Tolerance
Tolerance is the quality of allowing other people to say and do as they like, even if you do not agree or approve of it.Religious Tolerance refers to the ability to appreciate spiritual values, beliefs and practices which are different from your own. There is no religion that promotes tolerance with adherents of other faiths as preached by Islam. This tolerance with non-Muslims is not restricted to the time of peace alone but also extends to the time of warfare. In the course of waging wars, Islam forbids killing of non-combatants, women, children, aged ones, and the sick, those under the protection of Islamic state or Muslim community and those who do not wage wars against Islam or Muslims. Likewise, Islam forbids mutilation of corpses of those killed in battles, cutting down of trees, burning of farms, and demolition of houses and places of worship among others. Islam also enjoins Muslims to treat war captives kindly. All these point to nothing than tolerance. Allah says: “Had Allah willed, they would not have taken others besides Him in worship. And We have not made you a watcher over them nor are you set over them to dispose of their affairs. ” Q6:107 Allah also says: “There is no compulsion in religion. ” Q2:256. On religious intolerance, the Qur’an cautions against it as it is capable of igniting religious conflicts. The Qur’än states: “And insult not those whom they (non-Muslims) worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge… “Q6:108. This verse emphasizes the fact that human beings do not belong to or practise just one faith or creed. It also makes it a necessity to avoid the temptation to insult or cast aspersion on the belief and sacred entities, which people hold on to and cherish. This means that those who do these are wrong. Tolerance is a virtue in Islam. A Muslim is supposed to tolerate the followers of other religions. He should be guided by the teachings of Islam in his relations with people of other religions. One of such teachings is where Allah says in Qur’an 2:256 that لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِي ٱلدِّينِۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَيِّۚ …………. ٢٥٦ “There is no compulsion in accepting the religion of Islam, truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error” Qur’an 109 verse 1-6 قُلۡ يَٰأَيُّهَا ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ١ لَآ أَعۡبُدُ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ ٢ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٣ وَلَآ أَنَا۠ عَابِدٞ مَّا عَبَدتُّمۡ ٤ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٥ لَكُمۡ دِينُكُمۡ وَلِيَ دِينِ ٦
- Say: O unbelievers!
- I worship not that you worship,
- Nor will you worship that which I worship.
- I shall never worship those gods whom you worship,
- Nor will you worship that which I worship.
- To you be your religion, and to me mine.
It was in line with these teachings that the Prophet lived peacefully with people of various religions in Madinah.
A Muslim should:
- Abide by the teachings of Islam on tolerance and peaceful co-existence with people of other. Religions.
- Respect the religious practices of other people.
- He should not molest their deity nor laugh at their religious practices.
- Engage people of other religions in a meaningful dialogue.
- He should not fight or abuse them if they refuse to accept his viewpoint.
- He should live peacefully with people of other religions and cooperate with them in doing good deeds to ensure peace and harmony in the community.