﴿ لَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴾
Allah does not
forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on
account of
religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who
deal with equity. [60:08]
﴿ وَلَا
تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ ﴾
and transgress
not. Verily, Allah does
not like the transgressors. [2:190]
﴿ إِنَّ
اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ﴾
Verily,
Allah loves those who deal with equity.[60:8]
﴿ وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ
الْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴾
then make
reconciliation between them
justly, and be equitable. Verily! Allah loves those who are equitable [49:9]
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا
كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ
شَنَآَنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى
وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ﴾
O you who
believe! Stand out firmly for Allah and be just witnesses and let not the
enmity and
hatred of others
make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allah.
Verily, Allah is
WellAcquainted with what you do. [5:8]
“Let
there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error.
Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has grasped the most
trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 256]
One of the fundamental truths established by the
sacred texts is that no one can be compelled to accept Islam. It is the duty of
Muslims to establish the proof of Islam to the people so that truth can be made
clear from falsehood. “If it had been your Lord’s will, all of the people on Earth would have believed. Would you then compel the people so to have them believe?” [Surah Yunus: 99]
“So
if they dispute with you, say ‘I have submitted my whole self to Allah, and so
have those who follow me.’ And say to the People of the Scripture and to the
unlearned: ‘Do you also submit yourselves?’ If they do, then they are on right
guidance. But if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message. And
in Allah’s sight are all of His servants.” [Surah Al `Imran: 20]
“The Messenger’s duty is but to proclaim the Message.” [Surah al-Ma’idah: 99]
The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said in his letter to the Roman governor Heracles:
“I invite you to accept Islam. If you accept Islam, you will find safety. If
you accept Islam, Allah will give you a double reward. However, if you turn
away, upon you will be the sin of your subjects.” [Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih
Muslim]
Another misunderstood text is the hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I
have been commanded to fight the people until they bear witness that there is
no God but Allah and that I am Allah’s Messenger. If they do so, then there
blood and their wealth are inviolable except in the dispensation of justice,
and their affair is with Allah.” [Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim]
There
can be no qualms about this hadith’s authenticity, since it is recorded in both
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. However, this hadith is also not to be taken
generally, out of context, and in complete disregard to all the other textual
evidence.
The
term “people” here is not referring to all humanity. Ibn Taymiyyah says:
“It refers to fighting those who are waging war, whom Allah has permitted us to
fight. It does not refer to those who have a covenant with us with whom Allah
commands us to fulfill our covenant.” [Majmu` al-Fatawa (19/20)]
Islam
commands the Muslims to be just with people of other faiths, whether
they be Jews, Christians, or pagans. Islam calls us to treat them kindly
and try to win their hearts as long as they do not take up arms against us.
Allah says: “Allah forbids you not with regard to those who neither fight
against you for your faith nor drive you out of your homes from dealing
kindly and justly with them, for Allah loves those who are just.” [Surah al-Mumtahanah: 9-10]
Allah
commands Muslims to respect their non-Muslim parents and to accompany them in
this world in a good manner.
The
Qur’an commands us to argue with them in the best manner. Allah says: “Argue
with the People of the Scripture in the best manner except those among them who
act oppressively. Say: We believe in the revelation that has come down to us
and in that which came down to you. Our God and your God is one, and it is to
Him we submit ourselves as Muslims.” [Surah al-`Ankabut: 46]
We
are ordered to uphold our covenants with the non-Muslims and not betray them or
transgress against them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a stern warning
to us against killing a non-Muslim with whom we are at peace. He said: “Whoever
kills one with whom we have a covenant will not smell the scent of Paradise.”
[Sahih Muslim]
The
faith of a Muslim is not acceptable unless he believes in all of the Prophets
who were sent before (peace be upon them all). Allah says: “O you who believe!
Believe in Allah, His Messenger, the scripture that He revealed to His
messenger and the scripture that he revealed before. Whoever disbelieves in
Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, and the Last Day has gone far
astray.” [Surah al-Nisa’: 136]
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