ISLAM: Most Tolerant, Most Compassionate and Most Logical.
People living in the west have ever been lenient on learning about any religions. The fast paced
life and complicated lifestyle kept them away from learning about religion. They neither have
time to know about their own religion nor have interest to learn about others. The society is busy
from dawn to dusk working hard for the living and trying to further better the lifestyles. Within
this society exist a group of individuals who consider Islam a hurdle to their lifestyles and
ambitions. They consider Islamic lifestyle a hurdle to their definition of freedom and
modernization. Their job is to pick on Islamic rules that they find not in accordance to their
interest and to put allegations on them. Due to the advent of 9/11
the allegations became more open and offensive.
The allegations being: Islam lacks tolerance and compassion.
Let’s figure out if the allegations are legitimate. But first let’s set the criteria for the argument.
Muslims believe that the Holy Quran is the last verdict and believe them to be the final word of
Allah SWT. Whoever goes against them goes against Allah and denies His words.
Some of the attributes that Islam teaches are:
1. Islam instructs Patience and Compassion.
2. Islam preaches social bondage and relationship with Christians & Jews.
3. Islam invites people towards Justice & Kindness.
4. Islam preaches Humbleness & Compassion.
5. Islam preaches against Hate & Hatred.
6. Islam is against disturbances, mischief and bloodshed recommends a peaceful & Just society.
7. Islam invites people towards struggle(Jihad) to elevate the lives towards good.
8. Islam lays strict conditions of Combat & Warfare.
9. Islam demands compassion with the animals.
10. ISLAM recommends Healthy Living.
11. ISLAM demands no Compulsion in Religion.
12. Islam instructs to give respect to all religions & faiths.
13. Islam instructs to respect the Gods and saints of all other religions.
14. Islam invites people towards Justice & Kindness.
13. Greatness among societies is based on Piety and not on Nationality or Colour.
1. Islam instructs Patience and Compassion:
Islam commands Muslims to show great respect and dignity towards whole mankind. In dealing
with the people Allah instructs in clear terms,
“Then he is of those who believe and charge one another to show patience, and charge one
another to show compassion.” [90:17]
“Except those who believe and do good, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each other
patience.” [103:3]
2. Islam preaches social bondage and relationship with Jews and Christians:
And while dealing with the people of the book Allah instructs,
(5:05) “This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of
the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are
(not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book,
revealed before your time, when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness,
nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in
the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good)”.
By saying this Allah has in fact offered a bridge of tolerance and compassion to the people of the
book so that they be able to closely interact and make a friends and establish family relationships
with other faiths.
3. Islam invites people towards JUSTICE & KINDNESS:
Allah invites people towards justice & kindness,
(16:90) “Surely Allah enjoins the doing of justice and the doing of good (to others) and the giving
to the kindred, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may
be mindful.”
Allah instructed compassion in various ways at various levels. While addressing the compassion
towards parents,
Quran says: (17:23) 'Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him,
and be kind to parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, do not say 'uff' to them or
chide them, but speak to them in terms of honor and kindness. Treat them with humility, and say,
'My Lord! Have mercy on them, for they did care for me when I was little'.
Imam Jaffer Sadiq AS explains, "The mildest form of ill conduct towards parents is"uff!", and if
Allah knew something lesser than that, He would have forbidden it."
4. Islam preaches Humbleness & Compassion.
Islam teaches to be humble, politeness and to keep the wings lowered. It even warns against
showing pride and teaches to be lowered to earth,
(17:37) “And do not go about in the land exultingly, for you cannot cut through the earth nor
reach the mountains in height.”
Allah could have made just one big society, one big culture. He clearly says the reason of creating
such a diversified society,
(49:13) “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and
tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in
conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware”.
5. Islam preaches against HATE & HATRED.
“O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people
seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to
Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (5:08).
Holy Imams in one of their hadiths instructed mankind to be very compassionate and helpful even
to the neighbours as the neighbours will be raised among heirs on the day of judgement. Thus it is
important to fulfil the duty of a neighbour in Islam. Further there is an authentic hadiths that says
that Allah SWT will forgive the sins committed by breaking his shariah but will not forget the
sins committed to the mankind unless the person forgive in the first place.
6. Islam is against disturbances, mischief and bloodshed recommends a peaceful society.
Islam denounces disturbances in the society and denounces mischief mongers.
