The Quran and Acceptance of Other Religions
The Quran stresses acceptance of
other faiths as a fact, this being an important Islamic principle. Acceptance
here necessarily means that people should be not be coerced into following a
particular religion. This is entirely in consonance with Islam. The Quran
(2:256) insists ‘There shall be no compulsion in religion’. The occasion for the revelation of this verse further
clarifies the Quranic understanding of religious acceptance. This verse was
revealed in connection with a certain Muslim from among the ‘Helpers’ (Ansars) of
Medina named Husain, who had two sons. Some traders from Syria had made them
Jews when they were young, without their consent, and had had taken them to
their land. Husain complained about this to the Prophet. He wanted that his
children should be made to embrace Islam. This Quranic verse was revealed in
this regard.
The Quran clearly states that human
beings have the right to choose whatever religion or ideology they like. It is
against God’s Cosmic Plan that everyone should follow one religion—Islam. Thus,
the Quran says:
Had your Lord
pleased, all the people on earth would have believed in Him, without exception.
So will you compel people to become believers? (10:99) […]and had God so
willed, He would have made you all a single community, but He did not so will,
in order that He might try you by what He has given you (5:48)
It was He who
created you; and some of you are those who deny this truth, and some who
believe [in it] (64:2)It was He who created you; and some of you are those who
deny this truth, and some who believe [in it] (64:2)It was He who created you;
and some of you are those who deny this truth, and some who believe [in it]
(64:2)It was He who created you; and some of you are those who deny this truth,
and some who believe [in it] (64:2)It was He who created you; and some of you
are those who deny this truth, and some who believe [in it] (64:2)It was He who
created you; and some of you are those who deny this truth, and some who
believe [in it] (64:2)It was He who created you; and some of you are those who
deny this truth, and some who believe [in it] (64:2)It was He who created you;
and some of you are those who deny this truth, and some who believe [in it]
(64:2)In this way, the Quran has accepted both faith and denial as eternal and
natural realities. The Quran (22:69) clearly states that God will judge with
regard to faith and denial on the Day of Judgment:
On the Day of Resurrection, God will judge between you
regarding your differences.
Meanwhile, in this world, even
deniers have freedom in matters of religion. As the Quran (109:6 ) says:
Say,
‘[…] You have your religion and I have mine.’
The deniers also have freedom of
action in this world, as the Quran (42:15) says:
‘[…]we are responsible for what we do and you are
responsible for what you do […]’
Further, the
Quran (6:108) forbids the believers from abusing deities worshipped by others:
Do not revile those [beings] whom they invoke instead of
God, lest they, in their hostility, revile God out of ignorance.
The Quran
(16:125) advises Muslims to adopt a beautiful approach in reasoning with
others:
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair
exhortation and reason with them in a way that is best.
The believers
are advised to always act justly:
Believers, be strict in upholding justice and bear witness
for the sake of God, even though it be against yourselves, your parents, or
your kindred (4:135)
The Quranic
insistence on justice does not apply just among Muslims themselves. Rather, it
relates to the whole of humankind, and Muslims are expected to act justly with
everyone, irrespective of religion or community:
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 Well-Acquainted with what you do (5:8)
The Quran
provides for full religious freedom for members of other faiths, who also have
the right to judge their affairs according to their scriptures. They even have
the right to deal in things that Islam considers forbidden or haram, such as alcohol and pork.
The Quran talks
about two types of disbelievers. The first are those who have unleashed
aggression and war against Muslims, who refuse to give Muslims their religious
and social rights and who have made the Prophet and his Companions a target of
their oppression, forcing them out of their homes and lands. The Quran advises
stern measures against them, granting permission for engaging in war in defence
against their oppression. On the other hand are those disbelievers or deniers of
Truth who are not bent on waging war against Muslims and who have not compelled
Muslims to leave their homes. The Quran (60:8) advises Muslims to deal with
them with gentleness and goodness:
He does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with
anyone who has not fought you on account of your faith or driven you out of
your homes: God loves the just.
It is important
to consider here that the Quran considers even the fiercest enemy to be a
potential friend. Thus, it says (41:34):
Good and evil deeds are not equal.
Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your
enemy has become your dearest friend […]
This Quranic
wisdom is related to the fact that every human being, even one’s staunchest
foe, is born on the same natural state or fitrah,
and fitrah has a tendency to like
what is good. It is external factors that become a barrier to some people’s
acceptance of goodness and truth. As the Prophet is said to have noted:
Every child is born in a state of fitrah, then his parents make him into a Jew or a Christian or a Magian.
The Quran
basically addresses this fitrah,
which requires
us to relate with others with love
and gentleness, not hate and sternness.
Another
expression of the Quranic spirit of tolerance is the fact that the Quran
(31:15) commands Muslims who have non-Muslim parents to deal with them in a
good manner:
Yet be kind to them in this world and follow the path of
those who turn to Me.
Had your Lord
pleased, all the people on earth would have believed in Him, without exception.
So will you compel people to become believers? (10:99) […]and had God so
willed, He would have made you all a single community, but He did not so will,
in order that He might try you by what He has given you (5:48)The Quran, as is
readily evident from this discussion, reflects a universal notion of religious
tolerance. If this is not reflected in Muslims’ behavior, the fault lies with Muslims
themselves, and not with the Quran