The Ruling on the Claim of Freedom of Belief and the Use of the Verse "There is no compulsion in religion" as Evidence

The questioner:
The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling on the claim that a person has freedom of belief? Because Allah says: Therefore, the existing heavenly religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—are all valid, based on this verse. What is the ruling on this?

The Shaykh:
This statement is invalid (batil). If there were freedom in belief, where everyone believes whatever they wish, Allah would not have sent the Messengers or sent down the Books. He would have left people to believe whatever they want. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, sent down the Books and sent the Messengers and legislated jihad in the path of Allah so that Allah alone would be worshipped. As He, the Exalted, said: . He, the Exalted, said: , and that the religion should be entirely for Allah. And He said: . This is the purpose for which Allah created the creation. If people were free to believe whatever they wanted, Allah would not have sent the Messengers or sent down the Books calling for the worship of Allah alone. When the disbelievers of Quraysh were told by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to say "There is no god but Allah," they said: ? This indicates that the gods must be one God, not multiple gods. Making the gods one God is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah": there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. So whatever is worshipped besides Allah is false. This person says there is no freedom of religions and that they are all correct. This is disbelief (kufr) in Allah, Mighty and Majestic. The one who says this statement is a disbeliever (kafir). He is to be given the opportunity to repent; if he repents, well and good, otherwise he is to be killed. Because he equated the religion of Abu Jahl with the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He says they all believe whatever they wish. This is disbelief in Allah. He is to be given the opportunity to repent; if he repents, well and good, otherwise he is to be killed. This is a denial of Allah, His Messengers, and the consensus (ijma') of the Muslims that worship is not to be directed to anyone but Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and that belief is not to be anything but the belief in the oneness of Allah (tawhid). People are not free in their worship because they are servants of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. They do not worship whatever they wish; they do not worship Allah alone. This is the correct religion, the true religion: , the Noble One. And this is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah": there is no true deity except Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And every deity other than Him is false. But this person says, "No, it is not false; freedom of religions."
As for His saying, the Exalted: , its meaning is that no one is to be forced into the guidance of the heart, because this is in the hand of Allah. The hearts are in the hand of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. So we do not force anyone to enter Islam in their heart and believe in the correctness of Islam in their heart. We do not have control over this. means we do not force people to accept Islam with their hearts and believe in it. We do not have control over this. This is not in the control of anyone but Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. As for us, we call them to Islam and explain it to them. But the guidance of the hearts is in the hand of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. means in the hearts. As for us, we call them and fight them so that the religion may be for Allah alone. This is required of us. This is not compulsion to Islam; this is the removal of disbelief and the removal of shirk (associating partners with Allah) from the earth. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you.