The Freewill and Freedom of choice
Adam chose to eat from the tree that God forbade it. That means he had freewill to choose between listening to God’s command or submitting to Satan's seduction. But this freewill is not absolute. It operates only in a range that is determined by God, and it cannot get out of it to operate in other domains. There are a lot of things are beyond our sphere of choice or capacity to influence. That is why God challenges us in the following verse:
يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانفُذُوا ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah ]. (55:33)
Does our belief on Predestination (divine decree and will) mean that humans do not have freedom of choice? No, because prior knowledge is the ability to predict what will happen, and it does not mean choosing it or causing it to occur. It is exactly like a person on the top of the mountain that can see two cars down that will be an accident, without being a reason or a cause of this accident, or like an experienced teacher who can tell from the first day in school which student will pass the final exam and who will not.
وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ
And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much. (42:30)
Of course, the two car can avoid the accident, if they change their lanes. The slow student can pass the final test, if he pays more attention and study more.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ
Indeed, God will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. (13:11)
Freedom of choice means you are free to choose right or wrong. But it does not mean there is no accountability, which is a reward for those who chose right, and a punishment for those who chose wrong. Even in secular laws, you are free to break the traffic lights or not. But if you would did it you will be fined. So the humans are free to choose, but they bear responsibility for their choices.
Freedom of religion is a big part of freedom of choice. But how can a religion guarantee the freedom of religion for other people who do not follow it? Does not every religion believe that other religions are wrong?!! The answer to the last question might be “yes” for all religion, except Islam; because of two reasons:
First, Islam is not considered as a new religion. It is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God’s prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God’s prophets, which includeAbraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of pure Monotheism. That is why Islam is the only religion talks highly and respectfully about people who follow other religions.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَىٰ وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans - those who believed in God and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. (2:62)
There are some interpretations that try interpret these verses to apply only before the time of Prophet Muhammad, but these interpretations ignore that the following verse is in the present tense.
وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَمَن يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَاشِعِينَ لِلَّهِ لَا يَشْتَرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
And indeed, among the People of the Scripture [the Bible] are those who believe in God and what was revealed to you and what was revealed to them, [being] humbly submissive to God. They do not exchange the verses of God for a small price. Those will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, God is swift in account. (3:199)
Every religion tells its followers that they are the only people who are saved and are going to the Paradise, but Islam tells Muslims something different.
لَّيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ ۗ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ وَلَا يَجِدْ لَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا
Paradise is not [obtained] by your wishful thinking nor by that of the People of the Scripture [the Bible]. Whoever does a wrong will be recompensed for it, and he will not find besides Allah a protector or a helper. (4:123)
Also, Islam advises the Muslims to focus on the common, not the differences, with other religions.
وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ
And do not argue with the People of the Scripture [the Bible] except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are submitted to Him." (29:46)
Second, being wrong is different than being free. So the human is free even to be wrong. Why? Simply, because we learn from our mistakes. That is why God forgives those who right their wrong. Bur what about those who did not right their wrong?
وَمَن يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ لَا بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ
And whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for which he has no proof - then his account is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed. (23:117)
It is God’s decision, not Muslims decision, to forgive them or to punish them.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (3:129)
Freedom of religion means that you are free to choose a religion or no religion at all. But it does not mean that I need to believe in all religions to allow them. God does not accept any religion except Islam, but he allowed his creatures to practice all these different religions and beliefs on the earth.
وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. (3:85)
Like God, I do not need to approve your faith to allow you practicing it; because not believing in a religion does not mean not allowing it or disrespecting it. God asked the Muslims not insult any religion.
وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِم مَّرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them about what they used to do. (6:108)
Although it is one of the biggest stereotypes about Islam that Islam was spread by the sword, and although a Muslim group killed people just because they refused to be Muslims, the truth is that freedom of religion is guaranteed in Islam, hundreds of years ago, before the United Nations. Freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Quran, Prophet Muhammad’s traditions, the history of Rightly Guided Caliphs, and the Islamic law (Shari`ah). And it is not logic to judge 15 Centuries of the history of Islam by last decades. It is not fair to judge 2 billion Muslims by few hundreds of them.
The Quran
The Quran demonstrates the freedom of choice very clear in the following verse.
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (2:256)
The Muslim scholar Al-Wahidi explained the historical context which this Quranic verses were revealed in the following story.
