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If someone wants to embrace Islam, should I ask him if he is forced into conversion?
Question
Answer
One of the major conditions for the acceptance of one’s conversion to Islam is that he or she embraces it out of his or her own free will as there is no room for coercion. God says in the Quran “There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong.” 2:256
Islam does not aim at enforcing religion down people’s throat as God does not want the surrender of bodies but rather the submission of hearts. Therefore in the original state of the matter we don’t ask people whether they come out of their own free will or rather coerced unless we see clear signs of hesitation or fear only then we can gently ask if this decision is coming out of a free will or a dictated decision.
As for your second question, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us what to tell people who desire to embrace Islam. He taught us to teach them the very basic tenets of religion without which their faith does not hold. The very first tenet is the Islamic creed of the Oneness of God, the Lord of the worlds who has no partners or associates. The second tenet is the belief in God’s angels, revealed books, prophets, last Day of Judgment along with a belief in God’s destiny. Another important tenet is the belief in Prophet Muhammad as the last messenger of God and the final divine link between heaven and earth. If this creed is solid in the mind of the new Muslims then all the other practical aspects of religion which revolves around purifying one’s self, worshipping God and developing the world will follow suit.
Islam does not aim at enforcing religion down people’s throat as God does not want the surrender of bodies but rather the submission of hearts. Therefore in the original state of the matter we don’t ask people whether they come out of their own free will or rather coerced unless we see clear signs of hesitation or fear only then we can gently ask if this decision is coming out of a free will or a dictated decision.
As for your second question, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us what to tell people who desire to embrace Islam. He taught us to teach them the very basic tenets of religion without which their faith does not hold. The very first tenet is the Islamic creed of the Oneness of God, the Lord of the worlds who has no partners or associates. The second tenet is the belief in God’s angels, revealed books, prophets, last Day of Judgment along with a belief in God’s destiny. Another important tenet is the belief in Prophet Muhammad as the last messenger of God and the final divine link between heaven and earth. If this creed is solid in the mind of the new Muslims then all the other practical aspects of religion which revolves around purifying one’s self, worshipping God and developing the world will follow suit.
