dealings with the people of other religions

 

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful

His Eminence the Messenger

May God bless him and grant him peace

In his dealings with people of other religions

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introduction

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most honorable of messengers, our Master Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.
As for what follows,
this is a study of Islam’s position on non-Muslims, which shows Islam’s respect for all divine religions, and the obligation to believe in all previous messengers and books. It also shows Islam’s position on non-Muslims in war and peace, and equality between Muslims and non-Muslims in all dealings, and Islam’s tolerance towards non-Muslims, which is why people are entering the religion of Allah in droves, and that Islam is the call of all messengers. I ask Allah Almighty to guide us to what is good, right and correct.

May God’s prayers and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his family and all his companions.

How Islam deals with other religions of the Book

God Almighty sent our Master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, as the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, and as a confirmation of all the Messengers who came before him. God Almighty revealed to His Messenger the Holy Qur’an as an explanation of everything, confirming the books that came before it, and as a guardian over them and a faithful guardian of them.

Among the elements of faith is belief in all previous messengers and in all heavenly books. God Almighty said:


{ The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in God and His angels and His books and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers, and they say, “We hear and we obey. Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the final destination. ”} (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 285).


Indeed, the faith of the believer is not correct unless he believes in all previous prophets and believes in what God Almighty revealed to them from the correct heavenly books. God Almighty said:


{ Say, “We believe in God and in what was revealed to us from the Book of God.”} And what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord - We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission ] to Him. (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 136)


As long as every Muslim is commanded to believe in all previous messengers and all heavenly books, he will not have fanaticism, nor hatred for another religion, prophet or messenger, nor hatred or malice towards any of the followers of other religions.


The Qur’an has laid down for its followers what the divine will has decreed since eternity, regarding the differences between people in their beliefs, races and colors, for a wisdom that the All-Wise, All-Aware knows.


Allah the Almighty said:


{ And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ. Except whom your Lord has given mercy. And for that He created them. And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled: “I will surely fill Hell with jinn and mankind all together.” } (Surat Hud, verses 118-119)


And He the Almighty said:


{ And if your Lord had willed, those on the earth would have believed, all of them together. Then would you compel mankind in order that they become believers ?} (Surat Yunus, verse 118) 99)


Islam does not restrict anyone, nor does it force anyone to convert to its faith. God Almighty said:


{ There is no compulsion in religion. The right way has become distinct from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And God is Hearing and Knowing. } (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 256)

Islam's position on non-Muslims

It is known that Islam is the religion of peace, and it does not order war except in extreme necessity that calls for defense and jihad in the way of Allah. Despite the legitimacy of jihad in the way of Allah in defense of religion, belief, land and honor, war in Islam has limits and controls, and Muslims have their own morals that they adopt even in their war with those who fight them from among non-Muslims. Islam ordered the preservation of the property of others, and the leaving of monks in their monasteries without disturbing them. Islam forbade treachery, deceit and embezzlement, as it forbade mutilating the dead, killing children, women and the elderly, burning palm trees and crops, and cutting down fruitful trees. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, advised Usama bin Zaid when he sent him to the Levant to fulfill the covenant and not to betray or mutilate, and Khalid bin al-Walid promised the people of al-Hirah not to demolish their churches, churches or palaces, and not to prevent them from ringing their bells or displaying their crosses on their holidays.

Omar bin Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, was merciful to non-Muslims from the People of the Book. He advised Saad bin Abi Waqqas - when he sent him to war against the Persians - to fight far from the People of the Book. He advised him not to take anything from them because they had a covenant and a pact. Omar, may God be pleased with him, also gave the people of Ilya a guarantee of security for their money, churches, and crosses, and warned against demolishing their churches. Islam ordered the good treatment of prisoners and feeding them. God Almighty said:


{ And they give food, in spite of their love for it, to the poor, the orphan, and the captive .} (Surat Al-Insan, verse 8).


While non-Muslims treated Muslim prisoners badly, they might kill them, enslave them, or burden them with the most difficult burdens and work. The prisoners of the Battle of Badr were treated by the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, in the best way. He distributed them among the Companions and ordered them to treat them well, so they preferred them over themselves in food and nourishment. When he consulted His companions concerning the prisoners of Badr, some suggested killing them, and others suggested ransoming them, he agreed to the ransom, and made the ransom of those who wrote among them that each one of them should teach ten Muslim children to read and write, and this was the first measure to eradicate illiteracy.


The Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, did not accept that any of his enemies be represented in wars, no matter what his status was. When he was advised to represent Suhayl ibn Amr because he was keen on fighting the Muslims and fighting them, he was advised to remove his two lower front teeth so that he would not be able to give a speech after that, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, did not agree to that, but rather refused, saying:


I will not represent him, so that God may represent me, even though I am a prophet.


When God Almighty fulfilled the wish of His Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, to conquer Mecca, and he entered it as a victorious, triumphant conqueror, he said to the Quraysh:


“ What do you think I will do to you?” They said: “Good, a noble brother and the son of a noble brother.” The Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “ Go, you are free, no blame upon you today. May God forgive me and you .”

