This slide program explains the nature of relations between Muslims and Non Muslims in the light of Quran, Sunnah and the writings of Islamic scholars of the past and present. It promotes peaceful mutual relations and building bridges between faith communities based on commonalities.

2. • Peace, tolerance, compassion, and good
relationships are the normal, and original state
between Muslims and Non-Muslims.
• Islam promotes and protects this good relationship.
• Animosity and war are exceptions to this original
state,
• When these exceptions do not exist, then we
should return to the original peaceful state

3. Allah is One and is impartial toward His creation.
• He provides for all, including those who reject faith
in Him, or even those who defy Him.
• He cares for the well being of all and gives them
ample opportunity to repent to Him and end the
state of separateness suffered by those who reject
Him or are unmindful of Him.

4. • That core message is peace in submission to Allah;
literally Islam.
• According to the Qur’an, a Muslim must accept, revere
and believe in all the prophets of Allah, without
discrimination.
• They all represent one brotherhood of faith extending
vertically to include many generations and horizontally
to embrace all humanity.
• In the Qur’an we read: “ …we *Muslims+ make no
distinction between any of His messengers *i.e. God’s
messengers+” 2:285

5. • The Qur’an gives various reasons why each human
being must be honored
• Human beings are dignified on account being
human irrespective of his or her chosen beliefs.
• Such honor is symbolized by the way the Qur’an
describes Allah’s creation of the human in the best
of molds. (95:4)
• Allah commanded the angels to bow down in
respect to Adam (2:43)
• The Qur’an describes the human as the trustee of
Allah on earth (2:30)

6. • The Arabic term for justice is “Adl” means “to be in a
state of equilibrium, to be balanced.”
• That balance is inherent in the cosmic order and
ecology as much as it is inherent in spiritual and ethical
values. The Qur’an warns against disturbing that
balance.(55:5-9)
• Justice is a universal concept that should be observed
without nepotism, even with the “enemy”:
• “O you who believe! Stand out for justice, as witnesses
to Allah, and even as against yourselves, or your
parents, or your kin, and whether it be [against] rich or
poor…” 4:134

7. • Addressing the entire human race, the Qur’an states: “
O humankind! We [Allah] have created you from a
single [pair] of a male and a female and have made you
into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know
one another. Verily, the most honored of you in the
sight of Allah is the most righteous [or Allah-conscious]
of you. Surely, Allah is all-knowing, all-aware” 49:13.
• It must be noted that this verse begins with “O
humankind”, an address that embraces all.
• It reminds humanity that they belong to one
family, with the same set of parents

8. • While the notion of plurality is not new to those
who are familiar with the Qur’an.
• The Qur’an reminds all that if God willed, he would
have made of all mankind one nation
• If Allah had so willed He would have made you a
single people but (His plan is) to test you in what He
hath given you:[5:48)
If thy Lord had so willed He could have made mankind
one People .(11:118].

9. • Likewise, the Qur’an states that had it been God’s
will, He would have made all believer
• If it had been the Lord's Will they would all have
believed all who are on earth! Wilt thou then compel
mankind against their will to believe! [10:99].
• Acceptance of plurality does not mean accepting the
plurality of ultimate truths, nor does it preclude sharing
one’s faith with others and even inviting them to it.
• Plurality means peaceful co-existence with those who
hold differing beliefs and convictions

10. • In numerous verses in the Qur’an compulsion in
religion is forbidden
• There shall be no coercion in matters of faith.2:256,
•
• “And so *O Prophet+, exhort them; your task is only to
exhort. You cannot compel them [to believe]. As for
one who turns away, being bent on denying the
truth, him/her will God cause the greatest suffering [in
the life to come]. For verily, unto Us will be their
return, and verily, it is for Us to call them to account.”
88:21-26,

11. • “Had your Lord so willed, all those who live on earth
would surely have attained faith, will you then compel
people, against their will, to believe?” *10:99+.
• “But if they turn away *from accepting Allah’s message,
then know that] We have not sent you to be their
keeper. Your duty is only to convey *the message+”
42:48

12. • The essence of Islam and its prophet’s mission is
summed up in the following verse:
• “And *thus, O Muhammad+, We have not sent
you, but as mercy to all the worlds” 21:107.
• To remove any particularization of this mercy, the
Prophet Muhammad [P] explained that mercy is not
being merciful to one’s companion but merciful to
all.
• He also explained “He who is not merciful to
others, will not be treated mercifully

13. • The basic rule governing the relationship between
Muslims and non-Muslims is that of peaceful coexistence, justice and compassion. (60:8)
• Birr means more than kindness, since it includes
also love and respect
• Other scholars argue that the Qur’anic term “Qist”
means going beyond justice by giving more than
what is due to others. (ibn Al Arabi, Qurtubi)

