Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
9. Human Rights in Islam
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human history, that ‘there shall be no coercion in matters of
religion.’ (2:256). In view of this prohibition of coercion (
Ikrah
), all
Islamic jurists (
Fuqaha
) without any exception, hold that forcible
conversion is under all circumstances null and void. Any attempt to
coerce a non-believer to accept Islam is a grievous sin, (
Ahkam al-
Quran
, al-Jassas). According to this principle of ‘non-coercion’, it
is not permissible to exploit or manipulate personal weaknesses or
calamities (e.g. poverty, sickness, famine, etc.) for religious
conversion. That is why old and downtrodden non-Muslims were
exempted from taxes and given all monetary support by the Islamic
state without ever being asked to embrace Islam just for the
advantages it would give them.
Once a Jewish widow came to the Caliph Umar asking for some
financial aid. Umar tried to persuade her to accept Islam. He
promised to take care of all her needs if she embraced Islam. But
the lady refused. Umar then gave her more than she had asked for.
When she departed, Umar raised his hands towards heaven and
said:
“O God, bear witness that I have not exercised any
coercion on this lady.”
(
Tarikh Umar ibn Khattab
, Ibn al-Jawzi)
2. JUSTICE AND EQUALITY BEFORE THE
LAW:
According to the Quran and Hadith, the establishment of
justice is one of the most essential goals in the sending of the
