What are each faith’s attitudes to the others?
Islam in theory has guaranteed freedom of belief and freedom of worship from the time of Muhammad himself, at least for Christians and Jews who accept Muslim rule. Non-Muslim minorities living under Muslim rule were guaranteed certain freedoms and protections, under the dhimmi system of rights.
Despite the common allegation that Islam is spread by the sword, in reality, forced conversions of adherents of other religions is not sanctioned in Islam. While Muslim rule was often spread through conquest, the subjects were theoretically free to continue to practice whatever religion they chose. However, they were subject to taxation, economic impediments, and restrictions on political participation and social advancement based on their non-Muslim status. This has not been a unique activity of Muslim countries, as similar legal restrictions and penalties were imposed on minority Christian groups within European Christian countries.
The Qur’an has several examples of religious tolerance:
- “Only argue with the People of the Book [Christians and Jews] in the kindest way - except in the case of those of them who do wrong - saying, ‘We have faith in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him.’” (29:46)
- “Among the people of the Book there are some who have faith in God and in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and who are humble before God. They do not sell God’s Signs for a paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And God is swift at reckoning.” (3:199)
- “Let there be no compulion in religion. Truth stands out clearly from error; whoever rejects evil and has faith in God has grasped the most trustworthy, unfailing handhold. And Dod hears and knows all things. God is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them frth into light." (2:256-257)
- “Those with Faith, those who are Jews, and the Christians and Sabaeans, all who have Faith in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.” (2:62)
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Hinduism is naturally pluralistic. As such the Hindu religion has no theological difficulties in accepting degrees of truth in other religions. Hindus worshipping Ganesh and those worshipping Vishnu not only peacefully co-exist, but are united under the same religion. Someone believing in one God but worshiping Jesus or Allah is, whilst not Hindu, quite acceptable. In fact some foreign deities have become assimilated into Hinduism, and some Hindus may sometimes offer prayers to Jesus along with their traditional forms of God. This tolerance has allowed Hinduism and Buddhism coexist peacefully in many parts of the world.
Some examples from the Hindu texts:
- "The Truth is One but men describe it differently." (Rig Veda)
- “In whatever way men identify with Me, in the same way do I carry out their desires; men pursue My path, O Arjuna, in all ways.” (Krishna, in Gita: 4:11)
- "Whatever deity or form a devotee worships, I make his faith steady. However, their wishes are only granted by Me." (Krishna, Gita: 7:21-22)
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There are now many denominations of Christians who take a pluralistic outlook, at least from the point of view of the promotion of peace and dialogue. Two major groups of Christians whose prime concern is peace and compassion are Unitarians and Quakers.
In 1986 The Pope held a meeting in Assisi attended by representatives from all world religions. This culminated in reciting a joint prayer for peace. The Catholic Church has also announced that it will no longer attempt to convert Jews.
Some extracts from Christian literature
- "He [God] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Peter 3:9
- Jesus said, "Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." Luke 12:10.
- An aphorism common in some Christian circles: "All Truth is God's Truth."
- The Christian writer Paul wrote, "God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favouritism ." (Romans 2:6-15)
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There is a vast body of recent literature dedicated to the possibilities, exceptions and ground rules of communication and understanding between Jewish and other religious groups, a more extensive analysis of which can be viewed here..
Rabbinic tradition asserts that the basic standard of righteousness was established in a covenant with Noah: anyone who keeps the seven commandments of this covenant is assured of salvation, no matter what their religion. This has been standard Jewish teaching for the past two thousand years. These commandments are:
- to refrain from bloodshed and murder
- to establish laws
- to refrain from idolatry
- to refrain from blasphemy
- to refrain from sexual immorality
- to refrain from theft
- to refrain from the tearing of a limb from a living animal
Here are some more extracts from Jewish scripture and philosophy highlighting the extent to which religious pluralism is enshrined in Judaism:
- The Talmud states: "The righteous of all peoples have a place in the World-To-Come" (Tos. to Sanhedrin 13:2, Sifra to Leviticus 19:18), and affirms that the great majority of non-Jewish humanity will be saved, due to God's overwhelming mercy (BT Sanhedrin 105a).
- The Torah mentions a number of righteous gentiles, including: Melchizedek, who presided at offerings to God that Abraham made (Gen. 14:18); Job, a pagan Arab of the land of Uz with a whole book of the Hebrew Bible devoted to him as a paragon of righteousness beloved of God (Job); and the Ninevites, the people given to cruelty and idolatry who would be accepted by God when they repented (Jonah).
- The Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786) taught that "According to the basic principles of my religion I am not to seek to convert anyone not born into our laws....We believe that the other nations of the Earth are directed by God to observe only the law of nature and the religion of the Patriarchs...I fancy that whosoever leads men to virtue in this life cannot be damned in the next."
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Bahá'u'lláh urged the elimination of religious intolerance. He taught that God is one, and has manifested himself to us through historical messengers. Baha’i's believe that God's will is revealed to mankind through these messengers as mankind matures and is better able to comprehend the purpose of God in creating humanity. These messengers must both be deliverers of God’s message and, as individuals, examples of righteous lives. Bahá'ís must associate with peoples of all religions, showing the love of God in relations with them, whether this is reciprocated or not.
- Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith states: "The fundamental principle enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh, the followers of His Faith firmly believe, is that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is a continuous and progressive process, that all the great religions of the world are divine in origin, that their basic principles are in complete harmony, that their aims and purposes are one and the same, that their teachings are but facets of one truth, that their functions are complementary, that they differ only in the nonessential aspects of their doctrines, and that their missions represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society." (The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in “World Order”, Vol. 7, No. 2 (1972-73))
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Extracts from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Sikh Holy Scriptures):
- "By His Power the Vedas and the Puraanas exist, and the Holy Scriptures of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions. By His Power all deliberations exist." (Pannaa 464).
- "Some call Him, 'Raam, Raam', and some call Him, 'Khudaa-i'. Some serve Him as 'Gusain', others as 'Allah'. He is the Cause of causes, the Generous Lord. He showers His Grace and Mercy upon us." (Pannaa 885).
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