Al Qur’an emphasizes the important of reading and learning in Islam

Al Qur’an emphasizes the important of reading and learning in Islam:  

This includes learning a religion before converting!!

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. “Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.” - Al Qur’an, Surah Al-‘Alaq, Verse 1-5.

In Al-‘Alaq Surah, Al Qur’an emphasizes the important of reading and learning in Islam. This includes learning a religion before converting. That is why Islam prohibits forcing (by way of forceful persuasion or giving food or money in exchange for converting) someone to convert into Islam. Converting to Islam must be based on his or her own free choice as a result of his or her full understanding of Islam.

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.  Say (O Muhammad SAW): "He is Allah, (the) One. Allah the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks). "He begets not, nor was He begotten.” "And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him."  - Al Qur’an, Surah Al Ikhlas (The Purity of Faith)

In the Name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. "He (Isa) said: "Verily I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture (Injil) and made me a Prophet; "And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salat (prayer), and Zakat , as long as I live."

"And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest. "And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive (again)!" Such is Isa, son of Maryam. (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute).

 It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son (this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that Isa is the son of Allah). Glorified (and Exalted) be He (above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: "Be!" – “and it is.”

(Isa said): "And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His Prophets)." Al Qur’an, Surah Maryam (Virgin Mary) 30 -36 ( Tafsir At-Tabarî ) 

In the Name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful! “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Prophet Muhammad PBUH) explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and pass over (i.e. leaving out without explaining) much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allâh a light (Prophet Muhammad PBUH) and a plain Book (this Qur’ân). Wherewith Allâh guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to the Straight Way (Islâmic Monotheism).” - Al Qur’an Surah Al Maidah, Verse 15-16.

“Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject Faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”(Al Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah, Verse 3).