Zujaja Khan, London
Honouring the beliefs of others is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 18 states:
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
In the same vein, Islam gives all people the right to practice their religion peacefully and in their own tradition. The Holy Qur’an says:
There should be no compulsion in religion… (2:257)
This guarantee of religious liberty was enshrined in The Holy Qur’an, approximately 1,400 years before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Islam protects people of different faiths from being forced to accept Islam, and this verse also extends to Muslims who have changed their mind about their faith. In reference to Article 18, Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarulla Khan astutely explained that ‘it is only within the competence of God, the Almighty, to make a person believe, but even He does not force anyone to believe. He leaves everyone to exercise his or her reason and judgment.’[1]
In fact, the Holy Qur’an does not state any punishment for blasphemy or apostasy- rather, it repeatedly reminds us that Allah alone is in charge of judgment. Therefore as Muslims, we have a duty to not only recognise the value and rights of other religions, but to also actively uphold the rights of others.
In Islam we have countless examples of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) where he showed compassion and kindness towards people of other faiths. It is related that on one occasion, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was sitting down when a funeral procession went by, and he immediately stood up. When it was pointed out to him that the funeral was for a Jewish person, not a Muslim, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) remarked “Was he not a human?” On another occasion, a delegation of Christians came to Medina to meet the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). When he was told they did not have anywhere to worship, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) invited them to pray, in their own tradition, in his mosque.
As Ahmadi Muslims we seek nonviolent means to spread goodness in the world, but this should never mean that we are complacent. We are blessed with the exceptional example of the Promised Messiah (peace be on him), who – along with his numerous incredible accomplishments – encouraged interfaith dialogue throughout his life and founded the magazine Review of Religions in 1902.
At the 2018 inauguration of the Masroor mosque in Virginia, USA, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad emphasised that “a fundamental principle of Islam is to hold all religions and their founders in great esteem”. His Holiness went further to remind us of this duty towards one another:
“In order to protect our future generations, it is essential we set aside our differences and focus on fulfilling each other’s rights and serving humanity. It is our responsibility, and indeed our obligation, to ensure we leave behind a peaceful and prosperous world for those that follow us.”[2]
Although it is primarily the government’s responsibility to uphold and protect these rights, it is also every person’s duty to be mindful of these – and we can do this in any place: in our daily lives, at work, amongst our friends, in public, and online. Mutual respect is the foundation of peace.
[1] https://www.alislam.org/library/books/Islam-HR.pdf p. 158
[2] https://www.alislam.org/book/message-for-our-time/religious-tolerance-freedom-islam/
Official Blog of Ahmadiyya Muslim Women's Association UK 
Recent Comments