Islam for Non-Muslims

• RELIGIOUS FAITHS VS IRRELIGIOUS IDEAS
• 1 The Present State of the World Religions
• 2 Religious System as a Historical Reality
• 3 The Evidences of God across the Universe
• 4 The Absolute Oneness of God
• 5 The Reality of the Afterlife
• 6 The Growth of Irreligious Ideas
• 7 Worshipping Natural Elements
• 8 Worshipping Imaginary Idols
• 9 Worshipping Human Beings
• 10 Inventing Relationship to God
• 11 Inventing the Idea of Reincarnation
• 12 Inventing the Theory of Evolution (Darwinism)
• 13 Inventing ‘Nature’ as the Creator of the Universe
• 14 Importance of Religion in this Secular World
• ISLAM AS A RELIGION
• 15 Addressing the Criticisms of Islam
• 16 Islam as a Magnet for the Non-Muslims
• 17 The Quran as the Original Divine Book
• 18 The Quranic Reality in Archeological Findings
• 19 Muhammad (pbuh) as the Great Prophet
• 20 Islam as the True Religion
• 21 Islam as the Universal Religion
• 22 Islam as the Eternal Religion
• 23 Islam as a Practicable Religion
• 24 Islam as an Enjoyable Religion
• 25 Islam as the Peaceful & Savior Religion
• 26 Islam as the Progressive & Rational Religion
• 27 Islam in Health & Hygiene
• 28 Islam in Promotion of Science
• 29 Muslims in Practices of Science
• 30 Islam & Other Monotheisms: Similarities & Differences
• 31 Islamic Tolerance for Other Religions
• 32 Islamic Rights for Non-Muslim Citizens
• ISLAM AS A WAY OF LIFE
• 33 Islamic System vs. Human Ideologies
• 34 Moral & Social Impacts of Islamic Rituals
• 35 Moral Discipline in Islam
• 36 Sinning of 3 W’s: Women, Wine and Wealth
• 37 Dignity & Equality of Man in Islam
• 38 Human Rights in Islam
• 39 Social Duties in Islam
• 40 Dignity & Rights of Labor in Islam
• 41 Dignity of Women in Islam
• 42 Rights of Women in Islam
• 43 Marriage & Family Life in Islam
• 44 Political Philosophy in Islam
• 45 Economic Principles in Islam
• 46 Islamic Economy vs. Capitalism & Communism
• 47 Patriotism & Internationalism in Islam
• 48 Understanding Controversial Issues in Islam
• 49 Conversion to Islam: Problems & Prospects
• 50 Conclusive Message to the Non-Muslims

31: ISLAMIC TOLERANCE FOR OTHER RELIGIONS

Introduction: Islam has a tradition of higher relative tolerance toward other religions, compared to the quality of treatment it receives from them.  Such comparative advantage of Islam is attributable to the strong backing from unrivalled tolerant policy of the Quran.  You cannot miss the point that in other scriptures, there is hardly any reference about upcoming Islam, its Prophet or Book, due to alleged erasing of their prophecies.  In spite of this, Islam emerges as the single known religion of the world that not only duly recognizes the whole range of other prophets but also provides extensive and honorable coverage about the facts of other religions.  For example, in the Quran the most frequently cited man is Moses of Judaism (135 times) and Mary of Christianity is mentioned 70 times. She is the only woman directly named in the Quran and chapter #19 of the Quran has been dedicated to her honorable name. Now let us have a closer look at the nature and extent of Islamic tolerance for other religions.   

(1) Extensive Coverage in the Quran:  The Quran abounds with numerous commendable remarks about the prophets of other religions. For example, Jesus Christ is “held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and is one of those nearest to God” (3:45). “O, Mary! God has chosen you and purified you (and) has chosen you above the women of all nations” for being “a woman of truth” (3:42; 5:75).  Moses was “honorable” and “specially chosen” as a prophet (33:69; 19:51). “Peace and salutation” were wished to Moses and Aaron (37:120). God strengthened David’s “kingdom and gave him wisdom” and gave his son Solomon “judgment and knowledge”. (38:20; 21:79). God took “Abraham for a friend as he was true in faith” (4:125).  In this manner, the Quran makes appreciative coverage of 25 notable prophets mostly with Judaic and Christian origin.
 
(2) Honoring Other Religions:

(i) Their Prophets: According to Islam, beyond 25 prophets specifically mentioned in the Quran, there were tens of thousands of them who came before the last Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).  You will find Islam as the only religion in the world that  not only duly recognizes all other religions and their scriptures etc. but also honor all other prophets of God “without making any difference between one and another of them” as a part of their faith (2:136). 

