Islam and Human Rights — Page 163
Articles 18-19 163 will not stop fighting you until they turn you back from your faith, if they can. Whosoever from among you turns back from his faith and dies in a state of disbelief, it is such as he whose works shall be in vain in this world and the next” (2:218). As the context shows, this verse has refer ence to a state of war. If in that state a Muslim went over to the enemy and took up arms against the Muslims he would be guilty of treason whether a change of faith was or was not involved; though in the then conditions it would have been inconceivable that such a one would still profess being a Muslim. In the same context is the assurance, “O ye who believe, whoso from among you turns back from his religion, should know that in his stead Allah will soon bring a people whom He will love and who will love Him, a people kindly and humbly inclined towards believers and firm and im pervious towards disbelievers. They will strive in the cause of Allah and will not fear the reproach of a fault-finder. That is Allah’s grace; He bestows it upon whomsoever He pleases. Allah is Bountiful, All-Knowing” (5:55). This was a comforting and consoling assurance against any de sertion that the enemy might succeed in procuring during the course of the war. Change of belief, unconnected with hostilities, is