Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Peaceful Coexistence
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According to the Islamic historical narrative, the prophet's career had two distinct phases. In Mecca his preaching was characterized by a strong impulse to pacifism, forbearance and peaceful coexistence with the disbelievers, combined with preaching on the nature of their sin, (principally, shirk), together with warnings of hell fire. It includes such famous verses as "For you is your religion, and for me is my religion." (Qur'an 109:6). This contrasts markedly with the second phase which took place after the forced migration to Medina, where Muhammad became as much of a political-military figure leading a campaign against the Meccans as a religious preacher. As such, the scholars have classified the verses of the Qur'an into "Meccan" and "Medinian" verses, as have modern academic scholars (though with further refinement). At certain times the doctrine of naskh (Abrogation) was employed by medieval Islamic scholars particularly widely to argue that since the more peaceful Meccan verses came to Muhammad first, they are abrogated or cancelled by the later Medinian verses. This was necessary because their interpretation of the later verses was that they sanctioned aggressive, expansionary warfare. A more extreme subset of scholars considered the verse of the sword (Quran 9:5) to have abrogated all peaceful verses. Islamic modernist and some modern academic scholars reject such interpretations, arguing that read carefully, the Medinan fighting verses are defensive or pre-emptive in nature in response to the aggression and treaty breaking of the Quraysh. For more information on these interpretations see Jihad in Islamic Law.
Qur'an
Religious Tolerance and Coexistence with Other Religions
Pacifism Promoted
Allah has sent Muhammad only to warn non-Muslims.
Leave non-Muslims to their ignorance.
It is best if you do not retaliate against your persecutors, but rather seek refuge in Allah.
Do not argue with innocent Christians and Jews, but rather emphasize your common monotheism.
Invite non-Believers to Islam by preaching to them.
Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.
Do not readily retaliate when attacked, since Allah will have the evil people destroy themselves.
Seest thou not that We have set the Evil Ones on against the unbelievers, to incite them with fury?
Be patient with the evil words that are said by people.
Had it not been for a Word that went forth before from thy Lord, (their punishment) must necessarily have come; but there is a Term appointed (for respite).
Be patient and let the non-Muslims see that Islam is the true religion.
And if We had inflicted on them a penalty before this, they would have said: "Our Lord! If only Thou hadst sent us a messenger, we should certainly have followed Thy Signs before we were humbled and put to shame."
Turn away from those who reject Islam and say "Peace" to them.
(Allah has knowledge) of the (Prophet's) cry, "O my Lord! Truly these are people who will not believe!"
Non-Muslims shall have their religion and Muslims shall have their religion.
Say : O ye that reject Faith!
I worship not that which ye worship,
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship,
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
See Also
- Jihad (Primary Sources) - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Jihad (Primary Sources)