Those who think Muslims are arrogant & superior

[Ruhi_Rose]

Salams all. 
There are non-Muslims who are of the view that Muslims think that their religion is the most superior and these non-Muslims are howling that this sounds arrogant.  Some Muslims with little knowledge are also getting carried away by their talk and start agreeing with them and quarreling with their brethren.  I know very well that there is a good answer to non-Muslims who harbor such a notion.  Can anyone please educate me on how to respond to these folks? 

[Zainab_M]

Wa'Salaam sister Rose. 
I've also heard people talking as such.  These ideas are the outcome of insufficient vision and denial of recognizing the truth.  No doubt there are several Muslims who argue impatiently giving the impression of being arrogant and superior because of our Faith.  That's their shortcoming and they shouldn't behave like this. Before accusing others of sin, one must remember that they themselves aren't (or weren't) totally free of sins.  It's only by the mercy of Allah that they have acquired better guidance than those who are ignorant.  Not to mention, superiortiy complex or arrogance are hateful characteristics in the Sight of Allah and can wash away many of our good deeds.  Therefore, if a Muslim behaves arrogantly for being a Muslim, he or she isn't following their Faith the right way.  It's the fault of the people, not Islam.

Just to mention, another approach toward arrogance is to be too confidence of one's infallibility and subsequently go about thinking oneself to be righteous.  Such an attitude has also been disagreed with in the Quran.  After all, only Allah knows the inside-story of one's heart & mind, and therefor only He knows who's righteous or otherwise. 

".. and say not unto one who offereth you peace: "Thou art not a believer," seeking the chance profits of this life (so that ye may despoil him). With Allah are plenteous spoils. Even thus (as he now is) were ye before; but Allah hath since then been gracious unto you."  4:94
 
"He is Best Aware of you (from the time) when He created you from the earth, and when ye were hidden in the bellies of your mothers. Therefor ascribe not purity unto yourselves. He is Best Aware of him who wardeth off (evil)."   53:32

Coming to the relevant point of your question, while it wouldn't be a humble strategy for a believer to behave as though they are superior to others, the bare truth of the matter is that Islam or complete Surrender to Allah alone is the ultimate and only Faith acceptable to Him.  There can be NO two ways about it.  Any other religious ideology other than Islam will be rejected by Allah.
 
"And whoso seeketh as religion other than the Surrender (to Allah) it will not be accepted from him, and he will be a loser in the Hereafter."  3:85

"How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and (after) they bore witness that the messenger is true and after clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty) had come unto them. And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk."  3:86
 
The Glorious Quran clearly mentions that we ought to follow only the path shown by Allah and none else.  If we focus on other guidelines, we run the risk of being parted from His way.

“And (He commandeth you, saying) : This is My straight path, so follow it  Follow not other ways, lest ye be parted from His way: This hath He ordained for you, that ye may ward off (evil)”  6:153
 
“ ….. And set your faces, upright (toward Him) at every place of worship and call upon Him, making religion pure for Him (only). As He brought you into being, so return ye (unto Him).”   7:29 
 
“He it is who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it conqueror of all religion however much idolaters may be averse.”  61:9
 
“And cry not unto any other god along with Allah. ……..”   28:88

All of the above Verses clearly explain to us that for a Muslim it's not a matter of  boasting and feeling superior because their Faith.  Indeed a Muslm has every right to feel proud of being a submitter to Allah alone.  But when Allah says that Al-Islam is the only Religion to be adhered to, it means that this is the only True Faith.  Anything else is definitely false.  Allah is merely stating the truth in order to guide us so that we  understand and embrace this truth.  Those who are still not able to understand it are only hurting their own souls. 
 
Earthly etiquettes and concepts of freedom are often expressed in different ways.  In the modern secular societies it's commonly considered that in matters of faith, no one should say theirs is the best.  They adhere to this approach for fear that it may disturb the harmony of their multi-cultural atmosphere.  But this superficial etiquette cannot change the ultimate fact, which is, all faiths in a multi-cultural community cannot lead to the Truth.  There's only one that leads to the ultimate Truth and that's Islam as articulately defined in Allah's final Message.  And no matter what might be the thoughts of modernism or traditionalism, Allah always speaks the Truth. 
 
Having explained the above, those who accuse Islam of arrogance by calling itself "superior" to other faiths should realize that the Quran does not speak of Islam as one of the many religions.  Rather the Quran states that Islam is the only Faith.  The Quran does not differentiate between the messages brought by any of the former Prophets.  That's because every Prophet's message was a confirmation of the previous.  Except the final Message of the Quran, all previous Messages sent by Allah were corrupted and changed by the people.  But the root of all original Divine Messages is the same - that is - Allah alone and all Prophets were chosen by Him to deliver His Message to humanity. 

No doubt, all non-Divine and polytheistic religions must be rejected because they do NOT lead to the truth.
 
Finally I would also like to add that even though Islam is the ultimate truth, yet Allah Almighty has given us the free will to choose our belief when He says in the Glorious Quran ..   
 
"There is no compulsion in religion."  2:256
 
Allah has also made it clear in the Quran that He guides whom He wills, and that we are to discuss matters with others in a comely manner.
 
"Lo! thou (O Muhammad) guidest not whom thou lovest, but Allah guideth whom He will. And He is Best Aware of those who walk aright."  28:56
 
"Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright."  16:125 
 
Thus, all this talk of superiority and arrogance is completely baseless.  It arises because of lack of knowledge of the Quran, leading to misunderstandings based on secular values.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Many thanks sis.  I must jot down these points.  The verses you've quoted are superb.  Explains everything so honestly.