The concept of tolerance in Islam PDF

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The concept of tolerance in Islam By Kamal Ahmad Khan Tolerance means ‘’to bear.’’ As a concept, it refers to respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures, forms of expression and ways of being human. In Arabic, it is called tasamuh. Words like hilm (forbearance) or ‘afw (forgiveness) or saf-h (overlooking) also convey the meaning of tolerance. In Persian and Urdu, we use the word rawadari which is derived from rawa meaning acceptable or bearable anddashtan meaning “to hold”. Thus it means to hold something acceptable or bearable. Intolerance has become the culture of the day. It is causing death, genocide, violence, religious persecution as well as confrontations at different levels. Sometimes it is racial and ethnic, sometimes it is religious and ideological, and sometimes it is political and social. Whatever may be the reason, intolerance is painful in each situation. How can we solve the problem of intolerance? How can we bring tolerance in the world today? I have tried to discuss these issues from an Islamic point of view. Tolerance is a basic principle of Islam. It is a religious and moral duty. It does not mean concession. It does not mean lack of principles, or lack of seriousness about one’s principles. Sometimes it is advocated that people are tolerant of things that they do not care about. But this is not the case in Islam. Tolerance, according to Islam, does not mean that we do not believe that Islam is the final edition of divine faith and is superior to other faiths and ideologies as such. It does not mean that we do not present the message of Islam to all Mankind. The UNESCO principles on tolerance read as follows: “Consistent with respect for human rights, the practice of tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustices or the abandonment or weakening of one’s convictions. It means that one is free to adhere to one’s own convictions and accepts that others adhere to theirs. It means accepting the fact that human beings, naturally diverse in their appearance, situation, speech, behaviour and values, have the right to live in peace and to be as they are. It also means that one’s views are not to be imposed on others.’’ The preamble of the Indian Constitution vows Justice, social, economic and political; Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and opportunity; and calls for promoting among all Indians Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual. Thus tolerance comes from our recognition of: A. B. C. D.

The dignity of the human beings, The basic equality of all human beings, Universal human rights Fundamental freedom of thought, conscience and belief.

The Qur’an speaks about the basic dignity of all human beings regardless of their race, colour, language or ethnicity. The Shari’ah recognizes the right to life, property, family honour and conscience of all people. From the very beginning, freedom of religion has been guaranteed by

Islam. It prohibits coercion in matters of faith and belief. The Qur’an says: “There is no compulsion in religion.” In matters of religion coercion is not permitted and by implication it is accepted that in matters like culture and other worldly practices also the use of force and undue influence is prohibited. In Surah al-Shura, Allah says to the Prophet (pbuh): ‘’If they turn away, we have not sent you as a guard over them. Your duty is but to convey (the message).’’ In Sura al-Nahl, Allah further reveals to the Prophet (pbuh) the method to be followed while preaching the Message of Allah: “Invite [all] to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful graciousness. Your Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.’’ Allah further addressing Mankind saids: “Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware [of evil]: if you do turn back, know then that, it is our Messenger’s duty to proclaim [the message] in the clearest manner.” The Holy Qur’an further says addressing the Prophet (pbuh): ‘’Say: ‘Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger: but if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you for that placed on you. If you obey Him, you shall be on right guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to preach the clear [message].’’ Thus we see that the verses mentioned above give an injunction not to coerce people, present the message to them in a decent and clear way, invite them to the truth and do your best in presenting and conveying the message of Allah to humanity, while it is totally up to them to accept or to reject it. Allah revealed to the Prophet (pbuh): “And say, ‘The truth is from your Lord, so whosoever wants let him believe and whosoever wants let him deny.” Here the question arises: if Allah gives us the choice to believe or not to believe and prohibits the Prophet (pbuh) not to use force or coercion against non-believers, why did He punish the people of Prophet Nuh, the Thmud, the Lut and the people of Prophet Shu’aib and the Pharaoh and his followers? The answer is found in the Qur’an itself. Those people were not punished simply because of their disbelief but because of their oppression of the righteous and because they stopped others to come to the way of Allah. Ibn Taymiyah, the great scholar, opined: “States may live long inspite of their people’s disbelief (kufr ), but they cannot live long when their people become oppressors.’’ Islam permits coercion and use of force only against those who fight Islam and Muslims. Allah says, ‘’Fight in the cause of Allah those who attack you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors.’’ The purpose of jihad is not to convert people to Islam. The Qur’an says, ‘’La ikraha fi al-din” which means that there is no compulsion in religion. The real purpose of jihad is to remove injustice, oppression and stop aggression. Muslims are allowed to keep good relations with non-Muslims. The Qur’an says, ‘’Allah does not forbid you that you show kindness and deal justly with those who did not fight you in your religion and did not drive you out from your homes.” Islam may tolerate anything but it teaches zero tolerance for injustice, oppression and violation of the rights of other human beings. Allah says, “And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated? Men, women, and children, whose

