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Tolerance, Intolerance and Acceptance

By Fahad Iqbal

بِسْم الله الرحمان الرحيم

Tolerance is being patient at things or behaviors that you don't like. For example, my neighbor kept beating drum whole night, but I tolerated it. Intolerance is the opposite - not being patient with a thing or behavior. Like one would say "I cannot tolerate that smell".

Acceptance, on the other hand, is to approve of a thing or behavior, without showing any dislike towards it.
Each of these can be good or bad depending on situation. Judge being tolerant on a murder is bad, for example.

However, when we hear of tolerance between religions or beliefs, people actually expect approval; which would mean essentially, to give up ones stand on a particular topic and agree with other and not show any dislike towards it. If this was the case then there would be no difference between them. Tolerance is to maintain a stance on a subject and disagree with others without losing patience or harming anyone.

A Muslim is required to be tolerant and patient towards others, without compromising on correct position on an issue.

بِسْم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the name of Allah most beneficent, most merciful.
قل يا أيها الكافرون لآ أعبد ما تعبدون و لآ أنتم أعبدون ما أعبد
Say - O disbelievers! I don't worship what you worship (false deities); nor do you worship what I worship (Allah alone).
و لآ أنا عابد ما عبدتم و لآ أنتم عابدون ما أعبد
And I'm not a worshipper of what have worshipped (false deities); nor are you worshippers of what I worship (Allah alone).
لكم دينكم و لي دين
For you is your religion and for me is my religion.

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