Muslims
and Jews in the West
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A
Picture of an inter-faith dialogue at the Harvard School of
Divinity
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It
has been fifteen centuries since the Muslims established themselves
as a political community in which followers of all three
monotheistic religions coexisted peacefully and equitably. Until the
beginning of the 19th century the Islamic civilization, whose
terrain extended over three continents, provided a milieu of
tolerance that, in contrast to the history of Europe and the Western
world in general, prevented the progression of ideological and
religious differences into violent conflict. Islam, whose values and
principles governed the public and private conduct of individuals
and groups, recognised Christians and Jews as legitimate members of
the community within the Islamic State and accorded them inalienable
rights. Their blood, honour, wealth, faith and shrines were
sanctified and protected. This recognition enabled the followers of
these creeds to fulfil their potential capabilities and thus
innovate and participate on equal footing with the Muslims in
building the Arab and Islamic civilization.
Muslims
never used the term ‘minorities’ to describe fellow-citizens who
belonged to other religions. Since the early establishment of
Almadniah al Monowarah under Prophet Muhammad the Muslim community
were referred to in its first constitution as an Umma (fellow
religious communities) in a complex, multi-faiths nation, with a
universal mission to defend global justice and human dignity.
Furthermore, the Islamic State opened its gates wide open and
provided a safe haven to those oppressed and discriminated against
elsewhere in the world. Jews in particular, who suffered persecution
and banishment at the hands of European Christians who blamed them
for every single conflict or catastrophe incurred, benefited from
Islam’s veneration of the right to human dignity irrespective of
one’s creed or race. It was only in Muslim lands that the Jews
found peace, security and freedom, enabling them to join the
political , intellectual and economic elite, and to contribute to
all aspects of life and all domains of civility.
Dr.
Azzam Tamimi is the director
of the London-based Institute of the Islamic Political Thought.
