MUTUAL RESPECT FOR COEXISTENCE
Islam, understood correctly, is a religion of peace and humanism. Not only Islam but all other religions are religions of peace. The Sufis, in contrast to the theological interpreters, have given the best interpretation of Islam. They have a Persian saying, sulh-e-kul, which means ‘peace with all.’ This truly expresses the spirit of Islam.
Here, let me briefly describe some aspects of Islam’s early history. The Prophet of Islam was born in Makkah in 570 CE and received the first revelation in 610 CE when he was forty. It was with these revelations that Islam began. The Prophet started his mission in Makkah and continued there for thirteen years, then migrated to Madinah. Throughout these thirteen years in Makkah, the Prophet only engaged in peaceful activity. He used to tell people that God is One and that they should worship the One God alone. Islam began with a mission of peace. Moreover, its special concern was the Oneness of God.
The Prophet then migrated to Madinah in 622 CE, where he continued his mission till his death in 632 CE. He successfully established the first Islamic society there.
What was the guiding principle of this Islamic society?
The Prophet issued a declaration that, in Islamic history, is called Sahifat ul-Madinah, also known as the Covenant of Madinah. A clause in this covenant laid down that the Jews shall profess their faith and the Muslims theirs.
This example shows that Islam prescribes religious freedom to manage religious differences. There is a verse in the Quran to this effect: “You have your religion, and I have mine.” (109:6). This means that the formula for social peace, social harmony and inter-faith relations should be based on religious freedom and peaceful coexistence.
Mutual respect is very important in this regard. The following incident, referred to earlier in this book, exemplifies this: One day, a funeral procession wound its way along a street in Madinah. The Prophet, seated there at the time, stood up in deference to the deceased person. One of his Companions said, “O! Prophet, it is the funeral of a Jew.” The Prophet replied, “Was he not a human being?” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1312)
This humanitarian outlook was typical of the Prophet’s vision of life. He was able to see everyone as a human being. In the above case, he discovered a commonality between himself and a deceased Jewish person. Just as he was a human being, so had the latter been a member of the human family. Just as God had created him, so also had that Jewish person.
As this incident shows, people may have differences regarding beliefs, religion, culture, etc., but a common bond has to be discovered between them—that is, they are all fellow human beings.
God is the Creator, and all of us fellow human beings, regardless of our religion, are His creations. There is no third position. On the one hand, there is God, and on the other hand, there is God’s creation. God is one, and humankind also is one. Thus, there is the Oneness of God, and there is the oneness of humanity. This is a fundamental teaching of Islam. Mutual respect and peaceful coexistence are essential teachings of Islam.
