Concern for the truth, combined with a personal loyalty to one's faith, tend to keep the believers of one religion at a distance from those who adhere to another. If this distance is rigidly maintained over time, communication usually breaks down, attitudes become frozen, and some degree of bigotry is bound to emerge. Despite the attitude of some extreme Muslims towards the adherents of other religions, as evident recently in Egypt, Islam is unique among the world's major religions in that the Qura'n explicitly provides five guidelines for Muslims on how to view other faiths. Throughout history, when Muslims followed these Qura'nic precepts – whether they were in a position of authority, or even as a numerically weaker minority group – they, as well as members of other religions living around them, benefited greatly. Throughout history, for more than 1,400 years, the treatment of Muslims to adherents of other religions far exceeded the treatment of authorities of other religions to Muslims. Consider these historical examples: * Muslims preserved the old churches of Jerusalem and Syria and the burial sites of many prophets in Palestine. * Muslims were instrumental in helping safeguard the distinctive traditions of the Christian Coptic Church in Egypt from the oppressive practices of the dominant Church of Rome. * Similarly, Muslim Turks are credited with safeguarding Eastern European Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christians alike from pressure and persecution exerted by the Church of Rome. * The "golden age" of Jewish religious scholarship in pre-medieval Spain was achieved in an environment of religious freedom supported by the dominant Muslim society. * In many Arab, Middle Eastern and Asian countries, religious minorities – especially Jews, Christians and Hindus – have flourished under Muslim rule and, thus protected, their ancient places of worship have survived to this day. But what are these five divine guidelines that the Qura'n clearly presents to Muslims for building tolerance and understanding among differing religions? 1. Everyone's God-given human dignity must be respected, regardless of their religion, race, ethnic origin, gender, or social status (17:70). Because they are all created by God Almighty, the Maker of All, humans must treat one another with full honour, respect and loving-kindness. 2. Islam teaches it is by Divine Will that God's human creation follows different religions, or no religion at all (no religion is a religion) (11:118), (10:99), (18:29). But God Almighty is not pleased when some of His servants (all humans are servants of the Creator in one way or another) choose not to believe and do good (39:7). 3. The Qura'n states clearly that freedom of religion is a God-given right (18:29), (10:99). 4. The final judgment of all humanity lies in the hands of the One Almighty, their Creator, to whom we all return (22:68-69), (42:15). 5. God loves justice and those who strive to practise it, especially towards people who are different from them in any way, particularly in religious belief (5:8), (60:8). It is my hope that Muslims in Egypt follow the teaching of their Holy Book and not the preaching of some fanatics. Elmasry is a professor emeritus of computer engineering, University of Waterloo. He can be reached at [email protected]
