nowadays certain circles are trying to give Islamic morality the wrong
image. The religion of Islam commands people to create an "abode of
peace and well-being" on the face of the Earth, but those circles
try to show the opposite of this as if there was a conflict between
followers of other religions and Muslims.
However, the view Islamic morality takes of Jews and Christians
known in the Qur'an as the "People of the Book" is extremely just and
merciful. God makes this known in the Qur'an as follows:
God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not
fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from
being just towards them. God loves those who are just. (Qur'an,
60:8)
Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way - except
in the case of those of them who do wrong -- saying, "We believe 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." (Qur'an, 29:46)
The Qur'an states that there are those among the People of the Book
who are sincere in their belief:
Among the People of the Book there are some who believe 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. (Qur'an, 3:199)
... There is a community among the People of the Book who are
upright. They recite God's signs throughout the night, and they
prostrate. They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin the
right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good. They are
among the righteous. You will not be denied the reward for any good
thing you do. God knows those who guard against evil. (Qur'an,
3:113-115)
Those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabaeans and the
Christians, all who believe in God and the Last Day and act rightly
will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Qur'an, 5:69)
In the books of truth sent by God as guidance to His people, a
community model is described that is based on love, peace, tolerance
and justice. For example, in the Qur'an God tells that the Torah
brought down to the Jews is a guidance for people:
We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light, and the
prophets who had submitted themselves gave judgment by it for the
Jews - as did their scholars and their rabbis -- by what they had
been allowed to preserve of God's Book to which they were
witnesses... (Qur'an, 5:44)
The arguments and conflicts between Jews, Christians and Muslims
based on historical problems, prejudices, misunderstandings and
misapprehensions should be put to an end once and for all.
Followers of all three religions should live in mutual understanding
and tolerance. What is important is to bring up points in common
rather than differences, to be helpful rather than troublesome,
constructive rather than destructive, cooperative rather than
obstructive, integral rather than separate, and to cause unity
rather than segregation. In the Qur'an God makes known as follows
this responsibility of the believers:
Those who do not believe are the friends and protectors of one
another. If you do not act in this way there will be turmoil in the
land and great corruption. (Qur'an, 8:73)
God has ordered the believers to be the peacemakers and protectors
of peace on Earth. He has condemned those who disturb peace on
Earth, declare war without just cause (such as defense or salvation
from oppression), disrupters, and killers of innocent people. Our
Lord has ordered believers to create a world where all people can
live in peace and it is one of the important responsibilities to
ensure peace and security for mankind.
At the root of wars, conflicts and all forms of corruption is man's
distancing from the true religious moral values. Sometimes the
perverse interpretations of certain individuals allegedly in the
name of religion can influence people who have insufficient
knowledge of the true religious ethic. And this may cause them to
commit acts that are totally inappropriate in terms of religious
ethic. The solidarity of the believers gains importance in the face
of people who believe in the necessity of solving disagreements and
problems by violent means, those who persecute people with
oppressive and despotic implementations.
Every Christian, Muslim or Jewish believer is obliged to do his
utmost to strive to this end. It is right for those Muslims, Jews
and Christians who believe in one God, who try to gain His approval,
who have surrendered to Him, whose hearts are bound to Him, who
praise Him, and who essentially defend the same values, to act in
partnership. Sincere believers should unite in order to live
according to the moral values of religion, prevent the disasters
caused by irreligion, struggle intellectually against atheism and
materialism.
Prejudices arising from ignorance or the provocations of those who
are against the religious moral values should be banished. Jews,
Christians and Muslims should try to cooperate to spread the high
moral values on Earth. This cooperation should be built on the
founding principles of love, respect, tolerance, understanding,
harmony and cooperation. It is necessary to consider the immediate
need for action, and to keep far away from elements that can lead to
conflict, argument and dissidence. In the Qur'an the Muslims' call
to the People of the Book for unity is made known as follows:
Say: "People of the Book! Come to a proposition which is the same
for us and you -- that we should worship none but God and not
associate any partners with Him and not take one another as lords
besides God." (Qur'an, 3:64)
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