And from the instructions of Islam to Muslims in war

1. That the fighting be for the sake of Allah.

2. That the fighting be for those who fight the Muslims.


3. Non-aggression, Allah the Almighty said:


{ And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors. } (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 190).


So those who transgress against Muslims and fight them, Muslims are commanded to fight them, but it is a just fight, meaning that no one should be mutilated and without torture, as Allah the Almighty said:


{ The sacred month for the sacred month, and the sacred things are equal in retribution. So whoever transgresses against you, transgress against him in proportion to his transgression against you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is with the oppressor. } (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 190) {The righteous } (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 194)


This is for those who fight Muslims. As for those who do not fight from among the non-Muslims, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, forbade fighting them:


On the authority of Anas, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “ Go in the name of God, by God, and according to the religion of the Messenger of God. Do not kill an old man, a young child, or a woman .” Abu Dawud, vol. 3, p. 86, no. 2614.


In another hadith:


“ Go in the name of God and in the path of God. Fight those who disbelieve in God. Do not mutilate, do not betray, do not steal, and do not kill a child. ” Sunan Ibn Majah, vol. 2, p. 953

He also forbade, may God bless him and grant him peace, from attacking monks and monasteries, from mutilation and theft.


On the authority of Ibn Abbas , he said: When the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, sent out his armies, he would say: “ Go out in the name of God, fight in the way of God against those who disbelieve in God. Do not transgress, do not commit theft, do not mutilate, and do not kill children or monasteries. ” Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 1, p. 200

Islam's position towards non-Muslims in times of peace

Islam treats non-Muslims in times of peace with a position of security. Indeed, it does not prohibit treating them kindly as long as they do not fight Muslims. Rather, it prohibits treating those who fight Muslims for their religion, expel them from their homes, and support their expulsion. God Almighty said:

{ Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly . “8” Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and support in your expulsion - from making them allies. And whoever makes them allies - then it is those who are the wrongdoers. “9”} (Surat Al-Mumtahanah, verses: 8, 9)

The Holy Quran forbade arguing with the People of the Book except in the best way. Allah the Almighty said:


{ And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which was revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one God, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him. "} (Surat Al-Ankabut, verse 46)


And Allah the Almighty said:


{ Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate partners with Him." } We do not associate anything with Him, nor do we take others as lords besides God. But if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims .” (Surat Al Imran, verse 64)

Rather, Islam commands us to fulfill our covenant, even with the polytheists. Allah the Almighty says:


{ Except for those among the polytheists with whom you have made a treaty and then they have not failed you in anything nor supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty with them until their term. Indeed, Allah loves the righteous. } (Surat At-Tawbah, verse 4).


Rather, if a polytheist asks a Muslim to protect him, he must protect him and even take him to safety, as Allah the Almighty says:


{ And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah and then return to his homeland.} {Take him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know. } (Surat At-Tawbah, verse 6)


Among the ways in which Islam cares for the rights of non-Muslims is its care for their temples and churches. Among its preservation of them is what was reported from Omar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) when the time for prayer came and he was in the Church of the Resurrection, the Patriarch asked Omar to pray there. He was about to do so, then he apologized and explained that he feared that if he prayed in the church, the Muslims would come and take it from the Christians, claiming that it was their mosque, and they would say: Omar prayed here. The


Muslims’ treatment of non-Muslims did not stop at preserving their money and rights, but Islam was keen throughout its ages to do what the People of the Book and the poor among them needed.

Such treatment of non-Muslims by Muslims shows the entire world that Islam has raised its followers to be tolerant, to care for people’s rights, and to be merciful to all human beings, regardless of their beliefs or races.


Generations of Muslims have preserved the value of this Islamic care for the rights of non-Muslims, because they only applied it in response to the teachings of the Holy Quran and the directives of the great Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace. He applied it during his life, and Muslims have understood it generation after generation, and it has been applied by successors to predecessors, and sons to fathers. Here is Abdullah bin Omar : Mujahid narrated: “I was with Abdullah bin Omar, and a young boy had not skinned a sheep. He said: ‘O Omar, when you skin it, start with our Jewish neighbor.’ He said that repeatedly. The boy asked him: ‘How often do you say this?’ He said: ‘The Messenger of God kept advising us to be kind to our neighbors until we feared that he would make them inherit from us.’”

Equality between Muslims and non-Muslims in the judiciary and the course of transactions

Islam established equality between Muslims and non-Muslims in the judiciary and in all other dealings. History has recorded pioneering examples of these dealings, which are considered the pinnacle of fair human dealings in the history of all humanity.

When a Jewish man complained about Ali bin Abi Talib to the Caliph Omar bin Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, Omar said to Ali: “Get up, Abu Al-Hassan, and sit next to your opponent.” Ali got up and sat next to him, but his face showed signs of distress. After the case was over, he said to Ali: “Ali, were you reluctant for us to treat you and your opponent equally in the courtroom?” He said: “No, but I was pained because you called me by my nickname and did not treat us equally, for there is respect in the nickname. I was afraid that the Jews would think that justice had been lost among the Muslims.”

