Live in PEACE

Over the history of time, Muslims have held many different attitudes towards people of other faiths. However, it is very important to seperate what the religion states and what people actually do.

All too often, the religion is blamed for the racist, extremist, idiotic, sadistic (etc etc) actions of "Muslims" - sometimes, whether they are even of the faith is highly questionable. I really wish that non-Muslims round the world would make an effort to look up the "real Islam" - not the one advertised by the loonies and weirdos that so often get media attention (as opposed to the 1 billion of us who live in peace round the world).

However, even more than that I wish Muslims themselves would look up their own religion and educate themselves - frankly speaking most of the myths and stories about Islam that are extremist, violent, anti-kafir (Kafir = meaning non-believer, i.e. a non-Muslim) or just plain daft are perpetuated by Muslims themselves.

Often I find that in these situations Muslims are their own worst enemy - and cause others to misunderstand and eventually even hate Muslims or our "ideals".

There is a very big myth that Islam is intolerant of other religions and that the Quran condemns other religions and faiths.

The Creator has taught us in the Qur'an and Sunnah that all other `religions' and ways of life are unacceptable to Him if a person is aware of Islam. The Qur'an states (translation),

[Chapter 3: Verse 85] "And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers."

However, even though the Creator, Allah, has clearly specified that no other way of life is acceptable to Him except Islam (i.e. submission to Him as embodied in the Qur'an and Sunnah), He has also commanded the Muslims to be tolerant of people who have other beliefs.

From the Sunnah, these are the sayings and doings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we are told regarding those non-Muslims living in the Islamic state,

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "One who kills a non-Muslim person under protection (Arabic: dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise."

Also from the Sunnah, we find that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also said:

"Whoever hurts a non-Muslim person under protection, I am his adversary, and I shall be an adversary to him on the Day of Resurrection."

So basically, while Islam is intolerant of false ideas, it is, however, tolerant of the people who hold to those ideas. One historical example of Muslims living up to the standard of Islam can be found from the time of the Spanish Inquisition. During that disaster sprung by misguided Catholics, some Spanish Jews fled to Muslim Turkey and to this day, there is a community of Spanish-speaking Jews in Turkey. Another example may be found during one of the Crusader invasions from Western Europe. Some of the the Catholic Western European knights were so likely to rape, murder, and pillage the Jews and Orthodox Christians, that when the Muslims won, they were treated as a liberating force by those non-Muslims.

A dhimmi is the term given to a non-Muslim person living under Muslim rule. They are allowed to practice their religion and to enjoy a measure of communal autonomy and are guaranteed their personal safety and security of property, in return for acknowledging Muslim rule.

It is a command of God in the Quran that all Muslims believe in and respect all Prophets of God sent to humanity throughout history. This includes Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), and Isa (Jesus).

This means that Muslims are not permitted to show any disrespect to any prophet or to the religion he taught to his followers. To a Muslim, religious belief must come out of a person’s free choice, as God has also commanded not to use any kind of coercion in the matter of religion:

"Let there be no compulsion in religion, truth stands out clear from error." (Chapter 2: Verse 256)

Allah tells us in the Quran that He has made people different from each other so that there is diversity and variety, so that they can know and deal with each other in equal kindness and generosity:

"O humankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know and deal with each other in kindness (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God (is he who is) the most righteous of you, and God is Knower, Aware." (Chapter 49:Verse 13)

In Islam there is no place for intolerance, prejudice, or bigotry based on color, race, nationality or any such considerations. This all-encompassing tolerance of Islam applies to all elements of life and all affairs of Muslims.

 Marmaduke Pickthall, whose translation of the meanings of the Qur'an remains one of the most popular today, also commented on the subject:

"In Spain under the Umayyads and in Baghdad under the Abbasid Khalifas, Christians and Jews, equally with Muslims, were admitted to the Schools and universities - not only that, but were boarded and lodged in hostels at the cost of the state. When the Moors were driven out of Spain, the Christian conquerors held a terrific persecution of the Jews. Those who were fortunate enough to escape fled, some of them to Morocco and many hundreds to the Turkish empire, where their descendants still live in separate communities, and still speak among themselves an antiquated form of Spanish. The Muslim empire was a refuge for all those who fled from persecution by the Inquisition. The Western Christians, till the arrival of the Encyclopaedists in the eighteenth century, did not know and did not care to know, what the Muslim believed, nor did the Western Christian seek to know the views of Eastern Christians with regard to them. The Christian Church was already split in two, and in the end, it came to such a pass that the Eastern Christians, as Gibbon shows, preferred Muslim rule, which allowed them to practice their own form of religion and adhere to their peculiar dogmas, to the rule of fellow Christians who would have made them Roman Catholics or wiped them out… If Europe had known as much of Islam, as Muslims knew of Christendom, in those days, those mad, adventurous, occasionally chivalrous and heroic, but utterly fanatical outbreak known as the Crusades could not have taken place, for they were based on a complete misapprehension… It was not until the Western nations broke away from their religious law that they became more tolerant; and it was only when the Muslims fell away from their religious law that they declined in tolerance and other evidences of the highest culture. Before the coming of Islam it had never been preached as an essential part of religion.” (Madras Lectures on Islam)