14. • The Qur’an accords the People of the Book *Jews and
Christians] a special position.
• The very term to designate them distinguishes them from
others such as idolatrous Arabs
• Those who reject (Truth) among the People of the Book and
among the Polytheists were not going to depart (from their
ways) until there should come to them Clear Evidence[98:1].
• It is a complimentary title as it acknowledges that, like
Muslims, their faiths are based on revealed books or
scriptures.
• The Qur’an exhorts Muslims to engage in peaceful dialogue
with Jews and Christians:

15. “ Say [O Muslims], O People of the Book! Come to a
common term which we and you hold in common: that we
shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall not ascribe
divinity to none beside Him, and that we shall not take
human beings for our lord beside Allah, and if they turn
away, then say: bear witness that we submit ourselves
unto Him” 3:64.

16. • Asma bint Abu Bakr said,”I asked Prophet,“My
mother (Qateelah) who is ill-disposed to Islam, has
come to visit me. She wants something from me.
Shall I maintain relations with her?” He (SAW)
replied, “Yes, maintain relations with your mother.”
(Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad)
• “The most correct opinion in understanding the
verse (60:8) is that Muslims should be just, fair, and
have the best relationship with all Non-Muslims
who ‘do not fight against them on account of their
religion and do not drive them out of our homes.”
(Imam Tabari in Tafsir Tabari)

17. • In this ayah (60:8), Allah (SWT) has directed to treat
justly the non Muslims who are not at war with
Muslims. (Tafsir Qurtubi)
• Imam Razi(Tafsir Kabir)- Commentators have said
that this ayah (60:8) is evidence that there ought to
be good relations between Muslims and non
Muslims.

18. • Justice demands that you should not be hostile to those
who are not hostile to you
• It is not justice to treat the enemy and the non-enemy
alike.
• You have every right to adopt a stern attitude towards
those who persecuted you for embracing Islam and
compelled you to leave your homes and pursued you
even after your expulsion.
• But as for those who were not partners in persecuting
you, you should treat them well and should fulfill the
right they have on you because of blood and other
relationships. (Tafhimul Quran, tafsir Surah Mumtahina)

19. • Islam is a Deen of peace and a conviction of love.
• It is a system that has compassion to all people.
• It gathers all people (Muslim and Non-Muslim) under
the banner of Allah like brethren in accord and love.
• There is no obstacle that prevents this from happening
except an aggression from its enemies against it and its
people.
• If those enemies show peace, Islam does not want
animosity or to start it.
• Even when the enemies still show animosity, Islam
always looks for ways to bring the relationship to
normalcy through great conduct and justice
• (In the Shade of Al-Qur’an, 6:3544)

20. • To convey the message of Islam to all people, to
deliver it freely, to ensure the freedom of religious
beliefs, and to establish justice on earth within the
system of Islam
• "Thus We have made you (Muslims), a just (and the
best) nation, that you be witnesses over
mankind, and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a
witness over you…”( 2:143)
• You (Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised
up for mankind, you enjoining what is good (AlMa'roof) and forbidding what is evil (AlMunkar), and you believe in Allah…”(2:110)

21. • 1- At peace with Muslims- We must treat them
with tolerance, patience, kindness and fairness for
Allah loves those who are fair
• 2- At war with Muslims-those who fight Muslims
for the sake of religion and drive them out of their
homelands ,then Allah forbids them from taking
them as allies.
• 3- Non Muslims in Islamic State- Non Muslims are
obliged to abide by the laws of the land. They are to
be treated with kindness, respect, fairness and their
worship places are protected.

22. • Greeting and exchanging visits with them in their
homes and places of worship. Also, welcoming
them in our homes and our mosques.
• Accepting their invitation, offering them a meal.
• Offering congratulations in happy occasions like
weddings, having a newborn, and etc…
• Exchanging gifts with them, but not giving them
gifts during their holidays.

23. • If a non-Muslim sneezes and says, “Allah be
praised” Then we should say, “May Allah guide you
and keep you in a good condition.”
• Visiting their sick people, and asking Allah (S.W.T.)
for their recovery and their guidance.
• Offering condolences when they are struck by any
disaster, tragedy, or death. But, do not ask for
Allah’s mercy on their death.
• Collaborating with them in all good things.

24. • We must be firm upon our beliefs and express
differences with clarity and mutual respect
• We must not give them support against a Muslim when
that is done unjustly.
• We must not imitate them in their rituals, or in what is
considered specifically from their own symbols
• We must not greet them on their rituals with any
statements that may give acceptance to their practices.
Other statements are permissible.
• We must not attend any event where there is
blasphemy against Allah (S.W.T.) and His verses

25. • Auliya is pleural of “wali”.
• Word “Wali” is used for closeness.
• This closeness could be for the
place, relationship, religion, friendship, help and
creed. If there is closeness of any type with a
person, then he is called wali or maula.
• Imam Qurtubi said,” Auliya are those who are very
close and share secrets.”

