What is the meaning of: {Then would you compel the people to become believers?}
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Some of the brothers say: One who does not enter into Islam is considered free and is not compelled to enter Islam. They cite the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Yunus: 99], and His saying: [Al-Baqarah: 256]. What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding this?
Answer:
These two noble verses, and the other verses with the same meaning, the scholars have clarified that they apply to those from whom the jizyah is taken; such as the Jews, the Christians, and the Zoroastrians. They are not compelled, but rather they are given the choice between Islam and paying the jizyah.
Others among the scholars of knowledge said: That this was the case at the beginning, and then it was abrogated by the command of Allah the Exalted to fight and strive in His path. So whoever refuses to enter into Islam, it is obligatory to strive against him—with the ability to do so—until he enters into Islam, or pays the jizyah if he is from those who are subject to it.
So the obligatory thing is: To compel the disbelievers to Islam if they are not from those from whom the jizyah is taken; because their Islam brings them happiness and salvation in this world and the Hereafter. Compelling a person to the truth, which contains guidance and happiness, is better for him than falsehood, just as a person is compelled to the truth that is due to the children of Adam, even by imprisonment or beating. So compelling the disbelievers to the oneness of Allah and entering the religion of Islam is more worthy and more obligatory; because in it lies their happiness in the immediate and the ultimate, except if they are from the People of the Book; such as the Jews and the Christians, or the Zoroastrians. For these three groups, the Shari'ah has come that they are given the choice; either they enter into Islam, or they pay the jizyah with their hands while they are humbled.
And some of the scholars of knowledge held the view: To include others with them in the choice between Islam and the jizyah. And the stronger position is: That others are not included with them, but rather these three groups are the ones who are given the choice; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) fought the disbelievers in the Arabian Peninsula and did not accept from them anything but Islam. Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah: 5], and He did not say: "Or pay the jizyah."
So the Jews, the Christians, and the Zoroastrians are demanded to accept Islam. If they refuse, then the jizyah. If they refuse, it is obligatory upon the people of Islam to fight them—if they are able to do so. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : [At-Tawbah: 29].
And since it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he took the jizyah from the Majus, and it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that they took the jizyah from any of the sects other than the three mentioned, and the basis for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Anfal: 39], and His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Tawbah: 5].
And this verse is called (The Verse of the Sword), and it and its like are the abrogating verses for the verses that contain the non-compulsion to Islam. And Allah grants success.
Some of the brothers say: One who does not enter into Islam is considered free and is not compelled to enter Islam. They cite the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?
أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِAnswer:
These two noble verses, and the other verses with the same meaning, the scholars have clarified that they apply to those from whom the jizyah is taken; such as the Jews, the Christians, and the Zoroastrians. They are not compelled, but rather they are given the choice between Islam and paying the jizyah.
Others among the scholars of knowledge said: That this was the case at the beginning, and then it was abrogated by the command of Allah the Exalted to fight and strive in His path. So whoever refuses to enter into Islam, it is obligatory to strive against him—with the ability to do so—until he enters into Islam, or pays the jizyah if he is from those who are subject to it.
So the obligatory thing is: To compel the disbelievers to Islam if they are not from those from whom the jizyah is taken; because their Islam brings them happiness and salvation in this world and the Hereafter. Compelling a person to the truth, which contains guidance and happiness, is better for him than falsehood, just as a person is compelled to the truth that is due to the children of Adam, even by imprisonment or beating. So compelling the disbelievers to the oneness of Allah and entering the religion of Islam is more worthy and more obligatory; because in it lies their happiness in the immediate and the ultimate, except if they are from the People of the Book; such as the Jews and the Christians, or the Zoroastrians. For these three groups, the Shari'ah has come that they are given the choice; either they enter into Islam, or they pay the jizyah with their hands while they are humbled.
And some of the scholars of knowledge held the view: To include others with them in the choice between Islam and the jizyah. And the stronger position is: That others are not included with them, but rather these three groups are the ones who are given the choice; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) fought the disbelievers in the Arabian Peninsula and did not accept from them anything but Islam. Allah the Exalted said:
But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌSo the Jews, the Christians, and the Zoroastrians are demanded to accept Islam. If they refuse, then the jizyah. If they refuse, it is obligatory upon the people of Islam to fight them—if they are able to do so. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: :
Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.
قَاتِلُواْ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَلاَ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلاَ يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ حَتَّى يُعْطُواْ الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَAnd since it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he took the jizyah from the Majus, and it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that they took the jizyah from any of the sects other than the three mentioned, and the basis for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلّهAnd when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُواْ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌAnd this verse is called (The Verse of the Sword), and it and its like are the abrogating verses for the verses that contain the non-compulsion to Islam. And Allah grants success.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.