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"There is no compulsion in religion."
And there are no reliable reports
to confirm the old accusations that when the Muslim armies were
expanding
into Asia, Africa and Europe the people were put to the sword
if they failed to convert to Islam. The best proof is that not
only did the Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Hindus in those
areas not perish or otherwise disappear, they actually flourished
as protected minority communities, and many individuals rose to
prominent positions
in the arts, sciences, even in government.
The lives,property and privacy
of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred,
whether or not the person is Muslim. Non-Muslims have freedom
of worship and
the practice of their religions, including their own family law
and religious courts. They are obliged to pay a different tax
(Jizyah) instead of the Zakah, and the state is obligated to
provide both protection and government services. Before the modern
era it was extremely
rare to find a state or government anywhere in the world that
was as solicitous of its minorities and their civil rights as
the Islamic states.
In no other religion did women receive such a degree of legal and moral equality and personal respect. Moreover, racism and tribalism are incompatible with Islam, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality in the following terms:
"Mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety."
