Page 46 - A Call For Unity

A Call for Unity

him and grant him peace), Arabia was home to communities
of different religions, cultures and ideas. Jews, Christians,
Sabians, Zoroastrians and idol worshippers all lived side by
side, together with many different tribes hostile to each oth-
er. Yet no matter what their tribe or beliefs are, our Prophet
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace) called people to
faith in Allah with affection, patience, compassion and love.
in the Qur'an Allah describes his pleasing attitude to those

around him as follows:
It is a mercy from Allah that you were gentle with them.
If you had been rough or hard of heart, they would have
scattered from around you. So pardon them and ask for-
giveness for them... (Surah Al 'Imran: 159)
As pointed out earlier, the Qur'an reveals that no one
should be pressured to embrace Islamic morality. Muslims

are charged only with explaining the religion of Allah. No
one can force anyone else to believe or worship. One can find
the true path and come to believe, only by the Will of Allah.
Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) al-
ways scrupulously abided by that prohibition and stated fre-
quently that a man could live by religious morality only
when, in his heart, he really wanted to. Allah told our
Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in one
holy verse how he should behave towards those around him:

We know best what they say. You are not a dictator over
them. So remind, with the Qur'an, whoever fears My
Threat. (Surah Qaf: 45)
In one hadith our Prophet (May Allah bless him and
grant him peace) says: "I was sent as a tolerant, seeker after Allah

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