Chapter 3: Freedom of religion applied by the Prophet Muhammad

Religious freedom between Islam and fanatic Muslims

   Part One: Freedom of Religion in Islam

1- “No compulsion in religion”

Insincere religious leaders in Muslim World don’t feel good about God’s saying: “Let there be no compulsion in religion.” 2/ 256. They misinterpret its meaning alleging that compulsion can’t be used to force people to embrace Islam, yet it should be used to force Muslims to implement the laws that some of which wasn’t legislated by God. One of these false laws they invented is killing Muslim who converted from Islam to other religion.

 This misinterpretation distorts the meaning of this Quranic verse which is confirmed by other verse saying to the Prophet Mohamed ( If it had been your Lord’s Will, surely all those who are in the earth would have believed, all of them; will you then force people till they become believers?( 10 . 99). Glory to God Who doesn’t forget anything, and thank God because He kept the Quran away from any violation, otherwise insincere religious leaders would change whatever they want.

 “No compulsion in religion” is a basic Quranic rule, confirmed – directly and indirectly - by more than one thousand verse, and was applied by the Prophet Mohamed during his life.

“No compulsion in religion” was revealed in Al Medina when the Muslims in the time of the Prophet Mohamed had a powerful Islamic state. This verse had been revealed to confirm hundreds of verses were revealed before in Mecca when Muslims were persecuted.

“No compulsion in religion” means clearly that there must not be any compulsion in forcing people to believe in God or not, or to perform rites. God wants people to worship Him out of their choice and conscience, and not to pray for Him out of fear. God wants people to give charity out of loving Him. And out of their desire to satisfy Him, not to satisfy superiors or to gain people’s love.

In Al Medina in the time of the Prophet Mohamed there were the old lecherous of Al Medina before Islam who hated Muslims and Islam, yet they claimed to be Muslims to plot against the Prophet Mohamed and Muslims. God named them “Hypocrites”. Those Hypocrites used to   give charity not for God’s love. So God asked the prophet not to take their charity. God says: “the only reason why their contributions are not accepted is: that they reject God and His Messenger, that they come to prayer without earnestness, and that they offer contributions unwillingly.”( 9. 54 ). And God says about believers who have repented: “Others have acknowledged their wrong doings, they have mixed an act that was good with another that was evil, perhaps God will turn unto them in mercy for God is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful . Of their goods take alms. That you would purify and sanctify them thereby, and pray for them. Verily your prayer is a relief to them” 9/ 102- 103.

 2- Freedom in Quran is a responsible freedom. You are free in what you think and free to obey or disobey under condition of not harming others. Yet you should be punished when you harm others for the benefit of the entire community. That is why God approved punishment of crimes of killing, banditry, robbery, adultery, and accusing pious married women of having sexual relationship with men other than their husbands. However, Quran doesn’t suggest any punishment for renegades, wine drinkers or those who don’t perform prayers. These punishments were invented by Abbasids, two centuries and more after the death of the Prophet Mohamed. It is related to the Sunni Sharee’a which contradicts Islam.

3- Insincere religious scholars find the Islamic Quranic value of “enjoining just and forbidding evil.” a way to dominate others, adding many forbidden matters that were created by them or their ancestors. Those forbidden matters were not known during the time of the Prophet Mohamed; however they see the value of “enjoining just and forbidding evil” as a pretext for compulsion in religion.

“Enjoining just and forbidding evil” is a mere verbal order and a prohibition recommended for every Muslim and not limited to a certain group. It is for the entire Muslim society to be active in advising each other in the field of high values and to purify themselves through good education God describes the good society saying : “Those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and join together in the mutual teaching of truth , and tolerance”( 103. 3). It is a kind of cooperation in maintaining the good values as God orders the Muslim society saying “ And help each other in goodness and piety , and do not help each other in evil and aggression” ( 5 . 2).

