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Mutual Coexistence: A Salient Feature of Islam
Islam
is a religion of peace, love and tolerance. During the first
thirteen years of the Quranic revelation, Muslims lived as
minority under a pagan order in Mecca and faced much
oppression. Many Muslims were harassed, abused, tortured and
even murdered. Despite this, however, Muslims lived
peacefully without committing any violence and always called
pagans to peace. When the oppression of the pagans became
unbearable, the Muslims first migrated to Abyssinia and then
to Madinah. Two treaties are very important in the earlier
history of Islam that show tolerance and respect to other
religions.
In Madinah, the Constitution
of Madinah was prepared under the leadership of the Prophet
Muhammad in 622 AD, to meet the needs of people of different
beliefs, and was put into practice as a written legal
contract. Different communities of different religions and
races that had enmity towards one another for more than 100
years became parties to this pact and ultimately could
actually live side by side.
According to the Constitution
of Madinah, everyone was free to adhere to any belief or
religion or to make any political or philosophical choice.
People sharing the same views could come together and form a
community. Everyone was free to exercise his own justice
system. However, anyone who committed a crime would be
protected by no-one. The parties to the contract would
engage in co-operation with one another, provide support for
each other, and would remain under the protection of the
Prophet Muhammad. Conflicts between the parties would be
brought before the Messenger of God.
This
contract was in force from 622 to 632 AD. Through this
document, the tribal structures which had formerly been
based on blood and kinship were abolished, and people of
different cultural, ethnical and geographical backgrounds
came together and formed a social unity. The Constitution of
Madinah is an excellent example of peaceful coexistence of
different religious peoples
5.
Similarly the prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) gave full freedom to the Christians of Najran to
offer prayers in their own way in the Mosque– Masjid-i-
Nabawi in Madinah
(
ah sallo salat hum)
. After quoting such examples from the life of prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) , Allma Munazir Ahsan Gilani writes :
We cannot even imagine that
how one of the greatest benefactors of humanity dedicated
his whole-being and energies for unifying fragmented and
suffering humanity.
The
holy Quran also recognizes diversity in matters of
faith by saying:
“To every nation have we
appointed rites and ceremonies which they follow , so let
them not then dispute with thee on the matter but do thou
invite (them) to thy Lord: for thou art assuredly on the
Right Way”( 22: 67)
But in
calling to the way of God , it was said:
“Admonish, for you are one to admonish, you are not one to
compel them to believe” (88: 22-23).
This
point is further elaborated in another verse:
“But
if they turn away, We have not sent thee as a guard over
them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message)” (42: 48)
“You
are not one to over awe them by force. So admonish with the
Qur'an all such as may fear My Warning”(50: 45)
The
Quran does not allow its followers to use force as an
instrument for the spread of Islam . It declares:
“There
is no compulsion in matters of faith. Surely the right now
became distinct from wrong” (2: 256)
Free
choice is given in case of religion because
Sword
can win territories but not hearts
Force
can bend heads but not minds
Muslims were so careful in dealing with non Muslims
that Omar, the great second Caliph of Islam when
conquered the city of Jerusalem, and entered in
it , there was a time of prayer .At that time he
was inside the church (of the Resurrection ).
The patriarch, who was accompanying him,
requested Caliph Omar to offer his prayer there
( inside the church), but he refused saying :
“if I
do so, the Muslim may infringe upon your rights in a
future age pretending to follow my example”.
And,
instead of praying inside the church, he offered prayers on
the steps outside.
7
Jihad (Qital):
An Apparent Hurdle in the Way of Interfaith Dialogue
Jihad
is the most misunderstood and wrongly construed doctrine of
Islam. It is usually supposed to be the main hurdle in world
peace for which interfaith dialogue is prerequisite
condition. But all the misconception is due to the lack of
understanding of the true concept of jihad.
The
exact meaning of “Jihad” is “effort”. Thus, in Islam, “to
carry out jihad” is “to show effort, to struggle”. Jihad
consists of two dimensions: the inner jihad that seeks to
curb negative and self-destructive forces within; and the
external jihad which is a struggle against violence and
tyranny by means of words and actions. The Prophet Muhammad
explained that “the greatest jihad is the one a person
carries out against his lower soul”. “lower
soul” here means selfish desires and ambitions. On another
occasion, the Messenger of God addressed his companions,
saying: "We are now returning from the minor jihad to the
major jihad (that of the struggle of the inner self.).
8
Apart
from spiritual meanings, struggle in the physical sense is
also considered as “jihad” for which the exact word is
Qital. However, The holy Quran lays down strict
principles of Qital (war) in its various verses. The war can
be waged only for lawful purpose :
1-
In defense when one is attacked ,or
2-
To eradicate corruption from the earth or
3-
For elimination of persecution or
4-
For getting moral, religious and physical freedom for
oppressed people.
