Tolerance in the Age of In-Tolerance

'They are either your brothers in faith or your peers in creation.'

(Amirul Mumineen SA)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2017.

We cannot let the voices of intolerance, exclusion and discrimination drown out the voices of tolerance, acceptance and understanding. In this regard, Syedna TUS made a strong statement this week against discrimination on religious grounds.

In the statement, the focus on “acceptance and understanding” asks for more than tolerance. This philosophy is not one of political expediency – it is a fundamental value embedded in the core of our belief system. It has shaped our history and guides our actions in the present as it teaches us how to behave towards those who share our beliefs and also towards those who do not.

When Amirul-Mumineen SA assumed the temporal rule of Muslim Ummah, he assigned new governors and instructed them to be fair and kind to their subjects, both Muslim and non-Muslim. In one letter to Malik-ul-Ashtar, Amirul-Mumineen’s governor to Egypt, he exhorted him to be fair and kind to all his subjects, saying “they are either your brothers in faith or your peers in creation/humanity” (Nahjul Balagha). 

Amirul-Mumineen’s statement is so simple and yet so profound. Our Imams and their Du’aat continued to guide Mumineen through the centuries based on these principles of acceptance and understanding.

In this age of intimidation and intolerance, Syedna leads by example and fosters the spirit of taqreeb, acceptance and understanding.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the strength to follow his guidance.