This verbal advice doesn’t authorize anybody to force others to do good deeds, and this is proved by God’s saying to Muhammad: “ And be kind to the believers who follow you. Then if they disobey you, say: I am free of responsibility for what you do”( 26/ 214: 216). God orders him to be modest with believers, and to say that he is free of responsibility of their deeds when they disobey him, but not to hit them with chains. Likewise, God doesn’t order the prophet to say he is free of them. God says to the prophet: “say: I am free of responsibility for what ye do”. It means he is free of their bad deeds not to be free of them in person. These are the limits of “enjoining just and forbidding evil”. We can say we are free of someone’s misdeeds when he insists on them. This is what Prophet Mohamed used to do with his companions. Yet the problem is that some people grant themselves an authority higher than that of the Prophet Mohamed himself.

How did Prophet Mohamed act with his companions and hypocrites? And how far did hypocrites enjoy freedom during the first Islamic state in Al Medina? The answer to insincere religious leaders lies in the answers of these questions.

2- Freedom of religion in Muhammad’s Government

Muhammad wasn’t a normal ruler. He was a messenger and prophet who used to get a divine revelation and that spread his religion within his state and out of it. Hypocrites represented opposition against Muhammad’s government. They opposed Islam and the prophet’s policies and authority. Yet their fear prevented them from raising an armed riot against the state. They were too weak to demonstrate. So they found it enough to conspire against he prophet, then to swear that they were innocent. However, they enjoyed great freedom of words and deeds - that Quran assured for them- against the state they lived within but worked against.

Quran answered their cons and allegations, and disclosed their conspiracies, yet recommended the prophet and Muslims to turn away from disbelievers and feel that the punishment waiting for them in the Hereafter is sufficient.

3- How far oppositions enjoyed freedom of opinion:

1- Hypocrites insulted believers and described them as fools, Quran answered them saying: “when it is said to them: believe as the other believe, they say: shall we believe as the fools believe? Nay, of a surely they are the fools, but they don’t know” 2/ 13.

2- Hypocrites liked to make fun of believers especially at the times before wars. They described rich people who gave charity as hypocrites, and made fun of poor people who gave charity, while they held their hands and refused to give charity. God says: “They who taunt those of the faithful who give their alms freely, and those who give to the extent of their earnings and scoff at them; Allah will pay them back their scoffing, and they shall have a painful chastisement”.

 Prophet Mohamed used to pray for them asking God to forgive them in spite of their bad deeds. God said: “Ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them; this is because they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.”( 9/ 79-80).

3- Hypocrites expressed their opinions concerning Quran freely, and they made fun of it publicly in many ways. God says: “The hypocrites fear lest a( Quranic ) chapter should be sent down to them telling them plainly of what is in their hearts. Say: Go on mocking, surely Allah will bring forth what you fear.”( 9/ 64).

4-Hypocrites asked sarcastically whose faith increased when new verses descended. God says: “And whenever a ( Quranic )chapter is revealed, there are some of them who say: Which of you has it strengthened in faith? Then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice?”( 9/124).

5- Hypocrites listened to the prophet reciting Quran and went out underestimating what they listened to and asked the people about it. God says to his prophet: “And there are those of them who seek to listen to you, until when they go forth from you, they say to those who have been given the knowledge: What was it that he said just now? These are they upon whose hearts Allah has set a seal and they follow their low desires.?” 47/16.

6- When hypocrites were asked why they made fun of Quran, they said, with no heed, that they were playing. Yet the prophet, the ruler of the state, didn’t take any action against them, because God would punish them in the Hereafter. God says: “And if you should question them, they would certainly say: We were only idly discoursing and sporting. Say: Was it at Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you mocked?. Do not make excuses; you have denied indeed after you had believed; if We pardon a party of you, We will chastise (another) party because they are guilty.”( 9/ 65-66).

7- Hypocrites summoned public councils to mock Quran. Some Muslims attended these councils with good intentions, but Quran was sent warning them not to attend them, some of them kept attending the councils. God says: “And indeed He has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah's verses disbelieved in and mocked at, do not sit with them until they talk about some other discourse; surely then you would be like them; surely Allah will gather together the hypocrites and the unbelievers all in hell” 4/ 140.

8- Hypocrites insulted the prophet despite that he was the political leader and the messenger who possessed the holy inspiration. The prophet was ordered to consult people around him, so he did, and included hypocrites- who were leaders of Al Medina before him- in his discussions. And through their councils, hypocrites tried to set up traps for the prophet. So God warned him. God says: “O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the Unbelievers and the Hypocrites “ ( 33. 1). Then they accused the prophet of giving his ear to everyone when they found the prophet listening to others, so God said: “among them are men who harm the prophet and say: he is all ear. Say: he listens to what is best for you, he believes in God, has trust in the believers and is a mercy to those of you who believer. But those who hurt the messenger of Allah will have a grievous penalty”.( 9/ 61).

