Understanding Islam — Page 185
183 cannot be meted out to all individuals who commit the crime of theft. It is only when a pious society has been created that Shariah law can be introduced over a period of time. The reality is that extremist organizations only cunningly use Shariah law as a cover to play with the religious sentiments of average Muslims, so as to sway them and take power and then rule despotically, in the name of God. As far as the issue of imposing Shariah law by force is concerned, the answer is clear as stated in the Holy Quran: There shall be no compulsion in religion 3 Thus, this Shariah law is there only to be obeyed by people by their own volition. There can be no coercion or force. The idea that a Muslim government can impose Islamic law on the population is absurd. The only requirement for a Muslim government that the Holy Quran provides is that it should govern with absolute justice – and that is also the ideal definition of a secular government. Even Prophet Muhammad sa gave the teaching that force should not be used to implement Shariah: