In the West, Muslims often tell us that Islam teaches that there must be no compulsion in religion - but wasn't this written before Mohammed's conquest of Medina?  I am going to list a number of laws enforced in Islamic countries.  Could you expound just how there is "no compulsion" in religion if the following is true:

1.  In Saudi Arabia conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.  Bibles are illegal and Churches are illegal.

2.  Yemen - This country bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions.  The Government does not allow the building of a new non-Muslim place of worship.

3.  Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups is enforced.  Members of religions not sanctioned in the Quran may not build places of worship.  It also prohibits the organized religious education for religions other than Islam.

4.  Egypt - Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation.  Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic laws are prohibited.  Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to any other faith.  Also, non-Muslims must obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.  Coptic Christians are regularly persecuted in Egypt.

5.  Algeria - The law prohibits assembly for purposes of practicing any faith other than Islam.  Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution.

6.   Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.

7.  Sudan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.  Black Christians are regularly attacked and murdered by Arabs in the Sudan. Blacks are also enslaved by Muslims in the Sudan - Christian Churches attempt to purchase these black slaves and free them.

8. Pakistan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims; Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy.

9. Afghanistan - Death penalty for conversion of Muslim to Christianity.

Can the Muslims in western countries continue to declare that Islam teaches no compulsion in religion in the face of so much evidence to the contrary?

Athanasius, there is no "true" Islamic state existing in the world today.  All of the coutries you have listed are ruled by non-Islamic governments.  if they have such laws implimented in their counties, we cannot say they are "Islamic".  If Allah said in the Holy Qur'an, which He did, that there is no complusion to His religion, then who are we going to believe?  God or non-Islamic governments? 

You are simply trying to start a fight here.  And although you are not covertly proselytizing here, you are doing it overtly.  You are trying to "show" Muslims that their faith is corrupt.  However, what you and others like you do not understand is that most Muslims know the different between God's Word and what men do in this world.

There are plenty of examples of "Christians" who have done really horrible things in this world, should we simply say that they represent Christianity?  I think not.  But I, unlike you, know the difference between a faith and those who claim to follow it. 

PAZ

Sister Khadija

Bismillah,

I agree with Sister Khadija.  It is very sad when people impose their unjust will through violence on others.  Like our American goverment in Iraq and Phalasteen and El Salvador and Columbia and...

The dictators in "Muslim" countries which are supported by the American Government answer to the Bush administration, not to the Muslims anywhere.  Where shall we send our orders that anyone of them will listen to us as opposed to the power they are beholding to -- the US government?

Ok.  I'll try.  Listen.  Musharraf, stop murdering innocent people right now, or else! (God will get you for it!)

And while I'm at it:  Bush, Pull out the troops and send them to college where the belong to learn science and stuff like that!  And then send those same people back to fix what you broke all over the world!

S.K:  Would you care to elaborate on the statement you made regarding horrible things done by Christians.  And, pleaaaaaase, don't bother mentioning the Crusades - that song and dance has been proven bogus by the current Pope, God bless him:

There are plenty of examples of "Christians" who have done really horrible things in this world, should we simply say that they represent Christianity?  I think not.  But I, unlike you, know the difference between a faith and those who claim to follow it.

akmf:  You need to get an education.  Your vocabulary is at about 5th grade level.  And you say you're in Canada?  Typical government school education.

****edited*****

Do you even work - you're here all day as far as I can see. Go to the Middle East and see how quickly they educate you.  Maybe you can live in a dirt-floor hut in Arafatland and chant the Koran all day (that's the only education you'd get there.)  Oh yeah, you can learn Middle Eastern geography without any map showing Israel.  What sheer stupidity. 

As far as Canadian Government schools go - seems to me that if they produce such great thinkers as yourself, I'll just have to reconsider my opinion.

***What you said violates rule 11. of the guidelines.  Insulting others is not permitted.***

Torrencedelay wrote: S.K:  Would you care to elaborate on the statement you made regarding horrible things done by Christians.  And, pleaaaaaase, don't bother mentioning the Crusades - that song and dance has been proven bogus by the current Pope, God bless him: There are plenty of examples of "Christians" who have done really horrible things in this world, should we simply say that they represent Christianity?  I think not.  But I, unlike you, know the difference between a faith and those who claim to follow it.

I wasn't even thinking Crusades, and was simply trying to make a point that there are "bad" people in all walks of like.  I guess you simply can't look reality in the face.  You don't have to tell me about the Catholic Church; I'm an ex-Catholic so I'm not going to get into it with you about the Crusades.  Since you can't simply accept reality, I will point out a couple of examples.  The KKK who are "Christians"; you can check that out on their web site and you will see.  Then there are the "Christians" who bomb abortion clinics?  I did not make that statement out of ignorance or to start an arguement so I will leave it at that.  Like I said, I just wanted to call attention to the fact that you can't point out the bad some do and blame it on the faith they profess to be involved in.  If you do it to others, you set yourself up to have others do it back to you. 

PAZ

Sister Khadija 

Members of the KKK are not evangelical Christians.  In fact, I know for a fact that Chrsitian churches oppose membership in racist organizations.  Furthermore, name one evangelical Christian who has ever bombed an abortion clinic.  You are simply attempting to draw attention away from the culture of madness that exists within Islam - the culture of terrorism, spawned in the pea brains of the ayatollahs, who seek to dominate the world with their half-brained philosophy of Muslim superiority.

When a Christian flies a plane into a civilian building, sis, and kills over 3,000 innocent people - then you can say something.  Until then, you're playing games here.  You don't want to admit that your so-called religion has mothered terrorists who cry out that their god is so great as they dash their planes into the earth, killing hundreds of people.  It is a religion of madness.