In the present era, coexisting within the same country for Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and followers of other religions has become increasingly challenging, unlike in the past when such unity was more prevalent.
The harmony often found among adherents of inspirational religions arises from the fact that their teachings share commonalities. For instance, just as Muslims hold the Quran in high esteem, Christians hold the Holy Bible and Jews hold the Torah in similar regard because all these books are considered divine words of God.
On the other hand, Christians understand that the God worshipped by Muslims is also mentioned in their sacred texts. Because Muslims respect their scriptures, there is a natural inclination among Christians to offer goodwill, understanding, and acceptance. This response is unsurprising and logical.
However, the intensity of extremism prevailing today is beyond comprehension. Recently, in Jhelum, a violent attack took place, smashing properties and disrupting worship places due to allegations of religious disrespect.
In India, mosques belonging to Muslims are not secure, facing daily incidents of arson and vandalism. With each passing day, it becomes harder to find a place in India where a Muslim can peacefully worship Allah.
Though the situation is alarming, it’s even more dangerous in countries like Pakistan, the Islamic Republic, where a significant number of people adhere to Islam. When the public becomes inflamed and attacks Christian places of worship, it poses a grave threat.
Especially for those of us living in Pakistan, Islam mandates that we accept the laws of the government and support legal action against culprits. However, when the police arrived to apprehend the attackers, they had already escaped.
Even if a few Christian youth committed blasphemy, is it fair to hold the entire Christian community accountable? The viewpoint of Islam regarding vandalizing and destroying places of worship of other religions sends the message that if you disrespect their places of worship, your own places of worship will also be at risk.
Islam’s message of refraining from speaking ill of other religions’ deities and sacred entities is a lesson that every Muslim should internalize, especially when some individuals may commit blasphemy against Allah and the Prophet ﷺ, a lesson that holds relevance for every Muslim to follow.
