Short Description
Groundless Claim
Some of the bias against Islam and Muslims claim that Muslims do not recognize those differing with them in creed and that they do not recognize the coexistence with Jews, Christians and others.
In my view, this claim is no more than (Psychological projection[1]) as well-known to Psychologists which refers to a state prompts the one to accuse others of things he perpetuates. Or, Arabs identified it in their proverb: (She accused me of her defect and slipped away[2])
Who does not recognize the other?! And, who does disapprove the other?! You may closely examine the story of Islam from the very beginning to answer this question?!
In the course of this research paper, we will consider a quick study of the events of the Prophet's Biography to discern responses to these questions.
It will go through:
The prophet's recognition of non-Muslims
The non-Muslim and recognition of Muslims
From the very beginning of Islam, the Glorious Quran was being revealed to the prophet Muhammad narrating to him the stories of prophets preceded him.
It was not mere narration, but there wad always veneration to all prophets without exception.
This Quranic approach lasted even after the Medina stage where the conflict between Muslims and Jews was at climax at times and between Muslims and Christians at other times. The Glorious Quran never stopped praising the prophets of Allah, peace be upon them all, where were on top, Moses and Jesus (Peace be upon them), that is the prophets of Jews and Christians.
The Quranic verses that revealed at Mecca and recognition of Jews and Christians.
For example, the Glorious Quran, verses revealed at Mecca, mentions Moses (PBUH) saying: (And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature, We bestowed upon him judgment and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good), Al-Qasas, 14, and ([Allah] said, "O Moses, I have chosen you over the people with My messages and My words [to you]. So take what I have given you and be among the grateful), Al-`Araf, 144 and other numerous verses in the same purpose.
So is the case for Prophet Jesus (PBUH), the Glorious Quran, verses revealed at Mecca, exalts his story frequently. For example, Allah, Almighty, says: ([Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet….. peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive."), Maryam, 30-33, and (And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous), Al-An`am, 85.
The Quranic verses that revealed at Mecca and recognition of Jews and Christians.
This Quranic approach lasted even during the Medina stage, though conflict between Muslims and Jews was at climax at times and between Muslims and Christians at other times. Yet, the Glorious Quran never stopped praising the prophets of Allah, peace be upon them all, where were on top, Moses and Jesus (Peace be upon them), that is Moses and Jesus were referred to them as possessors of determination. In this connection, Allah, Almighty, says: (And [mention, O Muúammad], when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary; and We took from them a solemn covenant), Al-Ahzab,7.
If we pay attention to the fact that this chapter has been revealed after Jews of Banu-quraizah have broken the covenant of Muslims and their trial to eliminate Muslims from Medina, it would be plainly obvious how Allah, Almighty, holds esteemed Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them), though they are prophets of the children of Israel.
Moreover, it would become obvious the trustworthiness of the prophet Muhammad, namely he conveyed the divinely respect of Allah to them though their people's breaking to Muslims' covenant.
Prophets of Allah, Almighty, in the Glorious Quran
Such respect and esteem for Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) was not casual in the Glorious Quran, however; it was strikingly recurring.
To exemplify, though the term "Muhammad" was mentioned in the Quran four times only and "Ahmad" only once, the term "Jesus" was repeated twenty five times and "Messiah" for eleven times to amount to thirty six times! For Moses (PBUH), he stood on top of the prophets to be frequently mentioned in the Glorious Quran, namely his name was repeated for one hundred and forty times!
On contemplating on the number of times that every prophet was mentioned in the Glorious Quran, you would recognize how venerable do Muslims hold Moses and Jesus (Peace be upon them).
Indeed, I was astonished on counting the names of prophets mentioned in the Glorious Quran, the matter which reflects profound indications. To illustrate, the order prophets were mentioned in the Glorious Quran explores that Moses (PBUH) ranked first, then Abraham, Noah and then Jesus (Peace be upon them all) and they are all counted from the possessors of determination.
No doubt that this matter indicates revering those prophets in particular. The prophet Muhammad was not mentioned except five times, though seventeen of the prophets have been mentioned in the Quran more than Prophet Muhammad. This decisively reflects the fact that Islam reveres all messengers and prophets of Allah. As well, it definitively approves that Quran is not formed by Muhammad (PBUH) as some Westerners claim, or else he would mainly be interested to exalt him self not others.
We may wonder: how it comes after all these aspects of honoring to find claims on non-recognition of Muslims to non-Muslims?!
Whoever worldwide recognizes Muslims as they recognize the other?!