God Almighty is the One who defended the prophet and described him as a mercy to believers, and pledged to punish those who harmed the prophet. Yet the prophet’s authority as a leader wasn’t given a role in that free community that allowed infidel opposition, covered with faith, to say what it wanted. God ordered his prophet to turn away from hypocrites’ harm and not to obey them. God says: “and obey not the behests of the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and heed not their annoyances, but put thy trust in God, for enough is God as a Disposer of affairs”. (33/48).

9- Hypocrites slandered the prophet when he deprived them from talking charity because they were rich. They rejected that decision and chased believers with their bad words. God says: “And of them ,there are those who slander you in the matter of the distribution of the alms; so if they are given from it they are pleased, and if they are denied it, lo! They are full of rage.” (9/ 58).

In long and short, Hypocrites enjoyed freedom of opinion during the time of Muhammad’s government. And through such freedom, they expressed their own views on Islam, Quran, and the prophet. Quran’s teachings assured this right for them, and the prophet forgave them and prayed for God to forgive them.

4 -The Extent of Opposition in Muhammad’s Government

Hypocrites’ freedom of opinion wasn’t limited to public declaration, but extended to actions, plots and conspiracies. Quranic legislation didn’t interfere until the Hypocrites trespassed the red line and their conspiracies harmed the state when it was surrounded by enemies. That was during the battle of (The Coalition : Al Ahzab). We can follow their conspiratorial steps to declare their views through Quranic verses:

1-Hypocrites were free to corrupt communities. They were free to call for corruption without being questioned or punished. Yet when they were asked about their deeds, they answered freely that this was reformation from their own point of view. God says: “And when it is said to them, do not make mischief in the land, they say: We are but peace-makers. Now surely they themselves are the mischief makers, but they do not perceive. ”( 2/ 11- 12).

2-While believers were enjoining what was just and forbidding what was evil, hypocrites were enjoining evil, and forbidding what was just and refusing to give Charity. They could declare their stance through an atmosphere of freedom that we can’t imagine to occur now in Muslim World. God says: “the hypocrites, men and women, have an understanding with each other. They enjoyed evil, and forbid what is just” 9/ 67. Believers were the opposite. God says: “the believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another: they enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil, they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity and obey God and His apostle. Upon them will God pour his mercy.”( 9/ 71).

The concept of “enjoying what is just and forbidding what is evil” was limited within Muslim community to verbal advice, without compulsion, harming or denying others.

3- Hypocrites rejected the prophet’s judgment, though he was the official leader, in an attempt to express their opposition to his authority. However the prophet turned away from them. God says: Have you not seen those who assert that they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They desire to summon one another to the false deity, though they were commanded to deny him, and Satan would mislead them far astray. And when it is said to them: Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger, you will see the hypocrites turning away from you with (utter) aversion.”(4/ 60- 61).

Actually Hypocrites were satisfied with Islamic judgment if it was for their benefit. God says: “when they are summoned to God and His apostle, in order that he may judge between them, behold, some of them decline to come, but if the right is on their side, they come to him with full submission.”( 24/ 48- 49). God suggests that obeying Quranic legislation is optional, yet He states that believers should hear and obey it. God says: “the answer of the believers, when summoned to God and His apostle, in order that he may judge between them, is no other than this: they say: we hear and we obey. It is such as these that will attain felicity.” (24/ 51).

4- Even at times of wars and emergency, hypocrites had total freedom of words and deeds against their state. In spite of the fact that modern democracies resort to human regulations and exceptional laws, Quranic legislation support freedom to an incomparable extent.

*During the battle of (Uhud), hypocrites were free not to fight with Muslims. Then they put the responsibility of defeat on Muslims on grounds that Muslims didn’t obey them and refused to stay in the city of Al Medina. God says: “And that He might know the hypocrites; and it was said to them: Come, fight in Allah's cause, or defend yourselves. They said: If we knew fighting, we would certainly have followed you. They were on that day much nearer to unbelief than to belief. They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and Allah best knows what they conceal. Those who, while they sat at home, said of their brethren (who were fighting for the cause of Allah): If they had been guided by us they would not have been slain. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Then avert death from yourselves if ye are truthful.”( 3/ 167).

