ISLAMIC VIEWS ON WORLD RELIGIONS

THE IMPORTANCE OF TOLERANCE

DISCLAIMER: We do not claim to have the definitive view of what Islam is or is not. We are simply putting information out there for our readers as an educational service.

We have been studying global events since 1995. One thing we have learned from our years of study is that global cooperation is a matter of planetary survival. Our world is linked together economically and environmentally. There are growing crises that threaten all of humanity: the environmental crisis, climate change, the threat of nuclear war, increasing famine, and epidemics. The major powers of the world need to work together to solve these problems. When we look at world religions, there is a similar situation. To attain the level of sacrifice that is needed to meet today's global problems, there needs to be some kind of cooperation on major issues among world religions. This is why tolerance is important. Tolerance doesn't mean you agree with somebody else on everything. Absolutely not. But the levels of religious conflict and religious hatred being stirred up around the world today are very dangerous and they threaten the survival of the planet. It's that simple.

In religious terms, we do not presume to know what will happen on judgment day. We have a page on judgment day in world religions. However, we don't presume to say who is going where on that day. We will just say that the leaders of the world's various religions should have a greater sense of humility in discussing the subject. There's always a distinction between religion, religious leaders, religious bureaucrats, politicians who claim to be religious, and so on. We're not saying all these people are bad people. But it's important to understand throughout history that different spokespeople for the same religion often have different points of view.

QURAN QUOTES ON TOLERANCE

"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." (2:256).

"Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (2:62).

"Lo! those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Sabaeans, and Christians - Whosoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve." (5:69)

QUOTES ON TOLERANCE FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE

Below we are going to share some quotes on Islam and tolerance from Dr Mohammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa. He is the secretary-general of the Muslim World League and president of the Organization of Muslim Scholars. The Muslim World League is an international organization based in Saudi Arabia. It is known as the world's largest Islamic NGO. It is believed to be one of the world's largest groups to spread Saudi Arabia's message on Islam.

"Tolerance. It is both a religious and a moral duty, a sacred tenet of Islam. Without tolerance, we would face only endless misunderstanding, disharmony and strife. And at the Muslim World League (MWL), it is something we offer unconditional commitment toward."

"We will stand steadfast with our brothers from the Jewish, Christian and other faiths to defend our shared values, cooperate in serving humanity, spread peace and harmony among all, and fight all forms of hatred."

For more on what Dr Mohammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa thinks on this issue, see this article he wrote on Arab News.

SAUDI ARABIA IN THE WORLD OF ISLAM

A positive development in the world of tolerance and Islam was the "Common Values Among Religious Followers Forum" held in Saudi Arabia in 2022. This was held with the support of the Muslim World League. We believe this was a step forward.

Saudi Arabia plays a very important role in influencing Islamic thought around the globe today. If one wants to understand politics and scholarship in the Islamic world, it is important to study what is going on currently in Saudi Arabia.

We are not saying that all Muslims agree with Saudi Arabia. And we don't agree with all of their policies. We are simply saying that Saudi Arabia plays a major role as a global influencer in the world of Islamic thought.

Saudi Arabia and Global Islam

See Our Page Here.

Muslim World League Links

The Muslim World League Site (in English)

Muslim World League Wikipedia Page

Muslim World League on Twitter (in Arabic)

Muslim World League on Twitter (in English)

RELATED LINKS

Our Collection of Reports on Islam

What Does the Quran Say About Other Religions? (Studio Arabiya)

Islam and Other Religions (Wikipedia)

Islam's Relationship with Non-Muslims (Lessons from history) (Islamicity)