08. Tolerance, religious difference and peaceful relations

Source: Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah (2), ayah 256.

Published English excerpt: There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion.

Translations / status: Sahih International (English); Fateh Muhammad Jalandhari (Urdu). Arabic and both excerpts checked at the links below.

Relevance: A direct text on religious compulsion. The historical and juristic scope needs identified commentary; it should not be made to settle every related legal controversy alone.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Arabic / Jalandhari | Sahih International

Source: Qur’an, Surah Al-Mumtahanah (60), ayah 8.

Published English excerpt: being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them.

Translations / status: Sahih International (English); Fateh Muhammad Jalandhari (Urdu). Arabic and both excerpts checked at the links below.

Relevance: The allowance concerns those who have neither fought believers for religion nor expelled them. The quoted phrase depends on these preceding conditions.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Arabic / Jalandhari | Sahih International

Source: Qur’an, Surah Al-Mumtahanah (60), ayah 9.

Published English excerpt: and aid in your expulsion

Translations / status: Sahih International (English); Fateh Muhammad Jalandhari (Urdu). Arabic and both excerpts checked at the links below.

Relevance: The verse specifies fighting, expulsion and assistance in expulsion in restricting alliances. Pair with 60:8 rather than generalizing to all outsiders.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Arabic / Jalandhari | Sahih International

Source: Qur’an, Surah Al-Anam (6), ayah 108.

Published English excerpt: And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah,

Translations / status: Sahih International (English); Fateh Muhammad Jalandhari (Urdu). Arabic and both excerpts checked at the links below.

Relevance: The verse gives a consequence-based reason: reciprocal abuse of God in ignorance. Respectful disagreement does not imply agreement with another belief.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Arabic / Jalandhari | Sahih International

Source: Qur’an, Surah Al-Nahl (16), ayah 125.

Published English excerpt: and argue with them in a way that is best.

Translations / status: Sahih International (English); Fateh Muhammad Jalandhari (Urdu). Arabic and both excerpts checked at the links below.

Relevance: The verse joins wisdom, sound admonition and the best manner of argument. It supports disciplined dialogue rather than insults.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Arabic / Jalandhari | Sahih International

Source: Qur’an, Surah Fussilat (41), ayah 34.

Published English excerpt: Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better;

Translations / status: Sahih International (English); Fateh Muhammad Jalandhari (Urdu). Arabic and both excerpts checked at the links below.

Relevance: The passage presents a way of transforming enmity through conduct. It is an ethical resource, not a denial of legitimate protection against harm.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Arabic / Jalandhari | Sahih International

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 3166; Jizyah and Truces, Book 58; chapter 5.

Narrator: Abdullah ibn Amr.

Published English excerpt: Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the smell of Paradise

Grade: Sahih; included in the named Sahih collection.

Text sources: Arabic / English / numbering: Sunnah.com. Urdu: Islamic Urdu Books; wording checked, individual translator not independently established.

Relevance: The warning protects a person under covenant. Its direct legal category is muahid, not an unqualified statement about every historical status.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage | Urdu excerpt

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5978; Good Manners, Book 78; chapter 7.

Narrator: Asma bint Abi Bakr.

Published English excerpt: "May I treat her kindly?" He replied, "Yes."

Grade: Sahih; included in the named Sahih collection.

Text sources: Arabic / English / numbering: Sunnah.com. Urdu: Islamic Urdu Books; wording checked, individual translator not independently established.

Relevance: The quoted question receives an affirmative answer. Ibn Uyayna’s attached statement about revelation is distinguished from the Prophetic reply.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage | Urdu excerpt

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 2916; Jihad and Conduct, Book 56; chapter 89.

Narrator: Aisha.

Published English excerpt: his (iron) armor was mortgaged to a Jew for thirty Sas of barley.

Grade: Sahih; included in the named Sahih collection.

Text sources: Arabic / English / numbering: Sunnah.com. Urdu: Islamic Urdu Books; wording checked, individual translator not independently established.

Relevance: A concrete Prophetic precedent for a secured transaction with a Jewish creditor; it is not evidence that every form of credit is lawful.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage | Urdu excerpt

Source: Sahih Muslim, no. 2594a; Virtue, Kinship and Manners, Book 45; chapter 23.

Narrator: Aisha.

