Chairman Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony UK
www.black-history.org.uk/contribute07/sajidimam.asp
Bismillah Hir Rahma Nir Rahim
I begin with name of God the Most Kind the Most Merciful
I greet you with the greetings of Islam
Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakathu
May God's blessing and peace be with us all
I brought greetings of Dr Abdul Bari Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB the most representative body of British Muslim and Sir Iqbal Sacraine the former Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). I also brought greetings from Mr Tariq Jung Chairma\n of the
Let me begin from the very outset to clarify Islam from Muslim. Most people treat Islam and Muslims as synonymous and mutually interchangeable terms, often saying Islam where they ought to say Muslims and vice versa.
In my humble opinion the word "Islam" should be used exclusively for the "Way of Life" based upon divine sources: The Book known as Qur'an, "the word of God" and Sunnah, "the proven practices of the Prophet" (peace and blessing of God be upon him). "Muslims" as human beings are free to abide or deviate from Divine Guidance as they feel fit according to their own conscience. Islam has never claimed to be a new faith. It is the same faith that God ordained with the creation of the first man sent to earth - Adam. Islam confirms almost all Biblical and Hebrew Prophets as the Prophets of Islam and their messages as the messages of Islam as long as they are confirmed in the Qur'an, the Book of Islam. The moral and ethical code of Islam is similar to Judaism, Christianity and many other major world faiths. The only difference is in theology, concepts and practices, in the methods of worship of the One and the Only One God and methodology of how morality and ethics should govern all spheres and aspects of our human life. A Muslim must do good deeds and work for the welfare of humanity in co-operation with others for common good.
Islamic Theory: 3 Ds: 1) Din ; 2) Dunya; 3) Dawla
Islamic way of life can be summarised in three words 1) Din (religion), 2) Dunya (Community), 3) Dawla, (State). Islamic Shariah covers all of these three aspects. From Islamic point of view, life is a unity. It cannot be divided into watertight compartments. Islamic Shariah gives directions to all aspects of life in its entirety. Islamic Shariah is a complete scheme of life and an all-embracing social order where nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking. Therefore there is no separation between state and church. Islamic State is not a theocratic state. Secularism, in Muslims view, destroys the transcendence of all moral values. In Qur'anic words "those who forget God eventually forget themselves" (The Holy Qur'an 59:19) and their individual and corporate personalities disintegrate. Thus, Islam is considered the religion in which, through voluntary submission to God, human beings find peace with themselves and their environment. A Muslim seeks God's guidance in all matters all the time. There is no contradiction between the divine rights of the individual, anchored in the Holy Qura'n, and the core rights as embodied in the Universal Human Rights declarations. Muslims support fundamental human rights, rule of law, and division of power with accountability and checks and balances, universal suffrage and eligibility, and freedom of speech and conscience. Islamic Shariah commands its followers to observe the local legal order. Muslims can live anywhere in the world, provided they can fulfil their fundamental religious duties. Muslims must also respect and abide by all laws of the land.
The general theory of Islam begins with a consideration of application of Islamic Shariah (Law) in daily life. Shariah is not a divine Law. It is a human interpretation of the sacred text. According to Islamic teachings, the Creator not only laid down laws governing the natural universe but rules for human conduct in all aspects of life. Unlike natural order, which follows its predetermined laws, mankind has the freedom to rebel and follow its own "man-made" laws, which is, however, a form of unbelief (shirk). Non-submission to the will of Allah is not only an act of ingratitude (kufr) for divine mercies, but also a choice for evil and misery in this world and punishment in the life hereafter. In Islam, all aspects of natural life have been God-willed, therefore, the ultimate purpose of all creation is the compliance of the created with the will of the creator. Islam is neither a purely otherworldly religion nor one that focuses too much on worldly affairs. Muslims seek the best of both worlds. Islam is simultaneously a creed, a set of ethical norms, a social order, and a way of life. Wherever they are, Muslims are expected to actively contribute to the common good and to show solidarity with their brothers and sisters in faith, worldwide. Islamic Shariah commands its followers to observe the local legal order.
