It is narrated from Sa'id bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding the statement of Allah the Exalted: ﴿There is no compulsion in religion﴾, that he said: This verse was revealed about the Ansar. I asked: "Specifically for them?" He said: "Yes, specifically for them." Because among the Ansar, when a woman had few children or was barren, she would vow that if she had a child, she would give him to the Jews so that his life would be prolonged. When Islam came, there were such children among the Ansar who were with the Jews. Then, when Banu Nadir were exiled, the Ansar said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Our sons and brothers are with them?" So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent, then this verse was revealed: ﴿There is no compulsion in religion﴾. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Your companions have been given the choice; if they choose you, they will be among you, and if they choose them, then send them with them."

It is narrated from Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) that he had a slave who was called Jarir. He was saying to him: "Accept Islam." So he (the slave) replied: This is how it was said to them, and some people from the Ansar were milk partners with Banu Qurayza, and they used to say to them: Accept Islam. Then Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "There is no compulsion in religion" (__QUR_N__).

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) said about the verse ﴿لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ﴾: "The People of the Book will not be compelled to accept Islam."

A slave of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a Christian, says: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say to me: O Wasq! Accept Islam. If you accept Islam, I will appoint you over some affairs of the Muslims, because only one who is upon their religion can be put in charge of their affairs. But I refused, so he said:“There is no compulsion in religion.”Then, when Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, he set me free.

Abdul Malik bin Wahib, may Allah have mercy on him, the freed slave of our master Zaid bin Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that our master Zaid bin Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, freed his Magian slave whose name was Mabura. I saw him with my father cutting roasted meat.