The Tolerance of Islam

Islam is the religion of mercy and kindness, the religion of tolerance and ease. Allah has not burdened this ummah (community, nation) 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 Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Allah 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] 

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

“Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error” [al-Baqarah 2:286] 

And Allah 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 Allah 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] 

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

“Allah 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 Allah 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 Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Shaytaan (Satan) has overpowered them. So he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah. 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 Allah, The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah 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 Allah conceals it, it is not permissible for him to speak of it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah 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, Allah 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 Allah), then surely, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-An’aam 6:54 – interpretation of the meaning] 

Allah is Generous and Kind, He multiplies the reward for good deeds and forgives bad deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, narrating the words of his Lord: “Allah 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, Allah will write it down as one complete hasanah; if he intends to do it then he does it, then Allah 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, Allah will write it down as one complete hasanah; if he intends to do it then he does it, Allah will write it down as one sayi’ah.” (Agreed upon; narrated by al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Raqaa’iq, 81)