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According to the conclusion reached by classical Muslim scholars, the Koran is the reflection of Allah's eternal logos and knowledge. The purpose of the revelation of the Koran is to ensure that a worshipping order which would provide happiness in this world and the Hereafter be rooted in the hearts of the believers and then transformed into lifestyle. Accordingly, in addition to a belief system, the Koran contains a number of principles and rules that are applicable in real life. These principles are universal and eternal truths which are not subject to chance over time since they are based on Allah's knowledge. But after the effect of modernism on Muslim world, this view (non-changeability) has been questioned. According to this new view, although the Koran is containing universal messages, it is, at same time, a historical word and a historical text. These two opinions are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to classify the Islamic Law Concerning religious belief freedom with respect to its special characteristics. Islamic scholars have different views when concerning the subject of freedom of religious belief Naturally, historical thinking has substantial effect in these different approaches. But more importantly, the criteria of interpretation of the applicable Islamic Law need to be considered. Two important criteria are "belief" and "person". Most of the differences among Islamic scholars can be explained by the difference in importance placed to either one of these two criteria. These differences can be observed clearly in cases involving crime and punishment, the citizenship status of non-Muslims, the argument of justification for war and the consequences of religious conversion. Therefore, the main reason why Islamic scholars reach different conclusions in these matters is not in the ambiguity of Islamic Law but the differences in its interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]