Featured What does your religion say about how believers should get along with non believers?

Salam

The Quran said regarding those who did not fight believers at that time for their religion, that God did not forbid love and friendship to those people, and even emphasized it's an act of justice to love and befriend them.

 

The best couple ways to get along is to get to know each other as people rather than believer and non-believer. In person, I rarely met a "non-believer" who didn't have a spiritual or something(s) and ideas they value that shape their lives and worldview. A lot of times with believers (most christians here) in their belief system is already set up a them/us. So, maybe believers can ask questions like "tell me what you value?" or "what gives you the sense of awe (without bring god into it)?" and just questions inquisitive in nature.

Realistic, though, off-line I don't think people have the time for it. At work, we're not allowed to even hint at asking any person's religious stance. Co-workers tend to have their own thing, but it's one of those "we can talk 'about' it but that's about it (unless I really really know you)" type of thing. With residents and perspective residents, case closed.

With non-believers, that's such a vague term in itself. People who don't believe in god? Gods? People who don't have spiritual worldview? People who are materialistic (I don't think many are, actually)?

 

Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of (your) religion, and drove you forth from your homes and backed up (others) in your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust

See the chapter and context: Al-Qur'an - Read, Recite And Research (al-islam.org)

 

Yeah these verses:

It may be that Allah will bring about love between you and those whom you hold to be your enemies among them; and Allah is Powerful; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice.
Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of (your) religion, and drove you forth from your homes and backed up (others) in your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust.

Verses 60:7-9

 

I meant to make them rhetorical questions... but non-believers tend to refer to people who don't believe in god or abrahamic belief systems. It makes it seem that those who aren't in any abrahamic faith (or religion for that matter) does not have a spiritual worldview.

That's one of the many problems why both sides don't get along: spiritual segregation.

 

Are you a Muslim?

 

Yes, inshallah.

 

Just the same as we would anyone else. Mere difference in belief is no reason for hostilities or aggression.

 

My religion says (Gita 3.35), a person must stick to his own religion. That means that to ask any person to change his/her views is "bad karma" to me for which I will be punished when I die. Krishna said:

"śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ, para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt;
sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ, para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ."

To follow one's own religion is far better than following any other religion; death in one's own religion is good, to die with another religion is horrendous.

 

I have the perfect passage that says how Baha'is are supposed to relate to those of other religions. I believe it applies to how we should relate to all of humanity whether they have a religion or are an nonbeliever.

I do not believe that Baha'u'llah is only addressing the Baha'is in this passage, as He is saying that what is necessary for all people to relate to each other in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship has been sent by God.

“Through each and every one of the verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared—and Our Word is the truth—: “Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished. From the heaven of God’s Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 95

 

My religion has no problem with other's who do not follow our path. The acceptance of diversity is important and we can all learn from each other. It is more important that an individual finds their own path on what is meaningful to them rather than be persuaded or even worse scared into believing a certain way. The only non-believers that I do not tolerate are the ones saying everyone else is wrong and theirs is the only way.

 

Like the old cliche, live and let live. I see no harm in non-belief. People are just different.

 

Non-believers are very unfortunate, or have very poor judgement.

 

Very nice view. So you would say that Muslims are as tolerant of non- Abrahamic religions as Abrahamic religions including the pagan religions?

 

Why?

 

From my experiences.....
The believers generally think the non-believers will go to hell.
The non-believers generally think the believers are nuts.

That about sums up what I've heard and seen.