There is no doubt nor disbute that the Quran considers the liberation of humans from various chains and limitations as one of the goals of this truth-seeking religion. Yet, some people by confining and limiting this freedom to spiritual dimensions, ignore the clear stance of the Quran regarding political, social and ideological freedom. They say that if we let the greedy and lustful human free, nothing but corruption and destruction will result. Thus, they view greater social freedom as the cause for decreasing of not only general freedoms, but spiritual freedom as well.
In contrast, the Quran views humans differently, and despite many warnings about the dangers of lust, selfishness and condeming the hasty nature of mankind, it also praises our positive and noble characterisitcs. Some examples mentioned would be: the dignity of mankind and superiority over many creatures[1], our pride in carrying God’s trust[2], reliance on our position as the caliph (representative) of God[3] and the prostration of angels for us[4]. The Quran considers all of these as a testimony to our freedom, because as mentioned in verse 165 of Surah Al-An’am, humans will be faced with trials and hence have been assigned to this exalted level in order to be compatible and deserving of the reward or consequence that follows.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ.
And it is He Who has made you successors on the earth, and raised some of you above others in grades that he may try you in respect to what He has given you. Verily your Lord is swift in retribution, and indeed He is Forgiving, Merciful.
This is the same point which is introduced as the philosophy of life and death in the second verse of Surah Al-Mulk:
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ.
The Lord who created death and life so that He may test you that which of you is better in deed. And He is the Omnipotent, the Oft-Forgiving.
Yet, there are narrow-minded individuals who suppose that guidance and bringing people to faith is of such priority that the bitterness and ugliness of religious coercion can be tolerated and justified. In the early days of Islam, there were a group of muslims who accompanied the Prophet and yet believed that they had more sympathy and were more concerned about the interests of religion than him.
According to an authentic hadith previously documented by the commander of the faithful-Imam Ali and then narrated by Imam Reza, the concerned put pressure on Prophet Muhammad to deprive people of their freedom to increase the strength and power of Islam. But the Prophet’s answer to them was: ”I’m not willing to meet my dear and great God with a heresy that He did not share with me, I am not a person of duress and compulsion”! It was here that verse 99 of Surah Yunus was revealed:
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ.
And if your Lord had willed whoever is on the earth would have believed, all of them, all together. Will you then compel the people till they become believers?
In continuation of this enlightening hadith, the meaning of the verse has been explained as follows: ”God says that If I wanted, I could have forced people to have no other option but to accept religion, just like when they will notice the truths of this existence after death and when the hardships of the afterlife are observed. But if I had done that, then they would no longer be worthy of any reward or praise from me. Rather, I want people to believe with their own freedom and choice so that they become worthy of my company (nearness) and a dignified eternal life in heaven”[5].
It is for this reason that the Quran very frankly says several times without any compromise or fear, the same point mentioned in ayah 29 of Surah Al-Kahf:
وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ.
And say: ”The truth is from your Lord; so whoever will, let him believe, whoever will, let him cover the truth (disbelieve)”
The creator of the universe knows very well the consequences of opening the path of evil and corruption to those who desire sin.[6] Yet, God will let them drown in their games[7], rebellion[8], and their lusts and desires[9] in order for the freedom and free will of all individuals to continue to persist. It is for this reason that in verse 28 of Surah Hud, God quotes the words of Prophet Noah who said to his people; ”when you do not see these clear reasons and do not like this divine mercy, then why should we force you to it?”:
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي وَآتَانِي رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِهِ فَعُمِّيَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنُلْزِمُكُمُوهَا وَأَنتُمْ لَهَا كَارِهُونَ.
He said: ”O my People! Tell me, if I be upon a clear proof from my Lord, and He has grant me a mercy from His Presence, but has been obscured for you; shall we compel you to it while you are averse to it?”
Of course, in an open environment, enemies will also gain the opportunity to advocate. God has set up this trial, and has decided to leave the ”devils” free in their enmity and in spreading their falsehood[10] so that people choose for themselves.