cry is: ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors, and raise for us from your side one who will protect, and raise for us from your side one who will help.” Islam teaches tolerance at all levels: between family members, between husband and wife, between parent and child, between groups and nations. The Qur’an says, ‘’O Mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes so that you might [affectionately] come to know one another. Surely, the most honoured among you, in the sight of Allah, is the one who is the best in conduct.’’ The best conduct in Islam is to treat human beings with dignity, equality, fraternity and justice. Thus tolerance is the need of the hour today as it was yesterday. We must emphasise the need for this virtue among us and in the world. We must foster tolerance through deliberate policies and efforts. Our focus should be multiethnic. We should teach our children respect of each other irrespective of caste, creed, gender, nationality and ethnicity. Tolerance is the cordial knot which binds the family, society and keep the nation intact. Disrespect gives rise to persons like Vibhishan who may change the course of a nation. We should inculcate in our children the quality of tolerance, forbearance, and forgiveness because the family is the first school of citizenship. A child learns the lesson of life in the manner it suckles in the lap of its mother. This always affects its mind, behaviour and culture. Only a healthy and cultured family can make a healthy and cultured nation which is necessary to establish peace, prosperity and security in the world which is the object of the UN. Society cannot be governed by law alone. Law has a relation with society. It suffers if society is rigid and intolerant. Dr. Kamal Ahmad Khan teaches in the Faculty of Law, University of Lucknow

Tolerance in Islam The literal meaning of tolerance is “bear.” Tolerance is a fundamental principle of Islam. It is a religious and moral duty. This does not mean compromise. This does not mean lack of principles or lack of seriousness about its principles. It means accepting that human beings, naturally distinct in appearance, situation, speech, behavior, and values, have the right to live in peace and to be as they are. It also means that opinions should not be imposed on others. We must tolerate others according to their point of view, we can not simply impose our point of view on others. Islam is the religion of mercy and goodness, the religion of tolerance and ease. Faith/Belief comes from the first of the five pillars on which Islam is based, they also include more than seventy branches (ie parts) and one of those parts is “Tolerance”. The Quran speaks of the fundamental dignity of all human beings. The Prophet (SAW) spoke of the equality of all human beings, regardless of race, color, language or traditional origins.

