Peaceful Coexistence with Non-Muslims in the Light of Sunnah: A Comparative Study between India and Malaysia [EMBARGOED]

Abstract

This research aims to achieve peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims in the countries of Malaysia and India in the light of the Qur??n, teachings of the Prophet and his daily practices, as well as the biography of the prophet’s companions, as they were the first to interact with the Prophet. Malaysia and India were selected because both consist of multiple religions, nationalities, and cultures, and both countries are governed by the major population. While Malaysia is governed by Muslims, India is governed by Hindus. The objective of this research lies in the peaceful coexistence that Malaysian non-Muslims enjoy with Muslims and their government, compared to the many problems that Indian Muslims suffer in coexistence, with Hindus in particular, which required the researcher to highlight the conditions of adverse effects of religion in both countries. A further attempt is made to compare between these two countries in light of the coexistence of Muslims during the Prophet’s era in Mecca and Medina, and the policy of the Prophet and his government to deal with non-Muslims in these two cities. The researcher attempted to describe the definition of the Prophetic approach and peaceful coexistence and elucidate the history of Malaysia and India by highlighting the existing religions in both countries. The researcher further tried to express the life of non-Muslims in Malaysia and Muslims in India, along with the explanation and application of the Prophetic approach for peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims in both countries. This research adopts an inductive approach to trace the conditions of non-Muslims in Malaysia and Muslims in India, along with their problems, and extrapolated the ?A??d?th (the sayings, actions or approvals which are attributed to the Prophet sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) and ??th?r (the sayings, actions or approvals which are attributed to the companion of Prophet sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) that demonstrate the prophetic approach to a peaceful coexistence with others. This research further employs the descriptive method to describe the prophetic approach to coexistence with non-Muslims, as well as the analytical method to analyse the conditions of non-Muslims in Malaysia and the conditions of Muslims in India, by applying the Prophet’s approach to peaceful coexistence to them. The researcher concluded that peaceful coexistence establishes security and psychological stability: that an individual is safe and reassured about their religion, their health, their work, their future, their children, their rights, and their social status. The circumstances that threaten these needs and demands of an individual, cause them to deprive themselves of a sense of security. In order to achieve these needs, an individual must work to gain people’s satisfaction, love, attention, and emotional assistance, whether they are in a minority without any means and resources, or in a majority with all the power and resources. This is what the Prophet taught and practiced with others throughout his life.