The Quran emphasises freedom of expression for its oponents as it considers the recieving of divine guidance to be in light of avoiding the worship of idols to whom God has also given time and opportunity for self-realisation and amendment. The Quran considers the perfection of humanity to lie on the path of listening to a variety of opinions and choosing the best of them. Accordingly, in verses 17 and 18 of Surah Al-Zumar we read:
وَالَّذِينَ اجْتَنَبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُوهَا وَأَنَابُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَىٰ فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ. الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ.
And those who avoid false deities [powers antithetical to God] so that they do not worship them and turn to Allah, for them are glad tidings; so announce the good news to My servants. Those who listen to the Word and follow the best thereof, those are men of understanding.
No sane person favours unlimited freedom, yet the banning and censoring of the works and media of other schools of thought and labelling them as fake views or ”dhalleh (deceitful) books” is not part of this religion’s mission and has not been deemed necessary. Instead, the believers are advised to treat everyone, even the enemies of religion fairly and justly. Based on this golden moral rule which says ”whatever you don’t like for yourself, then don’t like for others”, we learn that if we were to so create any resitrictions for the freedom of our opponents, it would be the same restrictions that we wouldn’t mind if they were to apply to us. For example, there is a held view that we as muslims can promote our religion in other countries, but we will not allow others to promote their religion in our countries. Yet how would this be fair? Then surely if we wouldn’t like someone to stop us from expressing our beliefs, we should not suppress the freedom of expression of others.
Whilst considering the points above, we can see that verse 194 of Surah Al-Baqarah adds onto our discussion by expressing that, only depriving the freedom of those who violate the rights of others is compatible with piety (God consciousness):
فَمَنِ اعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُوا عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ.
“Whoever then trespasses you, then trespass against them as they have done to you, and have awe for Allah, and know that Allah is with the pious ones.”
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Islamic Library: Introduction to Islam
[1]. In verse 70 of Surah Al-Isra we read:
«وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا»
And indeed we have honoured the children of Adam, and We carried them on the land and the sea; and We provided them with sustenance of the good things; and We preferred them greatly over many of those created.
[2] . In verse 72 of Surah Al-Ahzab, it is said:
«إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا»
erily we offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid thereof; and man undertook it, verily he is unjust, ignorant.
[3] . The story of the creation of man begins in verse 30 of Surah Al-Baqarah like this:
«وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ»
And when your Lord saif to the angels: ’I will certainly appoint a successor on earth’, they said: ’will You place therein one who will cause corruption and bloodshed, while we praise You and sanctify You?’ Allah said: ’Indeed, I know that which you do not know.’
[4] . In addition to mentioning the prostration of the angles for Adam in the begining of Surah Al-Baqarah alongside other verses, in verse 11 of Surah Al-A’raf, it is mentioned about the prostration of angels to Adam after the creation and appearance of all humans:
«وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ لَمْ يَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ»
And indeed we created you, then We fashioned you, then We said to the angels: ”Prostrate yourself unti Adam2so they all did prostrate themselvesexcept Iblis; he was not of the prostrating ones.
[5] . Sheikh Sadugh, Ayun Akhbar Al-Redha (a.s.), Tehran; Jahan: vol 1, pg 134.
[6] . In Surah Al-Qiyamah, verse 5 we read:
«بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ»
Nay! Man desires to be free to continue committing sins all his life!
[7]. In verse 91 of Surah Al-An’am we read:
«قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ»
Say: Allah, then leave them sporting in their vain discourses.
[8] . In verse 110 of Surah Al-An’am it is stated:
«وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ»
And We will turn their hearts and their sights, even as they did not believe in it the first time; and We will leave them in their contumacy wandering blindly.
[9] . In the third verse of Surah Al-Hijr we read:
«ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُوا وَيَتَمَتَّعُوا وَيُلْهِهِمُ الْأَمَلُ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ»
Leave them so that they may eat and enjoy themselves, and that they may be bemused by hope for they will soon know.
[10] . This statement is very clearly stated in verse 112 of Surah Al-An’am:
«وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ»
And thus did We assign for every prophet an enemy, the satans from humans and jinn, who inspire each other with flashy words to deceive (them). And had your Lord pleased they would have done it. (Allah’s way of treatment is freedom of men) therefore, leave them with what they forge.