The commandments of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, regarding the People of the Covenant and those with whom a treaty has been made continued, as he, may God bless him and grant him peace, said:


“ Whoever kills a person with whom a treaty has been made will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, even though its fragrance can be found from a distance of forty years .” Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 12, p. 259. The meaning of “will not smell the fragrance of Paradise” is that he will not smell it.

The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said:


“ Whoever wrongs a covenantor, or diminishes his rights, or burdens him beyond his capacity, or takes something from him without his consent, then I will be his opponent on the Day of Resurrection. ” Sunan Abi Dawud, vol. 3, p. 437, Sunan al-Bayhaqi, vol. 9, p. 205

What indicates the equality between Muslims and others in the judiciary, and the spread of Islam with its tolerance and good treatment of non-Muslims: This incident that occurred between Imam Ali bin Abi Talib and a man from the People of the Book, when Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) lost his armor, then found it with this man from the People of the Book, so he brought it to Judge Shuraih saying: It is my armor and I did not sell it or give it away, so Judge Shuraih asked the man from the People of the Book saying: (What do you say about what the Commander of the Faithful says?).


The man said: The armor is my armor, and the Commander of the Faithful is not a liar in my view, so Judge Shuraih turned to Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him: O Commander of the Faithful, do you have evidence? Ali laughed and said: Shuraih got it right, I have no evidence, so he ruled in favor of the man from the armor, took it and walked, and the Commander of the Faithful was looking at him, except that the man did not take a few steps until he returned saying: As for me, I bear witness that these are the rulings of the prophets.. The Commander of the Faithful brings me before his judge to rule against him? I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the armor, by Allah, is your armor, O Commander of the Faithful; The army set out while you were heading to Siffin, so you got out of your white camel, and Imam Ali, may God be pleased with him, said: “Since you have converted to Islam, then it is yours.”

Thus we see how the tolerance of Islam reached this point where the Commander of the Faithful himself stood before the judge, with a man from the People of the Book, and even though the Commander of the Faithful was right, the judge demanded evidence from him, and this is something that made the Commander of the Faithful laugh; Because he is right, and he has no evidence, and it is clear that he is the plaintiff, and the evidence is on the plaintiff, and the oath is on the one who denies, then the end is: that the judge rules in favor of the man based on appearance, where the evidence did not appear. This lenient treatment, in which there is no difference between a prince and one of the subjects from the People of the Book, made the man think about this religion and become amazed by this religion in which the Prince of the Faithful stands before his judge, and his judge rules against him and not for him, based on the appearance of what is before him, even if that is contrary to reality. So God set out, and the two men said: As for me, I bear witness that these are the rulings of the prophets, and he said: I bear witness that there is no god but God and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and he confesses and acknowledges the truth, saying: The shield, by God, is your shield, O Prince of the Faithful. The army set out, and you are setting out to Siffin, so you got out of your white camel, but he confessed and loved Islam and entered it. Which made the Prince of the Faithful give up the shield to the man, saying: (As for you who have converted to Islam, it is yours).

It is a picture of the judiciary at the height of its justice, where it equates this man with the Commander of the Faithful, and a picture of the tolerance of Islam at its peak, where the ruling was based on appearances and on the Commander of the Faithful, not him. Such tolerant treatment of non-Muslims is what brought Islam closer to the people and made them enter the religion of God in droves.

As for the images of hateful fanaticism in which Islam is abused, they do not push people to enter it, but rather push them to be repelled by it. For this reason, the Holy Quran clarifies this truth:


{ There is no compulsion in religion. The right course has become distinct from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. } (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 256)

And there is no harm or hardship in it:


{ And strive in Allah's cause with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [This is] the religion of your father Abraham. He named you Muslims before and in this [the religion] so that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protector, and excellent is the Protector, and excellent is the Helper.} } (Surat Al-Hajj, verse 78)

It is a call to ease and tolerance, not to hardship and harshness:


{ The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon] among you shall fast it. And whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the number and [wants] to glorify Allah for having guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.} } (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 185)

Islam's tolerance towards non-Muslims

Just as Islam took into account tolerance and equality between Muslims and others in the judiciary, it also took into account tolerance in the treatment of Muslims towards others:

{ Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. } (Surat Al-Mumtahanah, verse 8)


Rather, Islam has decided to protect the People of the Covenant and those granted protection as long as they are in the land of Islam. This right that Islam has decided to protect them must be implemented by the people of other religions in their treatment of Islamic minorities to protect them and enable their worship so that cooperation between the two elements of the nation is achieved. Let us look at how Islam has emphasized the rights of the People of the Book and those with whom a treaty has been made. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “


Whoever wrongs a person with whom a treaty has been made, or diminishes his rights, or burdens him beyond his capacity, or takes something against his will, then I will be his opponent on the Day of Resurrection. ” Sunan Abi Dawud, vol. 3, p. 437 Al-Bayhaqi, Vol. 9, p. 205

Among the commandments of our master Omar bin Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, is: “I enjoin upon you the covenant of God, for it is the covenant of your Prophet and the provision of your children.” And to establish the foundations of cooperation and communication between the two elements of the nation, God made their food lawful, saying:


{ This day [all] good foods have been made lawful to you. And the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, chaste, not fornicating nor taking [partners] as lovers. And whoever {Whoever disbelieves in faith, his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. } (Surat Al-Ma’idah, verse 5)


Marriage to a woman of the Book is permissible, and there is no stronger bond in social phenomena than that. God Almighty said:


{ And chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture .} (Surat Al-Ma’idah, verse 5)

If tolerance, good treatment, and lack of fanaticism are required of Muslims in their dealings with non-Muslims, then they are also required of non-Muslims with Muslims, so that each party treats the other within a circle of cooperation and solidarity, so that no one offends the other, but rather they deal with each other in the spirit of one team in one homeland.

