A few weeks later, Omar arrived at the gates of Jerusalem, but it happened to be his turn to walk while the servant rode. Upon seeing them, the Patriarch automatically handed the key to the rider, assuming he was the Caliph. Omar's modest appearance, wearing old patched-up clothes, did not give him away easily.

The city was conquered peacefully and Omar made a treaty with the religious minorities dwelling within. All Christians and Jews were to be treated equally under the law. They were to keep their properties, including holy places, and would have complete freedom of religion.

When the time for prayer came, Omar was urged to pray inside the Church of Holy Sepulcher, but the wise Caliph declined. He opted instead to pray outside at the site where the Dome of the Rock stands today, arguing that the act of praying within the Holy Church might give future Muslim generations a false pretext to appropriate the church and turn it into a mosque.

Omar's selfless act of religious tolerance was to reverberate for generations to come. His wisdom, which he acquired from the finest teacher, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), set a precedent for Muslim future generations. His actions showed that the source of true faith was tolerance and respect for other belief systems, especially for the People of the Book: Jews and Christians. The Qur'an was clear about the message, "Let there be no compulsion in religion," and was also clear about how the People of the Book are to be treated: "And do not argue with the People of the Book except in a most kindly manner... and say that we believe in that which was revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto you, and your God and our God is one and the same, and it is unto him that we surrender ourselves."

The three faiths co-existed peacefully until the Crusaders from Europe came to Jerusalem. For the first time in the history of the three Abrahamic faiths, intolerance divided them and triggered a conflict that would last hundreds of years.

In 711 AD, Muslims conquered Iberia (Spain and Portugal today) from the barbarian tribes of the Visigoths, and within seven years, their rule extended all over the peninsula.  While most of Europe was sunk in the Dark Ages, a great Islamic civilization shone in what was known as Andalusia. The city of Cordoba became the largest, wealthiest and most civilized city in Europe and the world. It had streetlights, paved roads, beautiful architecture, 700 mosques, 300 public baths, 70 libraries and even a system of flushing toilets. Scholars from all over Europe flocked to Cordoba to learn and marvel at its distinct beauty. Even Western historians acknowledge that much of Cordoba's flourishing was due to Muslim tolerance. Many Jews, who had been viciously persecuted under the Visigoths, were allowed to prosper and practice their faith in relative peace along Muslims and Christians. 
The south of Andalusia (southern Spain today) became an asylum for the oppressed Jews of other parts of the world. Andalusia became the center of Talmudic study, and the meeting-place of Jewish scholars.

The one lesson to be learned from Andalusia as far as Muslims are concerned is that Muslims thrived most when they co-existed peacefully among Christians and Jews. Muslim Spain showed that tolerance was the true catalyst for a great civilization. And it is not just religious tolerance, but also tolerance of racial diversity, political opinions, freedom of expression, etc.  If we look at any great civilization we would realize that it was brought down by either intolerance or moral decadence. What makes America great is the terms of the Constitution with which the Founding Fathers knitted the socio-political fabric of this country. America did not rise fully as a great civilization until it granted women the right to vote, outlawed racial discrimination and became more inclusive of minorities as well as other religions.

Despite past intolerance and the fact that all faiths have had their share of it, today, Christianity, Judaism and Islam live side-by-side in healthy co-existence.  The hundreds of churches, synagogues and mosques that are sometimes literally across the street from each other are a testament to that. However, as a result of war, violence and terrorism in the world, the need for greater understanding and better relations between followers of the three faiths becomes of paramount importance. Interfaith groups and leaders have redoubled their efforts in order to bridge the divide between the Abrahamic faiths in particular and other faiths in general. The Islamic Center of Southern California has a full time school that teaches students about Hanukkah and Rosh Hashanah. Jewish students in many private schools learn about Ramadan and are taken on field trips to visit mosques and churches.

Christian leaders reach out to imams and Muslim community leaders in times of need and often share an iftar dinner with them during the holy month of fasting. The Emmanuel Presbyterian Church is notorious for holding interfaith gatherings that are designed to increase awareness of other faiths, urging interfaith groups to work towards common causes, and taking the message of tolerance to all communities.

The one thing that all prophets preached, besides the worship of one God, was tolerance.  The three faiths established a precedent both in Jerusalem and Muslim Spain and today in America. It was only when the children of Abraham showed respect for each other and were accepting of diversity that they achieved harmony and prosperity. Tolerance is what builds civilizations. It is the stuff that true men of God are made of.  Tolerance is the essence of faith.

By Br. A. Mohamed