26. • There was a state of war between Muslims/non
Muslims.
• Polytheists were determined to annihilate Muslims
• A groups of Jews and Christians were openly supporting
polytheist enemies against Muslims
• Group of hypocrites was also supporting the enemies
of Muslims
• Under these circumstances, it was obviously very
detrimental for Muslims to keep close alliance with
these three groups of enemies.
• Quran, therefore, prohibited relation of wilayah with
these groups

27. • "Let not the believers take for friends or helpers
unbelievers (Kuffar) rather than believers; if any do
that in nothing will there be help from Allah; except
by way of precaution that ye may guard yourselves
from them. But God cautions you (to remember)
Himself for the final goal is to Allah." (Qur’an; 3:28)

28. • O believers! Take neither Jews nor Christians as
your protecting friends (auliya): they are only
protecting friends of one another. Whoever of you
disobeys this commandment will be counted as one
of them. Surely God does not guide the
wrongdoers." (Qur’an; 5:51)

29. .
• They but wish that ye should reject faith as they do and thus
be on the same footing (as they): but take not friends from
their ranks- (Nisa,4:89)
• Quran stresses that if your father, brothers prefer polytheism
over Islam, you should not make them your Wali.
• O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and
your brothers if they love infidelity above faith: if any of you
do so they do wrong. (Tauba, 9:23)

30. "O believers! Do not make your protecting friends
those, from among the people given the Book before you
and the unbelievers, who have made your religion a
mockery or pastime, fear God if you are true believers.
(5:57)
When you call for Salah (prayers) they make it as an
object of mockery and pastime; this is because they are a

31. • We must avoid the company of those non-Muslims who have
dubious character, are hostile and who make fun of the
religion.
• The Almighty wants us to avoid the company of such people
whose "... real wish is to see that you become a disbeliever, as
they have disbelieved, so that you may become exactly like
them.
• Such devious people are only a few and not all the people of
the Book. The Qur’an says:
• “O believers! If you were to obey a group of those who were
given the Book, they will turn you back from belief to
unbelief.” (Qur’an; 3:100)

32. • They are not all alike. Among the people of the
Book there is a party who stand by their covenant;
they recite the Word of God in the hours of night
and prostrate themselves before Him. They believe
in God and the Last Day, and enjoin good and forbid
evil, and hasten to vie with one another in good
works. And these are among the righteous.” (3:113)

33. • And surely among the People of the Book there are
some who believe in God and in what has been sent
down to you and in what was sent down to
them, humbling themselves before Allah. They trade
not the signs of God for a paltry price. It is these who
shall have their reward with their Lord. Surely God is
swift in settling account.” (3:199

34. • In Mecca, the Prophet began his prophetic career
under the protection of his uncle Abu Talib, who
was not a Muslim but a polytheist. There is no
evidence at all that his being a polytheist made the
Prophet love and respect him any less.
• On returning from a missionary tour to Taif, where
he was badly persecuted, the Prophet sought refuge
with polytheist, under whose protection he entered
Mecca

35. • When he migrated from Mecca to Medina, the
Prophet made a polytheist, Abdullah Ibn Oraiqit, his
guide because he was not familiar with the route
leading to Medina
• In Medina, to begin with, the Prophet and his
followers established friendly relations with the
town’s Jews.
• They engaged in commercial dealings with
them, participated in their joys and sorrows and
gave and received help from them

36. • He sometimes borrowed money from Jews and also arranged
for loans from them for some of his companions.
• At the time of his demise his armor had been given in pawn
to a Jew
• Once, while in Medina, the funeral procession of a Jew
passed by and the Prophet stood up in respect
• The Sahih al-Bukhari is replete with narrations that speak of
how the Prophet would visit non-Muslims who were sick to
enquire about their health.
• During the life of Prophet Muhammad, the Jews in Madina
had a synagogue and an educational institute by the name of
Bait-Al-Madras. He made sure it was preserved as well as all
the Jews attending it were protected

37. • The Prophet of Islam made several treaties with the Jews.
• Following is an extract of a message that he wrote to form a
treaty:
“In the name of God, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful. This
message is from Muhammad, Messenger of God.
Verily, whoever follows us from the Jews shall have the help and
the aid; and shall neither be victim of injustice, nor taken
vengeance upon. The Jews of the children of Awf are safe with
the Faithful. They have their religion and the Muslims theirs and
themselves, except those who oppress or sin, they will forfeit
themselves and their families. The Jews of Bani Al-Najjar, of Bani
Al-Harith, of Bani Saaedah, of Bani Aws and of Bani Belanah are
Jews like the others. “

38. • He exchanged gifts with several non-Muslims.
• Often, they would attend his sermons and even visit his
home.
• They would question him and sometimes seek his
advice.
• According to a hadith report, a Jewish woman once
invited the Prophet and his companions to her
home, which the Prophet accepted.
• It is said that some Jews would taunt the Prophet by
using bad words to address him, but this did not deter
him from his mission of establishing friendly relations
with his non-Muslim neighbors.

