Tolerance Toward the Non-Muslims

Tolerance Toward the Non-Muslims

Friday, 27 October 2006
By Dr. Zakir Naik

ISLAM extends tolerance to human beings in general, regardless of their religion, race, caste, color or creed. Allah Almighty addresses Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the Quran: “We sent you not but as a mercy for all creatures.” (21:107)

One of the aspects of mercy is tolerance, so was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) tolerant to all people. Islam extends tolerance to human beings in general, regardless of their religion, race, caste, color, creed and sex and sees to it that this quality is instilled in all the followers of Islam.

Most human beings possess the characteristic of being kind to those who are weak, to those who are oppressed. However, very few possess the quality of being kind to their enemies. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) possessed this quality to a surprising degree. History bears witness to this fact.

After the conquest of Makkah, Muslims were in a position to treat the non-Muslims of Makkah with the same ill-treatment they had been receiving from the non-Muslims earlier. These Makkan non-Muslims included those who for years had plotted against Muslims and ultimately had them migrate from Makkah to Madinah. They also included those who had made an economic and social boycott against Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his tribe for three years, which caused him to live in starvation. They included Wahshi, the murderer of Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet’s uncle and also included Hind who had chewed Hamza’s liver. They included Habar, who had attacked the Prophet’s daughter with a spear during her journey from Makkah to Madinah, which caused her succumb to fatal injuries. What treatment did these non-Muslims receive from the Muslims?

The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked them: “O people of Quraish! What do you think of the treatment that I am about to accord to you?” They replied: “O noble brother and son of noble brother! We expect nothing but goodness from you.” Upon this he said: “I speak to you in the same words as Yusuf (Prophet Joseph) spoke unto his brothers: He said: ‘No reproach on you this day’, (Quran, 12:92) go your way for you are freed ones.” History has not witnessed since a better example of tolerance and forgiveness.

Certain critics of Islam allege that Muslims are “intolerant”. Yes Muslims are intolerant toward injustice, toward oppression, toward tyranny, toward hatred, and toward anti-social elements of society. At the same time, Muslims are tolerant toward kindness, toward love, toward mercy, toward justice and peace. Says Allah in the Quran: “There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer and All-Knower.” (Al-Quran 2:256)

Some non-Muslims harbor a misconception that had it not been for intolerance toward non-Muslims and the use of sword against the non-Mulsims, Muslims wouldn’t have had millions of adherents today. An objective and unbiased study of history will lead one to affirm the fact that far from Islam being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam. Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years; if the Muslims wanted they could have forced every non-Muslim to accept Islam at the point of the sword, but they were tolerant. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly call out the adhan, i.e. the call for prayers. Muslims were the rulers of Arabia for 1,400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1,400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. These Arab Christians are bearing witness that the Muslims were tolerant and did not spread Islam by the sword. Had the Muslims been intolerant, there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian. The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. They had power of being intolerant to the non-Muslims but today more than 80 percent of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Muslims were tolerant and that they didn’t force their religion at the point of sword.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, “Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?” Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if it was due to intolerance and the use of sword, “Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?”

The noted historian De Lacy O’Leary responds to this popular myth in the book “Islam at the Crossroad” (Page 8):

“History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated.”