Safeguarding Religious Sites and Worshippers: An Islamic Perspective

 By
Hossam Ed-Deen Allam
Lecturer, the Faculty of Shariʿa and Law at Al-Azhar University in Cairo

 Introduction

  At the outset, it is crucial to stress the fact that Islam establishes and emphasizes the inherent honor and dignity of all humans by virtue of her or his humanity, irrespective of external characteristics including (but not limited to) sex, age, ethnicity,  belief, nationality, status, or mental or physical condition. This is based on the following Quranic verse:

(وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا) الإسراء: 70 

“Indeed, We have honored the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, granted them good and lawful provisions, and privileged them far above many of Our creatures.”
al-Isra` (The Night Journey) 17:70

  This inherent dignity entails the right to safeguarding the beliefs, places of worship as well as the physical integrity of the human being. Moreover, the Noble Quran states the following:

)لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ) البقرة: 256

“There shall be no compulsion in acceptance of the dīn (Faith)”
al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:256.

(لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِين) الكافرون: 6

“You have your dīn, and I have mine.”
al-Kafirun (The Unbelievers) 109:6

(وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ) الكهف: 29

And say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “˹This is˺ the truth from your Lord. Whoever wills let them believe, and whoever wills let them disbelieve.”
al-Kahf (The Cave) 18:29

  Further to this, with regards to safeguarding the inviolability of the beliefs, places of worship as well as the physical integrity of the individual, the Noble Quran states:

(وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ كَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِم مَّرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُون) الأنعام:108

“˹O believers!˺ Do not insult what they worship other than Allah or they will insult Allah spitefully out of ignorance. This is how We have made each people’s deeds appealing to them. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them of what they used to do.”
al-An`am (Livestock) 6:108

Evidently, the prohibition of insulting the deities of non-Muslims, intellectually necessitates the prohibition of transgressing against non-Muslim’s places of worship.

  Upon despatching a military expedition, Abu Bakr As-Siddīq (May Allah be pleased with him), the first Rightly-Guided Caliph, addressed its leader, Usaamah ibn Zayd (May Allah be pleased with him), saying, “Do not let your army kill young children, old people or women. Do not uproot or burn palms or cut down fruitful trees. Do not slaughter sheep, cows or camels, except for food. You will come across some people who have set themselves apart in hermitages; leave them to accomplish the purpose for which they have done this.”(Taareekh Ibn ‛Asaakir, vol. 2, p. 50)

  Unequivocally, the fact that such explicit prohibition concerning transgressing against non-Muslims’ places of worship came within the context of combative Jihad, makes at all clear that targeting non-Muslims’ places of worship, in any form, during a time of peace or with whom Muslims have a covenant is totally impermissible and cannot be justifiable by any means. 

   Historically, the mere existence of the various religious sites at the countries, where Muslims entered is a living testimony as to how Muslims across the centuries have safeguarded the religious sites that pertain to all faith traditions.

The Assurance and Treaty of ‘Umar, or al-ʿUhda al-ʿUmariyya (Arabic: العهدة العمرية‎)

   When Muslims entered Jerusalem around  the year 637 AD, Umar ibn al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) ), the second Rightly-Guided Caliph, was given a tour of the city, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When the time for prayer came, Patriarch Sophronius invited Umar to pray inside the Church, but Umar refused. He insisted that if he prayed there, later Muslims would use it as an excuse to convert it into a mosque – thereby depriving Christendom of one of its holiest sites. Instead, Umar prayed outside the Church, where a mosque (called Masjid Umar – the Mosque of Umar) was later built.

  As they did with all other lands they entered, the Muslims concluded a treaty detailing the rights and privileges regarding the people (Muslims and non-Muslims) in Jerusalem. This treaty was signed by Umar and Patriarch Sophronius, along with some of the generals of the Muslim armies. The text of the treaty reads:

  In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. This is the assurance of safety which the servant of God, Umar, the Commander of the Faithful, has given to the people of Jerusalem.

  He has given them an assurance of safety for themselves for their property, their churches, their crosses, the sick and healthy of the city and for all the rituals which belong to their religion.

  Their churches will not be inhabited by Muslims and will not be destroyed. Neither they, nor the land on which they stand, nor their cross, nor their property will be damaged. They will not be forcibly converted. (Tarikh Tabari)

  The aforementioned historic incident demonstrates that the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) exhibited considerable respect and appreciation to the places of worship of the main population of the land. Thus, the early pious Muslims were not merely coveting making their presence manifest in the form of buildings. Clearly, they did not transgress against non-Muslim’s faith-based or religious sites. Rather, they ensured the freedom of belief of all individuals and peacefully coexisted and fitted themselves into the diverse communities that were governing at that point.

On the Inviolability of Islamic Places of Worship

(وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ مَنَعَ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ وَسَعَى فِي خَرَابِهَا أُولَئِكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمْ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا إِلَّا خَائِفِينَ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ) (البقرة: 114).

“Who does more wrong than those who prevent Allah’s Name from being mentioned in His places of worship and strive to destroy them? Such people have no right to enter these places except with fear. For them there is disgrace in this world, and they will suffer a tremendous punishment in the Hereafter.”
al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:114

(إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ) التوبة:18

“The Masjids (Mosques) of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; establish prayers, give obligatory charity, and fear none but Allah. Only such people can expect to be included among those who are guided by Allah.”
at-Taubah (Repentance) 9:18

(ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ) الحج:32

“whoever honors the rituals and symbols of Allah – indeed, it is from the piety of hearts”
al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) 22:32

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

the Prophet (PBUH) said, “The dearest parts on the face of the earth to Allah are its mosques.” [Muslim]

Conclusion

   Accordingly, it is safe to explicitly state that Islam strictly prohibits any form of transgression against places of worship and worshippers. Furthermore, Islam urges Muslims to maintain safeguarding the inviolability of  the beliefs, places of worship as well as the physical integrity of worshippers irrespective of their faith. Additionally, Islamic history comprises several instances that promote the notion of establishing shared faith-based or religious sites and peaceful inter-faith coexistence.