Center for Innovative
Religious Education
Freedom of Religion or Belief
Freedom of religion and Belief (FoRB) is a fundamental human right that protects individuals' ability to choose, practice, and change their religious or non-religious beliefs, as well as to express these beliefs in public or private. It ensures that individuals are not coerced into adopting or abandoning a particular religion, and that they can freely manifest their beliefs through worship, teaching, and practice.
Key Aspects of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB):
Right to choose: Individuals have the right to choose their own religion or belief, and to change or abandon it.
Right to practice: People can freely practice their religion or belief, either individually or in community, and in public or private.
Right to manifest: Individuals can express their beliefs through various means, including worship, teaching, and observance.
Protection from coercion: FoRB protects individuals from being forced to adopt, practice, or profess a particular religion or belief.
Protection from discrimination: Individuals should not be discriminated against based on their religious beliefs or non-religious beliefs.
Right to not practice: FoRB also includes the right to not practice any religion or belief.
FoRB in the United States: The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects religious freedom through the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. The Establishment Clause prevents the government from establishing a state religion, while the Free Exercise Clause protects individuals' right to practice their religion as they choose, as long as it doesn't violate public morals or a compelling government interest.
International Recognition: FoRB is recognized as a fundamental human right in international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and is protected in many national constitutions.
FoRB is a crucial human right that safeguards individuals' freedom to choose, practice, and express their beliefs without coercion or discrimination, while acknowledging that certain limitations may be necessary to protect the rights and freedoms of others and maintain public order.
Recent Programming
Advancing Religious Literacy on Islam in Nairobi, Kenya
From May 26 -29, 2025, CIRE Director Afeefa Syeed conducted a training on Advancing Religious Literacy on Islam and Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) in Nairobi, Kenya, convened by The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers as part of the program Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA). With participants from Muslim and Christian backgrounds, the goal of the training was to understand freedom of religion and belief in Islam, the role of culture and religion in FoRB, political and social impacts on FoRB, and connecting religious traditions and beliefs to advocacy work. One example Afeefa uses is demonstrating how the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad (s) included gender justice, social justice, racial justice, and economic justice incumbent on leaders and individuals to uphold. Also during the training, Afeefa incorporated conversations on Spiritualizing our Struggles, which helps participants recognize challenges in their own lives and how their faith traditions give them tools to recenter and reconnect.
Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) is a partnership of 50 civil society organizations based in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Uganda.
Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Training in Muscat
On November 14-16 in Muscat Oman, Afeefa Syeed was lead facilitator in developing and conducting a series of training modules on freedom of religion and belief in Islam, the role of culture and religion in FoRB, political and social impacts on FoRB, and connecting religious traditions and beliefs to advocacy work.
Attendees who work in civil society organizations were from Ethiopia, Mali, Kenya, Iraq, and Indonesia. This is a project of The Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) which is a partnership of 50 civil society organizations based in these countries. JISRA partners with The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers (NRTP) to implement training and build communities of practice around the issues of religious literacy and FoRB. The training in Muscat was also supported and hosted by the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman.
