Religious tolerance is a major principle in Islam, enshrined in Quran and Sunnah, making it an obligation on Muslims towards people of other faith.

But what is religious tolerance in Islam? It means a Muslim should respect, and allow others to practice their faith freely without any disruption or discrimination. This is an Islamic duty not a choice.

Have Muslims practiced that in SL? Of course yes, the fact that we all cherish religious tolerance today is testimony of it being fully practiced.

However, I don’t intend labouring on Islam’s view on religious tolerance as I believe it’s not the issue in this debate, but rather misunderstanding surrounding its meaning in SL.

Related News

Islam and Other Faith/Traditions

Islam maintains a unique belief and identity; from monotheism being the most important, to worships, dress code, rules of marriage, inheritance etc. Keeping this identity distinct from others and maintaining it from being corrupted is a major Islamic duty.

This comes in doing what is commanded according to Quran & Sunnah (avoiding innovation) and staying away from that which is warned like participating in other faith’s celebrations.

Ibn `Umar said, The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Do the opposite of what the pagans do. Keep the beards and cut the moustaches short.’ – Bukhari 5892

When the Prophet went to Madina they had two festive, so he said to them: “Indeed, Allah has replaced them for you with something better than them: the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) and the Day of Breaking the Fast (Eid al-Fitr)”. Abu Dawood, 1134.

These with many other reinforce the Islamic view of maintaining an independent undiluted indentity. This is what has kept Islam intact, far from man’s manipulations and distortions, as may be present in other systems.

Religious Tolerance, Compromise, Confusion

One does not need to let go of his religious teachings to be tolerant. It has no connection whatsoever. Tolerance means letting others do theirs while you do yours.

I do not have to eat pork to prove to a Christian friend that I am tolerant. Neither do they have to abandon what they believe to prove tolerance.

The Christmas Issue

People ought to have known this by now. One of the major differences between Christianity and Islam is about the “Who-ness and What-ness” of God.

Before that, people and Christians should know Islam is the only non-Christian faith that makes as part of its five pillars to believe in Isa (Jesus) may Allah’s peace be upon him.

Islam teaches Allah is one, and Isa is his Messenger just as Moses and others. A Muslim will not be a Muslim if he doubts this belief.

Christians on the other hand believe Jesus is God, others he is the son of God. Either of these Chritians beliefs directly conflicts with the Islamic belief, making either of the faiths true and the other contradictory, because both from this angle can’t be true, as the contradiction is glaringly clear.

If a Muslim were to belive what the Christian believe, he will cease being a Muslim, this forms the crux of Islamic monotheism. Allah mentions in Suratul Ikhlas (chapter 112):

“Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born. Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”

This Surah plus many other verses embody the major difference between Islam and Christianity. As for other things, both have many things in common.

Islam views Judaism and Christianity as revealed religions with sent prophets and scriptures, which later were exposed to human distortion etc.

Point of Contention: Should Muslims celebrate festive of other faiths?

Islam clearly, and unequivocally prohibits Muslims from doing so. This is not limited to Christmas alone.

It’s not permissible for a Muslim to participate in any celebration of peganic origin, or celebration “which their members consider it a form of worship, or do so because their belief holds that they do”. This is a general Islamic principle. Read that principle again, as it answers the question: where do we draw the line as Muslims.

I know you may be wondering why Christmas takes more attention than other celebrations.

This is because Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, the son of God, something which Islam considers a very big issue, Allah mentions that:

(They say, “The Most Compassionate has offspring.
You have certainly made an outrageous claim.
By which the heavens are about to burst, the earth to split apart, and the mountains to crumble to pieces.
In protest of attributing children to the Most Compassionate.
It does not befit ˹the majesty of˺ the Most Compassionate to have children.) Surat Maryam 88-93

It is from this angle that Islam prohibits participating in Christmas celebration for the Muslim. I repeat for the Muslim.

Does that make the Muslim intolerant? No! There is no connection between the two.

In fact I believe, doing that makes the Muslim less illogical, compromising and apologetic. How do one celebrates something which ones claims to believe its incorrectness.

However, on the other hand, should the Muslim hate, insult or attck the Christian because of that? No! This is so simple.

Come on! It’s just a WISH! It’s just a celebration!

Islam takes words and actions very seriously. That’s why a simple utterance of the Shahada makes you a Muslim, so does simple words can nullify your Islam, just as some common utterances can lead to divorce, obliged charity etc in the Islamic law.

So words are not ordinary in Islam. They carry rights, duties and repercussions and punishments in Islamic jurisprudence.

Calm Down! After all, some Muslim still celebrate Christmas

Yeah, but that doesn’t make it Islamically permissible, and those who do so commit a sin. And they either do so being ignorant of the Islamic rulings or deliberately do it with knowledge of its impersmissibility.