Do Islam and Christianity have different origins? No. Together with Judaism, they go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham, and their three prophets are directly descended from his sons, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) from the elder son Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus from the younger son Isaac. Abraham established the settlement which today is the city of
Tracing its origins to the same Semitic soil that bore Judaism and Christianity, Islam continues to deeply influence the beliefs, values, and customs of an estimated one fifth of the human race. Yet, despite this commonality of descent, and the presence of Muslim communities in
Diversity recognised, appreciated and celebrated:
Islam presents the concept that all human beings are equal and we are equal because we are all creatures of God with no distinctions of colour, race or country, or tribe or clan or anything else. One would find that fanaticism is generated in the last analysis either from any of these false prejudices, when you try to group humanity into certain watertight compartments. One cannot change the colour of his skin; one cannot change his place of birth. If one believes in any of these standards, then rational fusion of the human race is not possible and you become intolerant towards others.
In Islam, the rational fusion is possible for whatever tribe, you come from, from whatever race you come, whatever colour you may have, whatever territory you might be born in, whatever language you speak, you are one, and you can be one. You belong to one race the human race, the one family the human family. You belong to one Universal brotherhood of mankind. Diversity among fellow human beings must be recognised, appreciated and valued in all aspects of life. The majority community is always judged the way it treats its minority community.
Diversity in Islam:
The foundations out of which an Islamic perspective on any topic should arise are nothing less than the authentic sources of Islam, the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Both the Qur'an and the Hadith embrace and affirm Ikhtilaf, i.e. differences in belief, perspectives and viewpoints, as being natural and an essential part of the human condition. A denial of the right of others to hold beliefs and views, which are different and incompatible to one's own, is tantamount to a denial of Allah himself. In the Holy Qur'an, chapter 10, verse 99, Allah, the Sublime, declares:
"If your Lord had so desired, all the people on the earth would surely have come to believe, all of them; do you then think, that you could compel people to believe?" (Holy Qur'an 10:99)
And again in Qur'an, chapter 11, verse 118, Allah, the Sublime, declares:
"And had your Lord so willed, He could surely have made all human beings into one single community: but (He willed it otherwise, and so) they continue to hold divergent views." (Holy Qur'an 11:118)
Both of these verses establish the principle of freedom of belief and thought in Islam. At the conclusion of the first verse, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is himself reproved for transgressing this principle by being over-enthusiastic in convincing others with regard to the truth of Islam. Thus the Qur'an stresses that the differences in beliefs, views and ideas of humankind is not incidental and negative but represents an Allah-willed, basic factor of human existence. The challenge which the principle of freedom of belief and thought in Islam holds for us is to develop clear ethics and find mechanisms to manage and deal with the differences of beliefs and theologies that exist. This is the challenge that religious pluralism holds for us.
The Role of Religion and Faith communities:
Religion brings joy and hope to millions of people in the world. To some faith is their belonging and is part of their identity. Religion is a social force that can be harnessed to build bridges or manipulated to erect walls. Living and working together in today's multicultural, multi-religious and multi faith society is not always easy. Faith communities have huge human and financial recourses. Religion motivates its followers for doing good deeds such as raising funds for good causes, helping elderly and needy people in our communities and motivating their followers to tackle many social issues in our society.
Religion harnesses deep emotions, which can sometimes take destructive forms. Where this happens, we must draw on our faith to bring about reconciliation and understanding. The truest fruits of our faith are healing the wounds of the past and being positive to construct trust and fellowship between different people.
We have a great deal to learn from one another, which enriches us without undermining our own identities. Together, listening and responding with openness and respect, we can move forward to work in ways that acknowledge genuine differences but build on shared hopes and values.
Interfaith Dialogue:
Interfaith Dialogue among people of different religious communities is more needed today than ever before. For many of us involved in this process, dialogue is an avenue to explain one's own faith to the other and to learn a little about the religion of one's dialogue partner. There are some who would like to see this dialogue go beyond 'knowing one another'. They hope that through active intellectual interaction and engagement a shared universal spiritual-moral worldview will emerge which will serve as the basis of a new truly just and compassionate global civilisation.
