Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 292
292 Allah, in Whom they themselves professed belief. “Thus unto every people have We caused their doings to seem fair” (6:109). The principle stressed here is that even false doctrines and unsocial and destructive ideas, so long as they are believed in and adhered to, must be taken into account as having an appeal to those who entertain them; all conduct which is likely to cause provocation should be avoided. In the domain of international relations, religion and inter-religious relations occupy a very important position. Unfortunately, comparatively little attention is paid today to this aspect of human relations. It is assumed that religion is a private matter for each individual and, therefore, should have no direct connection with the political, social, or economic aspects of life which directly affect the relations not only of individuals, but of groups, communities, and nations with each other. This assumption is not justifiable. Religion is a vital factor in the field of human relations and there is good ground for hope that it might progressively become more effective in promoting unity and accord rather than continue to be a source of friction and conflict. It is important, therefore, to ascertain what attitude Islam adopts toward other faiths and their followers. The Quran teaches that God has sent His revelation to all peoples from time to time and that no section of mankind has been left without Divine