Tolerance in political jargon means toleration and acceptance of the other as well as acceptance of unacceptable issues and a kind of lenience and lack of confrontation with the viewpoints and beliefs of individuals and socio-political schools of thought. This approach is philosophically a rational issue, for it is based on a perception of priorities and self-restraint. From intra-religious perspective, it is an ethical virtue, whose aim is self-restraint and sublimation in individual field and preparation of a suitable ground for the growth of different individuals in the society. In this approach, tolerance and lenience do not stem from indifference or self-weakness, rather it is a rational behavior which leads to actualization of humanity of man and also realization of an ideal human society.  Hence, acquisition of this attribute in individual field as well as its proper and rational implementation in civil society requires understanding of its limits, expanses and conditions. In the political and social field, Western thinkers have extensive discussions in support or rejection of tolerance. They maintain that the essence of the idea of tolerance has emerged from the intra-religious arguments and tries to defend religious tolerance. The present article is an attempt to review the ideas of Western thinkers as well as the history of tolerance and then the factors, principles, necessity and impacts of tolerance in sublimation of individual and society are discussed from the viewpoint of Imam Khomeini.