Misinterpretation of the words of compulsion, proselytize and apostasy by Muslims in the propagation of our religion Islam transpire me to write in this column to highlight a little bit of my understanding of those three almost similarity meaning in the context Apostasy in the Islamic Community. The surfacing of so called proselytizing that lead to the conversion of one's faith to other religion brought the confusion and anger till this days among the peace loving Muslims in the Islamic Society at large.
Let us understand that the first primary word of compulsion denotes the act of compelling or force a person to embrace other then his religion he professed while proselytizing is to induce someone to convert to other religion. Ultimately, the apostasy is to acknowledge someone to abandon his belief of one's religion faith. In other words, he becomes an apostate with other religion faith of his choice.
Comprising of the three acts of compulsion, proselytize and apostasy, let us refer and evaluate the two verses in Al-Qur'an surah Al-Baqarah and Al-Nahl below:
Surah An-Nahl verse 106: (The Bees)
"Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith, but such as open their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment."
The above verse 106 in surah An-Nahl clearly cited that any Muslim who insists and abandon of belief of the Islamic religion's faith is obviously considered as deviation from the fundamental Islamic principal whereby religion Islam is nullify because he has willingly converted to other religion. Any Muslim who abandon his religion Islamic Faith after acceptance the true religion of Islam should incur the wrath of Allah SWT and would be punished in the Hereafter. Except those who is forced to abandon his religious faith, such conversion to other religion is absolved as he is in his hearts, he is still been a devoted Muslim.
As to go further, understanding and elaboration of the above verses in Al-Qur'an,
Surah Al-Baqarah verse 256: (The Cow)
"There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer. All-Knower."
The above verse 256 in surah Al-Baqarah clearly stipulated that there is no compulsion in our religion Islam. Those guidance has been made clearly, the conversion is distinct of compelling or forced a Muslim to embrace other religion. Therefore, who is aware of Taught [force of Shyaitan] and believe in Allah SWT and hold steadfastly of faith in Islam religion, He is pleased and would obviously be heavenly rewarded in the Hereafter.
To elaborate and understand some of the verses in Al-Qur'an, we would refer to the quoted Anti Apostasy Law which is stipulated in Act 11 of our Federal Constitution guarantee the right of every person to prefer and practice his religion. The right to practice in religion is absolute. The right is not limited to the right to choose a religion but also to practice of the religion of his choice in accordance to the person and faith. In other words, belief under Federal Constitution, one can obey chosen religion of his or her choice, but also to practice his religion freely, without any monk or priest or prophets whether or otherwise telling him or her to do this and that.
Just to avoid the confession whatsoever they are keen or likely to convert as apostates, the Government of the States and so do the parents should at least play the vital part to be aware of the silent movement of compulsion and proselytizing in our peace loving multi-racial religious Society. Our country's management of secular government policy cause the symptom of apostasy of which should be avoided and denied within the Muslims community immediately check especially the establishment of secularism. The government should undertake serious attention to the cause of apostasy occurred.
As a guardian, the parents must take the responsibility to guide their children the Islamic way of life and be aware of the apostasy when someone approach the teenager or youth with the intention of conversion of other religion. Ultimately the victim become an apostate and turn his faith to other religion of his or her choice willingly.
Finally, as aforementioned earlier, apostasy could be secured and validated by the point of law, Civil or Shariah [Jurisprudence] where in this context Shariah law we observed that the said law could not dictate the matter of judgement of apostasy in our religious Islam . The Shariah Jurisprudence is not qualified to hear the case of apostasy and was asked to stay away from the Judgement. The Islamic Jurisprudence could be only addressed on varieties of other religious matters such as social and Islamic cultural, religious education and economic sphere in the Islamic Society.
There is no compulsion in religion Islam.
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