4. LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY

4. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity ~ 171 ~ abuse his royal power by attempting to force his own faith upon others.” 87 One of the eminent participants in the great interreligious assembly held in Baghdad, was Yazdanbakht, a leader of the Manichean sect who had come from Persia. He held a disputation with the Muslim theologians, in which he was utterly silenced, so impressed was he by Islam’s power of argument. The Caliph then tried to induce him to embrace Islam. But Yazdanbakht refused, saying, “Commander of the Faithful, your advice is heard and your words have been listened to; but you are one of those who do not force men to abandon their religion.” Far from resenting the ill-success of his efforts, the Caliph furnished him with armed bodyguards, that he might not be exposed to insult from the fanatical populace.’ 88 Under Islam there is freedom for every thought as well as respect for every thinking man, irrespective of the fact that his thinking may be different from ours. Islam not only grants freedom of thought, but also respects the upholders of all schools of thought.