اقلیتوں کی عبادت گاہوں کی تعمیر و مرمت کے مسائل: اسلامی ریاست کے تصور کی روشنی میں ایک مطالعہ

Abstract

وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا

"And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned."

Divine wisdom inherently protects the sanctity of diverse worship spaces. The Prophetic mission actualized this universal tolerance in the earliest days of Islam. Through the Charter of Medina and the Treaty of Najran, the Messenger of Allah granted non-Muslims absolute autonomy over their sacred sites. Today, modern Muslim nations face a profound crisis in living up to this rich legacy. The construction, repair, and security of minority places of worship remain entangled in rigid bureaucratic hurdles, socio-political tensions, and extremist attitudes. Looking deeply into classical Islamic jurisprudence, historical covenants like the Pact of Umar, and contemporary constitutional laws, this academic inquiry seeks to understand the root of these administrative and social conflicts. Early jurists naturally debated the building of new temples in newly founded Muslim garrison cities due to the socio-political realities of their era. The higher objectives of Islamic law, particularly the preservation of religion and the preservation of life, dictate that protecting minority sanctuaries is a binding religious obligation. The modern conceptual shift from classical subjecthood to equal constitutional citizenship requires states to rethink their legal frameworks. Restricting minority communities from maintaining or expanding their churches, temples, or gurdwaras actively contradicts the Islamic spirit of justice. Eradicating majoritarian prejudices and reforming state policies to allow a smooth, transparent legal process for minority worship places is never a mere concession. It is a fundamental Islamic duty to ensure peaceful coexistence and absolute social equity.