The Ruling on One Who Says, "You Are Free in What You Worship"

Question:
He asks: Are there any Shari'ah rules and guidelines for loyalty and disavowal? And what is the ruling on one who says, "You are free in what you worship"?

Answer:
Loyalty and disavowal are among the foundations of the religion. It is loving the believers and hating the disbelievers. This loyalty and disavowal is loving the people of faith and supporting them, and hating the disbelievers and not supporting them. This is loyalty and disavowal.
As for the one who says that a person is free in what he worships, he is a disbeliever. For Allah (Mighty and Majestic) did not make people free in their worship. Rather, He commanded them to worship Him alone, having no partner with Him. So there is no freedom in religion. There is only faith in Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and the worship of Allah They were not commanded except to worship one God, there is no deity except Him, (Glorified and Exalted is He) above what they associate with Him. So all of creation must follow one religion, which is the worship of Allah alone, having no partner with Him, and following His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And the one who does not believe in this is a disbeliever who has apostatized from the religion of Islam.