If for
these purposes Jihad is waged , it will be in the way of
Allah, which is a just war for sacred cause. For achieving
such noble cause, the Muslims are ordained to observe
certain rules during the war. When Islam forbids the old
cruel and barbaric practices in war, it makes its own rules
for the conduct of hostilities which are:
1-Non-combatants are not to be made to suffer on account of
war
2-
Even against the combatants, one can use only that much
force which is necessary to achieve the purpose of just war
but not going beyond the limits. God does not love those
who go beyond the limits. (Quran, 2:190).
3- If
the enemy offers peace, one has no choice but to accept, and
stop all hostilities.
4-one
can not commit excesses or cruelties during the actual
conduct of hostilities and war.
5-
Arson and pillage are prohibited
6-Destruction of properties, plants and crops is forbidden
7-Killing of prisoners of war is prohibited. On the other
hand generous treatment with the prisoners is ordained.
8
-Women, children , aged ones, and handicapped should not be
killed
9-All
the terms of treaties and other agreements have to be
strictly adhered to 9.
10-Places of worship are to be spared and protected.
All
these points are described in various Quranic verses and
saying of prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
“Permission to fight is given to those who are fought
against because they have been wronged – truly God has the
power to come to their support – those who were expelled
from their homes without any right, merely for saying, “Our
Lord is God”… (Qur’an, 22:39-40)
Again the Quran commands:
“And
fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression
and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they
cease let there be no hostility except to those who practice
oppression” (2: 193)
“But
if the enemy incline towards peace do thou (also) incline
towards peace and trust in Allah: for He is the one that
hears and knows all things” ( 8: 61)
“God
does not forbid you from being good to those who have not
fought you over religion or driven you from your homes or
from being just towards them. God loves those who are just”
(60: 8).
Some
people may say that many battles were fought by the prophet
Muhammad , but the comparison of casualties of all those
battles during the life span of the Prophet and other wars
of the world may give a clear idea and authenticate the
point that the Prophet Muhammad was really Mercy for the
whole world (Rahmatul-lil-Aalamin) and Islam is a
religion of peace. According to one report, the number of
Muslims martyred during all the battles (Gazawat) was
less than 200 whereas less than 300 non-mulsim were killed10.
Now compare the number of the people killed during
world war I
and World war II; 10 million during the World war I and 20
million during the World War II. Similarly during the Gulf
war in Iraq more than 300,000 children below five years were
killed. this
comparison is made to point out the fact that although
Islam permits Jihad but under strict conditions, not for
personal aggrandizement or for any worldly gain but for
defense purpose and to eradicate corruption and persecution
from the society for the welfare of humanity. So Jihad
should be understood in its true perspective and should not
be confused with other wars of the world. Islam considers
the killing of an innocent person tantamount to the killing
of whole humanity. The Holy Quran says:
…. if someone kills
another person – unless it is in retaliation for someone
else or for causing corruption in the earth – it is as if he
had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to
another person, it is as if he has given life to all
mankind. Our Messengers came to them with clear signs, but
even after that many of them commit outrages in the earth
(5:32).
References
1. Goldman , Jonathan L. (ed): Webster’s New World
Dictionary for Young adults (New york : Webster’s New
World, 1992) , P. 239
2.
Al-Quran,
3:64 The translation of the complete verse is :Say: O
People of the Scripture come for a word which is common
between you and us : that we shall worship none but Allah,
and that we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and that
none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if
they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who
have surrendered (unto Him).
3. khalid
Duran : Leonard Swindler’s Draft of global ethics : Muslim
Perspective on http: // Astro.temle.edu/
www.dialogroup.com
4. See for details Ghulam Haider Aasi : Muslim
Understanding of Other Religions ( Islamabad:
International Institute of Islamic thought and Islamic
research Institute, 1999), Introduction , P. 14
5. Harun Yahya: Islam Denounces Terrorism (
New York : Tehrike Tarsile Quran, Inc, 2002) , pp. 94-95 ;
also available on line
www.islamdenouncesterrorism.com
6. Quoted in Abdul Majid : Islam aur Asri Hazir
ka Masail aur hal (Mansehra: Hazara Society for Science
–Religion Dialogue,2003 ),p.46 and also available online
www.hssrd.org
/books.
7. Ishtiaq H. Qureshi :The Religion of Peace(
Karachi: Royal Book company,1989), P. 102
8. Harun Yahya, op.cit. p. 46.
9. Abdul Rehman : The Peace (Muscat,Oman:Batna
Printing Press, 1999),
pp.
128-129
10. Dr. Hameed Ullah : The battlefields of
the Prophet’s Age -Ahdi Nabwi ka Madani Jang – (Lahore :
Islami Academy) p. 7, According to Dr. Hameedullah about
120 Muslims were martyred during the ten years of Madani
period and about 150 Non-Muslims were killed.
11. See for details and comparison : Prize Winning
Articles on all Pakistan Level (Islamabad: Ministry of
Religious Affairs , 1986), pp. 35-36.
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