بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Did Islam spread with the force of sword? Some people think it did. Ironically, sword is not mentioned a single time in the book of Allah. In the book, Allah informs that He has given permission to Satan till the day of judgment to delude people, so the people who avoid Satan’s temptations and believe with the ayahs of Allah’s book to do corrections, shall be rewarded accordingly. This world is a place of test; those who reject Allah’s ayahs shall be punished by Allah. It is not for believers to punish anyone for their beliefs or to force their beliefs on any one. If Allah had willed He would have put belief in everyone’s heart, however,  He wants to test mankind as He has put the capability to recognize truth in human beings. He intends to test who uses this capacity to recognize truth and who chooses the path of violent rebellion.

10:99  وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ

If it had been your Lord’s will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! will you (the Messenger) then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!

27:92  وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَ الْقُرْآنَ ۖ فَمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ

And that I recite the Quran, and if any one accept guidance, he does it for the good of his own self, and if anyone goes astray, say “I am only a warner”.

Faith and belief cannot be forced upon any one. The Messenger and believers are ordered to convey the message only and do not use physical force to impose their belief on anyone.

50:45  نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ ۖ وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِجَبَّارٍ ۖ فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ

We know better what they say; and you are not the one to overawe them by force. So remind (them) with the Qur’an those who fear My Warning!

64:12  وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ

And obey Allah, and obey His Messenger, but if you people turn back, the duty of Our Messenger is but to proclaim (the Message) clearly and openly.

2:256  لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

There is no compulsion in Din/Judgment. The right way stands out clear from error. Thus whoever rejects taghoot (violent rebellion) and believes in Allah, has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.

Below given ayat gives the guidelines for conveying Allah’s message.

16:125  ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful sermon and reason with them the best way,  for your Lord surely knows best who strays from His path and He knows best who receives guidance

The believers immerse themselves fully in peace and security and once they are fully into Peace/Islam then they invite others into Islam/Peace and security.

2:208  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

O’ People who believe, enter into Islam/Peace completely; and follow not the footsteps of Satan for he is an open enemy to you.

47:35  فَلَا تَهِنُوا وَتَدْعُوا إِلَى السَّلْمِ وَأَنتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ وَاللَّهُ مَعَكُمْ وَلَن يَتِرَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ

Be not disheartened (you believers), and invite towards peace (Islam), you are of the higher rank and Allah is with you, and He will never put you in loss for your (good) deeds.

Al-Quran tells us an event of prophet Ibrahim (a.s) and his son when Ibrahim (a.s) sees in his sleep that he is sacrificing his son. Then prophet Ibrahim did not made a decision for his son, but he asked him what is his view point about what he saw. Quran also tells us that the dreams we see are not the actual reality but they have an interpretation. The intent of the dream was not to actually slaughter his son, as this is not allowed in Allah’s Law and Allah’s Laws do not change. The prophet Ibrahim (a.s) and his son prophet Ismaeel (a.s) knew the interpretation of the dream i.e to dedicate the life of his son in the mission of the Lord. Prophet Ibrahim did not make that decision for his son but asked him if the son agrees to dedicate his life to in the mission and only after his agreement would go in for the necessary preparations. 

37:102  فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ

So, when he reached (the age of) work with him, he (Ibrahim) said O my son! Surely I saw in the sleep, that I am sacrificing you, so observe, what you see (what is your view)?, He said: O my father! Do, as you are ordered. If Allah Wills, you will find me from those who have patience.