God gave the answer to the prophet: “Say : then avert death from yourselves if ye are truthful.”(

3/ 167 -).

*During the battle of Al-ahzab, the enemy soldiers from different tribes led by Qureish surrounded the city of Medina, and the hypocrites couldn’t get out. So hypocrites got panicked and turned into spies for the disbeliever enemies. Moreover, they mocked the prophet’s promise of victory, called Muslims not to join the fight, and left their posts of safeguarding. Muslims faced hard times that God describes as: “When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned dull, and the hearts rose up to the throats, and you began to think diverse thoughts of Allah.. There the believers were tried and they were shaken with severe shaking. And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease began to say: Allah and His Messenger did not promise us (victory) but only to deceive. And when a party of them said: O people of Yasrib! There IS no place to stand for you (here), therefore go back; and a party of them asked permission of the prophet, saying. Surely our houses are exposed; and they were not exposed; they only desired to flee away.” (33/ 10 :13).

God says about hypocrites’ role in calling believers for not joining fight or defending themselves: “verily Allah knows indeed those among you who hinder others and those who say to their brethren: Come to us; and they come not to the fight but in small numbers” 33/ 18.

During those hard times, three groups of hypocrites emerged; each had a damaging role that deserved God to send verses of threatening Hypocrites and defining a red line for them. God says: “If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease and the agitators in the city do not desist, We shall most certainly set you over them, then they shall not be your neighbors in it but for a little while”( 33/ 60).

God warned Hypocrites to stop playing their dirty games and threatened to order the prophet to take an action against them.

*In the battle of (Zatel Ossra) Hypocrites didn’t want to join fight on grounds it was too hot. So God deprived them of the honor of jihad in the future. God says: “Those who were left behind were glad on account of their sitting behind Allah's Messenger and they were averse from striving in Allah's way with their property and their persons, and said: Do not go forth in the heat. Say: The fire of hell is much severe in heat.  Would that they understood (it)”.( 9/ 81). God deprived them of getting the honor of jihad as their life penalty. God says: “Therefore if Allah brings you back to a party of them and then they ask your permission to go forth, say: By no means shall you ever go forth with me and by no means shall you fight an enemy with me; surely you chose to sit the first time, therefore sit (now) with those who remain behind.”( 9/ 83).

The second penalty is that no one would pray for them when they die. God says: “And never offer prayer for any one of them who dies and do not stand by his grave; surely they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger and they shall die in transgression.”( 9/ 84).

Through Quran, we realize that compulsory recruitment wasn’t included within Islamic military according to Quranic constitution that suggests that there is no compulsion in religion. From here, the principle of volunteering life and money as the only way of mobilizing Muslim army came. And through the same principle of “no compulsion in religion” hypocrites enjoyed their freedom of rejecting recruitment and fight whether to defend the city of Medina in the battle of (Ahzab) or to go out with Muslims in their protective wars over the desert of Arabian Peninsula. Yet punishing them was in passive ways that were limited to turning away from them.

God is the only One who knows what is hidden in people’s hearts. God says: “and Allah knows best your faith: you (branch off), one from the other”( 4/ 25).

God talked about renegades of hypocrites who rejected Islam and made their punishment in life and in the hereafter in His hand. God Almighty says: “They swear by Allah that they did not speak, and certainly they did speak, the word of unbelief, and disbelieved after their Islam, and they had determined upon what they have not been able to effect, and they did not find fault except because Allah and His Messenger enriched them out of His grace; therefore if they repent, it will be good for them; and if they turn back, Allah will chastise them with a painful chastisement in this world and the hereafter, and they shall not have in the land any guardian or a helper” 9 / 74.

5- The opposition of hypocrites reached the level of conspiracy against the state, and this conspiracy took different forms:

*- hypocrites spread rumors at times of wars, and they conspired against Muslims during the battle of ( Al Ahzab) when danger was threatening all.(33/ 60). Yet they kept spreading rumors at times of peace too. God says: “when there comes to them some matter touching public safety or fear, they divulge it. If they had only referred it to the apostle, or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have tested it ” (4/ 83). This means, they disclosed secrets and spread rumors and speculations without going back to concerned authorities.