What they are seeking is not just inter-religious understanding but the nurturing of a deep human bond of love and empathy transcending religious affiliation. Individuals who live in fear and lack of comprehension of other cultures are more likely to resort to acts of hatred, violence and destruction against a perceived "enemy". Those who are exposed to the cultures of others and learn about them through communications across cultural divides are more likely to see diversity as strength and celebrate it as a gift. Today, globalisation, migration and communication are bringing different races, cultures, ethnicities and religions into even closer contact with each other. People can and should take pride in their particular faith or heritage but share common human values.
People of faith always come together at the time of difficulty. They draw instructions from their own faith to bring reconciliation and understanding as truest fruits of religion is healing. People of faith do talk about: the danger of war and destruction by the powerful nations, lack of clean water to millions people on our planet, poverty, hunger, air pollution and our regard to environment, the increasing erosion of common human moral values and many other concerns such as peace, justice, tolerance and dialogue.
Regardless of any influence of religious teaching in their daily lives, such values generally accepted by all: love, respect, mercy, forgiveness, charity, brotherhood, dignity of human life and human rights etc. Most of these vales are derived from religious beliefs. However, Inter-faith movement has to involve itself in major moral issues which world is facing today. Interfaith dialogue is the only answer to religious exclusiveness. Sad is a nation whose young people have no dreams; sadder yet is a nation where the old try to kill the dreams of their young.
The need of Inter-religious Dialogue:
The famous German theologian Prof Hans Kung once said, "No peace among nations without peace among religions, and no peace among religions without dialogue between the religions". In the document the Caux 2002 Dialogue: An honest conversation among concerned Muslims and non-Muslims on Peace, Justice and Faith I added, "No peace without justice and no justice without forgiveness and compassion". Among many prerequisites of meaningful dialogue are active listening, honest conversation, accepting the other's vision whether agreeing or disagreeing, and acknowledging the other's pain. In today's world there is a dire need of inter-religious dialogue. There are common values that human beings share irrespective of religion, nationality or ethnicity. These values include the sanctity of life, freedom, equality, respect for human rights, international humanitarian law, commitment to cultural and religious diversity, human dignity, human development, democracy, the rule of law, and equitable access to the earth's resources and equitable distribution of power.
The Necessity of Inter-religious Dialogue:
In my faith tradition the Holy Qur'an commands believers for interfaith co-operation "to come to common grounds" (Holy Qur'an 3:64). As a Muslim I have been ordered to build good relations with all people of the world (Holy Qur'an 49:13); work for peace everywhere and whenever possible with others (Holy Qur'an 2:208); cooperate with others in furthering virtue and God–consciousness (Holy Qur'an 5:2); seek and secure human welfare, promote justice and peace (Holy Qur'an 4:114); do good to others (Holy Qur'an 28:77) and not to break promises made to others (Holy Qur'an 16:91). The Holy Qur'an tells believers that those who do good deeds and help others are the best creation (Holy Qur'an 98:6). The Holy Prophet of Islam made it clear that "Religion is man's treatment of other fellow-beings" (Bukhari & Muslim); and "the best among you is he who does good deeds in serving other people" (Ahmad & Tabrani).
The Prophet of Islam (May the peace of God be upon him) practiced this ideal for interfaith dialogue himself while talking to Jews, Christians and other faith traditions, as well as people with no faith on issues concerning life, death and relevant matters. The Prophet of Islam confirmed this in writing explicitly in the Charter of Medina in 622 CE. The Holy Qur'an not only recognized religious pluralism as accepting other groups as legitimate socio-religious communities but also accepting their spirituality. The preservation of the sanctity of the places of worship of other faiths is paramount in Islamic tradition (Holy Qur'an
Golden Rule:
"Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself". It is noteworthy that most religions base their moral code on the highly effective Golden Rule:
Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful (Udana-Varga
Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary (Talmud, Shabbat 31a)
Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. (Mahabharata 5:1517)
Confucianism: Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness: Do not unto others what you would not have them do to you (Analects
Zoroastrianism: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not god for itself. Good thoughts, good words and good deed are the bases of good life.
