Quran says that there is no compulsion in religion (Chap. 2: 256). Caliph Umar had a Christian houseboy and he remained a Christian all his life. Caliph had never persuaded him or exerted influences over him to be converted to Islam. During his reign he dismissed a Governor, from his post for rebuking a non-Muslim on account of the form of worship followed by him. Judge CG Weeramantry, former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice says, “Islamic rule preserved to the minorities their personal laws in accordance with their codes, usages and customs.”
A small Christian community in Damascus had a small Church that stood on the way of a grand Mosque built by Umayyads. Muslims wanted to expand the mosque for which the site of the Church was required and enough compensation or an alternative site was offered to the Christians. But Christians refused any compensation or an alternative site. The Church building was demolished and the Mosque was expanded. When Umar came to know of this, he ordered demolition of the expanded portion of the mosque and rebuilding of the Church in its’ place. However, the Christian community, while appreciating the noble gesture of the Caliph, expressed willingness to take an alternative site. I believe that this event has great relevance in the wake of the Babri Masjid – Ram Janma Bhoomi dispute, which remains a wet problem for more than six decades.
We have plural societies in almost all countries today. There will not be any peace in the world unless there is peace in all societies and among followers of all religions. The prime requisite to build a world order of peace is to extend respect and mete out equal treatment to all religions. It should not be forgotten that all religions share common wisdom and values and that these shared values are indispensable to create righteous and responsible citizens.