The secret of the spread of Islam, people’s embrace of it, and their entry into the religion of God in droves, is its divine method, which the Lord of Glory, Glory be to Him, the Most High, revealed to His Messenger, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him. This method in which God Almighty commanded calling to God with wisdom, good preaching, and argument in the best way. It is a method of calling people to Islam, not coercion, extremism, or violence. God Almighty said:


{ Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided .} (Surat An-Nahl, verse 125)

Islam does not approve of violence or extremism:


{ There is no compulsion in religion. The right course has become distinct from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. } (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 256)

And God Almighty said to Moses and Aaron when He sent them to Pharaoh who claimed divinity:


{ Then speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear } (Surat Taha, verse 44).


And when they feared that he would attack them, God Almighty made it clear that He is with them, hearing and seeing, and supporting them in their call. God Almighty supports every caller who responds to his approach and calls with gentle speech that does not repel. So God Almighty said in response to them:


{ He said, "Do not fear. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and see. "} (Surat Taha, verse 46).


Islam resisted fanaticism and called for tolerance. In the hadith:


" He is not one of us who calls to fanaticism ."

Islam’s tolerance was not limited to the People of the Book only, but it also included the polytheists, as Islam called for granting them protection and security when a polytheist asked for it. God Almighty said:


{ And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of God; then escort him to where he will be secure. That is because they are a people who do not know. } (Surat At-Tawbah, verse 6)


. Rather, Islam considers beating a wicked person or a person with whom a covenant has been made without guilt or because of a crime, and the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, disavows the perpetrator, as he says:


“ And whoever rebels against my nation, beating its righteous and wicked, does not avoid its believers, and does not fulfill the covenant of its covenantor, then I am not of him and he is not of me. ” Muslim (Al-Imara) p. 53.


This is so that people do not suspect each other, and so that life is not… Chaos, Islam does not approve of injustice or aggression, even against the wicked or those who have a treaty. The wicked person’s wickedness is upon himself and his reckoning is with God. We are not required to do anything with him except enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and to follow the levels of resisting evil that the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, informed us about when he said:


“ Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand. If he is unable to do so, then with his tongue. If he is unable to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith. ” Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3, p. 20, and al-Nasa’i, vol. 8, p. 1011, al-Tirmidhi, no. 2173

No one, whoever he may be, has the right to give himself the legitimacy and right to beat people or coerce them in the name of Islam, because by doing so he is insulting Islam and its tolerance.

Justice of Islam

Islam has taken care of the People of the Book, so our master Omar bin Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, decided to sponsor them from the treasury of the Muslims. It was narrated that he passed by the door of a group of people and found a beggar begging - he was an old blind man - so he asked him, saying: Which of the People of the Book are you from? He said: A Jew. So he asked him: What made you do what I see? He said: Ask for the jizya, need, and age. So Omar took him by the hand to his home, gave him some, then sent to the treasurer of the treasury and said to him: Look at this man and his ilk, for by God we have not been fair to him by eating his gray hair and then abandoning him in old age!!

And what happened in the history of our ancestors was the insult of a dhimmi, and if any transgression occurred, Islam would address it immediately. When a Copt complained to Omar about the son of the governor of Egypt, Amr ibn al-Aas, who slapped his son when the son of the Copt beat him in a race, and said: I am the son of the most honorable, Omar, may God be pleased with him, hastened to bring the governor of Egypt and his son to Mecca during the Hajj season. Omar gave the whip to the son of the Copt and ordered him to take revenge on the son of the most honorable, then he said to Amr his famous words: "When did you enslave people while their mothers gave birth to them free?!"


Islam established justice between the two elements of the nation, Muslims and non-Muslims. In the letter of our master Omar ibn al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, to the Chief Justice Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, he said to him: (Be fair to people in your face, your council, and your judgment, so that no noble person will hope to be unfair to you, and no weak person will despair of your justice). It is not right to separate between disputing parties, even if one of them is not a Muslim.


Thus we see how our predecessors treated the People of the Book, and how they demonstrated the tolerance of this religion that does not approve of fanaticism, nor accepts injustice even towards non-Muslims, but rather calls for tolerance and justice towards them.


This tolerant approach of Islam towards the people of other religions is the secret of the greatness of Islam, and the secret of its spread and expansion throughout the world.

Islam is the call of all messengers

Islam is the call of all the messengers, and its generality includes all the religions that God Almighty commanded His messengers to convey to people, because it is its universal spirit, despite the difference in some duties and actions. A person joins the banner of Islam when his belief is correct, and is free from every blemish of polytheism and hypocrisy, and he is sincere in his faith and actions for God Almighty. This is what is meant by the Almighty’s saying:

{ And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. } (Surat Al Imran, verse 85)

Islam, in its bright Quranic concept, is the name of the divine religion that all the prophets and messengers brought, and all their followers belonged to it. Noah said to his people:


{ But if you turn away, then I do not ask of you any payment. My payment is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims .} (Surah Yunus, verse 72).


