Jihad has also been used in the context of conversion. This supports a common conception of Islam: that it is a religion of the sword. In fact, some scholars have expressed that jihad is legitimate in converting a non-Muslim to Islam. Ibn Khaldun, for example, believed that holy war is a religious duty of the Muslims “because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and (the obligation to) convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force.” 13 However, most scholars of Islam (Egyptian scholars Mahmud Shaltut and Sayyid Qutb, for example) agree that jihad is never justified simply based on the goal of converting a non- Muslim. 14 This opinion stems from a verse in the Qur'an that states that there is no compulsion in religion. 15 They also point to other verses that seem to suggest Islam's acceptance of a diversity of religious beliefs.

XREF: Contrasts the 'religion of the sword' stereotype with scholarly consensus; connects to broader debates about Islam's stance on religious coercion.

Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad, loc. 31