Freedom of Faith and Worship

Allah, the Almighty, addressing His Messenger says: “And say, “The truth is from your Lord. Now, whoever so wills may believe and whoever so wills may deny.”

In His Legislation, Allah, the Almighty, forbids any form of coercing people to enter the religion of Islam. Instead, He encouraged letting people exercise their freedom of religion, faith, sect, and decision-making in a full and comfortable methodology, without feeling pressured. That means it is prohibited to impose on people to perform their ritual Islamic symbols such as to force them to perform prayers, to pay zakat, to fast, and to make a pilgrimage.

Allah lets people feel unlimited freedom in the performance of their worship activities. Thus, that freedom is a right preserved by Allah for the people. Hence, nobody other than Allah has the right to monitor and supervise them. Only Allah alone Has the right to supervise and judge His servants in whatever He wants. Allah confirms this basic human right, by addressing His Messenger, to say:

1. “There is no compulsion in Faith. The correct way has become distinct from the erroneous.”
2. Had your Lord so willed ˹O Prophet˺, all ˹people˺ on earth would have certainly believed, every single one of them! Would you then force people to become believers?”
3. “Your Lord knows you best. If He so wills, He will have mercy on you, and if He so wills, He will punish you, and We did not send you (O Prophet,) to become responsible for them”.

In confirmation of one’s decision on believing, Allah explained to His Messenger that He did not send him as an agent on His behalf to the people. Allah watches them in their worship and the performance of their rituals, and it is He – Allah alone Who will rule them on the Day of Resurrection and Reckoning. Therefore, people are subject to their deeds and everyone is absolutely free to make his/her decision. On the Reckoning Day, everyone will reap the work he planted in the world.