Through Force or Faith? — Page 123
Chapter 2 — Islamic Teachings about Jihad 123 against Muslims and do not expel them from their homes on the basis of religious differences. اْۤوُطِسْقُت ْمِهْيَلِا١ؕ َّنِا َهّٰللا ُّبِحُي َنْيِطِسْقُمْلااَل ُمُكىٰهْنَي ُهّٰللا ِنَع َنْيِذَّلا ْمَل ْمُكْوُلِتاَقُي يِف ِنْيِّدلا َو ْمَل ْمُكْوُجِرْخُي ْنِّم ْمُكِراَيِد ْنَا ْمُهْوُّرَبَت َو Allah forbids you not respecting those who have not fought against you on account of your religion, and who have not driven you forth from your homes, that you be kind to them and act equitably towards them; surely, Allah loves those who are equitable. ( S u rah al-Mumta h inah, 60:9) Timing of the Revelation of the Verse ‘There is no Coercion in Faith’ 1 ۤاَل َهاَرْكِا يِف ِنْيِّدلا About the revelation of this Quranic verse, the Pope said, in his aforementioned speech based on undisclosed reasons, that this injunction was revealed when Muslims were weak and did not have the power to fight. Thereby he has tried to create the impres- sion that Muslims started to plunder and pillage to force people into Islam when they gained power. This assertion of the Pope is totally contrary to fact and reflects his ignorance of history. It also shows that he has donned 1. There should be no compulsion in religion. ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:257) [Publishers]