Through Force or Faith? — Page 227
Chapter 5 — Faith and Reason: Islamic Perspective 227 Not only this, Allah, the Exalted, always says what is absolutely truthful: ُّصُقَي َّقَحْلا … He explains the truth… ( S u rah al-An‘ a m, 6:58) Then falsehood is declared to be such a cardinal sin that it is equated with idolatry. اوُبِنَتْجاَف َسْجِّرلا َنِم ِناَثْوَاْلا َو اْوُبِنَتْجا َلْوَق ِرْوُّزلا … Shun therefore the abomination of idols, and shun false speech ( S u rah al- H ajj, 22:31). On this subject also, there are many verses of the Holy Quran to underscore the point. The third issue that has been mentioned is that, according to Ibn H azm, if God wills, He can oblige man to worship idols. This assertion is counter to Quranic injunctions. Thus Quran clearly enjoins man to abstain from idolatry. َو اوُدُبْعا َهّٰللا َو اَل اْوُكِرْشُت ٖهِب أًـْيَش And worship Allah and associate naught with Him… ( S u rah an-Nis a ’, 4:37) And it counts it as such a cardinal offense that there is no sin quite its equal: اًمْثِا اًمْيِظَعَّنِا َهّٰللا اَل ُرِفْغَي ْنَا َكَرْشُّي ٖهِب َو ُرِفْغَي اَم َنْوُد َكِلٰذ ْنَمِل ُءٓاَشَّي١ۚ َو ْنَم ْكِرْشُّي ِهّٰللاِب ِدَقَف ىٰۤرَتْفا