كان لرجل من الأنصار من بني سالم بن عوف ابنان ، فتنصرا قبل أن يبعث النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ثم قدما المدينة في نفر من النصارى يحملون الطعام ، فأتاهما أبوهما ، فلزمهما وقال : والله لا أدعكما حتى تسلما ، فأبيا أن يسلما ، فاختصموا إلى النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فقال : يا رسول الله ، أيدخل بعضي النار وأنا أنظر ؟ فأنزل الله عز وجل : ( لا إكراه في الدين قد تبين الرشد من الغي ) فخلى سبيلهما .
“A man from the Helpers, from amongst the Banu Salim Banu 'Awf, had two sons who had converted to Christianity before the advent of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace. [After the migration of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to Medina,] these two sons came to Medina along a group of Christians to trade in food. Their father went to them and refused to leave them, saying: 'By Allah! I will not leave you until you become Muslim'. They refused to become Muslim and they all went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, to settle their dispute. The father said: 'O Messenger of Allah! How can I leave a part of me enter hell fire while I just sit and look?' Allah, glorious and majestic is He, then revealed (There is no compulsion in religion…) after which he let them go”. (Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi)
So, even our kids, we can raise up on Islamic values and in Islamic environment, but we cannot force them to be Muslims
Even the prophet Muhammad, God determined his job to be just a reminder, not a controller, so he cannot force any one to be Muslim.
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ . لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ
So remind, [O Muhammad]; you are only a reminder. You are not over them a controller. (88:21-22)
He was very said because his uncle died as non-Muslim, God told him:
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided. (28:56)
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا . إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا
Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing. Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful. (76:2-3)
وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ
And say, "The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve." (18:29)
The prophet
The Prophet applied these Quranic teaching, so he never forced anyone to convert to Islam. When one of his companions "Tufail bin `Amr Ad-Dausi" asked him to send a military force with him to force his tribe to convert to Islam, the prophet refused, and told his companion: "Go back to your people, treat them gently." That is how the Islamic mission should be, and that is how Muslims should invite people to Islam, as the prophet taught us.
Even when this companion came back to the prophet, to complain about his people, and ask the prophet to supplicate to God against them, the prophet supplicated to God to guide them,
قَدِمَ طُفَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الدَّوْسِيُّ وَأَصْحَابُهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّ دَوْسًا عَصَتْ وَأَبَتْ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهَا. فَقِيلَ هَلَكَتْ دَوْسٌ. قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ دَوْسًا وَائْتِ بِهِمْ ".
Tufail bin `Amr Ad-Dausi and his companions came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The people of the tribe of Daus disobeyed and refused to follow you; so invoke Allah against them." The people said, "The tribe of Daus is ruined." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Allah! Guide the people of Daus." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2937)
Also, the prophet Muhammad had treaties that gave non-Muslims the freedom to practice their religion: one with the Jews of Madinah and another one with the Christian of Najran. Not just that, but he also permitted the delegation of Najran (fourteen Christian Chiefs) to pray in his mosque, which they did turning towards the east.
The Rightly Guided Caliphs
Rightly Guided Caliphs followed the prophet’ traditions with non-Muslims. So, the second Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab gave to the people of Jerusalem an assurance of safety and security of their persons, their families, and their possessions.
Umar was given a tour of the city, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When the time for prayer came, the Patriarch invited Umar to pray inside the Church, but Umar refused. Not because the church is not good place for Muslims to pray, but because he was worried that if he prayed there, later Muslims would use it as an excuse to convert it into a mosque – thereby depriving Christendom of one of its holiest sites. Instead, Umar prayed outside the Church, where a mosque (called Masjid Umar – the Mosque of Umar) was later built.
After 3 years, The Muslims won the war against the Byzantines in Egypt. The Pope of Alexandria (the Coptic Orthodox Church) was exiled by the Roman governor. The leader of Islamic military sent out a proclamation of safe conduct for the pope and an invitation to return to Alexandria. When he arrived, after thirteen years in concealment, the leader of Islamic military treated him with respect, and instructed him to resume control over the Coptic Church and restoration of the monasteries that had been ruined by the the Byzantines, which still exists as a functioning monastery in the present day.
Islamic law
Muslim scholars consider the first goal (objective, aim) of the Islamic law (Shari`ah) is to preserve and protect the religion. It is forbidden, in Islamic law, to afflict people in their faith or to force them to embrace another religion, even if this other religion is Islam. Also, your Islam is not valid if you convert to Islam just to marry someone, or to gain a worldly benefit.
That is why we can say that preserving the religion is the freedom of religion in our modern language uses. If preserving the religion meanpreserving only the religion of Islam, so why did the prophet Muhammad have treaties that gave non-Muslims the freedom to practice their religion?
Actually, we can understand the prophet’s life as a struggle for freedom of religion. He left Mecca because he did not have this freedom, and he fought for it, not to convert anybody.