And Jacob advised his sons, saying: God Almighty said:


{ And Abraham enjoined it upon his sons and Jacob, [saying], “O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except as Muslims. ”} (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 132).


And the sons of Jacob, their father, saying:


{ Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, “What will you worship after me?” They said, “We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac - one God, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him. ”} (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 133). And


Moses, peace be upon him, said to his people:


{ And Moses said, “ O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him, if you are Muslims [in submission ].”} (Surat Yunus) Verse 84)


And the disciples said to Jesus:


{ And when Jesus perceived disbelief on their part, he said, “Who will be my helpers to Allah?” The disciples said, “We are helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims. ”} (Surat Al Imran, verse 52) And


some of the People of the Book say when they hear the Qur’an:


{ And when it is recited to them, they say, “We believe in it. Indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed, we were before it Muslims. ”} (Surat Al Qasas, verse 53)

The Holy Quran directed the Islamic nation to clarify this truth in the Almighty’s saying:


{ He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - [saying], “Establish the religion and do not be divided therein. Difficult for the polytheists is that to which you invite them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns [to Him] .”} (Surat Ash-Shura, verse 13).


Allah Almighty also addressed all the Messengers, explaining that Islam and monotheism were commanded by all the Messengers, peace and blessings be upon them, and all nations. The religion is one, united in the principles of the laws. It changes with the changing times. Allah the Almighty said:


{ And indeed, this, your nation, is one nation, and I am your Lord, so fear Me. } (Surat Al-Mu’minun, verse 52).


The call of the valuable religion is summed up in the pure monotheism of Allah, the One and Only: far from false beliefs, while following all the rulings entrusted to the followers of Islam, as Allah the Almighty said: {And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, devoting their religion to Him, being true in faith; and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the religion of right and right.} (Surat Al-Bayyinah, verse 5). Allah the Almighty said:


{ Say ,


“


We believe in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to our brothers.” } Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission ] to Him. (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 136)

The relationship of Islam with other religions is the relationship of a thing to itself, as long as its essence is the essence of all messages, and the call of its Messenger is the call of all messengers. As for what is specific to the final Islamic faith in terms of laws and rulings, this is a specific indication of a specific law, and the relationship of Islam as the law of the Messenger, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, with other religions is based on the Qur’an’s confirmation of the books that came before it and its dominance over them.

This relationship takes two clear directions.

The first trend : The relationship of Islam with the heavenly laws before their development and change.

The second trend : his relationship with it after its development and change.


As for the first trend, the Qur’an came confirming the books that came before it, and the Lord of Glory, glory be to Him, took upon every prophet, if a messenger came confirming what he had, to believe in him and support him.. And the confirmation of the later books by the earlier ones does not mean that they do not change anything from them, for although they confirm them, they change them, as happened when the Gospel came to amend the rulings of the Torah, so Jesus, peace be upon him, announced that he came to make permissible for the Children of Israel some of what was forbidden to them, and also the Qur’an came to amend some of the rulings of the Gospel and the Torah, as it announced that the Messenger, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, came to make permissible for people all good things, and to prohibit them from all bad things, and to remove from them their burden and the shackles that were upon them, and in this there is no contradiction between the later and the earlier nor is there a denial of it, but rather it is an agreement and compatibility with the time that each nation lives in, to be in harmony with its circumstances, nature and different stages, for what is appropriate for a nation in its first stage may not be appropriate for it in the second stage, and what is appropriate for it in the first two stages may not be appropriate for it in the third stage, and so on. ..


Yes, there are matters that the later Sharia permits to be kept and continued within the scope of their previous circumstances: such as the Ten Commandments, for example, except for the tenth commandment that prohibits working on the Sabbath. Such is from the eternal legislation that has not changed yet. As for the temporary legislation with long or short terms, it ends when its time ends, and the later Sharia comes with what is in accordance with the circumstances, confirming the Almighty’s saying:


{ We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth one better than it or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah has power over all things ?} (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 106)

So, in every law there are two essential elements for the call: a continuous element that links its present to its past.


And another non-continuous element that renews itself in line with its development in every time and place. For example, we see that the Torah stipulates, among the laws of moral conduct, “the prohibition of killing and stealing, etc.” Among the most important things it highlights is the demand for justice and equality. We see the law of the Gospel establishing these principles and adding to them: “Do not show off to people by doing good” and “Be good to those who have wronged you.” The clearest thing in it is tolerance and kindness. Then the law of the Qur’an comes and establishes both principles together:


{ Indeed, Allah commands justice and doing good and giving to kith and kin and forbids immorality and bad deeds and oppression. He instructs you that perhaps you will be reminded. } (Surat An-Nahl, verse 90)


{ And the recompense for an evil is an evil like it. But whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is due from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers. } } (Surat Ash-Shura, verse 40)


And God Almighty said:


{ And if you punish, then punish with the equivalent of that with which you were afflicted. But if you are patient - it is better for the patient. } (Surat An-Nahl, verse 126)

Islamic law has added all the noble morals, and has not left out any aspect of behavior in greeting, asking permission, sitting and speaking, and other sublime etiquette and high morals as explained in Surat An-Nur, Al-Hujurat, and Al-Mujadila.


