم ِّيَغْلا١ۚ ْنَمَف ْرُفْكَّي ِتْوُغاَّطلاِب َو ْۢنِمْؤُي ِهّٰللاِب ِدَقَف There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress, and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no break- ing. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:257) God provided the rationale for not allowing coercion in faith in this very verse by saying that it is not needed because the differ- ence between guidance and error has been made clear. God has declared Himself to be the Guardian in this matter by virtue of Him being All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Coercion is not even imaginable as it is enjoined to overlook and even pray for the well being of those who do not believe: َو ٖهِلْيِق ِّبَرٰي َّنِا ِءٓاَلُؤٰۤه ٌمْوَق اَّل َنْوُنِمْؤُي ْحَفْصاَف ْمُهْنَع َو ْلُق ٌمٰلَس١ؕ َفْوَسَف َنْوُمَلْعَي I swear by his repeated cry ‘O my Lord!’ that these are a people who will not believe. Therefore turn aside from them, and say, ‘Peace’; and soon shall they know. ( S u rah az-Zukhruf, 43:89–90) Similarly at another place, Allah, the Exalted, rejects the notion of aggressive wars by not only permitting friendship with such oppo- nents but even advising kind treatment of those who do not fight