Questioner (rh):In Islamic society, when Islamic law is enforced, the non-Muslims, what way they should be treated according to their book or according to your Sharia book?
Huzoor (rh) You know, this is a question which could be answered partly in one direction and partly in another. There are certain injunctions of the Holy Qur’an which are specific for Muslims. And in any Muslim government, they cannot be extended to non-Muslims. There are many spheres of a Muslim’s activity which are special to those who believe in Islam.
And all the injunctions of the Holy Qur’an pertaining to such activities would be limited only to the Muslims. But there are certain injunctions pertaining to the law and order of a country. Such injunctions relate to human relationship, regardless of the religion. Such injunctions of wider application would be extended to the non-Muslims as well. But there again, a difference can be made in certain regions. For instance, the Prophet used to punish the Jews in some crimes according to their book. And sometimes they were asked when they appeared before the Prophet, how would they like him to decide?
Did they want to be treated according to the teachings of the Torah or according to the Holy Prophet’s (saw) best judgement as he thought best? So if they offered themselves that we should be treated according to the Torah, then the Prophet decided according to the Torah. So that shows that an option can still be given to them. If the old teaching or their own teaching is harder and harsher in treatment, it is not necessarily to be imposed upon them.
They should be given a choice to opt for a better teaching, a more lenient and more flexible teaching like Islam. So judging according to the Sunnah of the Prophet, different answers can be given to the question in different situations. No one single rule can be laid out.
