The Quran

Preface

۞ وَلا تُجادِلوا أَهلَ الكِتابِ إِلّا بِالَّتي هِيَ أَحسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذينَ ظَلَموا مِنهُم ۖ وَقولوا آمَنّا بِالَّذي أُنزِلَ إِلَينا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيكُم وَإِلٰهُنا وَإِلٰهُكُم واحِدٌ وَنَحنُ لَهُ مُسلِمونَ

Yusuf Ali

And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better¹ (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury):² but say, “We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God and your God is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam).”³

Mere disputations are futile. In order to achieve our purpose as true standard-bearers for God, we shall have to find true common grounds of belief, as stated in the latter part of this verse, and also to show by our urbanity, kindness, sincerity, truth, and genuine anxiety, for the good of others, that we are not cranks or merely seeking selfish or questionable aims.
Of course those who are deliberately trying to wrong or injure others will have to be treated firmly, as we are guardians of each other. With them, there is little question of finding common ground or exercising patience, until the injury is prevented or stopped.
That is, the religion of all true and sincere men of Faith is, or should be, one; and that is the ideal of Islam.