Understanding Islam — Page 198
WHAT IS SHARIAH? 196 principle of the Holy Quran that there should be no use of force in matters of religion and conscience. Hence, the choice was left to the youth themselves. They were allowed to go with the Jews if they themselves so liked; and many freely chose not to change their religion. The whole history of religion fails to produce such a noble example of religious tolerance and freedom of conscience. These young men were the kith and kin of the Muslim tribes in Mad ī nah. The Jewish tribe, on the other hand, was utterly at the mercy of the Muslims. The Muslims could have compelled them to hand over their own children but this was against the religion of Islam. This is obviously not a solitary example of the broad-mindedness which the Muslims displayed in religious matters. Asb ā q, a Christian slave of Hazrat ‘Umar ra , narrates that he tried to persuade him on several occasions to accept Islam but he always refused and when his persistent refusal to accept Islam would hurt the Khal ī fa, the latter consoled himself by reciting this verse of the Holy Quran, “There is no compulsion in religion”. Such was the importance of freedom of speech and conscience in Islam. If extremist groups openly act against these