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Is tolerance for Judaism and Christianity at the heart of Islam?

Source: Arab News

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL d)uring his visit to the Church of Notre Dame in Paris. (Supplied)

By Irina Tsukerman

Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa, MWL secretary-general, discusses Islam’s relationship with other faiths
Al-Issa says Islam respects other religions and guarantees the rights of all people to religious choice

NEW YORK CITY: “The Qur’an instructed Muslims to be righteous and benevolent to non-Muslims as long as they are peaceful and do not attack you or fight you. Muslims treated well the Jews who refused to enter Islam, starting with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, until our time,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL), a leading religious Muslim nongovernmental organization based in Makkah.

Sheikh Al-Issa has been leading by example since taking up that position in 2016, tirelessly traveling the world, forging relationships — with governments, religious institutions (including the Vatican) and NGOs (including the American Sephardi Federation and the American Jewish Committee) — and announcing historic initiatives to counter extremism, guarantee religious freedom and improve human welfare.

Most recently, Al-Issa called on members of different religions to unite against the COVID-19 pandemic, stating: “We want Muslims and all other citizens to be aiding one another in this time of common challenge, without discrimination for religion or race, for gender or ethnicity.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL). (AN Photo/Ziyad Alarfaj)

MWL today is drastically different than the organization it was even five years ago, when it was still an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Despite Al-Issa’s exemplary humanitarian, educational and outreach efforts all over the world, including with Jewish communities, some remain skeptical about MWL’s agenda and Islam’s doctrinal teachings concerning other religions.

They variously claim that the essence of the religion eschews equal treatment for non-converts and that any attempts to disassociate from controversial interpretations is merely whitewashing, and they have tried to tie MWL’s actions to regional politics. Such criticisms are sorely mistaken.

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Categories: Arab World, Interfaith tolerance, Islam

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7 replies ›

  1. Is tolerance for Judaism and Christianity at the heart of Islam? >: Both Christianity and Islam are subject to/copied from Judaism.

    Reply

  2. The law of Tourah
    DaYou have heard that it says, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” .

    GOSPEL
    But I say to you, Don’t fight bad people. But if someone slaps your right cheek, give your left cheek. Matthew 5:38
    .
    ISLAMIC LAW
    Reply with the same thing (Kias) but if forgiven it’s better. Q 5:45, Q 2; 178

    O you who believe, are obliged upon you qishaash concerning those killed; Free men with free men, servants with servants and women with women. So whoever gets an forgiveness from his brother, should follow in a good way.

    Gospel teaching is really tolerant. But Tourat and Al Quran are not telerant teaching.

    Reply

    • Somi, could you please give me some examples where Christian nations have practiced ‘if someone slaps your right cheek, give your left cheek’. Thanks. As a student of history I only came across brutal slavery, genocide, inquisition …

      Reply

      • I gave you my answer but you still deleted
        Christian nations are not Christian’s rule or law. Like Saudi and Iran use Islamic law as Govenment’s law, syariah law.

        Be smarter Rafiq—

      • Would be nice if Somi could pretend to be polite for a change. ‘Christian nations are not Christan’s rule of law’, but with Saudis you expect them to obey Islamic rule. YEA, there is always hope.

  3. muslims ideology regarding non-muslims and specially jews is not just and against the teaching of the holy Quran which says ” surely ,those who belive and the jews and the christians and the sabians—- whichever party from among these truly believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds , shall have their reward with their Lord , no fear shall come upon them , nor shall they grieve —- 2/63 ” , there are many more verses which mentions their goodness and Allah’s consideration . just contrary to this , muslim ideology treat everyone unjust infidel . that hadith which says ” time comes when if a jew takes shelter behind the tree to save his life , that tree would invite a muslim to kill him . such sayings can not unite the people . what I understand that huzoor SAW didnt say anything which goes against the holy Quran . so we dont know the authenticity and back ground behind this saying . as huzoor SAW advised to consult Quran in every dispute , we must accept that all jews are not bad and israel is not a islamic issue but political like in between syrian shias and syrian sunnis …if we want to have forward march , march towards friendship , march towards peace and prosperity … we should come out of the shadow of past ; past which may be good or may not be good….but it has gone …let it go …let we build a bridge of friendship …we are not the Master of the Day of Judgement …let God decide who would go to hell

    Reply

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