Fourteen hundred years ago, the Holy Quran announced, “There is no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so, whosoever refuses to be led by those who lead astray and believes in Allah (by following the course beneficial to human development and progress), has surely grasped a strong handle that knows no breaking. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Allah is the Friend of those who believe: He brings them out of every kind of darkness into light. And those who disbelieve, their friends are the transgressors who bring them out of light into every kind of darkness. These are the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide.” (2:256/257-257/258)

For the most part, people are free to choose and practice their religions. Human beings who possess free will are unable to exercise their comprehension if there is compulsion, and, therefore, they will be constrained from using their faculties to analyze and distinguish right from wrong. Without freedom of conscience, they will not be able to observe themselves and exhibit to others the benefits to humanity emanating from the exercise of free will. Compulsion will hinder human beings from developing their natural abilities to the fullest.

Compulsion is essentially futile because the beneficial and harmful aspects of human actions have long been manifestly distinguished from each other through revelation on the one hand and through everyday human experience on the other. If God is the Creator and Fashioner of this world, then His Word, the functioning of His creation, and the human experience on earth should be in harmony with each other and should support each other. There should be no contradiction between revelation and the knowledge developed from the extensive and ongoing human experience on earth.

The right and proper course justifies itself by manifesting that it is beneficial to the human body, mind, heart, and spirit. It contributes positively to human physical, intellectual, social, economic, and spiritual well-being and progress. If a course or lifestyle proposed by an ideology or religion is not proven beneficial to human beings through experience over centuries, then it is either misrepresented, misinterpreted, or a human addition.

The word of God is not arbitrary; instead, it is based on reason and knowledge.

Heavenly guidance is provided for the benefit of people. Its purpose is to help people tread a course that supports their progress, making them stronger and more resilient to change and diversity. Adherence to these principles improves the human condition. When people deviate from heavenly guidance, supported and validated by long-term human experience, they are pushed in diverse directions proposed by self-styled leaders that harm individuals, families, and societies.

Deviation from the right course affects overall human progress and achievement and mires individuals, families, and societies into the fires of anguish, distrust, quarrel, discord, unrest, disorder, disease, and even war, confirming the truth of true revelation and thus also validating the existence of God.

The gift of freedom of religion flourishes with the recognition of free will and with the righteous fellowship of free will as it prevails in pursuit of the right course.