One of the most common accusations against Islam is that it permits forced conversions. There is even a saying among anti-Islam critics that, God forbid, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) spread the message of Islam with a Qur’an in one hand and a sword in the other. This accusation is often used to explain why so many people converted to Islam shortly after the death of Muhammad (saw). Critics claim that Islam spread rapidly because people were forcibly converted, not because of the superiority of its teachings.
Are Forced Conversions Permitted in Islam?
To put it briefly: No. Forced conversions are not allowed or permitted anywhere within Islamic teachings. The Holy Qur’an states, “There should be no compulsion in religion” (Qur’an 2:257). This verse plainly and simply establishes that compulsion in matters of religion and faith is contrary to the will of God. This does not mean that Muslims are forbidden from trying to spread the message of Islam, but they are prohibited from forcing others to accept it. The Qur’an further advises, “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in a best way. Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from His way, and He knows those who are rightly guided” (Qur’an 16:126).
Not only does this verse emphasize that reason is the proper way to spread Islam, but it also clarifies that religion is ultimately a matter between a person and God. Believers are only expected to convey the message of Islam. Once that is done, God will know who accepts it and who does not. The people who convert are accountable to God, not to man. Therefore, it is not mankind’s right to force anyone to convert to Islam. The Qur’an makes it clear that the message of Islam should be spread by reason and persuasion, never by force.
The Qur’an even extends the belief that believers are only responsible for spreading the message of Islam to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), stating, “But if they turn away, We have not sent thee as a guardian over them. Thy duty is only to convey the Message” (Qur’an 42:49). Islamic teachings make it abundantly clear that forced conversions are not part of Islam. The message of Islam is to be conveyed by believers, not imposed on anyone.
Opponents of Islam often point to certain Qur’anic verses to justify their allegations, but these verses are frequently misinterpreted. For example, the Qur’an states, “And when the forbidden months have passed, kill the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them prisoners, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat, then leave their way free” (Qur’an 9:5). Anti-Islam critics use this verse, along with others like it (Qur’an 2:192, 4:90), to claim that Islam compels its followers to wage war on and kill disbelievers until they repent and convert to Islam (Kennedy, Hugh. Was Islam Spread by the Sword? Yale Publications, 2018).
However, these verses are often misinterpreted or taken out of context. For example, while Qur’an 4:90 does call for believers to fight disbelievers, the verses before and after it limit the circumstances in which this applies. Believers are instructed to fight only if the disbelievers are acting aggressively. The believers must cease fighting if the attacking party stops or desires peace. Furthermore, the Qur’an encourages believers to seek peace over war whenever possible. Therefore, the Qur’an does not justify waging aggressive wars to spread religion or force conversions.
Does Islam Treat Non-Muslims Equally?
Some anti-Islam critics argue that conversions may not have been forced, but were instead coerced upon non-Muslim citizens by Islamic governments. They claim this was done through unjust persecution or heavy taxes imposed on non-Muslim citizens (dhimmis). However, unequal treatment of dhimmis has no place in Islamic teachings. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “He who oppresses any dhimmi (non-Muslim living in an Islamic state), defames or degrades him, or demands from him anything more than he can bear, I will stand against that person and make a demand in favor of the dhimmi on the Day of Judgement” (Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud, #3052).
Rather than mistreating dhimmis, the Prophet (saw) exhorted his followers to treat them well and respect their rights. The rights of dhimmis were so respected during the Khulafa Rashidun that when Khalifa Umar (ra) was on his deathbed after being attacked by a dhimmi, he used his last words to defend the rights of dhimmis rather than lash out at them (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, book 52, #287).
Critics often point to the jizya as an example of oppression faced by dhimmis under Islamic governments. The jizya was a tax paid exclusively by non-Muslims. However, many critics ignore the fact that Muslim citizens also paid taxes, often at rates higher than the jizya. They also overlook the purpose of the jizya: it funded the protection of the religious and social rights of dhimmis, as they were exempt from serving in Muslim armies (Rashid, Qasim. Extremist: A Response to Geert Wilders & Terrorists Everywhere, p. 325). While Islamic governments may not have always fully respected the rights of dhimmis or the purpose of the jizya, coercion to convert to Islam has no place in Islamic teachings.
Apostasy
Some anti-Islam critics claim that not only are people forced to convert to Islam, but they are also forbidden from leaving. They argue that Islam prescribes severe punishments for apostasy, including the death penalty. However, the idea of a worldly punishment for apostasy has no basis in Islamic teachings. The Holy Qur’an states, “There should be no compulsion in religion” (Qur’an 2:257), meaning that religion is solely a matter between God and an individual. No one else has the right to judge or punish someone for their faith; that right belongs to God alone.
The Qur’an does not prescribe any worldly punishment for apostasy, only stating that those who leave Islam have gone astray: “Surely, those who disbelieve after they have believed and then increase in disbelief, their repentance shall not be accepted, and these are they who have gone astray” (Qur’an 3:91). The idea that others forbid people from leaving Islam, or making any other decisions about their faith, is wholly un-Islamic. Islam does not permit forcing anyone to convert, forcing anyone to remain in Islam, or treating those who choose not to convert unjustly.