Quranic verses on tolerance The clear elicitation of tolerance is expressed by the Quran verse for Muslims which is: “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” (Quran 109: 6) We can not force others to accept our point of view and our religion or faith. As in the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty said: “There is no compulsion in religion …” (Quran 2: 256). In the Qur’an, it is clearly stipulated that no other belief should be constrained: “There will be no constraint in [acceptance of] religion.” The right course has become clear from the forgery. Do not believe in Taught and believe in Allah has seized the most reliable handle without any break. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. “(Quran 2: 256) The religion of Islam revolves around hope and fear of the one and only creator so that the believer is the one who has hope and fear. In the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty says: “Truly, they were eager to do good deeds, and they invoked with hope and fear” (Qur’an, 21: 90). From this verse, we can conclude that the believer is one who has hope and fear and makes the believer believe that he is tolerant or tolerant. Islam teaches tolerance at all levels: individual, groups, and states. Tolerance is the structure that defends human rights, cultural diversity and the rule of law. Allah says very clearly in the Holy Qur’an: “We have established for each people rites and ceremonies that they must follow, that they do not quarrel with you about it, but that they invite them to your Lord, for you If they quarrel with you, say, “God knows better than you what you do. “God will judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning the matters in which you differ.” (Quran, Al-Hajj: 76-69). We, therefore, see that the above-mentioned verses forbid repression of people, present them the message in a decent and clear manner, invite them to the truth and do their best to present and transmit the message of Allah to the humanity. It’s up to them to accept or reject it. We cannot just impose something on them.

Tolerance in Islam Islam can tolerate anything but it teaches zero tolerance for injustice, oppression, and violation of the rights of other human beings. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “And why should not you fight in the cause of Allah and those who, being weak, are mistreated?” Men, women and children, whose cry is, “Our Lord, save us! of this city whose people are oppressors, and raise for us on your side the one who will protect, and raise for us on your side the one who will help you. ” so the Tolerance in Islam | Quranic Verses and Ahadith on Tolerance is the Evidence of tolerance.

Ahadith on tolerance From the life of our beloved Prophet (SAW), we can learn many lessons of tolerance as He (SAW) did with all humanity, whether believing or non-believing. The whole personality of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) demonstrates the involvement of tolerance towards other minorities. Once people asked Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that the reason why Allah did not order trials and forcefully flatten false gods to prove a true religion. On this, Allah Almighty sent the following verse of the Quran: “And those who associate others with Allah say:” If Allah had willed, we would have worshiped nothing but Him, nor us, nor our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything by anyone but Him. “So those who did before them, then, are the messengers except [the duty of] clear notification?” (Quran, 16:35). Tolerance in Islam is really important.

Once, when the Prophet (SAW) was asked, “What is Eemaan (belief/faith)?” He (SAW) replied: “Eemaan (faith) is patience and tolerance.” Tolerance and patience are a characteristic of true faith in Allah, good manners, and uprightness. Jabir ibn Abdullah reported: The Messenger of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), said: “May Allah have mercy on a tolerant man when he sells, buys and seeks repayment” (Sahih Bukhari). So we can say that tolerance is a very important concept in Islam and specifically in business. So the Tolerance in Islam is really important!

In modern usage, the word “tolerance” has become synonymous with mutual respect and peaceful harmony between conflicting religions and ideologies. There is no doubt that Islam supports social tolerance. Muslims anxious to coincide peacefully with any group that wants peaceful coexistence. Tolerance is the graceful knot that binds the family, the society, and keeps the nation intact. We should transmit to our children the quality of tolerance and forgiveness because the family is the first school of privilege. We should focus more on this virtue of tolerance so that we can live a peaceful and happy life. Muslims have generally been very tolerant people. We must emphasize this virtue among ourselves and in the world today. Tolerance is necessary for our communities. In this way, we can portray the true and very good image of our religion Islam.

Spirit of Tolerance in Islam Dear brother in Islam, thanks for the very interesting question you posed and the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake. Tolerance is a basic principle of Islam. It is a religious moral duty. Islam teaches tolerance on all levels: individual, groups and states. Tolerance is the mechanism that upholds human rights and the rule of law. The Qur’an says very clearly:(To every People have We appointed rites and ceremonies which they must follow, let them not then dispute with you on the matter, but do invite (them) to your Lord: for you are assuredly on the Right Way. If they do wrangle with you, say, ‘God knows best what it is you are doing.’ ‘God will judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning the matters in which you differ’) (Al-Hajj 21:76-69). As far as the question of the spirit of tolerance in Islam is concerned, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi,President of the Fiqh Council ofNorth America, states:

