It is a clear and acknowledged verity that the Holy Quran is a complete and perfect Book. There is no shortcoming in it for the making up of which we have to have recourse to some historical event or to some uncertain hadees. Therefore, we believe that all the directions and admonitions of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, are illustrative of some direction of the Holy Quran and that there is no direction of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, which is inconsistent with the Holy Quran or which adds to it or makes up any shortcoming in it. There can be no greater offence than to charge the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, with having failed to act in accordance with some directive of the Holy Quran or having urged others to refrain from acting upon it. Muhammad, peace be on him, was a true lover of his Lord. So much did he love his Lord that he lost himself wholly in Him and that is why we believe that Muhammad, peace be on him, was a perfect manifestation of divine attributes. His life illustrates the degree of majesty and glory that he attributed to the Holy Quran. There is no direction of the Holy Quran that he did not illustrate in action and there is no prohibition which he contravened. He was a perfect exemplar, a pure and holy personage who illustrated every direction of the Holy Quran in action. It cannot be imagined for a moment that he may have said something inconsistent with the Holy Quran, or something that is not founded upon it. The Holy Quran has provided us with such ideal teachings on the freedom of conscience and the freedom of belief as furnish an example for all other religions and for all the thinkers who have invented all sorts of isms.

Freedom of conscience and freedom of belief are the fundamental rights of man. His very creation is for that purpose. If man is not free in respect of these matters, if people are to be driven forcibly into Islam, then there can be no recompense by God for any human action. Can anyone be forced to declare himself a Muslim and be assured that though his heart is not convinced of the truth of Islam, yet if he performs the salat for show, God would reward him for it and would not be aware of his hypocrisy and the true condition of his heart? God affirms that He is fully aware of the innermost secrets of a person’s heart, then how would He be unaware of his hypocrisy? If He is aware of it, how would He reward such hypocritical action beneficently? On the other hand, if a person’s heart is filled with sincere faith and devotion and with perfect understanding of God and His attributes and loves Muhammad, peace be on him, and out of that love obeys God Almighty and worships Him, and all the powers of the world combine in the declaration that he is expelled from Islam and that God would not deal with him out of love, and would not bestow upon him the best recompense for his righteous actions, would God be compelled to accept and act upon their verdict? Indeed not. Those who submit to Him sincerely with perfect faith shall continue to win His love, let the world say what it will and think what it will.

The Holy Prophet, peace be on him, occupies the highest station in both worlds. Concerning him, God said: Had it not been for thee, I would not have created the universe. The law that was revealed to him is complete and perfect. That law sets out human rights clearly and also safeguards them. The goal of human life is to win the love of God by treading along the path pointed out by God Almighty. The purpose of all the commandments of the Holy Quran is to win the pleasure of God. The Holy Quran affirms that the true station of man is established by his being bestowed perfect freedom of faith and perfect freedom of conscience by God Almighty.