The Qur'an clearly says that, "There is no compulsion in the religion." (2:256) what this verse actually means is that: "There is no compulsion in (accepting) the religion (of Islam)." Why? The verse continues, "Surely the Right Path is clearly distinct from the crooked path."
Having accepted that from the Islamic point of view, faith in God is ingrained in human nature, and that it is only the parents and the society that corrupts the soul and divert it from the Right Path, the question comes: Can Islam be imposed forcefully on non-Muslims? Or we may even ask: Is the minor jihad a means of imposing the faith of Islam on non-Muslims?
I do not intend to get into the issue of the minor jihad; but, briefly stated, the majority of Shia jurists (mujahidin) do not believe in initiating a jihad without the clear permission of an infallible Imam. Even those who allow the initiation of jihad do not believe that jihad can be used to impose Islam on non-Muslims.
At the most, they say that jihad can be initiated to remove tyranny and oppression from a non-Muslim society in order to eliminate the factors that prevent the Divine message from reaching to the masses. Jihad cannot be used for imposing Islam on others; it is just for putting an end to the aggression on Muslims or for helping the oppressed non-Muslims.
The Qur'an clearly says that, "There is no compulsion in the religion." [1] what this verse actually means is that: "There is no compulsion in (accepting) the religion (of Islam)." Why? The verse continues, "Surely the Right Path is clearly distinct from the crooked path."
So Muslims can always show the difference between the right and the wrong paths, but not force the non-Muslims to accept Islam.
The Prophet of Islam has also been mentioned as a reminder, not as a person who forces Islam upon others.
"Therefore, you remind (them), for you are only a reminder; you are not a watcher over them." [2]
Footnote:
1. 2:256
2. 88:21-22
Source: www.english.tebyan.net