Question:
Answer:
This noble verse has nothing to do with the legitimacy of freedom to choose one’s religion. Rather, it affirms the primacy of Islam and that the religion pleasing to the Lord is founded upon the wilayah of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them!
Al-Hajj: 67 لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنا مَنْسَكاً هُمْ ناسِكُوهُ فَلا يُنازِعُنَّكَ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَ ادْعُ إِلى رَبِّكَ إِنَّكَ لَعَلى هُدىً مُسْتَقيمٍ
For every community We appointed a rite for them to observe. So let them not dispute with you in this matter. Call to your Lord: you are surely upon straight guidance—the straight path is the one you follow.
Al-Hajj: 68 وَ إِنْ جادَلُوكَ فَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ
And if they argue with you, say: “God knows best what you do.”
This narration bears witness to the claim!
قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الْإِمَامُ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ (عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ)، قَالَ: «لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ: لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنا مَنْسَكاً هُمْ ناسِكُوهُ جَمَعَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا مَعَاشِرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنا مَنْسَكاً هُمْ ناسِكُوهُ وَ الْمَنْسَكُ هُوَ الْإِمَامُ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا، حَتَّى يُدْرِكَهُ نَبِيٌّ، أَلَا وَ إِنَّ لُزُومَ الْإِمَامِ وَ طَاعَتَهُ هُوَ الدِّينُ، وَ هُوَ الْمَنْسَكُ، وَ هُوَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) إِمَامُكُمْ بَعْدِي، فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى هُدَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ عَلَى هُدًى مُسْتَقِيمٍ. فَقَامَ الْقَوْمُ يَتَعَجَّبُونَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَ يَقُولُونَ: وَ اللَّهِ إِذَنْ لَنُنَازِعَنَّ الْأَمْرَ، وَ لَا نَرْضَى طَاعَتَهُ أَبَداً، وَ إِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ) الْمَفْتُونَ بِهِ. فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ ادْعُ إِلى رَبِّكَ إِنَّكَ لَعَلى هُدىً مُسْتَقِيمٍ* وَ إِنْ جادَلُوكَ فَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ* اللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ فِيما كُنْتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ* أَ لَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ ما فِي السَّماءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ ذلِكَ فِي كِتابٍ إِنَّ ذلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ».
His statement, Exalted is He:
وَ إِذا تُتْلى عَلَيْهِمْ آياتُنا بَيِّناتٍ تَعْرِفُ فِي وُجُوهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْمُنْكَرَ يَكادُونَ يَسْطُونَ بِالَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ آياتِنا قُلْ أَ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِشَرٍّ مِنْ ذلِكُمُ النَّارُ وَعَدَهَا اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَ بِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, vol. 3, p. 906
He said: Imam Musa ibn Ja‘far narrated to us from his father, peace be upon them both, who said: “When this verse was revealed—‘For every community We appointed a rite for them to observe’—the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family, gathered them together. Then he said: ‘O gathering of the Emigrants and the Helpers! God, Exalted is He, indeed says: “For every community We appointed a rite for them to observe.” The mansak is the Imam for every community after its Prophet, until another Prophet comes. Know that holding fast to the Imam and obeying him is the religion; he is the mansak. He is Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, who will be your Imam after me. So I call you to follow his guidance, for he is upon true guidance.’”
The people rose, astonished by these words, and said: “By God, in that case we will surely contend and dispute with him over this matter [of the caliphate], and we will never accept his authority, even if the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family, is devoted to him.” So God, Mighty and Exalted, revealed these verses: “Call to your Lord, [O Prophet], for you are upon a straight path. * And if they dispute with you, say: ‘God knows best what you do.’ * God will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which you used to differ. * Do you not know that God knows all that is in heaven and earth? Surely, all of it is in a Book; surely, that is easy for God.”
(The narrator then refers to another verse:) The words of God, Exalted is He: “When Our clear signs are recited to them, you will recognise denial on the faces of those who disbelieve. They nearly assault those who recite Our signs to them. Say: ‘Shall I tell you of something worse than that? A Fire that God has promised to those who disbelieve—what a wretched destination!’”