Inter-religious tolerance training

By Ms. Iman, 18th July 2011, ACS

What is tolerance?

A fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationaliity, etc., differ from one's own.

The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.

Facts.

Religious intolerance is a driving force behind many of the world's armed conflicts and centers of civil unrest. A few current and recent conflicts include:– Protestants vs. Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland– Muslims vs. Serbian Orthodox Christians in Kosovo– Aboriginals, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs in India– Christians and Muslims in the Southern Philippine

Islands

Source: http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-religious-discrimination

Objectives of the workshop

Get prepared to interact with other faiths believers

Understand Islamic concepts of tolerance, respect and love

Improve knowledge of different religions

Agenda for today Part 1. Tolerance, respect and love for

humanity.

Part 2. The Constitution of Madinah.

Part 3. Living and working with others.

Part 4. Diversity within Islam.

Me too game

Ice breaker

Conclusions

We are all different and need to learn to respect other’s differences.

Our differences don’t make us better or worse.

PART 1

When did you show the below quality for humanity?

Tolerance

Love

Humanity

Is it possible to love another person as you love your own brother or sister?

‘And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers.’ [Surat Imran, 3:103]

Islamic Guidance

‘O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing, All-aware.’ [Surat al-Hujurat 49:13]

What does God mean by ‘you may know each other’?

‘And if thy Lord willed, all who are in the earth would have believed together. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?’ [Surat Yunus 10:99]

Are you allowed to force people to become Muslims?

‘ God shows compassion only to those among His slaves who are compassionate.’ [Bukhari, Muslim]

‘ Make it your duty to show compassion and make yourself tolerate the shortcomings of people’ [Kanz al-Ummal]

‘None fo you become a true believer until he wishes for his brother [and sister] what he wishes for himself.’ [Bukhari, Muslim]

Multi-faith societies around the world

Example of Egypt

The Muslim armies of ‘Amr ibn al-’ As arrived in 642, but is was another two hundred years before the population embraced Islam.

Even today there is still sizeable Christian minority who live in peace.

Islam teaches us respect and love for others and teaches us to accept that difference are all part

of God’s design.

PART II

Do you know who devised the first multi-faith and multi-cultural constitution in the world that gave

people their rights and outlined their responsibilities?

The Constitution of MedinahA Multi-faith Society

The points of Sahifah/consitution of Madinah were:

• The three groups living there (Jews, Ansar and Muhajirun) were described by Prophet Muhammed (saw.) as one community

• Everybody living in Madinah agreed to accept the final authority of God and His Messenger

• Everybody agreed with the choice of the twelve people who would organise the community

• Everybody agreed to co-operate to ensure law and order• Everybody was entitled to protection and support• Everybody was entitled to pray as they wished• Everybody was expected to defend Madinah• Everybody was expected to pay their taxes.

Search for all the articles (statements) that:

1. Encourage Muslims and non-Muslims to live together in peace.2. Gave protection and rights to non-Muslims.

Time: 8 min

Article No 30: Guarantee of freedom of religion for both the Muslims and non-Muslim minorities (the Jews)

‘The Jews of Banu Awf (non-Muslim minorities) shall beconsidered a community along with the believers. They shallbe guaranteed the right of religious freedom along with theMuslims. The right shall be conferred on their associates aswell as themselves except those who are guilty of oppressionor the violators of treaties. They will bring evil only onthemselves and their family.’

Question: What did Prophet Muhammad mean when hesaid: ‘The Jews have their religion and the Muslims theirs’?

Article 40 – Equal rights for internal religious differences

All sub-branches of the Jews shall enjoy the samerights as granted to them (the Jews).

Article No 45: Compulsory mutual help to one another in case of war

‘There shall be mutual help between one

another against those engaged in war with the allies of this document.’

Question: What is ‘mutual help’?

Article No 58: The basic constituent members of thisdocument and their associates shall possess equal

constitutional status

‘The Jews of Aws (one of the basic constituent members of this document) and their allies shall possess the same constitutional status as the other parties to this document, with a condition that they should thoroughly be sincere and honest in their dealing with the parties.’

Question: Did Prophet Muhammad give equal rights toMuslims and others under the Constitution of Madinah?

Recap

• Following this constitution how should we treat non-Muslims?

PART IIILiving and working with others

What are 6 major faith in the UK?

The word search activity

10 facts about world faithsDid you know that ...

• Moses, Jesus, Joseph and Isaac are respected equally in Islam?• The Christian period of fasting is called Lent?• Jews don’t eat pork?• Hindus pray in the morning before going to work/school?• ProphetMuhammad stood up to pay his respects when a

Jewish funeral passed by?• People can have a meal (Langar) at any time of the day in a

Sikh temple (Gurdwara)?• The Sikh phrase ‘Ik onkar’ means ‘there is only one God’?• The Buddhist law of Karma teaches that if you do good you will

receive good, and if you do bad you will receive bad?• Jews, Christians and Muslims are cousins in faith, as all three

religions have roots with Prophet Ibrahim?

Islamic Guidance ‘Say, O People of the Book! Come to a word

agreed upon between us and you, that we worship none but God and that we do not associate anything with Him, and do not take each other for lords, besides God’; and if they turn their backs, say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted (to God alone).’ [Surat Alee Imran 3:64]

Question1: What does this verse show to us?Question2: Who are the People of the Book?Question3: What do you think are the commonalities that Godis talking about in this verse?

