Call for Religious Tolerance

It is important and necessary to understand a religious interpretation from the perspective of a member of his/her own faith community. This was my experience when I removed my Christian reading spectacles and put on the Muslim spectacles of Ibrahim Kalin in his article "Sources of Tolerance and Intolerance in Islam." He had primarily written to a pluralistic audience for he published it in the book "Religious Tolerance in World Religions" edited by Jacob Neusner & Bruce Chilton.

The Qur'an and the Hadith or sayings and acts of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.) reveal the multi-religious environment in which Islam finds itself and it had to deal with the issue of religious tolerance.

The special relationship with Judaism and Christianity is acknowledged because along with Islam they are regarded as People of the Book and Children of Abraham. Historically Islamic laws grant rights to non-Muslims including freedom of religion, property, travel, education and government employment. Socially, there is no caste system. Politically, Muslim rulers are pragmatic and forced conversions and economic discrimination are not to their interest.

The three Abrahamic faith communities are called to uphold monotheism. However, the diversity of faith communities is to test them in their struggle for virtue and common good. The true religion is one that surrenders oneself to God fully and unconditionally.

God could have created one single faith community but the diversity is for each to engage in vying with one another for the common good. It is on this basis that we build religious tolerance.

Divine revelation is acknowledged but God works with different religious societies. According to the Hadith, the different human communities develop different theological languages and form their distinctive identities.

"O humans! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and female, and have made you into nations and tribes so that you might come to know one another" (al Hujurat 49:13).

The oneness of God is confessed and the plurality of ways or paths to God is affirmed. "Unto every one of you have We appointed a (different) law and way of life. And if God had so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community: but He(willed it otherwise)in order to test you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto you. Vie, then with one another in doing good works! Unto God you must all return; and then He will make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ." (al Madiah 5:48).

While there exists religious and sectarian differences we are called to transcend them. The Qu'ran defines true piety "as having full consciousness of God, believing in his books and prophets, and doing such virtuous acts as praying, alms-giving, and helping the poor and the needy.

Christians remained loyal to the Medinan Treaty against the Meccan polytheists. Whereas some prominent Jews at that time were supporting the Meccans in their war against the Muslims. However, the Muslims criticize the Christians for introducing the corrupting elements like the divine nature of Jesus as the Son of God.

On the problem of conversion al Baqarah 2:256 proclaims that "there is no compulsion in religion." Fakh al-Din interprets that "God has not built faith upon compulsion and pressure but on acceptance and free choice."

The teaching regarded as "sword verses' on violence and war stems from the conflict with the Meccan polytheists. This is because Islamic teaching on the unity of God cannot be reconciled with paganism and polytheism. Further, the Meccans plotted to kill the Prophet, expel the Muslims from their homeland and destroy the Muslim community.

On the question of apostasy the Hadith rule is to "kill those who change their religion." It is based on the changing political alliance and betraying the Muslim community especially when they are at war. Contemporary Islamic scholars conclude that present socio-historical context prevents applying that ruling.

Faith communities today are called to evolve a culture of tolerance and accommodation. All must show respect for one another without compromising the integrity and distinctiveness of one's religion.

Peace be upon you.