Regarding the statement of the Qur'an "لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّين", Sheikh Amin Ahsan Islahi, rejecting the interpretations of the renewers, revivers and namesake reformers, states as follows:
In these times, a minority interpret it as rejection of force in law (in addition to force in personal choice) and state as proof that since there is no compulsion in religion, the punishments attributed in Islam are only made up by the Molvis; Islam has nothing to do with them. If this reasoning of this group is accepted as true then this means that Islamic Shariah is totally devoid of Hudood, Ta'zeerat where every person has the freedom to do as he wills; there is no punishment for adultery/fornication, slandering and theft, nor is there any ta'zeer for robbery, chaos in the land and treason. Every person knows that there is a complete set of laws of Hudood and Ta'zeer in Islam, the implementation of which is among the compulsions of the religion. If a person does not pray or does not fast, the Islamic government can punish him; this act is not against ’لَآاِکْرَاہَ فِی الدِّیْنِ‘. Similarly, if any Muslim adopts rebellion against Islam then there is also a punishment for him in Islamic law. This act is also not against ’لَآاِکْرَاہَ فِی الدِّیْنِ‘. There is no doubt that Islam does not allow forceful conversion and at the same time it does not allow that after entering Islam a person does whatever he wills and there be no accountability; rather he is obliged to obey the limits and rules of Islam. In secular societies, religion is considered a personal matter which is why rebellion against the state is punished while rebellion against God is granted freedom. In Islam, religion being limited as a personal matter has no basis and Islamic government, in reality, is the government of God and the political government only exists to implement the rules and laws of God which is why every rebellion to God is blameworthy whether that rebellion is hidden or open; the difference is that for hidden rebellion, the court of God will hold the culprit accountable and for open rebellion, the worldly courts are responsible to hold accountable and punish. Apostasy is also a crime of such a nature and is a big crime and the punishment given for it in an Islamic system is not because the person is being forced to embrace Islam but because that person has raised the flag of rebellion against the government of God.
[Ref: Tafsir tadabbur-i-Qur'an, vol. 1, pg. 593-594; Translated by Adeel tariq khan]
