Punishment of Apostacy in Islam — Page 4
4 These two verses have been addressed to people to whom Islam was presented for the first time. Those to whom the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, brought the message of Islam were not Muslims. They were told: This is the truth; this is the right guidance. These are the ways of approaching God Almighty. These are the ways of the fulfillment of your natural demands. Treading along them you will become the true servants of God. I invite you to them. It is for you to enter within the circle of Islam or to keep out of it. If you enter it with faith and sincerity of heart and act in accordance with it, it would be to your own good. If you do not adopt these ways and will not tread along them, the loss would be yours. The ways that you adopt, other than these, would lead you away from God and will bring you to hell. Thus everyone has been told that all the doors for entering the circle of Islam are open to him. There is no one who would obstruct his entry through those doors. The decision must be his and once he has decided he can enter freely. There is no power which would compel anyone by force, or threat of force, to enter that circle. God does not permit it. If anyone desires to enter the circle of Islam, to accept it and to make it obligatory upon himself, no one can stop him. If someone does not desire to accept it, no one can force him. No one can make anyone a Muslim by force. This is the teaching of Islam. The guidance that God has set forth in the Holy Quran is clear that no power can make a person a Muslim by force. The purpose of the creation of the universe would be frustrated if man were not to be bestowed the freedom that distinguishes him from the angels. These verses indicate that