A Comment on Freedom of Thought and Belief

Question:
May Allah reward you. The questioner says: We hear and read the phrase "freedom of thought," which is a call for freedom of belief. What is the Shaykh's comment on that?

Answer:
This is a false statement. There is no freedom in belief. Rather, belief is to be based on what Allah has commanded. Allah has commanded His oneness and worship, and He has threatened the disbelievers and those who associate partners with Allah with the Fire. If belief were free, Allah would not have punished them for what they believe of falsehood. This is false speech, and it is the speech of contemporary people who imitate the West or the atheists. They should repent to Allah from this speech. The human being is a slave. Either he is a slave to Allah by choice, if his deeds are good and he is upright upon the religion of Allah, then he is a slave to Allah by choice. Or if he disbelieves, he is a slave to Allah by necessity. The rulings of divine decree and destiny apply to him; illness, death, hunger, and other things befall him, and he cannot repel them because it is the decree and destiny of Allah upon him. And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: This refers to general servitude. All people are slaves to Allah in this general, necessary servitude. As for specific servitude, which is obedience, righteous deeds, and faith, this is exclusively for the believers. Yes.