Religious tensions and overall instability across parts of the Muslim world, especially in the Middle East, tend to lead towards a general misconception about Islam being an antagonistic religion and inherently opposed to any form of religious freedom or pluralism. However, contrary to such a misleading notion, the right to religious freedom is a fundamental right in Islam; endowed to the humankind by their creator. This right was never alien to the Islamic tradition. In fact, it has its foundation in the Holy Qur’an. For example, it is clearly stated in the second chapter of the Qur’an, verse 256, “Let there be no compulsion in religion.”
The notion of religious freedom is further reiterated in the 18th chapter of the Qur’an, verse 29, as follows: ”And say, ”The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills- let him believe, and whoever wills- let him disbelieve.”
The following verses clearly refute the idea of Islam being, in any way, a religion of coercive nature. On the contrary, they reaffirm and reiterate that coercion is, in fact, not in the essence of Islam.
In addition, chapter 49th of the Qur’an, verse 13, beautifully emphasises on the spirit of pluralism and multiculturalism as follows:
“Mankind, indeed we have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. Indeed, God is knowing and acquainted.”
Furthermore, the Constitution of Madina, also known as the charter of Madina, which some historians believe to have been the first-ever constitution written, was promulgated in the year of 622 AD by the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him). This charter also guaranteed equal rights to all citizens regardless of their faith. One of the rights given under the constitution was the right to religious freedom and in exercising their right to religious freedom.
Jews in Medina were allowed to have their own court systems. Similarly, in the year of 628 AD, Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) signed a covenant, which was given to a delegation of Christian monks from Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai.
Many examples can be drawn from history to illustrate how Muslims have historically embraced and welcomed diversity in terms of both religion and culture
The covenant read as follows:
“This is a message from Mohammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
There are many more examples that can be drawn from history, which serve to illustrate how Muslims have historically embraced and welcomed diversity in terms of both religion and culture.
For example, Michael Penn, an American Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University, in his book “When Christians First Met Muslims,” challenges the misleading assumption that Christian-Muslim relations were always governed by hostility, and offers an interesting historical account of interreligious interaction as well as cultural exchange.
Moreover, it is worth mentioning that in the early 14th Century, Jews began to settle in Ottoman lands after being expelled from Hungary in 1376, France in 1394 and from Sicily in the early 15th century.
The fact that Ottoman lands became a haven for Jews fleeing persecution is further reflected in the letter that a Jewish Rabbi Yitzhak Safarti sent out to the Jewish communities in Europe inviting them to seek “safety and prosperity” in Ottoman lands. Soon after this letter was sent, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain expelled the Jews from their country, and as a result, around 250 000 Sephardic Jews settled in Ottoman lands. This account was also acknowledged by the well-known British American Historian Bernard Lewis in his book “The Jews of Islam.”
The above mentioned historical facts are just a few of the many accounts of coexistence that were common between Muslims and people of different religious as well as cultural backgrounds, which was, undoubtedly, a result of adhering to the Quranic principles and prophetic tradition.
The writer is a Bosnian national studying International Relations at International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI)