Unity in Diversity
Promoting Enduring Respect and Universal Fraternal Bond
by Shaukat A. Ali
Chapter 5: Building Bridges with other Communities
5.1. Traditionally the verses below are cited as examples for the other communities to note and learn what the Holy Quran teaches about the other prophets and religious personalities:
قُلۡ اٰمَنَّا بِاللّٰہِ وَ مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ عَلَيۡنَا وَ مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ عَلٰۤي اِبۡرٰہِيۡمَ وَ اِسۡمٰعِيۡلَ وَ اِسۡحٰقَ وَ يَعۡقُوۡبَ وَ الۡاَسۡبَاطِ وَ مَاۤ اُوۡتِيَ مُوۡسٰي وَ عِيۡسٰي وَ النَّبِيُّوۡنَ مِنۡ رَّبِّہِمۡ ۪ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ اَحَدٍ مِّنۡہُمۡ ۫ وَ نَحۡنُ لَہٗ مُسۡلِمُوۡنَ ﴿۸۴﴾
Say: We believe in Allah and (in) what has been revealed to us, and (in) what was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and (in) what was given to Moses and Jesus, and (in) what was given to the prophets from their Lord, we make no distinction between any of them and to Him we submit (2:136 and 3:84).
5.2. The Holy Quran further confirms about itself that it has:
صُحُفًا مُّطَہَّرَةً ۙ﴿۲﴾ فِيۡہَا کُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ ؕ﴿۳﴾
Pure pages, in which are all right books (98:2–3).
اَفَغَيۡرَ اللّٰہِ اَبۡتَغِيۡ حَکَمًا وَّ ہُوَ الَّذِيۡۤ اَنۡزَلَ اِلَيۡکُمُ الۡکِتٰبَ مُفَصَّلًا ؕ وَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰتَيۡنٰہُمُ الۡکِتٰبَ يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ اَنَّہٗ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکَ بِالۡحَقِّ فَلَا تَکُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الۡمُمۡتَرِيۡنَ ﴿۱۱۴﴾
Shall I then seek a judge other than Allah, when He it is Who has sent down to you the Book fully explained. And those whom We have given the Book know that it is revealed by your Lord with truth, so do not be one of the disputers (6:114).
وَ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡکَ الۡکِتٰبَ تِبۡيَانًا لِّکُلِّ شَيۡءٍ وَّ ہُدًي وَّ رَحۡمَةً وَّ بُشۡرٰي لِلۡمُسۡلِمِيۡنَ
We have revealed the Book to you explaining all things, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit (16:89).
5.3. Comparison of the status of religious leaders among other communities, manifests how they relate to Islam. This article includes material gleaned from some of the other Scriptures, which may enlighten Muslims and allow them to forge the true concept of brotherhood of humanity by accepting members of other communities as “cousins” rather than adversaries and unbelievers.
وَ اللّٰہُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تُبۡدُوۡنَ وَ مَا تَکۡتُمُوۡنَ
Allah knows what you do openly and what you hide (24:29).
5.4. In order to promote unity among various nations, the Holy Quran encourages Muslims to invite others to believe in Allah and not to set up partners with Him:
قُلۡ يٰۤاَہۡلَ الۡکِتٰبِ تَعَالَوۡا اِلٰي کَلِمَةٍ سَوَآءٍۢ بَيۡنَنَا وَ بَيۡنَکُمۡ اَلَّا نَعۡبُدَ اِلَّا اللّٰہَ وَ لَا نُشۡرِکَ بِہٖ شَيۡئًا وَّ لَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعۡضُنَا بَعۡضًا اَرۡبَابًا مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ ؕ فَاِنۡ تَوَلَّوۡا فَقُوۡلُوا اشۡہَدُوۡا بِاَنَّا مُسۡلِمُوۡنَ ﴿۶۴﴾
Say: O People of the Book, come to an equitable word between us and you, that we shall serve none but Allah and that we shall not set up any partner with Him, and that some of us shall not take others for lords besides Allah. But if they turn away, then say: Bear witness, we are Muslims (3:64).
The Holy Quran also states:
فَاِمَّا يَاۡتِيَنَّکُمۡ مِّنِّيۡ ہُدًي ۬ۙ فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ ہُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَ لَا يَشۡقٰي ﴿۱۲۳﴾
Surely a guidance from Me will come to you; then whoever follows My guidance, he will not go astray nor be unhappy (20:123).
يٰۤاَہۡلَ الۡکِتٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّوۡنَ فِيۡۤ اِبۡرٰہِيۡمَ وَ مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَتِ التَّوۡرٰىةُ وَ الۡاِنۡجِيۡلُ اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہٖ ؕ اَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ ﴿۶۵﴾
O People of the Book, why do you dispute about Abraham, when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Do you not understand? (3:65).
5.5. Holy Quran states that some of the descendants of Abraham, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, deviated from his teachings:
فَقَدۡ اٰتَيۡنَاۤ اٰلَ اِبۡرٰہِيۡمَ الۡکِتٰبَ وَ الۡحِکۡمَةَ وَ اٰتَيۡنٰہُمۡ مُّلۡکًا عَظِيۡمًا ﴿۵۴﴾ فَمِنۡہُمۡ مَّنۡ اٰمَنَ بِہٖ وَ مِنۡہُمۡ مَّنۡ صَدَّ عَنۡہُ ؕ وَ کَفٰي بِجَہَنَّمَ سَعِيۡرًا ﴿۵۵﴾
Indeed, We have given to Abraham’s children the Book and the Wisdom, and We have given them a grand kingdom. So some of them believe in Him, and some of them turn away from him. And Hell is sufficient to burn (4:54–55).
5.6. Almighty Allah says that Patriarch Abraham was granted children in old age.
فَبَشَّرۡنٰہَا بِاِسۡحٰقَ ۙ وَ مِنۡ وَّرَآءِ اِسۡحٰقَ يَعۡقُوۡبَ ﴿۷۱﴾ قَالَتۡ يٰوَيۡلَتٰۤيءَ اَلِدُ وَ اَنَا عَجُوۡزٌ وَّ ہٰذَا بَعۡلِيۡ شَيۡخًا ؕ اِنَّ ہٰذَا لَشَيۡءٌ عَجِيۡبٌ ﴿۷۲﴾قَالُوۡۤا اَتَعۡجَبِيۡنَ مِنۡ اَمۡرِ اللّٰہِ رَحۡمَتُ اللّٰہِ وَ بَرَکٰتُہٗ عَلَيۡکُمۡ اَہۡلَ الۡبَيۡتِ ؕ
We gave her (Sarah) the good news of Isaac, and beyond Isaac, of Jacob. She said: O wonder! Shall I bear a son when I am an extremely old woman, and this my husband (Abraham) an extremely old man? This is a wonderful thing indeed! They (angels) said: Do you wonder at Allah’s commandment? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be on you, people of the house! (11:71–73).
اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ الَّذِيۡ وَہَبَ لِيۡ عَلَي الۡکِبَرِ اِسۡمٰعِيۡلَ وَ اِسۡحٰقَ ؕ اِنَّ رَبِّيۡ لَسَمِيۡعُ الدُّعَآءِ ﴿۳۹﴾
Praise be to Allah, Who has given me, in old age, Ishmael and Isaac! Surely my Lord is the Hearer of prayer (14:39).
يٰۤاَيُّہَا النَّاسُ اِنَّا خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ مِّنۡ ذَکَرٍ وَّ اُنۡثٰي وَ جَعَلۡنٰکُمۡ شُعُوۡبًا وَّ قَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوۡا ؕ اِنَّ اَکۡرَمَکُمۡ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ اَتۡقٰکُمۡ
O mankind, surely We have created you from a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other. Surely the noblest of you with Allah is the most dutiful of you (49:13).