Mahzarnama (The Memorandum) — Page 4
4 Mahzarnama their political platform, notwithstanding the adverse edicts by the religious scholars prejudicial to their respective election. So how can an Assembly composed of such individuals be entitled to sit in judgement over a religious sect and decide as to what is its religion? If the majority of the members of an Assembly is empowered to decide upon the religion of any sect or denomination merely by virtue of the fact that they constitute the majority, then such a view will also be untenable on the basis of reason, and contrary to human nature and religious conscience. In fact democratic principles themselves universally regard such matters to be outside the purview of democratic decision-making. Similarly, the history of religions in the world reveals that never in any era was the majority ever granted the right to decide as to what was the religion of any particular group of people. If such a right were to be conceded for the majority, then one would perforce have to accept (God forbid) the majority viewpoint against all the prophets of God and the respective communities of their followers. It is obvious that this is a tyrannical concept which will instantly be rejected by the followers of any religion in the world. Explicit Injunctions of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet sa Under the injunctions of the Holy Quran and the Ahadith no one has the right to coercively rename someone else's religion. As Allah says: There is no compulsion in religion. (2:257) If someone has been coerced into recanting his faith,. . . while his heart finds peace in the faith (16:107)