By Murad Hofmann
Religious pluralism normally becomes an issue only between monotheistic religions (like Judaism, Christianity and Islam). Polytheistic religions (like Hinduism), mere rules of life (like Confucianism) and systems without claims to absolute truth (like Buddhism) are much less likely to clash. It is indisputable that Islam, in principle and doctrine, is by far the most tolerant of all monotheistic religions. While Judaism rejects Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him)) and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and while Christians reject Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Islam is inclusivistic: It recognises each and every prophet who lived before Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and considers the Bible, including the New Testament, as a holy script. Only the Quran, in Chapter Al Ma’ida, contains what can be termed a manifesto of religious pluralism:
To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what God hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to God; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute.
(Quran 5:48)
Similar messages are to be elsewhere in the Quran and in 10:99 Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is even asked rhetorically: “Do you really think you can force people to believe ?”:
If it had been thy Lord’s will, they would all have believed, — all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! (Quran 10:99)
This fantastic code of inter-religious tolerance predates the US Constitution by 1050 lunar years; it is backed up by the famous verse in the Quran forbidding forced conversions: Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things. (Quran 2:256)
Indeed, the Quran leaves such matters to individual decision: Say, “The truth is from your Lord”: Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it): … (Quran 18:29)
Consequently, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was told that he is not everybody’s “guardian”: “Now have come to you, from your Lord, proofs (to open your eyes): if any will see, it will be for (the good of) his own soul; if any will be blind, it will be to his own (harm): I am not (here) to watch over your doings.”(Quran 6:104)
It is Allah, and nobody else, who makes Muslims:
… God by His Grace Guided the believers to the Truth, concerning that wherein they differed. For God guides whom He will to a path that is straight.(Quran 2: 213)
In keeping with these fundamental rules, Islam never knew of missionary work as an institution. Muslims are expected to invite others in the nicest possible way to consider the values and truth of Islam, no more and no less:
Invite all to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. (Quran 16:125)
There are Quranic verses suggesting the opposite conclusion, like: If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost All spiritual good. (Quran 3:85) or The Religion before God is Islam… (Quran 3:19)
However, in these cases, a correct reading takes into account that “Islam” here means submission to God ‘’.. not the historical religion called Islam.
Christian dogma, fatefully postulating that mankind is victim of a hereditary, “original sin”, until most recently followed what could be called a manifesto of religious intolerance: the doctrine of extra ecclesiam nulla salus (no salvation outside of the Church). During the reformation, this aggressive, exclusivist doctrine was completed by the equally vicious doctrine of cuius regioeius religio (the monarch determines the religion of all).
Even today, the Catholic Church (not to speak of the even more intolerant Greek Orthodox one) refuses to accept Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a messenger of God and the Quran as divine message. Alas, this extreme doctrinal divergence determined much of the history of Occidental-Muslim relations.
The Muslims on the whole, except occasionally under foreign attack, abided by the Quranic command of religious tolerance. Thus the Christian and Jewish communities flourished for 800 years in Muslim Andalusia (Spain). The same was true for the Ottoman empire. As a result, Christianity in Greece survived 500 years of Turkish rule. Even today, in Istanbul there is a Greek Orthodox cathedral, the seat of the Greek Orthodox patriarch, many Catholic, Armenian, and Protestant churches as well as dozens of Jewish synagogues.
In Syria, the crosses on Christian church steeples are neon-lit at night, in Cairo, on the road to the airport from downtown, one sees more Coptic churches (for the 14 million Egyptian Copts) than mosques. In Amman (Jordan) the main mosque and the main cathedral face each other peacefully, in Morocco, Catholic bishops continue to exercise their office. In fact, to this day, Christians and Jews can be cabinet ministers in places like Egypt. ‘Iraq, Morocco, and Turkey.
Christian practice was of course entirely different. Hardly had the Catholics defeated the Muslims in Andalusia in 1492 when forced conversion set in. Those Muslims and Jews who refused were all exiled in a mass exodus of religious cleansing. The same happened in Greece and Serbia, Not one functioning mosque survived the Reconquista in Spain, none in Greece, and only one in Belgrade (on Kalemegdan).
