Now a question that Islamic culture is inherently intolerable is a topic of intense polemics in the western world, it needs still further inquiry and deeper deliberation into the Islamic history, prevailing Islamic culture of the past and the first Islamic society. In fact, Islamic history, since the death of the Holy Prophet [PBUH], received heavy blows when hypocrites who wanted to have their tribe dominant came into power through political maneuvering devoid of morality and Islamic values.
The values laid down by the holy Prophet [PBUH] demands that head must be an elected one but superior to others not only in courage, bravery, tolerance but also in knowledge and intellect. This went wrong shortly after the death of the Messenger of God. A dark night of dictatorial regime set on the Arabic world that spread beyond its borders up to present day Spain and even crept into India after that. Though Islamic culture thrived, but Islamic morality suffered. It is also necessary to see that Arabic culture must be separated from the Islamic culture which have several commonalities between them. For example Arabs were naturally brave, eloquent and hospitable. Islam also laid emphasis on the same qualities. Arabic culture was enshrined in tolerance as the Jews and Christians used to visit Mecca and Medina, though now they are forbidden.
The Holy Prophet [PBUH] first came into direct social contact with the Jews when the Muslims won the status of a dominant force in Medina after winning their first war. However, when Muhammad [PBUH] signed the Charter of Medina with the Jews, specifying that both communities would have full freedom to exercise their religious ritual, but would help each other in danger, it got clear that the Islamic culture being brought by the Holy Prophet [PBUH] was not only tolerant in nature, but also ensured full religious freedom. Every individual of both the communities have full religious freedom to act likewise.
There is also an instance that once Christians came to meet the holy Prophet [PBUH] and thy stayed in the mosque, the major center of the Muslim activities in Medina. They were treated with honor and respect. As far as the present day persecution of the other minorities in Islamic countries is concerned, it is neither compatible with the Islamic values nor with the Islamic culture. Just take the example of India 200 years ago, where a minatory of Muslims ruled India for four hundred years and that too very successfully. There were sometime communal rites but they were almost insignificant.
Moreover, Islam itself has stressed upon the Islamic government to respect and ensure rights of the other communities similarly as it is done for the Muslim citizens. To bar the members of other communities from taking part in their religious rituals or to stop them from taking part in the social activities or to ostracize them altogether has never been an Islamic practice, nor has it been propagated by any leading Muslim scholar. We can simply say that it could be the work of some local clerics having no knowledge of Islamic values nor teachings; otherwise, Islam has nothing to do with it. Even the holy Koran specifies the killing of an individual as the killing of entire humanity and this “individual” has not been associated with any religion. Hence this senseless killing of any minority community member in any Muslim state could be the handiwork of some outfits, not of the Islamic culture or teaching and Islam deserves better appreciate than condemnation that is often unleashed by some western scholars and writers alike.
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