No Compulsion in Religion
One of the most misunderstood verses in the Quran is “Let there be no compulsion in religion” (Sura 2:256). Much of a lifetime was dedicated to explaining and defending this principle.
In a 1985 lecture at the University of Milan, Western misconceptions about Islam were addressed — that it was spread by the sword, and that it is synonymous with oppression and extremism.
Six principles of tolerance in Islam were presented: unity of human origin, absolute equality, justice for all, universality of the message, special status for People of the Book, and freedom of belief.
Historical examples were also given: Prophet Muhammad hosting a Christian delegation in his mosque, and Caliph Omar refusing to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to preserve its sanctity for Christians.
Islam, it was concluded, is a religion of freedom, justice, and reverence for all revealed religions.
