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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al-mizan an Exegesis of the Qur'an (volume Four) Volume 4: Surah Baqarah, Verses 256-257 There is no compulsion in the religion; truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error; therefore, whoever disbelieves the rebels (false deities) and believes in Allah, he indeed has laid hold on the strongest handle, for which there is no break off; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing (256).

Allah is the Guardian of those who believe; He brings them out of the darkness into the light; and (as to) those who disbelieve their guardians are the rebels, they take them out of the light into the darkness. They are the inmates of the Fire, in it they shall abide (257). **COMMENTARY ** QUR'AN: There is no compulsion in the religion; truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error: "al-Ikrah" means to compel someone to a work without his willingness.

“ar-Rushd" is to get at the reality of an affair; to reach the right path. “al-Ghayy” is its opposite. These two words are more general than “al-huda” (to find the path which leads to the destination) and “ad-dalal” (not to find such path) respectively. Obviously, when the word ar-rushd is used for reaching the right path it is done in the way of applying a general word for a particular example: a walker reaches reality when he travels on the right path.

Thus the words ar-rushd and al-huda are made for two different meanings, but one is used for the other because of a special associations. Allah says:. . . then if you find in them maturity of intellect: “rushdan” (4:6); And certainly We gave to Ibrahim his rectitude: “rushdahu” before (21:51). The same applies to al-ghayy and ad-dalal.

That is why we have mentioned before that ad-dalal is to deviate from the right path but with knowing and remembering the goal and destination; while al-ghayy is to deviate from the right path without even remembering the goal and destination - without knowing what one wants and where one wants to go. “There is no compulsion in the religion” negates and disapproves compulsion and coercion in religion. Religion is a set of truths which are believed in, and some of them are then acted upon.

In short, religion is belief and faith, it is a matter of conscience, and such a thing cannot, be created by coercion and compulsion. One may force someone to do a certain physical action against his will but he cannot be forced to believe against his will.