So all the laws are like bricks in building the religion, and the mission of the last brick is to complete the building and hold it together, and to achieve moral perfection as he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “


I was sent only to perfect good morals .”


And God Almighty described His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, with the most perfect description and the greatest character, as He, the Most High, says to the Messenger:


{ And indeed, you are of a great moral character } (Surat Al-Qalam, verse 4).


And the Holy Qur’an says in explaining the completion of the religion and the perfection of the divine blessing upon the servants at the hands of the Seal of the Messengers, peace and blessings be upon him:


{ Forbidden to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and that which has been strangled, or that which has been beaten to death, or that which has fallen from a head, or that which has been thrown down from a cliff, or that which has been thrown from a mountain, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave ... thrown down from a mountain, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been slaughtered in a grave, or that which has been And the goring animal, and that which a wild animal has eaten, except that which you have slaughtered, and that which is slaughtered on stone altars, and that you seek to decide by arrows - that is transgression. This Day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion, so fear them not, but fear the Day. I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you, and have approved for you Islam as religion. So whoever is forced by severe hunger, without being inclining towards evil - For sin, then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful . (Surat Al-Ma’idah, verse 3)

The Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, explains his position towards the prophets who came before him as the final messenger, saying:


“ My example and the example of the prophets before me is like that of a man who built a house and made it beautiful and perfect except for the space of one brick in a corner. The people went around it and marveled at him, saying: Why is this brick not placed? He said: So I am that brick and I am the Seal of the Prophets .” Narrated by Al-Bukhari. Sahih Muslim, Al-Bukhari 4/151, Al-Sha’b edition, vol. 4, p. 1790

As for the relationship between Islam and other heavenly religions after their development and change: we know that the Holy Qur’an came “confirming” the books that came before it and “dominating” those books. Dominance means faithfully guarding them, consciously protecting them from the intruder who infiltrates them and invades them, and highlighting what is necessary of hidden truths, and supporting what history has immortalized of truth and goodness.


And this was the mission of the Holy Quran.. It denied the existence of extra matters and challenged the claim of their existence in the books:


{ All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel had forbidden to himself before the Torah was revealed. Say, "Then bring the Torah and recite it, if you should be truthful. "} (Surat Al Imran, verse 93)


and to reveal what they had hidden:


{ O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and pardoning some} Many have come to you from God a light and a clear Book . (Surat Al-Ma’idah, verse 15)

The relationship of Islam with other religions, in its first phase, is one of complete support. As for its final, developed phase, it is a confirmation of what remains of its original parts, and a correction of the innovations and strange additions that have arisen.


Islam has ordered its followers to treat each other well, even with the most distant religions from it. Allah the Almighty said:


{ And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah; then escort him to where he will be secure. That is because they are a people who do not know. } (Surat At-Tawbah, verse 6).


The tolerance of Islam is broad in its aspects, and the shadows of security extend in it, so it grants protection to the polytheist, shelters him, guarantees him security, and offers him effective guidance, sound direction with wisdom and good preaching, and argument in the best way, as Allah the Almighty said:


{ Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good preaching .} And argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly ] guided . (Surat An-Nahl, verse 125)

Rather, it guarantees him protection, care and safety from all calamities. Islam also urges its followers to have a position towards non-Muslims that is one of righteousness, mercy, justice and fairness:


{ Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly .} (Surat Al-Mumtahanah, verse 8).


How wonderful is the saying of the Messenger, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, on the day of Al-Hudaybiyah:


“ By God, if the Quraysh invite me to a plan that would connect the ties of kinship and honor the sacred things, I will give it to them .”

Examples of the impact of Islam's tolerance

Here I present some examples of the tolerance of Islam, and the noble effect it had on the souls of those who knew and touched it, until many people entered Islam because of it.

1) The conversion of Thamamah bin Aththal to Islam :

Imam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Abdullah bin Yusuf told us, Al-Layth told us, Saeed bin Abi Saeed told me that he heard Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, say: The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent cavalry towards Najd, and they brought back a man from Banu Hanifa called Thamamah bin Aththal. They tied him to one of the pillars of the mosque, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out to him and said: “What do you have, Thamamah ? ” He said: “I have good things for you, O Muhammad. If you kill me, you will kill a man of blood, and if you are generous, you will be generous to one who is grateful. If you want money, ask for whatever you want from it.” So he left him until the next day, and then he said: “ What do you have, Thamamah? ” He said: “I have what I told you.” So he said: “ Release Thamamah .” So he went to a palm grove near the mosque, washed himself, then entered the mosque and said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” O Muhammad, by Allah, there was no face on earth more hateful to me than your face, but now your face has become the most beloved of faces to me. By Allah, there was no religion more hateful to me than your religion, but now your religion has become the most beloved of religions to me. By Allah, there was no country more hateful to me than your country, but now your country has become the most beloved of countries to me. Your horses took me while I was intending to perform Umrah, so what do you think? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave him good news and ordered him to perform Umrah. When he arrived in Mecca, someone said to him: Have you become an apostate? He said: No, by Allah, but I have become a Muslim with Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). By Allah, not a single grain of wheat will come to you from Yamamah until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) permits it. Narrated by al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, p. 1386.

