[From the pen of Editor Hakeem Muhammad Tariq Mehmood Majzoobi Chughtai]
Islam has mentioned everyone’s right with affection and love. Even the rights of animals have been detailed. Ubqari is the pasban of the rights of Muslims & non-Muslims.
Islam; A Religion of Peace: Islam is from prosperity. It means that it will not deceive or hurt anyone. Nor would it be hurt or tormented by anyone. Or we can say that a Muslim is such from whose being, everyone shall stay peaceful and with aafiyat. That is the reason it is an order in Islam to spread salaam and many benefits have been told. Islam is from peace and momin is that person from whom humanity gains peace; meaning giving way to prosperity, aafiyat and well-wishing. That is why the name of our Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s mother was Hazrat Amina ; Amina (safe one) is from Amn (peace). The name of Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s daai is Haleema. Haleem also points towards hilm (forbearing) and peace. The name of our Prophet’s midwife was Shifa. Shifa also points towards blessing, aafiyat, peace and prosperity. When we observe all these examples then we see that Islam points towards being a peaceful and religion of tranquility.
A Marvelous Message of Peace, Aafiyat & Serenity: Our Holy Prophet Muhammad practiced extreme fair-treatment with the non-Muslims. People tormented the Prophet over the years and anguished him so much that he was forced to leave Makkah. When the Prophet returned to Makkah as a victor, he was wearing a black turban and his head was bent so low that it was touching the hump of the camel. Prophet Muhammad kept both his hands on the doors of Ka’aba and made such an announcement which is a unique message of peace, aafiyat and tranquility. The announcement was: ‘Today, I forgive everyone’. Children were given peace; women were given honor; old were pardoned. Amnesty was declared for fighters, cruel and the ones doing blood-shed. He forgave everyone in such a manner that a standard of respect and grace was developed amongst everyone. Not only him, but his companions, Ahl-e-Bait Rizwan Allahi Ajmaeen, Tābi'ūn saints, Saliheen R.A. also exercised such fair treatment with the non-Muslims which shall stay as an example and a message till the end of this world. Come! Let’s judge our attitude whether we feel hatred, love, tolerance or cruelty towards non-Muslims.
The three killed were not Hindu’s but ours: Hindu-Muslim riot is a trend in Gujrat. I was sitting in the company of the great scholar Maulana Muhammad Kaleem Siddiqui (Damat Barkathum) during Haj. He said, “When I returned back from Haj, I came across a few unfamiliar faces amongst the familiar ones. During the conversation I got to know that they were talking about the recent riots in Gujrat. They said that during the riots, 3 Hindu’s and 2 ours died. I interrupted that 3 of our people were killed. They said no; their three! But I was constantly insisting that our 3 were killed. Finally, I said to them that the ones killed were not Hindu’s but ours. Their father Hazrat Adam and mother Hazrat Hawwa are the same; we are human brothers. Islam has given love amongst us. Islam is the religion of tolerance, enduring, forbearing and sincerity”
Islamic Teachings & Protection of the Places of Worship of the non-Muslims: According to the Islamic teachings, safety of the life and property of the non-Muslims is just as important as that of Muslims. The non-Muslims who reside in Muslim states or even if they don’t; Muslims should protect their life, property, honor and their places of worship.
Prophet Muhammad Istighasa In favor Of Non-Muslims to Allah: Prophet Muhammad PBUH shared a rule that the blood of non-Muslims is like our blood and their property is venerable like our property. Another saying of the Prophet is: ‘The person who mistreats a non-Muslim and harms his life or property, then I shall ask for help against him on the Day of Judgment in front of Allah.’
Same Law For Both Muslims & Non-Muslims: In Islam, the law of Diyat (khoon baha) is same for both Muslims & non-Muslims. Similarly, the law of Qisas (equal retaliation) applies on the murder of both Muslims as well as non-Muslims. Same is the case in earning a livelihood and protecting the property. There is no difference among Muslims & non-Muslims. A Muslim’s hands are cut off as a punishment of theft; same is ordered for a non-Muslim.
There is no compulsion or force in Islam regarding religion: Religious matters are more important than property. That is because Islam is not in favor of force or violence in matters of religion. Allah says in the Holy Quran that: Translation: there is no compulsion in religion (Surah Baqarah).
The Treaty between the Muslims & Mushrikeen: This treaty is the best example of tolerance. Prophet Muhammad organized this treaty amongst the Muslims, Jews and Mushrikeen according to which everyone had complete freedom to practice his religion. Non-Muslims were free to worship according to their customs to the extent that Prophet Muhammad PBUH allowed the Jews from Najran to carry out their religious rituals in a particular area in Masjid-e-Nabwi .
Respect of the places of Worship of The Non-Muslims by the Prophet of Islam: What else can show a greater level of tolerance than the regard and respect which Islam carried out with the non-Muslims; it is exemplary. When Muslims faced victory in Sham (Damascus) and Baitul Muqaddas, there were many churches there. Muslims maintained them as it is. Hazrat Umar Bin Abdul Aziz Rehmatullah Alaih ordered his governors neither to demolish any cathedral and fire temple nor to put it to fire. Prophet Muhammad always kept the custom of religious emotions and respect of the places of worship intact. A clause in the treaty made with the Christians of Najran was that no church shall be demolished and no religious scholar shall be exiled. [Reference: Abu Dawood]
Sahaba Gave Written Testimony to Protect the Churches: Allama Shibli Rehmatullah Alaih shared other clauses of the Treaty of Najran that priests, pujari and rahib shall not be suspended from their posts nor shall their crosses and idols be broken. When the battle of Sham was won, Hazrat Khalid Bin Waleed prepared a document in the presence of Hazrat Abu Ubaidah and Hazrat Umro Bin Aas and four other witnesses in which 14 churches were mentioned and gave a written testimony about its protection. [Al Bidaya Wal Nihaya; Vol 7]