Intolerance is on the increase in the world today, causing death, genocide, violence, religious persecution as well as confrontations on different levels. Sometimes it is racial and ethnic, sometimes it is religious and ideological, other times it is political and social. In every situation it is evil and painful. How can we solve the problem of intolerance? How can we assert our own beliefs and positions without being intolerant to others? How can we bring tolerance into the world today? I would like to discuss some of these issues from an Islamic point of view. What is tolerance? Literally the word “tolerance” means “to bear.” As a concept it means “respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of the world’s cultures, forms of expression and ways of being human.” In Arabic it is called “tasamuh”. There are also other words that give similar meanings, such as “Hilm”(forbearance) or “‘`afu” (pardon, forgiveness) or “safh” (overlooking, disregarding). In the Persian and Urdu languages, we use the word “rawadari” which comes from “rawa” meaning “acceptable or bearable” and “dashtan” meaning “to hold”. Thus it means to hold something acceptable or bearable. Tolerance is a basic principle of Islam. It is a religious moral duty. It does not mean “concession, condescension or indulgence.” It does not mean lack of principles, or lack of seriousness about one’s principles. Sometimes it is said, “people are tolerant of things that they do not care about.” But this is not the case in Islam. Tolerance according to Islam does not mean that we believe that all religions are the same. It does not mean that we do not believe in the supremacy of Islam over other faiths and ideologies. It does not mean that we do not convey the message of Islam to others and do not wish them to become Muslims. The UNESCO principles on tolerance say: “Consistent with respect for human rights, the practice of tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustice or the abandonment or weakening of one’s convictions. It means that one is free to adhere to one’s own convictions and accepts that others adhere to theirs. It means accepting the fact that human beings, naturally diverse in their appearance, situation, speech, behavior and values, have the right to live in peace and to be as they are. It also means that one’s views are not to be imposed on others.” Tolerance comes from our recognition of: 1. the dignity of the human beings, 2. the basic equality of all human beings, 3. universal human rights, and 4. fundamental freedom of thought, conscience and belief. The Qur’an speaks about the basic dignity of all human beings. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about the equality of all human beings, regardless of their race, color,

language or ethnic background. Shari`ah recognizes the rights of all people to life, property, family, honor and conscience. Islam emphasizes the establishment of equality and justice, both of these values cannot be established without some degree of tolerance. Islam recognized from the very beginning the principle of freedom of belief or freedom of religion. It said very clearly that it is not allowed to have any coercion in the matters of faith and belief. The Qur’an says,(There is no compulsion in religion) (Al-Baqarah 2:256). If in the matters of religion, coercion is not permissible, then by implication one can say that in other matters of cultures and other worldly practices it is also not acceptable. Insurat Ash-Shura Allah says to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), (If then they turn away, We have not sent you as a guard over them. Your duty is but to convey (the Message)…) (Ash-Shura 42:48). In another place Allah says,(Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious. Your Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance) (An-Nahl 16:125). Further, Allah says to the Believers, (Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware (of evil): if you do turn back, know then that it is Our Messenger’s duty to proclaim (the Message) in the clearest manner) (Al-Ma’idah 5:92). One can also cite Allah’s words:(Say: ‘Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger: but if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on right guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to preach the clear (Message))(An-Nur 24:54). All these verses give note that Muslims do not coerce people; they must present the message to them in the most cogent and clear way, invite them to the truth and do their best in presenting and conveying the message of God to humanity, but it is up to people to accept or not to accept. Allah says, (And say, ‘The truth is from your Lord, so whosoever wants let him believe and whosoever wants let him deny’) (An-Nahl 16:29). The question then comes: If Allah gave choice to believe or not to believe, then why did He punish the people of Prophet Nuh, the `Ad, the Thamud, the people of Prophet Lut, the...