This story is one of the clearest evidences and proofs of the spread of Islam through wisdom and good advice, and through the spirit of tolerance and mercy. It spread through its lofty human principles, not as the pedants and enemies of Islam say, that it spread by the sword. How can this be, while the Holy Quran says:


{ There is no compulsion in religion. The right course has become distinct from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing .} (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 256)


and the Almighty says:


{ To you be your religion, and to me mine. } (Surat Al-Kafirun, verse 6)


and the Almighty says:


{ You are not a controller over them. } (Surat Al-Ghashiyah, verse 22)


and here is the master of Banu Hanifa, “Thamama bin Aththal,” who was taken prisoner by the Muslims in one of The raiding parties without recognizing him, and when he was brought to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he recognized him, he honored him and kept him with him for three days, and every day he would present Islam to him and ask him, saying: What do you have? The man would answer, saying: If you kill me, you will kill a man of blood, and if you are generous, you will be generous to a grateful person, and if you want money, ask him for whatever you want.


The meaning of “kill a man of blood” is a man of blood, whose blood has a place and whose killer will be satisfied by killing him, and he will achieve his revenge for his leadership and greatness.


In the narration of Ibn Ishaq, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “I have pardoned you, O Thamamah, and I have set you free .”


This generosity had an effect on Thamamah’s heart, which made him rush to enter Islam. The Messenger was very pleased with his conversion to Islam, because of the result of his conversion to Islam of his people. The situation did not stop there, but his conversion to Islam had an important effect. When he went to Mecca to perform Umrah, its people wanted to kill him. In the narration of Ibn Hisham, he said: I was informed that he went out to perform Umrah, and when he was in the valley of Mecca, he responded to the call to prayer. He was the first to enter Mecca to respond to the call to prayer. The Quraysh seized him and said: You have dared to attack us. They wanted to kill him, but one of them said: Leave him, for you need food from Yamamah. So they left him.

Ibn Hisham added: Then he went out to Al-Yamamah, and prevented them from carrying anything to Mecca. They wrote to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace: “You command us to maintain kinship ties.” So he wrote to Thamamah to leave them alone and carry the grains to them.


Thus the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, wrote to Thamamah to leave them alone and keep the grains of Al-Yamamah. So Thamamah did what the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, ordered him to do. If the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, had wanted to subjugate the people and force them to accept Islam using cruelty and taking advantage of their need and necessity, he would have done so. However, he does not subjugate anyone, nor does he use force, nor does he force people to enter Islam.

After the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, passed away to the highest companion, and there was a movement of apostasy, and some of the people of Yamamah apostatized, this Thamama remained steadfast, he and his followers, and he began to warn the apostates from the followers of Musaylimah the Liar, saying to them: Beware of a dark matter in which there is no light, and it is a misery that God Almighty has written for whoever among you takes it, and a calamity for whoever among you does not take it. And when he did not find advice with them, he and those with him left and joined Al-Ala’ bin Al-Hadrami to support him, and this was what weakened the resolve of the apostates and inflicted defeat on them.

This position of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with Thamamah is an example of the high levels of tolerance with which the Messenger dealt with people. His dealings throughout his life were characterized by a spirit of tolerance and compassion, and calling to Islam with wisdom and good advice, not with force and the sword.


There is no doubt that the one who is forced to do something will not remain in it, but will get rid of it if he finds a way to do so, and will even become an enemy to it. However, throughout the history of Islam, we have not found anyone who turned away from his religion in anger after entering it. Rather, we have found that Muslims have been exposed throughout their history to wars and divisions in their countries, and the domination of their enemies over them. Despite this, we have not found anyone among them who turned away from his religion, but rather they remained steadfast in Islam until Allah opened up blessings from the heavens and the earth, and Allah’s victory and conquest came to them.

In addition to the above, some lessons and morals can be derived from this model, including:


- The spread of Islam with its teachings, principles and approach, which is characterized by wisdom, good advice and a spirit of tolerance.


- The virtue of the trait of forgiving the offender, and its effect in changing an enemy into a friend, as Thamamah swore that his hatred turned into love at one time and in one hour, as a result of the forgiveness that the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, granted him. God Almighty spoke the truth when He said:


{ Not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel evil by that which is better, and lo, he between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend. } (Surat Fussilat, verse 34)


- The legitimacy of bathing in Islam.


- The effect of doing good in removing hatred and establishing love.

