Islam does not acknowledges forced conversions – Adv. Nizam A. Khan

In a recent interview in Hyderabad, Advocate Nizam Ali Khan, Advocate for Islam, clarified a commonly misunderstood practice of Islam: “Many people, especially a section of partisan politicians and media houses, claim that Islam allows its followers to convert someone by force, i.e., to pressure someone to accept Islam without knowing it properly.

He clarified this misunderstanding, saying, “Islamic teachings do not recognize that you can force someone to convert to Islam. Even if a born Muslim does not follow the teachings of Islam, other practicing Muslims cannot force him to follow Islam; they can only urge him to do so. Khan further quoted a verse from the Holy Book of Muslims, Quran, chapter 2, verse 256, which states, “There is no compulsion in religion,” meaning that no one is forced to practice Islamic teachings or convert to Islam.

There is an outcry from Western Orientalists who try to portray Islamic teachings in a negative way. Khan also described some incidents from the time of Prophet Muhammad: “When Abu Talib, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad, was about to die on the Prophet Muhammad’s lap, Prophet Muhammad asked him to accept Islam, Prophet Muhammad could have forced his uncle to accept Islam before his death, but unfortunately he died without accepting Islam.

Another famous incident is that Prophet Muhammad travelled to Taif to ask people to accept Islam, but those people abused and stoned Prophet Muhammad mercilessly, even though Prophet Muhammad asked them and did not force them to accept Islam, another incident of Sumama, a governor of Yamama, a city near Medina, he was captured in the mosque of the Prophet, he insulted the Prophet Muhammad, the city of Medina, but the Prophet Muhammad did not force him to accept Islam, on the third day when he was released, he accepted Islam because of the manners of Prophet Muhammad, even at the time when Prophet Muhammad and his disciples conquered the city of Mecca, neither he nor his disciples forced the non-Muslims of Mecca to accept Islam; there are several incidents from the time of Prophet Muhammad where he could have forced many people to accept Islam, but he did not because Islamic teachings do not recognise this.

Khan further referred to the Indian Constitution and quoted Article 25, which states, “We have the freedom to practice, preach and propagate our religion”,” but this means that no Indian citizen has the right to force others to adopt his religion. Every Indian citizen has the right to practice his own customs, rituals and religion, and he also has the right to adopt any religion he wants. In conclusion, Khan said, “If a Muslim tries to convert someone to Islam by force, he is guilty not only under Islamic law but also under Indian law.

Video Link:

https://www.facebook.com/AlifIndiaorg/videos/198709429734360/