39. • There are numerous traditions that speak of the
Prophet bringing non-Muslim guests to the mosque
in Medina where he discussed various matters with
them
• The Prophet honored the Christians of Najran from
Yemen who visited him in his own mosque in
Madina. The Christians prayed according to
Christian fashion inside the mosque, and the
Prophet and his followers prayed in Muslim
tradition.

40. • Battles of the Prophet-The actual reason for these
battles against non Muslims, or what is called Qital
in the Quran, was their having revolted (Muharaba)
against the Prophet or their aggression, as the
Quran clearly indicates
• Exile of the Bani Nazir from Medina-They broke
their treaty with the Prophet, something that was
even in pre-Islamic times considered to be a major
crime. Furthermore, the Bani Nazir tried several
times to kill the Prophet. Even after he forgave
them they did not relent.

41. • The Muslims were in a treaty with the Banu Qurayza
• -The Pagans launched an offensive against the Muslims
• -The Banu Qurayza broke the treaty and joined the
pagan offensive
• -The Banu Qurayza were simply waiting for the pagans
to launch their complete offensive against the Muslims
so they too could launch their offensive against the
Muslims from the south
• -The Banu Qurayza had every intention of killing the
prophet Muhammad and the entire Muslim community

42. • When the battle ended, the Prophet ordered it to be
announced that none should perform the afternoon
prayer until after he reached Bani Qurayza
• Bani Qurayza forts were besieged.
• In the Morning they submitted to the Prophet’s
judgment and
• Al-Aus tribe leaders said, O Prophet, they are our allies
• Prophet said: Will you be satisfied, O’ Aus, if one of
your own member pronounces judgment on them?
• When they agreed he said that Sa'd b. Mu'adh (RA)
was the man

43. • Sa'd bin Muadh (RA) a former Jew judged these Jews by
THEIR OWN LAW! Here is the law from the Jewish
Bible:
• “And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make
war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: And when
the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine
hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the
edge of the sword: But the women, and the little
ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all
the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and
thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the
LORD thy God hath given thee.” (Deuteronomy 20:10-

44. • This story is extremely doubtful, although it is
mentioned in some detail in the books of Hadith.
• On the basis of detailed research, the Indian
scholar Barkat Ahmad, in his Urdu book Rasul
Akram Aur Yahud-e Hijaz (‘The Noble Prophet and
the Jews of the Hijaz’) argues that this story is false.
• He provides numerous eyewitness accounts to back
his claim

45. • 'Umar’s Governor in Syria appointed a Christian to head
his Administration.
• 'Umar respectfully declined to pray inside the church
of Resurrection in Jerusalem, but he did pray outside.
He was concerned that his followers would take it over
from the Christians, if he prayed inside
• Muslims were given the key of the Church of Basilica in
Jerusalem during the days of the Caliph 'Umar. The
Muslims are still taking care of it today
• During the time of Caliph 'Umar certain Muslims had
taken a piece of land belonging to a Jew. They
constructed a mosque on it. 'Umar ordered the
demolition of the mosque and the restoration of the
land to the Jew

46. • Non-Muslims were holding the rank of
ministers, administrative positions and membership
in Executive Councils.
• Non-Muslims were given judicial autonomy, not
only for personal status, but for all affairs of their
life: Civil, penal and others.
• During the Abbasid Caliphs, Christian Patriarchs and
Jewish Hakhams (Rabbis) held highest positions in
the Islamic state.
• They held the position of advisors in the cabinet of
the Caliph himself.

47. • Christians and Jews lived peacefully with Muslims.
• Non-Muslims flourished among Muslims.
• The mere presence of a large number of Christians
and Jews in the Muslim world is a sign of the
tolerance of Muslims to the non-Muslims.
• Jews fled from Spain during the Inquisition, and
Muslims welcomed them in their lands.
• They protected them and helped them to establish
themselves and they indeed flourished

48. • Non-Muslims flourished in the Muslim world in all
aspects of life even after the abolition of colonialism.
• Anywhere a person goes in both the Arab world and
the non-Arab Muslim world, he will see Christians and
Jews.
• They have lived freely in the Muslim community and
have thrived in the fields of
religion, education, economics, politics, health, industry
, farming, housing, banking, festivities, and social
services.
• In several Muslim countries like
Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Algeria or
Sudan, etc. there are a large number of Christians in

49. • Today there are forces that seem to be propelling a
clash of civilizations,
• Let us build bridges of understanding and mutual
respect through the exploration of commonalities
among all civilizations.