THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY: Islam’s Ethical and Spiritual Outlook

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT • The other is the truth-seeker (talib-i-haqq), who is concerned only with what is right. They do not take criticism as a personal offense. For them, the only question is: is it true or not? If the criticism is unfounded, they ignore it. But if it is valid, they accept it immediately—because in that criticism, they find exactly what they were seeking all along. NO AGGRESSION God has created human beings free. That’s why, by nature, every person wants to think freely and express themselves freely. This aspect of human nature is so intrinsic that it cannot be separated from a person in any way. At the same time, it is also a fact that every human being is a unique individual. Everyone has their own way of thinking, distinct from others. This means it is impossible for all people to think alike. In other words, disagreement is a natural part of human life, and eliminating it is not possible. The only practical and realistic approach is for people to show tolerance toward one another. In this world, the more tolerant a person is, the more successful they are likely to be. Historians of Islam agree that, in practical terms, Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan was a highly successful ruler. The reason for his success was not that he eliminated all dissent in his domain, but rather something else—what one historian