Belief in all prophets of Allah
Though our inner satisfaction that the prophet Muhammad is the best and master of mankind, the Glorious Quran instructs Muslims to believe in prophets and messengers of Allah without the least discrimination among them. In this connection, Allah, Almighty, describes the perfect condition of faith which He wants Muslims to be described of as follows: (Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him), Al-Baqarah, 136.
This is the comprehensiveness of Islam to all Divinely Messages and loyalty to all messengers that it ascribes all Divinely Messages to its single source and believing in them all as Allah likes from His servants[3].
Ibn Kathir comments on "We make no distinction between any of them" that Muslims do believe in them all. The faithful of the Muslim Nation believe in all prophets and Books of Allah[4]
Moreover, the Quran highly vilifies those discriminating among Allah's messengers. In this regard, Allah, Almighty, says: (Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between - Those are the disbelievers, truly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment), An-Nisaa, 150-151.
This was the background of the prophet Muhammad on talking about the prophets and Messengers.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and recognizing Jews
Moreover, in Islam, it is granted that numbers of Jews and Christians will remain on their religion till Day of Judgment, the matter indicated in many narrations[5], thus recognition and coexistence with them become prerequisite, however, to seek the best approaches and means to deal and interact with them.
Accordingly, praising or recognizing some of them was not a matter of intellectual luxury or making better the political state of Muslims, however; this attitude of Islam was applied practically and thus it resulted in positive issues and too significant legislations which in turn extremely facilitated the issue of coexistence among the different cultures and tenets inside the one society.
Based on that, the prophet easily and simply accepted the notion of possibility to deal and coexist with them from the very day he migrated to Median. Moreover, the prophet concluded many significant nonaggression pacts with them as will be detailed, God willing, in a separate book.
In fact, the prophet has not desired for such nonaggression pacts to be canceled, however; breaking the nonaggression pacts came to be always on the Jewish part. The prophet Muhammad kept applicable the principle of the peaceful coexistence and recognition to the other so long as the other has not committed any assault or serious threat on Muslims. Moreover, the prophet frequently overlooked transgressions conducted against Muslims to let Median live in stability. Such approach of the prophet Muhammad has not been altered till the end of his life. Moreover, the prophet Muhammad conducted an action may be strange to many, namely he bought a food from a Jewish man on credit and mortgaged his iron armor with a Jewish[6]!!
The point is that the rich companions of the prophet were many in Medina and the prophet was the dearest to them, but it seems that the prophetic approach was an indication to permissibility of dealing with non-Muslims. Also, it was to turn the companions' eyes to deem normal the relation between Muslims and the Jews so long as the latter respect the rights of neighborhood of Muslims and do not assault them to the extent of mortgaging armor, serious military issue, but it was as a proof to the good intention to the extreme limit.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and recognizing Christians
The prophet Muhammad dealt with the Christians like Jews with no distinction. He concluded many nonaggression pacts with them more than once and recognized them though the disagreement in creed in many points where some of which represents plain polytheism. Yet, the prophet Muhammad has not compelled to alter their religion though he kept worried about their end, which is clear in the address of Allah, the Almighty, to His messenger Muhammad where He (SWT) says: (And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muúammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?),Yunus, 99.
The permissible approach that Muslims should adhere to as to conveying Islam is the best manner of calling people to Islam in plain way. Then, it is left to them to freely choose (And say, "The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve." Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place), Al-Kahf, 29.
Based on this Quranic approach, the prophet Muhammad gave accent to Jews and Christians to keep their own tenets and to keep peaceful dealing among the variant tenets.
The general principle is plain, that is (There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion), Al-Baqarah, 256. This is because the one coming to the fold of Islam without inner conviction will avail neither his own self nor his society. Accordingly, it is pointless to push people to accept Islam while they hide disbelief.
As well, it is inane to approve conflict and clashed among the different tenets, and let it be normal and peaceful life with noon-Muslims until a Day Allah, Almighty, will judge among His servants over which they used to differ. In this regard, Allah, Almighty, says: (Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ), Al-Jathyah, 17. Rather, Prophet Muhammad accepted coexistence for a long period of his life with polytheists and the Quranic verses were frequently revealed in Mecca confirming this issue as Allah, Almighty, says: (For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."), Al-Kafirun, 6. Also, Allah, Almighty, says: (Take what is given freely, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant), Al-`Araf, 199, and (and turn away from those who associate others with Allah), Al-Hijr, 94.
The prophet Muhammad acted in pursuant to these verses in Mecca, however; people of Mecca confronted and persecuted him, expelled his companions and pursued them every where and blocked all means before them. By then, Muslims were ought to fight and confront people of Mecca.
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