The tolerance of Islam

How can we prove to non-Muslims that Islam is a tolerant and easy religion?

Praise be to Allaah.  

Islam is the religion of mercy and kindness, the religion of tolerance and ease. Allaah has not burdened this ummah with more than it can bear. Whatever good it does, it will be rewarded for it, and whatever evil it does, it will have to bear the burden of that sin, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned”

[al-Baqarah 2:286]

Allaah has spared the Muslims any difficulty or hardship in all that He has enjoined upon them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islamic Monotheism to mankind by inviting them to His religion of Islam), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship”

[al-Hajj 22:78]

Every sin that a Muslim commits because he makes a mistake, or forgets, or is forced to do it, is forgiven by Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error”

[al-Baqarah 2:286]

And Allaah says: your prayer is granted.

The Muslim will be brought to account for what he does deliberately, not for what he does by mistake, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend”

[al-Ahzaab 33:5]

Allaah is Kind and Merciful. He sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with ease and the tolerant monotheism:

“Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you

[al-Baqarah 2:185 – interpretation of the meaning]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded.” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 39).

The Shaytaan is man’s greatest enemy. He makes him forget the remembrance of his Lord (dhikr) and makes his sin attractive to him, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Shaytaan (Satan) has overpowered them. So he has made them forget the remembrance of Allaah. They are the party of Shaytaan (Satan). Verily, it is the party of Shaytaan (Satan) that will be the losers![al-Mujaadilah 58:19]

What one’s own nafs (self) says has been forgiven by Allaah, The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has forgiven my ummah for thoughts that cross their minds, so long as they do not speak of them or act upon them.” (Narrated by Muslim, 127)

Whoever commits a sin then Allaah conceals it, it is not permissible for him to speak of it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “All of my ummah will be fine except those who commit sin openly.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2990).

If a person commits a sin then repents, Allaah will accept his repentance:

“your Lord has written (prescribed) Mercy for Himself, so that if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allaah), then surely, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-An’aam 6:54 – interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah is Generous and Kind, He multiplies the reward for good deeds and forgives bad deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, narrating the words of his Lord: “Allaah has decreed hasanaat (good deeds) and sayi’aat (bad deeds), then He explained that. Whoever intends to do a good deed then does not do it, Allaah will write it down as one complete hasanah; if he intends to do it then he does it, then Allaah will write it down as between ten and seven hundred hasanaat, or more.  Whoever intends to do a bad deed, then he does not do it, Allaah will write it down as one complete hasanah; if he intends to do it then he does it, Allaah will write it down as one sayi’ah.” (Agreed upon; narrated by al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Raqaa’iq, 81)

From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri.