Following the recent desecration of the Quran at a puja pavilion, miscreants attacked places of worship and homes of minority non-Muslims in various parts of Bangladesh. Alongside such news, some vested interests are blaming one another without evidence. Islam never supports inciting communal riots. Those who carry out such acts are enemies not only of Islam but of all humanity.

We believe the desecration of the Quran must be given exemplary punishment. But it is the state's duty to find the culprit with proper and credible evidence; harassing anyone without solid proof is a grave offence. On the other hand, unjustly attacking or vandalising a non-Muslim place of worship or setting fire to homes is an unpardonable crime, and those involved should also receive exemplary punishment. Such acts amount to creating disorder and anarchy in the country.

In the Holy Quran, Allah has forbidden such acts in strong terms: "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive to spread mischief and disorder in the land is that they be killed or crucified, or their hands and feet be cut off on opposite sides, or they be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and in the hereafter they will have a still harsher punishment." (Surah Al-Maidah, verse 33)

In this verse Allah clearly sets out the severest punishment for disorder, mischief and communal rioting in society.

Innocent non-Muslims living in a Muslim country have a right to friendly treatment. Their lives and property may not be harmed under any circumstances. They must be treated with generosity at all times, and justice is their right. The Quran says: "Allah does not forbid you from being generous and just to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you out of your homes. Allah loves those who are just." (Surah Al-Mumtahanah, verse 8)

Non-Muslims who live in a Muslim country as protected citizens, abiding by its laws, may not be killed; nor may those who come to a Muslim country on a visa. The safety of their lives and property is as essential as that of Muslims. A hadith says: "Whoever kills a non-Muslim citizen will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance can be sensed from a distance of 40 years' travel." (Bukhari, hadith 3166)

People of all faiths and beliefs regard places of worship with respect, and an attack on any place of worship is a crime under any law. Islam, the religion of peace, commands the greatest care in this matter, and has even ordered fighting, if necessary, to protect the places of worship of other religions. Protecting the places of worship of all faiths is a demand of the Quran, which says: "...Had Allah not repelled some people by means of others, the monasteries of Christian monks, churches, synagogues and mosques, in which Allah's name is much remembered, would have been destroyed..." (Surah Al-Hajj, verse 40)

To protect non-Muslim places of worship, Omar (RA), the second caliph of Islam, issued a royal decree. He drew up a charter for the Christians of Baitul Muqaddas which read: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is a covenant of security signed on behalf of Omar, the servant of Allah and commander of the Muslims. It applies to the lives and property, churches and crosses of the people of Ilia, that is, the Christians living in Jerusalem, and to the followers of Christianity. After the signing of this covenant, no one else may occupy their places of worship. Their churches may not be destroyed or harmed in any way. No harm or attack may be done to anything under their control, to their religious symbol the cross, or to their property." (Tarikh al-Rusul wal-Muluk, Tarikh al-Tabari, volume two, page 449)

These quotations from the Quran and hadith make it clear that Islam in no way supports attacks on minority non-Muslims, their homes or their places of worship.

Source: Banglanews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.