I don't claim to be an expert on Islam, but here are couple more quotes (in bold) expressing tolerance for other religions:
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Faith and the future
Britain's first government-funded Islamic school
closed temporarily last week amid a wave of
anti-Muslim feeling. Its chairman of governors, Yusuf
Islam - formerly the pop star Cat Stevens - explains
why his adopted religion is the home of tolerance and
not of fanaticism
Special report: terrorism in the US
Yusuf Islam
Guardian
Tuesday September 18, 2001
The playground stands bare and empty. Wind blows across the
space where little children until recently chased, skipped and
played. The gates of the first government-funded Muslim school
in the UK were closed last week for two reasons: respect and
caution.
With reports linking the atrocities at the World Trade Centre and
the Pentagon to Muslim groups, the parents and children of
Islamia primary school in north London have become possible
targets of hate and harassment. There was a similar wave of
anti-Muslim feeling after the bombing of the federal building in
Oklahoma in 1995, even though it was later discovered to be the
foul work of a son of Uncle Sam himself, a home-grown,
disaffected American radical. But media speculation had already
pointed the finger at Muslims and the Arab world, and that
meant ordinary citizens of the US and other western countries
became easy prey for anti-faith hooligans. Shame.
As chairman of the board that runs the small one-form primary
school, I decided, in consultation with teachers and parents, to
shut the school for a few days, until the dust settles and people
can see more clearly. But, sadly, the latest horror to hit the US
looks to have been caused by people of Middle Eastern origin,
bearing Muslim names. Again, shame. This fuels more hatred
for a religion and a people who have nothing to do with these
events. This is why I felt it necessary to write and explain some
basic facts about this noble way we call Islam, before, God
forbid, another disaster occurs - next time probably aimed at
Muslims.
I came to Islam in my late 20s, during my searching period as a
wandering pop star. I found a religion that blended scientific
reason with spiritual reality in a unifying faith far removed from
the headlines of violence, destruction and terrorism. One of the
first interesting things I learned in the Koran was that the name
of the faith comes from the word salam - peace. Far from the
kind of Turko-Arab-centric message I expected, the Koran
presented a belief in the universal existence of God, one God for
all. It does not discriminate against peoples; it says we may be
different colours and from different tribes, but we are all human
and "the best of people are the most God-conscious".
Today, as a Muslim, I have been shattered by the horror of
recent events; the display of death and indiscriminate killing
we've all witnessed has dented humanity's confidence in itself.
Terror on this scale affects everybody on this small planet, and
no one is free from the fallout. Yet we should remember that
such violence is almost an everyday occurrence in some Muslim
lands: it should not be exacerbated by revenge attacks on more
innocent families and communities.
Along with most British Muslims, I feel it a duty to make clear
that such orchestrated acts of incomprehensible carnage have
nothing to do with the beliefs of most Muslims. The Koran
specifically declares: "If anyone murders an [innocent] person, it
will be as if he has murdered the whole of humanity. And if
anyone saves a person it will be as if he has saved the whole of
humanity." British Muslims feel nothing but sympathy for those
families who lost loved ones. I know people who were directly
involved in the tragedy; my own brother, who lives in New
Jersey, was going to fly out from Newark last week. In that
respect we all feel the same.
The Koran that our young pupils learn at Islamia is full of stories
and lessons from the history of humanity as a whole. The
Gospels and the Torah are referred to; Jesus and Abraham are
mentioned. In fact there is more mention in the Koran of the
prophet Moses than of any other. It acknowledges the
coexistence of other faiths, and in doing so acknowledges that
other cultures can live together in peace. "There is no
compulsion in religion," it states, meaning that people should
not be compelled to change their faith. Elsewhere it states, "To
you, your religion; to me mine." Respect for religious values and
justice is at the Koran's core. The Koranic history we teach
provides ample examples of interreligious and international
relationships; of how to live together.
But some extremists take elements of the sacred scriptures out
of context. They act as individuals, and when they can't come
together as part of a political structure or consultative process,
you find these dissident factions creating their own rules,
contrary to the spirit of the Koran - which demands that those
recognised as being in charge of Muslims must consult together
regarding society's affairs. There is a whole chapter in the Koran
entitled Consultation; in Arabic the word for that is Shura.
Communal wellbeing is central to human life, so there is a
concept in Islam called Istihsan, which means "to look for the
common good". Even though the Koran may lay down a diktat,
scholars are also supposed to consider the circumstances
prevalent at the time. Sometimes that means choosing the
lesser of two evils or even suspending legislation if necessary:
for instance, a person who steals bread during a famine is not
treated as a thief.
Once I wrote in a song, "Where do the children play?" It is
hoped that opening Islamia school's gates this week will herald
a new day and a new dawn for children all over the world. Our
sympathy and thoughts go out to the families of all those who
lost their lives in this tragic act of violence, as well as all those
injured. But life must go on. Children still need to play, and
people need to live and learn more about their neighbours so
that ignorance doesn't breed more blind fanaticism. Moderation
is part of faith, so those who accuse Muslim schools of fostering
fanaticism should learn a bit more about Islam.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Ruined are those who
insist on hardship in faith," and, "A believer remains within the
scope of his religion as long as he doesn't kill another person
illegally." Such knowledge and words of guidance are
desperately needed at this time, to separate fact from falsehood,
and to recognise the Last Prophet's own definition of that which
makes a person representative, or otherwise, of the faith he lived
and the one we try to teach.
guardian.co.uk
Tom |