*- Because of their numerous rumors, Medina turned into a beehive within which gossip and rumors were exchanged, as the community of that city was open and free both politically and religiously. Despite God prohibiting the habit of holding secret counsels, yet hypocrites did not obey Him and insisted on holding their secret councils. They showed the prophet fake love. God says: “Have you not seen those who are forbidden secret counsels, then they return to what they are forbidden, and they hold secret counsels for sin and revolt and disobedience to the Messenger, and when they come to you they greet you with a greeting with which Allah does not greet you, and they say in themselves: Why does not Allah punish us for what we say? Hell is enough for them; they shall enter it, and evil is the resort!”(58/ 8).

The habit of holding secret counsels hit some Muslims in Medina. God says to them: “O you who believe! when you confer together in private, do not give to each other counsel of sin and revolt and disobedience to the Messenger, and give to each other counsel of goodness and guarding (against evil); and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, to Whom you shall be gathered together.” (58/ 9).

Then God explains the aim of hypocrites saying: “secret counsels are only inspired by the evil one, in order that he may cause grief to the believers, but he can not harm them in the least, except as God permits, and in God let the believers put their trust”( 58/ 11).

*- Hypocrites conspired against the prophet and pretended to be obedient. Quran revealed their dishonesty saying: “And they say: Obedience. But when they go out from your presence, a party of them decide by night upon doing otherwise than what you say; and Allah writes down what they decide by night, therefore turn aside from them and trust in Allah, and Allah is sufficient as a protector.”( 4/ 81).

*- Hypocrites conspiracy resulted in a split among Muslims, so Quran considered it good for Muslims when Hypocrites rejected to join their fight in the battle of (Zatel Ossra). God says: “Had they gone forth with you, they would not have added to you aught save corruption, and they would certainly have hurried about among you seeking (to sow) dissension among you, and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; and Allah knows the unjust. Certainly they sought (to sow) dissension before, and they meditated plots against you until the truth came, and Allah's commandment prevailed although they were averse (to it).” (9/ 47- 48).

*- Conspiracy dedicated hypocrites to contact Muslims’ enemies of disbelievers to form confidential allies against Muhammad’s government. Quran revealed these allies between hypocrites and disbelievers in many points. Nevertheless, in top modern democracies, contacting enemy governments at times of wars means  a great treason, but Islamic legislation does not specify a punishment for it , it is up to Allah to nullify this plot as peaceful Muslims put their trust in Him alone. God says: “Those who wait for (some misfortune to befall) you then if you have a victory from Allah they say: Were we not with you? And if there IS a chance for the unbelievers, they say: Did we not acquire the mastery over you and defend you from the believers? So Allah shall Judge between you on the day of resurrection, and Allah will by no means give the unbelievers a way against the believers?”( 4/ 141). God says about hypocrites’ confidential alliance with Muslims’ enemies in the time of war: “But you will see those in whose hearts is a disease hastening towards them, saying: We fear lest a calamity should befall us; but it may be that Allah will bring the victory or a punishment from Himself, so that they shall be regretting on account of what they hid in their souls.”( 5/ 55).

God says also: “Have you not seen those who have become hypocrites? They say to those of their brethren who disbelieve from among the followers of the Book: If you are driven forth, we shall certainly go forth with you, and we will never obey any one concerning you, and if you are fought against, we will certainly help you, and Allah bears witness that they are most surely liars.” (59/ 11).

God says about their penalty in the hereafter: “Have you not seen those who befriend a people with whom Allah is wroth? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear falsely while they know. God has prepared for them a severe penalty; evil indeed are their deeds”( 58/ 14- 15).

*- Hypocrites conspired to expel the Prophet Mohamed and Muslims from Al Medina, and cease providing believers. God says: “They it is who say: Do not spend upon those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they break up. And Allah's are the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand. They say: If we return to Medina, the mighty will surely drive out the meaner there from; and to Allah belongs the might and to His Messenger and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” ( 63 / 7-8 ).

