Mormons have a long history of coping with religious intolerance. From their earliest days, they were persecuted and chased out of the places they lived. They were the only religious group with a government-issued extermination order (from the state of Missouri).

Over the years, as they have gained safety and a measure of acceptance, they have joined their voices with others to promote religious tolerance for other groups, including respect for that which a religion might consider sacred.

Recently, the Mormons issued a statement condemning the planned burnings of the Quran by another church. “A key tenet of our faith is to accord everyone the freedom to worship as they choose. It is regrettable that anyone would regard the burning of any scriptural text as a legitimate form of protest or disagreement.”

The Mormons have a document listing thirteen articles of faith—essential aspects of their religion. The eleventh says, “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”

This seemingly simple statement of religious tolerance actually encompasses a great picture. The United States, where the Mormon Church was first organized, was designed to protect religious freedom. While the country has not always honored that commitment, the laws allow religious people to continue to push for that freedom. Although Mormons state without apology that they are the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, that does not alter their commitment to other religions, knowing their own religious freedom is dependent on the religious freedom of others. The statement says that we will work to protect our religious freedom, but not hamper the religious freedoms of others. The final part has three aspects of protecting religious freedom: How, Where, and What.

How refers to the religious practices of a religion. Mormons have very specific practices related to baptism, marriage, and other religious tenants. However, we are taught to respect the differences in the way other religions practice. Often, that means learning something about the religious practices of others and even joining in them from time to time. Just as Mormons enjoy inviting others to visit their church activities, they enjoy participating in religious rituals with others. A recent news story told of Mormons invited by a local Muslim group to participate in iftar, the breaking of the fast of Ramadan. The Mormons visited the local Muslim center, enjoyed a meal, and joined the Muslims to observe the traditional prayer, the Mormon women donning head scarves. An attendee noted that their devotion to their beliefs was as strong as that of the Mormons, even though they carried it out in somewhat different ways. Mormons understand their own beliefs are not threatened by respecting the religious practices of others.

The second part of this statement involves where worship occurs. When Mormons set out to build a new temple or chapel, they frequently have to battle people who don’t want a Mormon building in their neighborhood or even their town. People frequently don’t want anyone who worships differently than they do in their neighborhood or near something important to them. However, Mormons teach that it is not up to an outsider to decide where another person can conduct his worship, whether it involves building a Mormon temple or praying in a park.

Respecting what a religious person worships is the final part of the trilogy. This can include sacred scriptures, including the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Quran, or the Torah. Mormons are taught to respect sacredness, both in their own religion, and the sacred things of another. They learn that they must follow the teachings of Jesus and treat others the way they wish to be treated, which means they must treat the scriptures, buildings and other sacred things of other religions in the same way they wish their own to be treated.

In 1978, the Church issued a statement on our view of other religions:

Based upon ancient and modern revelation, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gladly teaches and declares the Christian doctrine that all men and women are brothers and sisters, not only by blood relationship from common mortal progenitors but also as literal spirit children of an Eternal Father.

The great religious leaders of the world such as Muhammed, Confucius, and the reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals.

The Hebrew prophets prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, who should provide salvation for all mankind who believed in the gospel.

Consistent with these truths, we believe that God has given and will give to all peoples sufficient knowledge to help them on their way to eternal salvation, either in this life or the life to come.

We also declare that the gospel of Jesus Christ, restored to his Church in our day, provides the only way to a mortal life of happiness and fulness of joy forever. For those who have not received the gospel, the opportunity will come to them in the life hereafter if not in this life.

Our message therefore is one of special love and concern for the eternal welfare of all men and women, regardless of religious belief, race, or nationality, knowing that we are truly brothers and sisters because we are sons and daughters of the same Eternal Father. (God’s Love for All Mankind” statement by the First Presidency, February 15, 1978).

Personal Response by Brian Hauglid

Since September 11, 2001, Muhammad has been treated as both an icon of peace and a harbinger of war, depending on how one interprets his own teachings and/or distinguishes them from those of Islamo-facism. Mormon scripture, and the teachings of its leaders give a fuller view of how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints views Muhammad and Islam (as well as all other faiths) and provides guidelines for its members in seeking to understand and to reach out to those of other faiths.

From the scriptures:

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

“For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile” (2 Nephi 26:33; see also vv. 26-32).

“For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true” (Alma 29:8).

“And set in order the churches, and study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people” (D&C 90:15).

Joseph Smith: “We ought always to be aware of those prejudices which sometimes so strangely present themselves, and are so congenial to human nature, against our friends, neighbors, and brethren of the world, who choose to differ from us in opinion and in matters of faith. Our religion is between us and our God. Their religion is between them and their God.

“There is a love from God that should be exercised toward those of our faith, who walk uprightly, which is peculiar to itself, but it is without prejudice; it also gives scope to the mind, which enables us to conduct ourselves with greater liberality towards all that are not of our faith, than what they exercise towards one another” (Teachings, 1973, 146-147).

B. H. Roberts: “[God] raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of men, of their own tongue and nationality, speaking to them through means that they can comprehend; not always giving a fulness of truth such as may be found in the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ; but always giving that measure of truth that the people are prepared to receive. . . . . So with the Arabian prophet, that wild spirit that turned the Arabians from worshiping idols to a conception of the Creator of heaven and earth that was more excellent than their previous conception of Deity . . . Wherever God finds a soul sufficiently enlightened and pure; one with whom his Spirit can communicate, lo! he makes of him a teacher of men” (Defense of the Faith and the Saints, “Revelation and Inspiration,” volume 1, Part 3, chapter 4, pp. 512-513).

Orson F. Whitney: “Other good and great men, not bearing the Priesthood, but possessing profundity of thought, great wisdom, and a desire to uplift their fellows, have been sent by the Almighty into many nations, to give them, not the fullness of the Gospel, but that portion of truth that they were able to receive and wisely use” (LDS Conference Reports [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, April 1921], pp. 32-33).

On February 15, 1978 the First Presidency, (the highest ruling body of the Church), declared in an official statement titled God’s Love for All Mankind that “the “great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals” (Emphasis added in all of the above).

As seen from the above, the quoted scriptures and Mormon Church leaders teach that God has inspired many individuals in world history, including Muhammad, to lift people to a higher level of understanding and obedience to his will.

Today, more than ever before, Muhammad and the faith he founded is in the news, and primarily is cast in a negative light. It is now so easy to surf the Internet for justification from both external sources and internal Islamic sources to manufacture a pure and perfect or sinister and devilish Islam, that it is increasingly difficult to discern what is real and what is fantasy about Muhammad and Islam.

Significantly, aside from acknowledging that Muhammad “received a portion of God’s light,” no particular judgment, for, or against him, (or Islam), have emerged from the scriptures or the teachings of Mormon Church leaders, and particularly from the official 1978 statement. What has been emphasized is the need to look for God’s inspiration and the good in other faiths, and to build bridges of faith and understanding between the Church and those of other faiths.

Therefore, how should Mormons view Muhammad? In short, Muhammad should be viewed as one who received inspiration from God to help raise a major portion of humanity to a higher level of obedience to immutable moral truths. Inevitably, this higher level of understanding and obedience has immeasurably good results for adherents who sincerely strive to live according to the moral principles taught within their faith. Therefore, Muhammad should be seen as God’s instrument to bring these people to a higher level of obedience to his will.