This excerpt is taken from Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi's book Halal and Haram in Islam, translated into Urdu by Muhammad Tahir Naqqash.
Relations with Non-Muslims
If we want to briefly state the Islamic teachings regarding dealing with the opponents of religion, two verses from the Holy Quran are sufficient, which serve as a comprehensive guideline in this matter. They are:
لَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ 8 إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَىٰ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
"Allah does not forbid you from being good and just to those who have not fought you because of religion and have not expelled you from your homes. Allah loves those who act justly. What He forbids you is that you take as allies those who have fought you because of religion and have expelled you from your homes and supported others in your expulsion. Those who take them as allies are the wrongdoers."
Reference: (Surah Al-Mumtahina: 8-9)
In the first verse, with regard to those non-Muslims who are not enemies of Muslims or at war with them, not only justice and fairness but also good treatment and بِرّٗ are encouraged. بِرّٗ is a comprehensive word that includes all kinds of goodness and kindness, meaning بِرّٗ is something beyond justice.
The words of the verse لَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ (Allah does not forbid you) do not negate the desirability of good treatment because this style is adopted to address the possible misconception among Muslims that the opponents of religion are not deserving of good treatment and justice. To remove this misunderstanding, it is clarified that Allah does not forbid good treatment and justice with the opponents but only forbids friendly relations with those who are at war with Muslims and adopt aggression against them.
Special Privilege with the People of the Book
Islam does not prevent justice and good treatment towards its opponents, regardless of their religion, even if they are idol-worshipping polytheists. However, it shows special consideration towards the People of the Book, i.e., Jews and Christians, whether they live within the Dar al-Islam or outside it. Accordingly, the Quran addresses them by saying يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ (O People of the Book!) and يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ (O you who were given the Scripture), indicating that they originally belong to a divine religion. Therefore, there is a relationship and kinship between them and Muslims, meaning there is agreement in the principles of this one religion which has been the religion of all the Prophets, peace be upon them:
شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ
"He has ordained for you the same religion which He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We have revealed to you, and that which We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, that you should remain steadfast in religion and not be divided therein."
Reference: (Surah Ash-Shura: 13)
And Islam demands from Muslims to believe in all the Books of Allah and all the Messengers; without this, faith is not valid. When the People of the Book read the Quran, they realize how much praise has been given to their Books and their Prophets in it. When Muslims debate with the People of the Book, they should avoid matters that provoke feelings of hatred and enmity:
وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ
"Do not argue with the People of the Book except in the best manner, except for those among them who act unjustly, and say, 'We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our God and your God is one, and to Him we submit.'"
Reference: (Surah Al-Ankabut: 46)
Earlier, we have seen that Islam permits sharing food with the People of the Book and eating their slaughtered meat, and also allows marriage with their women, even though the bond of marriage is a cause of peace and affection. This is the general tolerant attitude of Islam towards the People of the Book, and especially towards the Christians, Islam has given them a close place in the hearts of Muslims:
لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا ۖ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
"You will surely find the nearest in affection to the believers are those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant."
Reference: (Al-Ma'idah: 82)
