Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 191
— Part II 186 a Muslim prior to that day, and that I had not committed such an act. ' 15 'There shall be no compulsion in matters of faith'— this Quranic declaration, though concise, is yet so comprehensive in its meaning, and so far-reaching in its application, that a close analysis of the same leaves one astounded. It could be interpreted as meaning that no individual is allowed to use force against others, but at the same time it does not permit the individual, against whom force is applied, to submit to that force. The highest order of faith would not permit a person to surrender no matter how much torture and pain he has to endure for the sake of freedom of his conscience. Yet we cannot ignore the fact that not all people have the same level of faith and sincerity, nor do they have the same threshold to tolerate pain. Strangely, the same verse comes to their help, and with a slight turn of emphasis the message will become: no one is required to tolerate pain beyond his capacity. Thereby all weak persons are exonerated and are reassured that whatever was extracted from them under pressure does not mean anything because no coercion in religion is permissible. Hence the outcome of an unlawful act becomes null and void. The same message of relief for the weak is more clearly delivered in the following verse: