When Allāh sent His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), the majority of the people of the [various] religions responded to him and to his successors (caliphs) after him, willingly, out of choice. He did not compel a single person to [accept] the religion, ever.

Rather, he would fight whoever waged war against him and fought against him. But as for the one who was peaceful with him or made a truce with him, he did not fight him and did not compel him to enter into his religion - fulfilling the command of His Lord - the Sublime - when he said, "There is no compulsion in religion truth has become clear from falsehood" ^[2] And this is a [statement of] negation with the meaning of prohibition, meaning "Do not compel anyone upon religion."

This verse was revealed regarding some men amongst the Companions (of the Prophet). They had children who had become Jews and Christians prior to Islām. When Islām came, their fathers accepted Islām and they desired to compel their children upon the religion. So they were prohibited from that by Allāh - the Sublime so that they themselves could [willingly] choose to enter into Islām. That which is correct [regarding this verse] is that upon its generality of meaning, it applies to every non-Muslim...

It will become clear to whoever reflects upon the biographical account of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that he did not compel a single person to accept his religion, ever. Rather, he fought whoever fought against him. As for the one who made a truce with him, he never fought him so long as he remained upon the truce and did not violate his covenant. Rather, Allāh the Exalted commanded him to fulfil the covenant with them, so long as they abided by it, just as He, the Exalted said, "So as long as they are upright toward you, be upright toward them" ^[3]

When he came to Madīnah he made peace treaties with the Jews and affirmed them upon their religion. When they waged war against him and broke the covenant and initiated fighting against him, then he fought against them. Thereafter he showed favour to some of them (sparing them), banished others and killed others.

Likewise when he made a truce with the Quraysh for ten years, he never initiated fighting against them until they initiated fighting against him and violated their covenant. When they did that, he fought against them in their lands. Prior to that, they had fought against him, such as when they desired (to kill) him on the day of Uḥud and the day of al-Khandaq and the day of Badr as well. They came to fight against him (first), but if they had turned away from him (and left him) he would not have fought them.

The intent here is that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) never compelled anyone to enter his religion, ever. Rather, the people entered his religion wilfully, out of choice. The majority of the people of the Earth entered his call when guidance became clear to them and that He is the Messenger of Allāh in truth.