There is no compulsion in religion

This is what one of my friends sent me about this video:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1183582667622&ref=share

"Tu sais que je suis contre le voile en ce qui me concerne bien sur. Sinon je reste pour la liberté des personnes et des sociétés, ce qui me pousse â respecter les différents choix, en respectant le vieil adage philosophique, "Tantahi houryati hina tabdaou houryat al akharine". Le débat sur le voile, encore vif, n'est qu'un pretexte pour faire valoir la divergence et non la diversité. Et puis cher ami, it faut bien être romain â Rome..."

Translation in English:

"You know I am against the veil in my opinion. Otherwise I am for freedom of individuals and societies, which leads me to respect the different choices, respecting the old philosophical adage, "Tantahi houryati hina tabdaou houryat al akharine. The debate on the veil, yet strong, is only a pretext to enforce divergence and non-diversity.

And then my friend, you must be Roman in Rome... "

And this is my response to him:

"Dear friend,

I'm going to start from the last thing you said: "Be Roman in Rome". I have to disagree with you on this one. First because I don't know from whom did you quote this, and second because I just want to be myself -in this case a Muslim- either I'm in Rome, Paris or Mecca. And also this is what all philosophies and psychologies are teaching us if I may say: "Be yourself'. And if you believe in being Roman in Rome as a principle then we have to be Moroccans in Morocco, and Americans in USA, and humans on earth. The question is: Are we? Most Moroccans are living as French and
Americans or as Saudis and Persians in Morocco! But it's OK.

Here in USA or there in Europe specially in England, there are American and British Muslims who are living here and there as Muslims and nobody dare to ask them to take off the veil and you know why? Because of freedom of religion. More than that you how the Sikh men cover their head with the Turban, they do that even when they are cops or soldiers. And you know why? It's because they fought for it. And no one of them was told to be Roman in Rome!

So I don't understand how we still have this problem in France although "Liberty, equality, fraternity (brotherhood)", is the national motto of the country. What part of "la liberté des personnes et des sociétés" did France not understand? The last thing, "سامحنى إن أطلت عليك ", you said: "The debate on the veil, yet strong, is only a pretext to enforce divergence and non-diversity". I have to ask you who is enforcing what? And where is the debate? And -if it exists- then it's between whom? Is it between religion and nation? I believe the debate can be between two religions or two nations not between religion and nation and not even between two nations, one based on a religion"أمة الإسلام " and one based on geographical and historical factors, and that's because they are not based on the same factors. Muslims are from everywhere and French nation is composed from/of Jews, Christians, Muslims and Others. So how can that be?!

Muslims believe that they are "the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it was best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors" Qur'an (3:110). And despite that, they are not forcing anybody else to cover any part in their bodies if they don't want to. But France is doing the opposite: Forcing people who are forced by their religion or their God to cover themselves, forcing them not do so. And applying Bush's law or principle: "If you are not with me, you are against me". If you want to be with Allah, get out my land, and if you want to be in my land get out of your religion!

Islam says: "There is no compulsion in religion" (لا إكراه في الدين). And France says: "There is a compulsion in no-religion"."

To be continued.