The Arabian thinker Ali Mohamed Elshorafa El-Hamadi writes… The divine Sharia calls for tolerance, freedom, love, cooperation, and peace

Summary

El-Shorafa El-Hamadi says in today’s essay that Allah called all people to live in security, peace, and cooperation. He forbade them from committing sin and aggression.
The writer clarifies Islam’s denunciation of all heirlooms and old traditions that call for hatred, malice, division, and conflict, as Islam is a religion of tolerance, love, mercy, and competition in doing good.
Allah ordered all people to enter into peace and forbade them from following the steps of Satan, breaking promises, and restricting people’s freedom to choose their religion. He ordered His holy Prophet to spread Daw’ah. In addition, Islam rejects the concept of mediators, as Allah is near to His worshippers.
El-Shorafa concluded his essay saying: “Those who prohibit congratulating Christians on their various feasts are contravening the divine Sharia.”

Details in the following essay:

Legislation is a divine right

Allah did not grant any human being the right to legislate in all religions. Instead, He called all people to live in security, peace, and cooperation in righteousness and piety, and He forbade them from cooperating in sin and rancour.

Tolerance and love

All heirlooms and old traditions among Muslims have no relation to the message of Allah—the message of mercy, tolerance, love, and competition in doing good, and the message of combating hatred, malice, pride, and arrogance. All people are equal before Allah and before the law. There is no difference among people. Allah clarified through His Messenger that they are brothers. He said: “O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul.” (An-Nisa, 1)

Cooperation and Peace

Because we are brothers, Allah ordered us to spread peace and cooperation among all people. Allah said in His holy Qur’an: “Help one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness, and piety), but do not help one another in sin and transgression.” (Al-Ma’idah, 2)
He called all people to peace, and this is clearly seen in the following verse:
“O you who believe! Enter perfectly into Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion), and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan. Verily, he is to you a plain enemy.”

The inclusivity of legislation

This legislation and divine command are for all people. Allah warns them against calls for hatred and against following Satan’s steps. He ordered the Prophet to convey His command. He said in His holy Qur’an:
“And say to My slaves that they should only say that which is best. Verily, Shaitan sows disagreements among them. Surely, Shaitan is to man a plain enemy.” (Al-Isra, 53)

Allah also ordered all people to greet each other. He said:
“When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or at least return it equally. Certainly, Allah is Ever an Accurate Reckoner of all things.” (An-Nisa, 86)

Breaking Allah’s covenant

Allah set in His holy Qur’an the regulations governing a Muslim’s behaviour. Whoever contravenes these main rules in dealing with people has broken his covenant with Allah and no longer maintains a true relationship with Islam. Islam is a social system and a set of rules regulating behaviour and interactions so that people may live in their societies with love and cooperation, respecting each other, and defending each person’s right to choose his religion, doctrine, and lifestyle.
Allah created people free and did not appoint any guardian to supervise people’s religious choices or scrutinize their performance of rituals.

Did they not respect the divine Sharia that Allah placed in His holy Qur’an? He granted all people the freedom to choose the religion that satisfies them. Allah forbade anyone from interfering in others’ worship. Each person is responsible for himself before Allah.

Mediators and protectors

Allah did not give His Prophet the authority to act as an agent over people in choosing their religion, so the relationship between individuals and Allah remains direct—without any mediators such as pontiffs, priests, or religious sheikhs. Allah is nearer to people than the jugular vein and knows all that happens between the heavens and the earth. He does not need mediators to represent Him on earth or guardians appointed to monitor His worshippers.

Allah calls all people, addressing His Prophet:
“And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, then I am indeed near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be guided.” (Al-Baqarah, 186)

Every person who considers himself a protector of religions or a mediator between people and Allah must stop.

Allah did not grant the messengers and prophets the authority to legislate what is lawful or unlawful in the matters that Allah revealed, from the message of Noah to that of Muhammad, the last Prophet. He warned all people not to interfere with His legislation. He said:
“And say not concerning that which your tongues falsely describe: ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden,’ so as to invent lies against Allah. Verily, those who invent lies against Allah will never prosper.” (An-Nahl, 116)

The freedom of thinking

Allah established legislation ensuring people’s freedom to choose their religions and doctrines. He told his Prophet:
“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whoever wills—let him believe; and whoever wills—let him disbelieve. Verily, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a Fire whose walls will surround them. And if they ask for relief, they will be granted water like boiling oil that scalds their faces. Terrible is the drink and evil is the resting place.”

Until Allah clarified to him his mission in delivering the message, He said:
“Your Lord knows you best. If He wills, He will have mercy on you, or if He wills, He will punish you. And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a guardian over them.” (Al-Isra, 54)