As a mark of respect, the Muslims are required to attach an honorable title ‘Alaihi was Salam’ (peace be upon him) while pronouncing their names.  Of them, Moses (of Judaism) and Jesus (of Christianity) enjoy special status as their followers are honored with the title ‘Ahle Kitab’ (People of the Book). For example, they are the only people outside Islam that the Muslim men got clearance for marrying their “chaste women” without conversion (5:5).  Likewise, “the food of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) are lawful to you (the Muslims)” (5:5) if such food exclude banned items like pork, wine, blood etc. and meat is properly slaughtered like Jewish kosher food. In addition, the Muslims have to believe in the “(original) scriptures which He (God) sent to those (prophets) before (him)” (4:136), even though not for the purpose of practice. 

(ii) Honoring Great People without Clear Prophetic Status: The indefinite number of prophets by the thousands (in one estimate 124,000) were “sent amongst every people” (16:36) for conveying the message of God.  Many of them are veiled in the darkness of unknown past known as prehistoric period (before writing was invented by the Sumerians about 5200 years ago).  Some others also belonged thereafter known as the historic period.  This was also the period of great people like Socrates known for criticizing the evils of Greek society, Zoroaster of Persia (Iran) who viewed the world as a battleground between the forces of good and bad and so on. Even though their actions show some likeness with the real prophets, we can not decisively know about their prophetic status, for not being named in the Quran.  Nevertheless, from Islamic standpoint, they deserve benefit of doubt, requiring the Muslims, neither to respect them as prophet nor to disrespect them as non-believer.

(3) Behavior toward the Non-Muslims:

(i) Fair Treatment from God: The Quran not only lavishes praises on other prophets, but also directs the Muslims to be tolerant, kind and well-behaved to the innocent people of other religions. God advised the Muslims not to be revengeful to the infidels who “shut (them) out of the Sacred Mosque” before conquest of Mecca (5:2). God’s appreciation for those who “pardon (all other) men” (3:134) does not exclude anybody on religious ground.  Do not forget that God is “full of Kindness and the Most Merciful to all people” without any religious boundary and His bounty is “not closed (to anybody)” (2:143; 17:20). He, therefore, freely bestows His bounties on all: “these (Muslims) and those (non-Muslims)” without discrimination (17:20). He acknowledges the fact that there are “certainly” some good people among the People of the Book (the Christians and Jews) who are “believer in God” and “bow in humility to God”; “For them is a reward with their Lord” (3:199).  He singled out the Christian monks for high praises as they “devoted (their life) to learning” and are “nearest in love to the Believers” (5:82). God promised salvation for the “believers and righteous” among both the Christians and Jews in the form of “blotting out their iniquities and admitting them to Garden of Bliss” (5:65).

(ii) Good Behavior from Muslims: God does not forbid you from “dealing kindly and justly” with the non-Muslims unless and until they “fight with you for your Faith and do not expel you from your homes” (60:8). God affirmed even when you have to fight defensive wars against any offensive non-Muslims, you are warned against taking excessive revenge or “transgression” (5:2).   The Quran cautions you against “disputing with the people of the Book except with better means and unless it be with those who inflict harms” (29:46). If you have any disagreement, you should tell them “God is both our and your Lord. We are liable for our deeds and you are for yours. There is no contention between us and you” (42:15). You need to “have patience” with their any offensive speech and “leave them with noble (dignity)”, saying them “peace” even if they don’t believe (73:10; 43:89). 

Islam formulates excellent code of behavior for dealing with the non-Muslims. As a Muslim you are required to be well-behaved with their innocent members. If you judge, you are required to “judge in equity between them (regardless of religious affiliation)” (5:42). Particularly, you have to stay away from giving them any hard time (such as through cheating, beating etc.) which will subject you to fair judgment of God. You do not have any basic reason for not respecting good people among them who are reliable and helpful.  As a reminder, the Prophet assigned a Meccan polytheist to deliver him supplies to the cave where he stopped over during secret flight to Medina. Likewise, he was also open to doing business with people of other communities as he once, as an example, bought a goat from one polytheist. He set up example by standing up as a mark of respect to the body of a Jew passing by toward funeral destination. He practiced exchanging gifts with the non-Muslim rulers including Negus of Abyssinia.

(iii) One Sample Example: In a landmark statement, God affirmed “If He did not check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been destruction of monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where the name of God is remembered in abundance” (22:40).  Remarkably, in this verse God does not discriminate against the temples of the Christians, Jews etc. while recognizing the dignity of all worship places and He cited their temples ahead of Muslim mosque. This single verse is enough to demonstrate as to how God of Islam feels close to and cares about His other religions.

(For more details about Muslim behavior code toward the non-Muslims, see appendix)

Conclusion: Based on the foregoing analysis, we can safely conclude that Islam is highly tolerant of other religions even though it does not get back matching behavior from them.