Does Michelle Malkin think Islam is religiously tolerant?

In protesting the death sentence hanging over Abdul Rahman in Afghanistan for converting to Christianity, Michelle Malkin approvingly quotes a document from International Christian Concern which says that Islam commands tolerance of other religions. To back up this assertion, the ICC document quotes several well-known passages in the Koran that say things such as, “There is no compulsion in religion.”

The debate about Islam has been raging in America for over four years; does Malkin still not know that the earlier suras in the Koran that call for religious toleration were abrogated by later suras that demand death for apostasy? The false notion of Islamic tolerance for other religions has been disseminated a thousand times by Muslim apologists, and refuted as many times by the truth. How could Malkin uncritically quote these kindergarten-level falsehoods?

Here is the passage Malkin quotes from the apologist ICC document:

As we do not believe the people of Afghanistan would have ratified a constitution that contradicts itself, ICC urges the government of Afghanistan to consider that Islam is not in conflict with this portion of the UN’s Declaration on Human Rights. In fact, the Qur’an itself supports freedom of conscience in view of Allah’s absolute authority as judge:

Surah 2:256 – “There is no compulsion in religion…”
Surah 16:82 – “Then, if they turn away, your duty (O Muhammad) is only to convey (the Message) in a clear way.”
Surah 42:48 – “But if they turn away (from Islam). We have not sent you as a Hafiz (watcher, protector) over them (to take care of their deeds and to recompense them). Your duty is to convey (the Message)…”
Surah 88:21-22 – “And so, (O Prophet!) exhort them, your task is only to exhort; you cannot compel them to believe.”

If even Muhammad was commanded not to carry out punishments on those who turned away from Islam, how much less should Afghanistan’s courts prosecute anyone who decides freely to convert to a different religion?

Posted by Lawrence Auster at March 24, 2006 04:20 PM | Send