Muslims and non-Muslims Relations

Muslim and non-Muslim relationships have been a rather mixed issue in different parts of the world. In some parts of the world, they were cordial and filled with love, while in other parts, they were more like that relationship between water and paraffin, but why?

Take for instance the Egyptian situation; rather than the Muslims fighting the military government, they claimed to have snatched the government from them, they have extended their fight and attacked innocent Christians. How will these Christians view the Muslims in the future? Will they ever have a cordial relationship? And what of the recent incident where a New Zealand man abused a Muslim Taxi man and asked him to go back where he came from? Where has humanity gone? This is however not the case in the entire world, in Kenya for instance, Muslims, Christians, and Indians, among others, go about their day to day to life regardless the religious differences between them.

The cold warm relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims across the globe has been the subjected of many discussions across the globe. Different factors have been attributed to these differences with Islamic religious precepts being among the reasons, but the question is, do Islamic religious teachings discourage relations between Muslims and non-Muslims. The Quran defines how the Muslim should associate with the non-Muslims and so does the Sunnah. In essence, understanding Islam fundamentals is the best start point in understanding how Muslims should relate to non-Muslims. In preaching Islam, the prophet himself associated with many non-Muslims, why then should Muslims seek to shut out non-Muslims from their lives. Islam has been known to create classifications among the Muslim including those who fight Islam, those who seek peace with Islam and those in authority. Why these differences?

Islam precepts forbid Muslims from interacting those who fight Muslims. This is however not a right approach. Those who fight should as well be related to if Islam is to spread. Different people have different opinions and it is only through communication and interaction that they can understand and appreciate the things they fight for. How would you expect an American citizen who has never interacted with Muslims but has been fed with information making him oppose Islam to appreciate it and respect. The truth is, Muslim should as well learn to respect and treat those with divergent opinions with respect. This is the only way the rapidly spreading negative perception of Islam can be averted. After all, is it not Islam that teaches tolerance for those with contrary opinions?

Another question is, how have the Muslim majority nations treated non-Muslims in their countries? Definitely, there were lots of instances where non-Muslims were badly treated. Muslims majority nations have largely proved to be a haven for molestation of non-Muslims in their countries. They have shown intolerance and disrespect to other religions by imposing blanket sharia laws. Take for instance, a journalist who was convicted for two months in jail for kissing in public.

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