Now to the Issue: does it amount to hate speech if a Muslim warns other Muslims not to participate in Christmas and that they will enter hell if they do?

From two angles:

First on the presumption that Islam teaches that any Muslim who celebrates Christmas will enter hell…

This I believe is far from being a hate speech because it was a speech from a Muslim about Islam directed to Muslims.

This is not about defending the Sheik. It is about clarity as to what amounts to hate speech and what what doesn’t.

This was not a message directed to Christians, nor was it an insult, incitement or attack towards them. If the sheik had said like (go and attack Christians, or they should not celebrate Christmas in SL, or insult them) then that should have been an issue, which could have demanded an immediate condemnation, as it touches on our religious tolerance.

This is really simple. Some people just created a mountain out of molehill. It simply means don’t disobey God, if you do, you’re going to hell. I don’t really see any issue here.

If this is hate speech, if follows that when a Pastor preaches about the punishment of apostacy or adultery or LGBTQ as prescribed in the Bible, those groups preached against will as well see it as hate speech.

And taking from that every preaching will be a hate speech in some way, as obviously preaching isn’t meant to please.

Religion, Freedom of Expression, Rights of Others

This issue is not untied to what are religious rights of expression, and others rights of association.

While rights of expression should not be absolute, this doesn’t mean preaching what you believe without disturbing others amounts to hate speech just because others don’t agree to what you preach.

I was really confused to see people of legal background jumping on the bandwagon of condemnation without providing basic legal analysis on the issue.

Second: is the Sheikh’s statement Islamically correct?

Before that, whether it is or not, it’s not a Muslim-Christian issue. It’s purely an Islamic jurisprudence issue. So it makes no difference whether he was correct or wrong, as he did not call to violence or intolerance towards others.

In Islam, celebrating Christmas is a sin but there are no ruling that it takes one to hell.

However, from a broader conceptualization, we all know the reward of a sinner who does not repent.

Having clarified the above, let’s discuss additional but important points.

The Chris-Mus Issue

I see many, obviously Muslims with no basic Islamic education being proud of being a Chris-Muslim. Sunday I go to Church, Friday I go to Jumua.

Islam has Muslims and non-Muslims. It’s either you’re a Muslim with an uncorrupted faith, or you’re not. There is no in-between.

Islam compromises on actions like common sins, but it does not play with its monotheism. Perhaps the Chris-Mus should take their time and learn what makes a Muslim a Muslim.

Believing you’re a Chris-Mus means you believe that you’re not a Muslm.

Those Who Spread the Propaganda and Spew Lies

It’s crystal clear we now know people, platforms who push narratives, fuel religious tentions in SL.

From the Israel genocide on Gaza, to the Israel-Iran war to the Nigeria kidnappings, you notice those who constantly share lies, manufactured stories to Sierra Leoneans. Others openly do so, fuelling religious tentions in SL, undermining our religious tolerance.

Figures like Sylvia Blyden has been constantly sharing American fake stories, Israel propaganda of religious divide on her page, formenting religious tentions. I think people like her should be called out.

Sierra Leoneans should learn to differentiate which people are really the problem.

Muslim Youths and their Condemnation of the Sheik

Yes, it’s worth condemning anyone who calls to violence and intolerance.

However, jumping on condemnation without providing any cogent explanation speaks volumes of how weak our knowledge of Islam is.

Some quoting verses proudly wrongly to justify their statements of condemnation. Perhaps some felt the pressure to do so in order to fit it without properlythinkingaboutthe issue

In any case, we the Muslim youths should make efforts to learn the basics of Islam, and leave Islamic issues of scholarly importance to those with knowledge.

The Pastor Ajesafe Issue

Of course that worths condemnation, as it is the practical definition of intolerance. The two issues are not similar let alone be the same.

The Sheik’s statement is far from being closer to what Pastor Ajesafe said. Don’t confuse issues.

Apologies on Behalf of the Imam

Some even apologise on behalf of the Sheik. Some organisations described him as fake. And an other (I don’t know if he is also a sheik or not) in his appology went further to state that when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) went to Medina, it was Jews and Christians that welcomed him. This is far from being true. It was Muslims who had accepted Islamic before his arrival who welcomed him.

All these to prove a point being “confusingly tolerant”, which originally is based on misunderstanding of the concept of religious tolerance.

In conclusion, religious tolerance is an Islamic tenet undoubtedly, and the fact we as Sierra Leoneans have lived that is a testimony of it being fully practiced.

However, if words and concepts like “religious tolerance” have to carry weight, it should be well-defined, logically & understandably practiced, and perhaps legally explained.

While Islam recognises and obligates religious tolerance on Muslims towards people of other faith, Islam makes things very clear as to where, when and how “religious tolerance” is practiced.

May Allah grant us understanding. Aameen