 The Quran never claimed to be bringing a new religion to world; it repeatedly informs us that Muhammed (peace be upn him) is the last in a long line of messengers, confirming and updating the truths told before him.

Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh - peace be upon him) mission was to restore the pure religion of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. The Islamic view of these earlier religions is clear from the following verses of the Quran:

"The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - which We have sent by inspiration to thee (O Muhammad)--and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus… Call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded, follow not thou their vain desires; but say: "I believe in whatever Book Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord: for us (is the responsibility for) our deeds, and for you for your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (our) final goal." (Chapter 42: Verse 13 & 15)

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also practiced the spirit of acceptance and respect for those who were different in his daily life. The Prophet used to visit the sick people among the Jews as well as the Muslims; and when on one occasion the funeral procession of a Jew passed before him, he stood up as a sign of respect for the deceased. “Why did you stand up for a Jewish funeral?” he was asked. The Prophet replied: "Is it not a human soul?" (Al-Bukhari)

In this age of racial profiling and targeted killings directed at Muslims this attitude of the Prophet may sound other-worldly.

 

So, Islam encourages us all to be tolerant of each other so why do we find it so difficult? I have discussed some of what Islam says on the subject - there is, of course, much more.

But its not Islam that is the problem - its the apparant ignorance of the Muslims. Why are Muslims so ignorant on this topic?

I have a wide variety of friends, Muslims and non-Muslims, black, white, yellow, pink - if humans had green skin, I'd just think it was cool and probably want to be their friend. I really do NOT care where you are from, what your ethnicity is, nor what your religion is - why should I? As long as you are a good person - your beliefs are yours and you can't change or help your ethnicity or colour.

Frankly, I love diversity. I love going out as a big group with my friends - Muslims, non-Muslims, blondes, brunettes, Christians, agnostics, athiests, Buddhists, Dutch, Nigerian, Somali, Sudanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Kashmiri, Bengali, English.... the list is endless of the diversity - and its all beautiful.

This is more along the lines of the way of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) - everyone getting along, having their own beliefs and faiths but being accepting of each others as well. There is no friction in my group of friends - even though everyone is different.

And why should there be? We all go out, we have fun.

Of course I believe that Islam is the best and most perfect of all religions but I have to - I'm Muslim! It doesn't mean I have to feel superior over anyone - in fact, just the opposite. As a Muslim I should be the most humble - afterall, I know what's at stake!

As a Muslim is MY duty to help others understand my faith and help them see how beautiful and tolerant it is. If the wider society remains ignorant to this fact - then it is my fault. The ignorance and sometimes bigotry in society is due to Muslims not having propagated and spread the knowledge of Islam - so if anyone is to blame, its us.

Its about time Muslims stopped whining and complaining and did something about their own situation.

If you want to get treated with tolerance - be tolerant.

If you want respect - be respectful.

If you want people to treat you politely - be polite.

If you don't want people to be racist - don't be racist.

If you want to be understood - be understanding of others.

Want people to know more about Islam - TELL THEM!

This is manners or "adaab" as we call it in Islam. Its other name is COMMON SENSE. I was taught these things as a child by my mother, I always thought everyone else was as well - apparantly not.

The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) said: "I have come to perfect conduct (manners)".

Sometimes, I really do not understand the issue. I find it hard to understand or believe how people can be racist or Islamaphobic or anti-semetic.... its all a little backward and totally unacceptable.

As Muslims, these attitude should be abhorent to us. We shouldn't only defend fellow Muslims but all people - it is our Islamic duty. Its totally unacceptable that anyone should be mistreated due to their religion, or colour, or ethnicity.

Likewise - I refuse to be treated badly because I happen to be from the Asian subcontinent, because I happen to be Muslim, a woman, brown-ish (when I'm lucky and somehow acquire a tan but i usually skip the tan stage and go straight to burn), roundish (also called fat by some people!) and I wear a scarf.

I am who I am - if I can tolerate and respect you, please have the decency to do the same.