No Compulsion in Islam?

[Khairan]

I don't think your conclusions follow your facts at all -- either that or you are using a very different idea of "compulsion" than I. Islam does not advocate forcing people to practice it. That is a fact. Muslims are told not to molest unbelievers and to let them live as they will, provided that they do not try to disrupt Muslim society or oppress Muslims.


That the Qur'an tells us of the consequences of disbelief is hardly a "compulsion," as people who do not accept the Qur'an (i.e. non-Muslims) will hardly be motivated to believe it's warnings to begin with.


Let me ask you: in Christianity it is a widely held and old belief (though not universal) that in order to be saved one must accept Jesus as the Son of God and as the Christ-Saviour of all humanity. Is there any difference, in your mind, between such a claim and the statements in the Qur'an you have cited above?