2) The conversion of Saad bin Sa’na to Islam :

Al-Tabarani, Ibn Hibban, Al-Hakim, and others narrated on the authority of Al-Walid bin Muslim, on the authority of Muhammad bin Hamza bin Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Salam, on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather, on the authority of Abdullah bin Salam, who said: Zaid bin Sa’na said:

There are no signs of prophethood that I did not recognize in the face of Muhammad (peace be upon him) when I looked at him, except for two characteristics that I had not heard of him: His patience precedes his ignorance, and the severity of his ignorance only increases his patience. Zaid bin Sa’na said: One day, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went out from the rooms, and with him was Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). A man came to him on his mount like a Bedouin and said: O Messenger of Allah, I have some people in the village of Banu so-and-so who have embraced Islam and entered Islam. I told them that if they embraced Islam, they would be provided for in abundance. But they have been afflicted with a year of hardship and drought, so I fear, O Messenger of Allah, that they will leave Islam out of greed, just as they entered it out of greed. So if you see fit to send them something to help them, do so. Then he looked at a man beside him - I think he was Ali - and said: O Messenger of Allah, nothing of it remains. Zaid bin Sa’na said: So I approached him and said: O Muhammad, would you sell me a specified amount of dates in the garden of Banu so-and-so for a specified period, for such-and-such a period?


He said: Do not call the wall of Banu so-and-so. I said: Yes. So he pledged allegiance to me. I released my purse and gave him eighty mithqals of gold for a specified amount of dates for such-and-such a period. The man gave it to him and said: Be fair to them and help them. Zayd ibn Sa’na said: Two or three days before the due date, the Messenger of Allah went out with Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them) and a group of his companions. When he had prayed over the funeral and approached the wall to sit by it, I went to him and took hold of the edges of his shirt and cloak and looked at him with a harsh face. I said to him:


O Muhammad, will you not give me my due? By Allah, you, Banu Abdul Muttalib, have only been known to delay, and I have known of your association with them. I looked at Umar and his eyes were moving in his face like a rotating sphere. Then he looked at me and said: O enemy of Allah, do you say to the Messenger of Allah what I hear? And do to him what I see? By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, were it not for what I fear missing, I would have struck your head with my sword. The Messenger of Allah looked at me calmly and slowly and said: O Omar, he and I were in greater need of something other than this; that you order me to perform well and order him to follow it well. Go with him, O Omar, and give him his right, and give him twenty Sa' of dates in place of what I have given him. Zaid said: So Omar took me and gave me my right and gave me twenty Sa' of dates in addition. I said: What is this increase, O Omar? He said: The Messenger of Allah ordered me to give you more in place of what I have given you. He said: Do you know me, O Omar? He said: No. I said: I am Zaid bin Sa'na. He said: The scholar? I said: The scholar. He said: So what made you do to the Messenger of Allah what you did? And you said to him what you said? I said: O Omar, there was no sign of prophethood that I did not recognize in the face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when I looked at him, except for two that I did not know about him: His patience preceded his ignorance, and the severity of his ignorance only increased his patience, and I have experienced them. So I bear witness, O Omar, that I am satisfied with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, and Muhammad as my Prophet. I bear witness that half of my wealth, the wealthiest of which I have, is charity for the nation of Muhammad. Omar said: Or to some of it, for you cannot suffice them? I said: Or to some of it. So Omar and Zaid returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Zaid said: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. He believed in him and confirmed his truth, and pledged allegiance to him, and witnessed many battles with him. Then he died in the Battle of Tabuk, facing the enemy and not turning his back. May Allah have mercy on Zaid.

Ibn Majah narrated part of this story, and Al-Haythami said: It was narrated by Al-Tabarani and his men are trustworthy. It was included by Ibn Hibban, Al-Hakim, Abu Al-Sheikh in the book (The Ethics of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace) and others.

This story shows us some of the qualities of the Messenger of God and his innate patience, forgiveness, and pardon of the offender, in response to God Almighty’s guidance to him:


{ Adopt forgiveness, enjoin what is right, and turn away from the ignorant. } (Surat Al-A’raf, verse 199).


God Almighty also said:


{ The recompense for an evil act is an evil act like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is due from God. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers. } (Surat Ash-Shura, verse 40).


He is like a fresh sea whose clear water is not clouded by stones thrown into it.

3) His position with one of the Arabs :

Once, a Bedouin came to him and pulled him so hard that the hem of his garment left marks on his shoulder. Then he said: “O Muhammad, load for me on this camel of mine some of the money of God that you have, for you do not load for me any of your money or your father’s money.” The Messenger of God was silent, then he said: “ The money is the money of God and I am His slave .” Then he said: “ And you will be repaid, O Bedouin, for what you did to me .” He said: “No.” He said: “Why?” He said: “Because you do not repay evil with evil.”

The Prophet laughed and was pleased with his answer, and ordered that barley be loaded on one camel and dates on the other.

This story is one of the clearest evidences that Islam spread through kindness, through the example and great character represented by the Messenger of God, through wisdom and good advice, through his noble nature, and through his virtues and unparalleled humane dealings. It did not spread by the sword, as the malicious claim, but rather it spread through his tolerance and ease, and through the wisdom of the Messenger , his compassion, his kindness, his mercy, his righteousness towards people, his forgiveness of the offender, his abundant patience, his big heart, and his gentle side.

{ So by mercy from Allah, you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]. } (Surat Al Imran, verse 159)

May the prayers and peace of God be upon you, O you whom God sent as a mercy to the worlds.