God, Jesus and other faiths Quran · 4 Hadith · 1 Sources · 1
Yes. The Quran says there is no compulsion in religion, and that truth stands clear from error. A person cannot be forced to become Muslim, and a person's faith is judged by God, not by people.
The Quran tells the Prophet ﷺ that he is only a reminder and is not a controller over people, and it states that if God had willed, all the people of the earth would have believed, and asks whether he would force them. A forced belief is not accepted in Islam, because faith is a matter of the heart.
In history, Jewish and Christian communities lived under Muslim rule for centuries with their own courts, churches and synagogues, and the early biographies of the Prophet ﷺ record a treaty of protection that he gave to the Christians of Najran. History also has bad cases of intolerance, as in every society. Muslims hold that these cases are against what the Quran teaches.
لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٥٦﴾
There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَءَامَنَ مَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ ٱلنَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٩٩﴾
And if thy Lord willed, all who are in the earth would have believed together. Wouldst thou (Muhammad) compel men until they are believers?
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌۭ ﴿٢١﴾ لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ ﴿٢٢﴾
Remind them, for thou art but a remembrancer, Thou art not at all a warder over them.
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ ﴿٦﴾
Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion.
The authentic hadith behind this answer, from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and the Sunan with the grade of the scholars of hadith. Open a reference to read it in the hadith library of this site.
حَدَّثَنَا قَيْسُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا مُجَاهِدٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ قَتَلَ مُعَاهَدًا لَمْ يَرَحْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا تُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ أَرْبَعِينَ عَامًا ".
The hadith and reports behind this answer. Open a number to read it in the hadith library of this site.
This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.
