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The Right Of Choice When It Comes To Belief
The Qur’an specifically constantly reiterates in recurring verses for its readers to comprehend, question, observe, contemplate. In short, it asks us to make an informed choice via investigation (some examples: 14:19; 30:8; 3:65; 19:42 etc.).
Why is it that every human that belongs to a different faith than Islam, has the right to make an informed choice about their belief and willingly enter Islam (if they decide to) after proper study of the foundation (which is celebrated and hailed) whilst on the other hand, every individual born to Muslim parents or a Muslim father has no choice but to remain a Muslim? Why is there this disparity in will of making an informed decision when it comes to faith? Some may choose to remain Muslim, some may not want to be a part of the religion, how come we Muslims don’t get this choice to make?
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4 Replies
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The Right Of Choice When It Comes To Belief
updated 3 months ago
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A Muslim must make an informed decision to remain a Muslim too. Being born a Muslim will not earn him any reward from God until he has investigated their religion and made a informed decision to stay Muslim. If a born Muslim is not convinced of religion or sect he found himself in, then it is understandable that they may seek truth elsewhere.
However because many Muslims who have investigated their religion properly realized that they were born next to the truth, they don’t leave Islam. This is the burden of being born next to the truth in the same sense as being born in the time of Messenger of God and you have no choice at that point except to accept him or be punished by God.
And while some non-Muslims may not be convinced of Islam enough to accept it, they are still expected to follow the truth they do know (e.g basic morality, the message of the prophet they did accept etc). There is really no choice in front of the truth for a honest truth seeker, you must be surrendering to truth where ever you find God and are convinced or there will be consequences. This is not a matter of picking a faith you like, you have no choice but to accept truth in whatever form it comes. For the truth-seeker that comes out of a Muslim household, it just so happens the truth was waiting right next to him with a heavy burden that is different from a non-Muslim’s trial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlmPnhJ9JqM -
Thank you so much for the elaborate answer. The truth indeed compels one to have no choice but to accept it, otherwise be accountable for choosing another side.
Given the circumstances of how Muslims behave towards other Muslims, what if a Muslim decides Islam is not what they want to follow, wouldn’t that lead to accusations, fatwas and threats, as we see around the world? In our times, Some Muslims just don’t want to associate themselves with a religion due to the sheer hate and violence that has spread on earth under the false garb and misuse of religion. Does Islam not provide a clear path for those who choose not to associate with Islam and then be accountable for their decision with God? How can we better practice letting adults make their own choice when it comes to faith since there is no compulsion in religion?
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This is nothing new. The story of Hazrat Isa is example of how Israelite straight up tried to kill him on the accusation that he was leading people away from the religious tradition. This behavior happens, the story of the seven sleepers in Quran is about followers of Hazrat Isa trying to escape persecution for changing their religion in their search for truth (Qur’an 18:24).
This is part of the scheme of God where humans are allowed to abuse free will and create evil so that obedient can be distinguished from the disobedient and matter of Paradise and Hell are finalized. It is the responsibility of scholars and leaders to understand religion properly and make up a system where extremists don’t rule religion in the same way as Pharisees ruled in time of Hazrat Isa. But in same way as Israelite erred, murdered prophets of God (let alone ordinary people changing religions) and were punished by God, Muslims will too face the same fate if they do not reform.
As far as the oppressed goes and feel like their religious rights are being violated then God commands them to migrate as is the case of Muslims fleeing to Madinah. As for those who were stuck in Makkah, God sent the army He made in Madinah to free them. This is again the problem of leaders and scholars in modern time, Muslims nations should be looking out for those who are religiously persecuted, tell their fellow nations to reform or else liberate the oppressed through military intervention. For the individual, they can educate anyone who is willing to listen under their right (e.g teacher informing the student, parent informing child, ruler informing citizens) about religion having no compulsion, they can uplift scholars like Ghamidi Sahab who is speaking against this oppression. That is the principle answer. I personally fear that people won’t respond well to education in many cases, leaders don’t do their jobs and in the end, God will take His revenge as He did before with Israelite.
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Agreed, thank you so much for the insight.
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