Are Muslim proselytisers not violating the Surah Al-Kafiruun? – Ravinder Singh

In commenting on my article whether it is wrong for non-muslims to advise other non-muslims not to be hasty in converting to Islam, a commentator in Malaysiakini, Dr Sures Kumar wrote, “ Lakum deenakum wa liya deen” which means “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion” from Surah Al-Kafiruun, of the Holy Quran. The Malay translation given by the Surah is "Bagi kamu agama kamu, dan bagiku agamaku".

This quote from the Quran raises a big question mark about the proselytisation that is being carried out by certain muslim organisations to convert non-muslims to Islam.

These organizations hide behind the Constitution that allows muslims to proselytise to non-muslims, but not vice-versa. Anyway, the Constitution does not make it a duty of Malaysian muslims to convert non-muslims.

Which is of a higher authority – the man-made Constitution or the word of God as contained in Surah Al-Kafiruun of the Quran?

If the Quran forbids muslims proselytising to non-muslims (as I understand from the above quote), then can the man-made Constitution override it? Would it then be wrong to conclude that the Constitution’s permission to muslims to proselytise to non-muslims is political even though it is against the teaching of the Quran?

The highest muslim authorities in the country should come into the open and explain whether this Surah is wrong, whether it is being wrongly interpreted or whether it is being wrongly understood by the non-muslims.    

They should also tell us whether the Prophet himself had proselytised to non-muslims and converted any to Islam. 

If the Surah is correct, then who has authourised the proselytisers to disregard it?

Is it not sinful to go against the Surah?

Could those concerned please be honest about the message of this Surah. If it is true, that in Islam there is no compulsion in religion that Islam allows non-muslims to live peacefully among muslims, then stop the aggressive proselytisation that is going on. The extent of child snatching, school children snatching, bride snatching and even corpse snatching, and now the questionable “free” distribution of copies of the Quran and recording of the personal data of the recipients, is akin to direct-selling activities. Such activities offer “free” gifts on condition the person spends thousands of ringgit to purchase sub-standard or overpriced and even unnecessary products that he or she regrets later.

A frightening scenario in my imagination is that the acknowledgements of having received the “free” Quran could surface upon death of the persons to support claims that they had accepted Islam (converted to Islam) by accepting the Quran and the dead persons will not be able to dispute the claim.                 

So, could the highest muslim authorities please, in the good name of Islam, come forward and explain why there is such a frenzy about converting non-muslims to Islam when the Surah clearly states “Lakum deenakum wa liya deen” which stands for  “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion”?

Doesn’t this Surah also mean that if a non-muslim converts to Islam, and decides someday to leave Islam, it is nobody’s business to stop him doing so?  

If the Surah is correct and valid, then is it not a sin to go against it?

- TMI