1/6/11, Letter to Editor, The Contra Costa Times

On Christmas Day, the pope expressed his desire for "just and peaceful coexistence" in "the land where Jesus was born." As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I feel Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, would share these sentiments. As an Ahmadi Muslim, it is saddening to see fellow Muslims in the Middle East persecute their Christian brethren, especially when Muhammad advocated for interfaith harmony.

In fact, Muhammad sent a letter to the Christian monks of St. Catherine's Monastery in Mt. Sinai (present-day Egypt) ensuring them not only freedom of worship and respect of their Christian monuments, but also of protection during times of war. As the Quran (2:257) states, "There is no compulsion in religion."

Muhammad did not impose Islam on the Christians in his land, but instead upheld interfaith harmony.

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