What Muslims Have in Common with ‘People of Book’
God says in Verse 64 of Surah Al Imran:
“(Muhammad), say to the People of the Book, ‘We must come to a common term. Let us worship no one except God, nor consider anything equal to Him, nor regard any of us as our Lord besides God.’ However, if they turn away from (the Truth), tell them, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted ourselves to the will of God.’”
The word Sawa (common term) in this verse refers to belief in God and not worshipping anything except God, who is the Truth and not to associate anything with God.
Hence, the essence of all religions is worshiping God and refusing to worship anything except God.
As God is the truth, beauty and goodness, it means we must always take the path of the truth, beauty and goodness and that nothing but the truth, beauty and goodness should dominate us.
The word Sawa could be the deal of peace and friendship among all religions and faith because peace and friendship are established based on common pillars.
When those common pillars bond us together, the existence of difference would not bother us but would serve as assets for growth and innovation.
According to a Hadith, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said that differences in the Muslim Ummah are mercy and blessing.
If the People of the Book, who are mostly scholars, do not accept this general invitation to the upholding of the truth, it would mean they are inclined to see the dominance of falsehood, wealth, politics, etc over the truth. That would mean they believe neither in their own religion no in any other faith. If they believe in the truth, they should unequivocally declare their submission and commitment to the truth.
