Peace Maker

In the previous article true stories were presented that illustrate how Arab Muslims help and protect Jews in different situations.

You have to know that To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker , one who constantly seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures good will for peaceful coexistence of humanity .God wants us to live in peace and harmony with his creation, life and matter.

And Now Let’s Know some stories as an example of Islam’s recognition and acceptance to non Muslims.

Muslim acceptance to Jews and Christians

In 638, when Jerusalem was surrendered to the Muslims, Umar (the first caliph), requested to be led to the Temple Mount, an acknowledgment of Islam’s acceptance of the Hebraic prophetic tradition. After reaching the Temple Mount, the caliph found himself disgusted on seeing that Crusader Christians had heaped garbage in the sacred enclosure to express their contempt for the Judaic faith. Umar, out of respect for the Jews, ordered the area to be cleansed, an act which also prepared the sacred Jewish site for Muslim worship. Umar fulfilled the hopes of Jews by refusing the church’s request to continue the ban against Jewish residence and inviting them back into the city. In the seventh century, as Jerusalem came into Muslim hands, the ban on Jewish residence was lifted. After approximately 500 years of being Judenrein (Banned to Jews), Jerusalem again included a Jewish community. Jews long banned from living in Jerusalem by Christian rulers, were permitted to return, live, and worship in the city of Solomon and David.

In 1099, the Crusaders stormed Jerusalem and established Sovereignty over the Holy Land. When the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem, virtually all its Muslim and Jewish populations were butchered. During this period, residence of non-Christians was banned, and thus the city underwent a drastic demographic change.

In 1187, Salah al-Din (Saladin) having re-established Abbasid rule over Fatimid Egypt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatimid_Caliphate), recaptured the city of Jerusalem. For the next seven centuries, except for a short interlude, Jerusalem remained under Muslim rule. After the reconquest of Jerusalem, civilians were spared; and churches and shrines were generally left untouched.

A result of the Crusades was the deterioration of the positions of Christian minorities in the Holy Land. Formerly, Christian minorities had been accorded rights and privileges under Muslim rule, after the establishment of the Latin Kingdom, they found themselves with less rights. In an effort to obtain relief from persecution by their fellow Christians, many abandoned their Nestorian beliefs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorianism), and adopted either Roman Catholicism, or Islam.

Respect to humanity

During the golden age of Islam; Muslim sailors usually and intentionally left hordes of sheep and goats on whatever unpopulated island they reach as to be a depot of food, milk and wool for any other ship or any passing by sailors or wrecked or lost seamen, regardless of their religion or nationality .This clearly shows their respect to humanity.

The huge impact of Muslims left on other nations was modesty and honour, Islam spread through Asia by just the good fame of Arab traders and Muslim sailors, they contributed in the spread of Islam by just being Muslims and respecting the other not only accepting him.

Mutual acceptance of Muslims and Non-Muslims in Eastern Asia

A story says that the capital of the Philippines Manila was named after Arabic Sentence which says “ Fe Aman Allah” means in the safety of Allah, which Native Philippine’s saluted Arab Traders and Muslim sailors on their way back from the harbours of their island to the far away Arabian land and it’s neighbouring. Just as a sign of deep gratitude to the polite and humble Arab Muslim traders that have enlightened their life.

In the west another city in Spain is Valladolid, which some say has an Arabic origin as Balad al Walid (the city of walid the arab). This also illustrates the impact of Islam and Arabs to people around the world and this impact wouldn’t have this greatness unless muslims and arabs showed acceptance and friendliness to other nations.

Many far eastern Asians converted to Islam just in the light of the modest and humble behaviour of the Arab traders and Muslim sailors. They where not forced to convert; they just loved the tranquillity of Islam and its peaceful method of life.  

Islam is a religion of peace. True Islam urges peace, love, and solidarity among the human kind, regardless of race, colour, gender, religion; the above pictures clearly show that.

The next paragraph is from the official site of saint Catherine monastery

“In the second year of the Hegira, corresponding to AD 626, a delegation from Sinai requested a letter of protection from Mohammed. This was granted, and authorized by him when he placed his hand upon the document. In AD 1517, Sultan Selim I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selim_I) confirmed the monastery’s prerogatives, but took the original letter of protection for safekeeping to the royal treasury in Constantinople. At the same time, he gave the monastery certified copies of this document, each depicting the hand print of Mohammed in token of his having touched the original”.

It says:

“This is a message from Muhammad 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).”

Many verses in the Holy Quran Assures that Anybody has the freedom of worship :

 “The truth is from your Lord' Let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject it" (Qur'an 18:29)
"You have your religion, and I have mine" (Qur'an 109:6)
"Let there be no compulsion in religion" (Qur'an 2:256)

By Abdelghany El Sharkawy