No Compulsion in Religion Is a Structural Principle

Editorial verification status: This atom is extracted from an explanatory audio-visual source, and has now been linked to the closest books within Shahrur’s project at the book level. For precise academic citation, consult the original book and the original episode together.

Formulation of the claim

Shahrur links “There is no compulsion in religion” to the negation of religious coercion at the core of faith.

Explanation

He distinguishes between compulsion and coercion, and explains that religion is not based on psychological or physical coercion. He considers that any religious authority that uses force to produce faith loses the Qur’anic meaning. For him, faith is tied to free choice, not pressure. He therefore places this principle in opposition to political Islam, which conflates religiosity with enforcement.

Its place in the episode’s argument

This atom forms the moral foundation of his critique of all forms of religious coercion.

Scope of the claim

It does not mean abolishing law or the state, but rather negating coercion in creed itself.

No Compulsion in Religion Is a Structural Principle