Published English excerpt: Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty

Grade: Sahih; included in the named Sahih collection.

Text sources: Arabic / English / numbering: Sunnah.com. Published Urdu translation not verified; no substitute translation supplied.

Relevance: Gentleness improves conduct and communication. This is not an instruction to approve wrongdoing or abandon justice.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud, no. 3052; Tribute, Spoils and Rulership, Book 20; chapter on levying ushur on trading dhimmis.

Narrator: Unnamed Companions, transmitted through their children and Safwan ibn Sulaym.

Published English excerpt: if anyone wrongs a contracting man, or diminishes his right, or forces him to work beyond his capacity,

Grade: Sahih, graded by al-Albani as displayed by Sunnah.com.

Text sources: Arabic / English / numbering: Sunnah.com. Published Urdu translation not verified; no substitute translation supplied.

Relevance: The complete warning also covers taking property without consent. The unnamed transmitters are not replaced with an invented Companion’s name.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage

Source: Syed Abul A‘la Maududi; Tafhim al-Quran.

Locator: Al-Baqarah 2:256, note 285.

Scholarly position / paraphrased argument: Maududi rejects coercing people into religious belief and the moral system associated with it.

Access / status: English Tafhim commentary reproduced on SurahQuran inspected; compiler’s bilingual paraphrase. Printed edition and translation credits were not independently established.

Relevance: Compare with the separately recorded classical exegetical disagreements; do not claim unanimity.

Related evidence: Reference 103.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage

Source: Syed Abul A‘la Maududi; Tafhim al-Quran.

Locator: Al-Mumtahanah 60:8–9, notes 12–13.

Scholarly position / paraphrased argument: The commentary distinguishes peaceful non-Muslims from those involved in persecution and expulsion; religious difference alone is not treated as the stated ground of hostility.

Access / status: English Tafhim commentary reproduced on SurahQuran inspected; compiler’s bilingual paraphrase. Printed edition and translation credits were not independently established.

Relevance: Read the adjacent verses together rather than detaching either from its qualification.

Related evidence: Reference 104, Reference 105.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage | Continuation

Source: Syed Abul A‘la Maududi; Tafhim al-Quran.

Locator: Al-Anam 6:108, note 72.

Scholarly position / paraphrased argument: Religious zeal does not justify abusing others’ objects of worship when this provokes reciprocal abuse of God.

Access / status: English Tafhim commentary reproduced on SurahQuran inspected; compiler’s bilingual paraphrase. Printed edition and translation credits were not independently established.

Relevance: Use for responsible public speech, not a prohibition on reasoned theological disagreement.

Related evidence: Reference 106.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage

Source: Syed Abul A‘la Maududi; Tafhim al-Quran.

Locator: Al-Nahl 16:125, notes 122–123.

Scholarly position / paraphrased argument: Wise invitation considers the listener’s situation and understanding; good exhortation expresses sincere concern rather than a desire to defeat or humiliate.

Access / status: English Tafhim commentary reproduced on SurahQuran inspected; compiler’s bilingual paraphrase. Printed edition and translation credits were not independently established.

Relevance: Provides an attributed method for educational and interreligious communication.

Related evidence: Reference 107.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage

Source: Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Qurtubi; Al-Jami li-Ahkam al-Quran.

Locator: Al-Baqarah 2:256; enumeration of six interpretations.

Scholarly position / paraphrased argument: The commentary records six positions, including an abrogation view and a non-abrogation view applying the verse to People of the Book paying jizyah.

Access / status: Arabic commentary inspected in SurahQuran’s digital reproduction; compiler’s paraphrase. URL page numbers are not a verified printed-edition pagination.

Relevance: Historical exegetical disagreement is documented here, not a unanimous teaching or authorization for coercion.

Related evidence: Reference 103.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage

Source: UNESCO; UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, adopted 2 November 2001.

Locator: Article 4: human rights as guarantees of cultural diversity.

Scholarly position / paraphrased argument: The declaration connects cultural diversity with human dignity and rejects invoking diversity to infringe internationally guaranteed human rights.

Access / status: Official declaration text inspected; compiler’s paraphrase. Modern comparative institutional source, not a source of Islamic revelation or fiqh.

Relevance: Use as a modern comparison requiring careful attention to differences of legal framework.

Best use: tolerance / contextual analysis.

Verify: Source passage