Quran narrated some events of their conspiracy like spying. God says: “And whenever a chapter is revealed, they cast glances at one another: Does any one see you? Then they turn away:.”( 9 / 127 )

And says: “And when it is said to them: Believe as the people believe they say: Shall we believe as the fools believe? Now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not know and when they meet those who believe, they say: We believe; and when they are alone with their Shaitans(devils, evil spirits, evil thoughts), they say: Surely we are with you, we were only mocking. Allah shall pay them back their mockery, and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.

”( 2/ 13-15).

This means that God gave them freedom to choose the wrong way and to reach to its end.

*- Through their huge freedom, hypocrites could build a mosque to be a den used to conspire against Muslims and harm them. They turned that mosque into a place for everyone conspired against Islam and the state of the prophet. God says: “And those who built a mosque (masjid )to cause harm and for unbelief and to cause disunion among the believers and an ambush to him who made war against Allah and His Messenger before; and they will certainly swear: We did not desire aught but good; and Allah bears witness that they are most surely”( 9/ 107). Muslims used to go to that mosque with good intentions, and it seems that the prophet used to go as well, unknowing what was going on in that mosque.

God said to His Prophet :“ Never stand in it; certainly a mosque founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it; in it are men who love that they should be purified; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.” ( 9 / 108 )

In contrast to some narrations written by Muslims two centuries after that, suggest that the prophet burned that mosque, which is against Quranic legislation, the following verse indicates that the prophet didn’t burn the mosque, God says: “the foundation of those who so build is never free from suspicion and shakiness in their hearts, until their hearts are cut to pieces. And God is All knowing, Wise” (9/ 110).

*- The prophet and believers found it was enough to boycott the den to obey God’s saying: “Never stand in it”. It was the policy followed by the prophet to deal with his enemies inside his state. He turned away form them, left them enjoying their freedom of religion and declaring their opinions in words and actions, even if that reached the degree of conspiracy.

6- It may be said that this policy is not proper in our current time and we have to take protective measures or legislate exceptional regulations in order to face conspiracy against freedom. However, Quran recommends the best way of protection against conspiracy: To own more freedom with putting trust in God. God created man free in the field of religion and thoughts. No one – including the prophets – has the right to control man’s freedom or seize it. Actually, it is the best way for safety in time of war and emergency. Most of this fear of potential matters may be just doubts in the minds of leaders. It is for their own desire of power, to make people scared of some illusions. This give the leaders more control on people. Finally it will affect people freedom and security as well. According to the holy Quran, opening ways for exceptions and assaults on free will leads to covert oppression then overt one. God says: “And they say: Obedience. But when they go out from your presence, a party of them decide by night upon doing otherwise than what you say; and Allah writes down what they decide by night, therefore turn aside from them and trust in Allah, and Allah is sufficient as a protector.”( 4/ 81). The protection is to turn away form Hypocrites and put our trust in God who is the supporter and the defender.

*- Hypocrites’ psychology is composed of fear, doubt, disloyalty and inability to trust others. This causes failure to their conspiracies at some point, and this stops them from continuing their plots. God says about the fear of hypocrites: “they swear by God that they are indeed of you, but they are not of you, yet they are afraid to appear in their true colors. If they could find a place to flee to, or caves, or a place of concealment, they would turn straightway thereto, with an obstinate rush”( 9/ 56- 57).

- Hypocrites allied with the enemies of Muslims in order to win the battle with Muslims, saying that they would go out with them if Muslims won. Quran revealed the confidential alliance and predicted that hypocrites would not help their allies: “if they are expelled, never will they go out with them, and if they are attacked in fight, they will never help them and if they do help them they will turn their backs, so they will receive no help.”( 59/ 12-).

Believers were stronger because of their faith in God and their application of His law. With applying the concept of (no compulsion in religion), God can grant victory believers today if they understand the truth of Islam. This truth which was distorted by the Sunni Sharee’a, made up by the insincere Middle Age scholars.

However, we still have the Quran. God says: “Surely We have revealed the Reminder (Quran), and We will most surely be its guardian”(15 / 9) with the Quran we can guide Muslims to accept religious freedom as an Islamic value along with democracy , justice, tolerance and peace. With  the Quran we can confirm the contradiction between Islam and the fanatic bloody religious culture of terrorism.