Page 166 - Bigotry: The Dark Danger

Bigotry:
The Dark Danger

In the Islam described in the Qur'an, everyone is free to believe
or not, as he wishes. In the Islam of the Qur'an, a Muslim merely has
an obligation to tell others of proper moral virtues. Salvation is in the
hands of God. A Muslim's responsibility is to treat everyone with
affection, whether they believe or not. Those people who try to por-
tray Muslims as killers try to cover up this reality in the Qur'an.

In the Islam described in the Qur'an, a Muslim has a responsibil-

ity to maintain justice, even if that works against himself, his parents
or his family (Qur'an, 4:135). According to that verse, the rights of
everyone are protected, no matter what their religion or beliefs, and
there is a duty to treat them with justice.

As we have seen before, and shall be seeing very often again, in
one verse God commands Muslims even to use their own bodies to
shelter someone who does not believe:

If any of the idolaters ask you for protection, give them protec-
tion until they have heard the words of God. Then convey them
to a place where they are safe. That is because they are a people

who do not know. (Qur'an, 11:6)
The conception of religion that Muslims - who have a responsi-
bility to protect those who do not believe - should adopt is very clear.
Indeed, God tells the Prophet (pbuh) to address unbelievers as fol-

lows and describes a transparent democratic system:

164