‘You have your religion and I have my religion.’[Surat al-Kafirun 109:6]

Question: What does this Ayah tell us?

‘And from His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the differences in your tongues (language) and your colours (race), indeed in that are signs for the whole universe.’ [Surat al-Rum 30:22]

Question: Why do you think God did not make us all the same?

Question: What can we learn from people of other faiths and of no faith?

Story from the Sirah – 1

‘Once Prophet Muhammad asked for some water and a Jewish person gave him some. The Prophet prayed for him.’

Questions: What do we learn from this story? Are we allowed to pray for all humanity?

Story from the Sirah – 2

‘In a place called Ta’if, the people treated Prophet Muhammad very badly, so much so that he was hurt physically. The angel Jibril (Gabriel) came to his aid and asked him to give the command and he would destroy the whole valley. The Prophet refused. Instead he forgave the people and prayed for them, hoping that good would come out of their future generations.’

Question: What do we learn from this story?

Islam teaches us that people of all faithsand of no faith should be respected.

PART IV

Diversity within Islam

Learning Objectives 1. To understand that there is diversity within Islam 2. To learn that good Muslims do not look down on otherMuslims, regardless of the groups they belong to 3. To understand that Islam encourages us to celebratesimilarities and respect differences

List the various groups (schools of thought) of Muslims that you know…

1 Sunni Islam 2 Shia Islam

3 Sufism 3.1 Qadiri 3.2 Bektashi 3.3 Chishti 3.4 Naqshbandi 3.5 Oveyssi 3.6 Suhrawardiyya

4 Ahmadiyya 4.1 Ahmadiyya Muslim Community 4.2 Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement

5 Kharijite Islam 5.1 Ibadi 6 Others; 6.1 Ahl-e Haqq 6.2 Mahdavism 6.3 Messiah Foundation

International 6.4 Moorish Science 6.5 Nation of Islam 6.6 Submitters 6.7 Zikri

Work in pairs and list what they think the similarities are between their own group and other Muslim

groups.

Time: 8 min

Conclusions

There are more similarities than differences.

The differences of these groups all make up theMuslim ummah.

Diversity is about appreciating and respectingdifferences, and Islam teaches us to respectthese differences.

Our difference is our strength…

Islamic Guidance

‘Indeed the believers are brothers (and sisters). Therefore, maintain good relations with your brothers (and sisters) and be aware of God. So that you may be shown mercy (by God).’

[Surat al-Hujurat 49:10]

Question: What do we learn from this verse?

‘...And hold on strong to the rope of God all together and do not be divided. And remember God’s favour upon you, how you were enemies and He brought your hearts together in love so that you became brothers (and sisters) through His grace...’ [Surat Alee Imran 3:103]

Question: What does ‘hold on strong to the rope of God’ mean?

‘And who is better in speech than the one who invites towards God and does good and says indeed I am from amongst the Muslims.’ (Surat al-Fussilat 41:33)

‘Do not envy each other, do not raise prices against each other, do not hate each other, do not turn away from each other, and do not undercut each other. Rather be servants of God as brothers. A Muslim is a Muslim’s brother (and sister). He neither wrongs him, nor cheats him, nor does he tell him lies, nor does he have contempt for him. Piety is here (and He pointed to his chest). It is sufficient evil for a person to look down on his Muslim brother (and sister). The whole of a Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his blood, his wealth and his honour.’ (Bukhari, Muslim)

‘The improvement of people’s affairs is in co-existence and close co-operation according to a set measure; two-thirds of which is to have awareness (about each other) and a third of which is to pretend ignorance of each other’s faults.’ [Kanz al-`Ummal]

A Story from the Sirah

‘The Muslims of Makkah were being persecuted by the non- Muslims and so to protect their lives and their faith, the Prophet instructed them to leave and flee to Madinah, where they would find protection. They had to leave their homes and their belongings behind. They became refugees in Madinah and were known as the Muhajirun.

‘In Madinah, Prophet Muhammad gathered the Muslims in the house of Anas. He explained the terrible situation that the Muslims from Makkah, the Muhajirun, were in. He suggested to the Muslims of Madinah that they take the Muhajirun as their brothers and sisters and look after them. They happily agreed and shared everything with them equally. They were now known as the Ansar, the helpers.

Question: What do we learn from this story?

‘By doing so the Prophet created a relationship of brotherhood and sisterhood between the Muslims of Makkah and the Muslims of Madinah.’

Recap• There are various groups in Islam, as in many other

religions.• The Qur`an and hadith tell us that we are all part of one

Muslim ummah.• It is our duty to respect Muslims who are different to us.• All masajid are houses of God and we should respect

them and those who attend them.

ALL MUSLIMS BELONG TO ONE UMMAH AND MUSLIMS FROM VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT, BACKGROUNDS, NATIONS AND COUNTRIES ARE EQUALLY PART OF THE UMMAH.

Mini questionnaire

The five items, rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being "strongly disagree" and 5 being "strongly agree"), respond:

1. I always treat people of other religious faiths with respect.2. Most religious faiths make a positive contribution to

society.3. I would not object to a person of a different religious faith

moving next door.4. People of other religious faiths always treat me with

respect.5. In the past year, I have learned something from someone

of another religious faith.

Questions ?

Jazzakum Allah KhairMay Allah increase us in tolerance, love

and respect for humanity…Ameen.