Zakir Naik – How does Islam Protect Non-Muslim Minoritys Religious Rights

Zakir Naik
AI: Summary ©
The speaker discusses the religious freedom and rights in Bangladesh, where there is no system in the world that gives rights to the followers of other faiths. The speakers also discuss the protection of non- Muslim states and the importance of interfaithacy in religious freedom. They mention the history of Saladin Ayy filth and the importance of interfaithacy in practicing the religion.
AI: Transcript ©
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The second part of the question was religious

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freedom and rights.

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What is the Islamic perspective on protecting minority

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rights in a predominantly Muslim country like Bangladesh?

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How should Muslims in Bangladesh respond to challenges

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related to religious freedom and interfaith harmony?

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As far as religious freedom and rights are

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concerned, there is no country in the world,

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there is no system in the world that

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gives rights to the followers of other faiths

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like what Islam has given.

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And you have that in the history of

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the Seerah of the Prophet.

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You have the history in the Seerah of

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the Khulafa Rashidin, whether it be Hazrat Abu

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Bakr, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Usman, Hazrat Ali, may

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Allah be at peace with them all.

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So, in Islam, the non-Muslims are secured.

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Allah says in the Quran, in Surah Baqarah,

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chapter number 2, verse number 256, there is

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no compulsion in religion.

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Truth stands out clear from error.

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So, in Islam, there is no compulsion.

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So, in Islam, suppose if there is a

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religious structure, whether it be church, whether it

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be a synagogue, whether it be a temple,

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they are safe.

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Unless it's creating a fitna, that's a different

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case.

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If it's creating a fitna, then you have

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to remove it.

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But generally, in an Islamic state, if the

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existing temples and churches and synagogues, they are

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secured.

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You aren't allowed to attack it.

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You aren't allowed to destroy it.

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Unless it's creating a fitna, that's a different

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question.

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But generally, they are safe and they are

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secured.

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They should be protected.

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Similarly, in Bangladesh, following the Islamic principles, all

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the non-Muslim places of worship, they should

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be protected.

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They should be safe.

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They need not spend money protecting it.

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Yes, in Islamic country, you may not build

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new churches or new temples, but whatever is

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existing, they are protected.

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And you have several such examples.

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If you know the history of Saladin Ayyubi.

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Saladin Ayyubi, when he conquered Jerusalem, where it

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was under the clutches of the Christians and

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he liberated it.

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And when he went there, the Christians, they

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knew that what atrocities they had done to

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the Muslims, how they fled the land.

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Now that they've come back to power, how

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will they treat us?

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They were afraid.

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And when they asked, how will they be

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treated?

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So, the reply given by Saladin Ayyubi is,

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I am different.

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That they asked, will you take revenge?

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Will you teach us a lesson?

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He said, I am Saladin Ayyubi.

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I am Saladin, you are safe from me.

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And he saw to it that he gave

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them all their rights and they were secured.

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A non-Muslim in a Muslim political system

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is secured.

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They are safe.

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And as far as religious freedom is concerned,

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but naturally I am of the opinion of

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whether it be Saudi Arabia or the Gulf

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countries, they do not allow propagation of other

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religions.

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And I agree with that.

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If you know something is wrong, you do

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not allow that thing to be taught.

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For example, all of us know maths.

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Simple question, if you want to keep a

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maths teacher and the maths teacher teaches 2

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plus 2 is equal to 5, then will

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you appoint the teacher?

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And the answer is no.

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Because we know basics of maths.

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So, similarly, if we know basics of maths,

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we will not appoint a teacher which says

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2 plus 2 is equal to 5.

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We will appoint a teacher that says 2

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plus 2 is equal to 4.

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So, similarly, as far as religious freedom is

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concerned, they can practice the religion.

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If churches are there, it is safe, it's

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secured, they cannot be demolished.

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And at the same time, they can take

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guidance.

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In religious freedom, there should be interfaith dialogue,

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there should be commonalities as Allah says, come

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to common terms as with us and you,

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which is the first term, that you worship

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none but Allah.

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So, we should know that the main purpose

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of life is to worship Allah and you

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see to it that as far as religious

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freedom is concerned, we give them the rights

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but they cannot step on our toes, they

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cannot propagate things which we believe are wrong,

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they can practice it.

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As long as they don't propagate their religion

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and they don't create a fitna, they can

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stay and Inshallah, Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala

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will give hidayah and we will see to

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it that they follow the deen.

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