“Don’t create disturbance in the society”.
And Islam strictly warns against bloodshed and killings and warns,
(Nisa:93) “whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense shall be hell,
he shall abide therein and God’s wrath shall be on him
an his curse and (there) is prepared for him a great torment”.
He also said, “He who kills as though he killed the whole mankind.”
Islam demands steadfastness and commitment to the religion. Allah swt demands tolerance and
compassion. He even demands compassion with the enemies. However the best is to forgiveness
“ --- “
7. JIHAD in ISLAM.
The term jihad literally means 'struggle', and Muslims believe that there are two kinds of
jihad. The other jihad is the inner struggle that everyone wages against egotistic desires,
for the sake of attaining inner peace.
8. Warfare and Combat in Islam.
Islam orders the combat only in defence and lays strict rules of combat.
And orders “Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits.
God does not love transgressors.” (2:190)
But first offers peace even in the combat situations,
“If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for He is the One that heareth and
knoweth all things.” (8:61)
War, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred
law. Islam only orders to fight and risk lives in self-defence, in defence of religion, or on the part
of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. However, it lays down strict rules of
combat. Prophet Mohammad instructed Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib AS before going to wars to
instruct the his army of the following,
- first offer peace and peaceful settlement
- Offer the fighters to retreat & return back
- not to initiate the fight but to fight in defence
- do not kill anybody but in self defence
- do not pursue those who run away from an encounter
- do not attack& kill retreating enemy
- do not attack those who lay down their arms
- prohibits killing, mutilating or dis-respecting enemy soldiers upon capture (Bill passed in
1949 in Geneva convention, Quran addresses this 1400 years ago)
- prohibits against harming civilians
- prohibits against destroying crops, trees and livestock
- respecting lives and women and children after post war crimes (strictly prohibited)
9. Islam demands compassion with the animals
'A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well he descended into it, drank
his fill and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud
to quench its thirst. The man saw that the dog was feeling the same thirst as he had felt so
he went down into the well again and filled his shoe with water and gave the dog a drink.
God forgave his sins for this action.' The Prophet (PBUH) was asked:'Messenger of God,
are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?' He said, 'There is a reward for kindness
to every living thing.'
(From the hadith collections of Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Bayhaqi)
10. ISLAM recommends HEALTHY LIVING.
Although much simpler than the dietary law followed by Jews and the early Christians,
the code which Muslims observe forbids the consumption of pig meat or any kind of
intoxicating drink. Animals have to be slaughtered in a lawful (halal) way. The Prophet
(PBUH) taught that 'your body has rights over you', and the consumption of wholesome
food and the leading of a healthy lifestyle are seen as religious obligations.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: 'Ask God for certainty [of faith] and well-being; for after
certainty, no one is given any gift better than health!'
For this reason God instructs mankind to fast for one complete month. This would bring
about physical and spiritual purification.
11. ISLAM demands no COMPULSION in Religion.
Freedom of conscience is laid down by Allah in the Holy Quran itself:
'There is no compulsion in religion' (2:256)
12. Greatness among societies is based on Piety and not on Nationality or Colour.
The life and property of all citizens in state are considered sacred whether a person is
Muslim or not. Racism is incomprehensible to Muslims, for the Quran speaks of human
equality in the following terms:
O mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into
nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of
you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:13)
Furthermore, Allah (SWT) reminds us in the Quran that Islam was revealed to make the lives of mankind
easier and not difficult. Islam is a complete constitution to mankind to spend a good, healthy and a quality
life on earth.
Isn’t Islam the most Tolerant, Compassionate and most Logical religion.
Misconception about Islam
It is alleged that Quran teaches Jews and Christians not be taken as friends and all the frustrations
and allegations is due to the verse,
[5:57] “O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a
mockery or sport,- whether among those who received the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before
you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have faith (indeed)”.
The question is, would you consider someone who mocks your religion as a friend or protector?
Some of the Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) sayings:
'God has no mercy on one who has no mercy for others.'
'None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.'
'He who eats his fill while his neighbour goes without food is not a believer'.
'The truthful and trusty businessman is associated with the prophets, the saints, and the
martyrs.'
'Powerful is not he who knocks the other down, indeed powerful is he who controls
himself in a fit of anger.'
'God does not judge according to your bodies and appearances but He scans your hearts
and looks into your deeds.'