Yahya - Justice and Tolerance in the Qur'an (2003)

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
GOD COMMANDS US TO BE JUST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Justice Should Be Exercised Equally Among
All People, With No Consideration of Language,
Race, or Ethnicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
In Matters Related to Orphans, God Commands
Definite Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Believer is Responsible for Exercising Justice,
Even if its Consequences Work Against Him,
His Parents or Relatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Hatred Felt Towards a Community Does
Not Prevent Believers From Exercising Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
THE PROPHETS HAVE BROUGHT JUSTICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
The Exemplary Life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) . . . . . . 28
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Opposed
All Forms of Racism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
In the Period of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),
Contracts Signed with the People of the Book and
the Pagans Secured Justice in Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
The People of the Book In the Period
of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
In the Period of the Caliphs Justice was Exercised
in Compliance With the Qur'an . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK IN THE QUR'AN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
The Status of the People of the Book in the Qur'an . . . . . . . . . 44
How Should a Muslim Regard Judaism? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Monasteries, Churches and Synagogues
must be Respected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
PEACE IN SOCIETIES WHERE TRUE JUSTICE PREVAILS . . . . . . . . . 52
Khans of the Great Seljuk Empire
who Administered Justice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
The Ottoman Empire Brought Justice
to the Conquered Lands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Just Administration During the
First Periods of the Ottoman Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
True Justice was Established at the
Time of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
THE EVOLUTION MISCONCEPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94