Indeed, intra-Christian intolerance was as virulent, leading to the 30 Years War in Central Europe (1618-48). After Catholics and Protestants, Lutherans and Calvinists, had decimated each other, most countries in Europe remained mono-religious, What a contrast to the Muslims world! As a result, the Europeans find it extremely difficult to adapt to the new, multi-religious landscape. This explains the Russian rejection, not only of mosques but also of Catholic churches!
The only place where Muslims do not welcome churches is indeed Saudi Arabia which houses the two most holy places for Muslims, Madinah and Makkah. Is it not understandable, and legitimate, that Muslims claim one single place in this world where they can be among themselves (although only Makkah and Madinah are strictly off limits for non-Muslims)- just like men in a club off-limits for women and women in a club off-limits for men? That is why Muslims never complain about the fact that the Vatican State in and near-Rome would not accept a mosque or synagogue on its sacred territory either. www.onislam.net
Salem Al Hasi
In encouraging people to seek peace and maintain it, the Quran states that the purpose behind the creation of different tribes and various nations is to interact and know each other and not to be a reason to fight each other. The Quran states in Chapter 49, verse 13:
O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other.
To emphasise the importance of peace and harmony among people, the message of Islam, from the beginning, declared the unity of mankind in its three aspects; origin, value and destiny.
About the unity of origin, the Quran says in Chapter 4, verse one:
O mankind! Fear your Lord Who created you from a single person, and created out of it his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seed) countless men and women.
Concerning the unity of value, the Quran says in Chapter 49, verse 13, the meaning of:
Verily the most honored of you in sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you.
As for the unity of destiny, the Quran says in Chapter 28, verse 88:
Everything is bound to perish, save His eternal self. With Him rests all judgment; and unto Him shall you all be brought back.
Also, the message of Islam never limited peace and harmony to those who accepted the faith. On the contrary, by establishing the principle of no compulsion in religion that was stated clearly in the Quran, Islam made peace a right for every one, whether affiliated with the religion or not.
Most importantly, Islam was not a man-made invention, or an odd revelation! Islam in its essence is the final message of God, which is a continuation of all the previous messages. Thus, it contains all the values of peace and harmony, which were revealed in the preceding divine religions. For your particular question, at first, I would like to remind you that it is very essential to differentiate between a faith and the practice of those who are affiliated to it. We should judge faiths by their teachings and values to which the faith is calling, and not by the perception and practices of its followers.
The reason is that a faith’s values and teachings are constant because they are revealed by a constant Supreme Being; that is God. Yet, our perceptions and practices are variable due to the changes in our psychology, culture, abilities, and sometimes desires or inclinations.
This fact is not limited only to Islam and Muslims. Other religions were also subject to some extreme perceptions and practices. In our contemporary time, many who act against the values of Christianity claim to be Christians, and others proudly proclaim being Jews while acting contrary to Judaism. However, the media and international political conflicts have positioned Islam in the front seat for receiving criticism, whether for factual or fabricated reasons.
Furthermore, people insist on portraying extremism as a religious phenomenon, whereas it is merely a social phenomenon. There is no one single command or teaching in Islam can be referenced as the direct reason behind an extreme act. Yet, people usually use their own interpretation of Islam as reference to as such acts.
Finally, Islam gives no religious or moral basis for any action that goes against the values and the teachings of the message. People of all faiths tend to use religion to justify their actions and legitimise their opinions. Yet, logically faiths never provide legitimisation to actions and practices, which are prohibited by that very religion.
Islam commanded Muslim to appreciate good and denounce evil. This command is a result of a focus on justice, which is the highest value in Islam. Good in Islam is good whether committed by a Muslim or by a non-Muslim. Simultaneously, evil is evil whether committed by a Muslim or by a non-Muslim. The meaning of justice in this regards is that praising or rejecting actions or opinions relies on the act itself not on who committed the act…
The Quran says in Chapter 5, verse 8:
O you have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity; and never let hatred of any one lead you into the sin of deviation from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. And remain conscious of God: verily, God is aware of all that you do.
