Myth 5: “Islam Respects All Religions”
📉 The Reality: Superiority, Subjugation, and Systemic Discrimination
🚫 The Lie:
“Islam respects all faiths equally.”
✅ The Truth:
Islam tolerates other religions only under subjugation, and only when they pose no threat to Islamic dominance—spiritually, politically, or socially.
🧾 I. Qur’anic Doctrine: Tolerance with Terms
A. Superiority of Islam Is Non-Negotiable
Qur’an 3:85
“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
Qur’an 3:19
“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
This isn’t about diversity—it’s exclusive legitimacy. All other religions are declared invalid. No room for pluralism. That’s the foundation.
B. Aggression Toward Non-Muslims: Scriptural Mandate
Qur’an 9:29
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold forbidden that which Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor acknowledge the religion of truth—from the People of the Book—until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.”
This is not self-defense. This is an open-ended command to fight non-Muslims solely for their beliefs—Jews and Christians included—unless they accept Islamic political domination.
C. Mockery and Condemnation of Other Faiths
Christians:
“They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three’…” — Qur’an 5:73
“Do not say ‘Three’; desist—it is better for you.” — Qur’an 4:171Jews:
“Allah cursed them for their disbelief.” — Qur’an 5:64Pagans:
“Kill the polytheists wherever you find them…” — Qur’an 9:5
Islam doesn’t just reject other religions—it vilifies their doctrines.
⚖️ II. The Dhimmi System: Structured Inferiority
A. Legal Framework of Subjugation
Under classical Sharia (based on Qur’an 9:29 and confirmed by jurists like al-Mawardi, al-Nawawi, and Ibn Qayyim), Jews and Christians in Islamic lands became dhimmis—“protected” people with inferior status.
Dhimmi Obligations:
Jizya tax paid in humiliation (per Qur’an 9:29)
Forbidden from building or repairing churches or synagogues in Muslim-majority areas (per al-Mughni by Ibn Qudama)
Prohibited from bearing arms or riding horses
Required to wear distinctive clothing (per al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf)
Barred from public religious displays or proselytizing
Their continued presence was tolerated only if they accepted Muslim supremacy—politically, socially, and legally.
B. Inferior Legal Status
A non-Muslim’s testimony in court was often invalid against a Muslim.
Inheritance laws forbade non-Muslims from inheriting from Muslims.
Conversion to Islam was rewarded; leaving Islam (apostasy) was punishable by death.
C. Enforcement and Historical Reality
ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab expelled Jews and Christians from parts of Arabia in line with a reported command from Muhammad:
“Expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula.” — Sahih Muslim 1767a
Fatimid Egypt, Abbasid Baghdad, and Ottoman Istanbul all imposed variations of the dhimmi system—with intermittent periods of forced conversion, mob violence, and pogroms when dhimmis "forgot their place."
Islamic history wasn’t a utopia of coexistence. It was controlled, hierarchical, and punctuated by forced compliance.
📜 III. Hadith and Sira: The Prophet’s Own Practice
A. Destruction of Other Faiths
Banu Qaynuqa: Expelled from Medina.
Banu Nadir: Expelled.
Banu Qurayza: All men executed (600–900) after being accused of treason.
Meccan polytheists: Given 4 months to convert or be killed (Qur’an 9:5)
B. A Finality Clause
The Prophet declared:
“I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah...”
— Sahih Bukhari 25, Sahih Muslim 22
Not “live and let live”—convert or be conquered.
🔚 IV. The Real Legacy: Coexistence Under Pressure
While modern Muslim apologists speak of Andalusian harmony or Ottoman pluralism, the historical facts are clear:
Coexistence existed—but under a framework of hierarchy, restriction, and control.
Any violation of Islamic supremacy led to violence, expulsion, or forced Islamization.
This wasn’t aberration. It was by design.
🧨 Final Verdict:
Islam does not respect all religions equally.
It tolerates them only under Islamic dominance, both doctrinally and politically.
Equality is not part of the Islamic theological or legal worldview regarding other faiths.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------About the Author
Mauao Man is a blog created by a New Zealand writer who believes in following the evidence wherever it leads. From history and religion to culture and society, Mauao Man takes a clear, critical, and honest approach — challenging ideas without attacking people. Whether exploring the history of Islam in New Zealand, the complexities of faith, or the contradictions in belief systems, this blog is about asking the hard questions and uncovering the truth.
If you value clarity over comfort and truth over tradition, you’re in the right place.
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