The Christian faith actually uses two complimentary rules: The (ineffective) Biblical "Golden Rule" which proclaims: "All things whatsoever ye would that man should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt 7:12). However, the (effective) Ten Commandments are framed in the negative, as all moral codes must be in order to be effective.
Islam: "No one is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself." (Sunnah) This moral code is also a version of the Golden Rule. It is very ineffective. It is obeyed very selectively and ambiguously. Clearly, it is based on the unrealistic assumption that your brother has precisely the same needs and wants as you do.
If we wish to live in harmony with others and never give rise to a conflict with others, we must convert the "Golden Rule" into practice: "Don't do to others what you don't want done to yourself".
Religion: Bridge building or Wall Erecting?
We should see religion as a total way of life anchored in faith in God and expressing itself in ethical conduct at the individual and social level. Justice, love and compassion - values that are highly cherished in any religion - rather than form, ritual and symbol, should propel this way of life. Since these values are universal, religion, which serves as a conduit for them, should also be preached and practised in a genuinely universal manner. This is what one expects the practitioners of the religions to do in the coming century to counter the challenge of globalisation. They should discard the narrow, exclusive concept of religion, which often confines virtue and goodness to one's own kind. Justice and compassion in this exclusive approach seldom transcends one's own religious boundaries. We should eliminate forever such religious exclusivism. In a sense, certain aspects of globalisation may make it easier for us to put across the universal, all-embracing message of religion and its core values. Given the worldwide reach of the media we have today, for the first time in history the opportunity exists to convey to humankind as a whole the universal essence of each of our religions. Instead of allowing narrow-minded bigots to monopolise the airwaves, why shouldn't men and women with a universal outlook state their case through the global media infrastructure? Even more important, societies everywhere, as we have observed, are becoming less and less exclusive and more and more multi-religious.
It is as if social reality itself is forcing us to get rid of our exclusive attitudes and develop a universal orientation to our religion, which will be more accommodating of 'the other'. Indeed, one gets the feeling that each and every society is slowly, often painfully, beginning to realise what "humanity as a single family" means. Perhaps this is the path that nations must take for a universal community founded upon our common humanity to emerge. It is a community that globalisation will never be able to achieve. When such a universal community of different religions and peoples bound by their common humanity becomes a reality, we will understand what the illustrious mystic, Jallaluddin Rumi, meant when he wrote, "The lamps are different but the light is the same." In brief, religion motivates its followers to do good deeds such as charitable work and encourages doing common good for the betterment of all humanity.
Some Muslim might agree with the assertion, made by Daniel Johnson in The Daily Telegraph, on
I must admit that Muslims have failed to publicise the pluralistic vision of Islam. As Murad Hofmann has said, "it is essential that the Western media and those who exert an influence on public opinion should be made aware of the true Islamic model of religious pluralism."[2]
The Holy Qur'an not only conveys a message of peace, respect, tolerance, justice, freedom and compassion; it provides mankind with a global framework for co-operation and a charter for inter-faith dialogue. It repeatedly stresses that all peoples on earth have had their prophets and messengers, and that multiplicity of every kind — religious, cultural, or ethnic — is part of God's magnificent design: "And among His wonders is…the diversity of your tongues and colours" (The Holy Qur'an 30: 22); "To each [community] among you have We appointed a law and a way of life. And if God had so willed, He could have made you one community: but [He willed it otherwise] in order to test you…So compete with one another in doing good works, for to God you will all return, and He will inform you about that wherein you differ" (The Holy Qur'an 5: 48).
This means that prophetic guidance is not limited to any one community, period, or civilisation. So Muslims — if they are true to their faith — do not claim a monopoly of the truth, or a monopoly of revelation: "And indeed, within every community have We raised up an apostle [with this message]: 'Worship God and shun the powers of evil'" (The Holy Qur'an 16: 36). Like Jesus, the Prophet Muhammad did not come to establish a new religion, but to recapitulate the teachings of those prophets, or messengers, who had preceded him. He came to remind us of our status in the divine scheme of things as God's servants and deputies. As the Prince of Wales said, in "A Reflection on the Reith Lectures for the Year 2000," we have failed to live up to this "sacred trust between mankind and our Creator, under which we accept our duty of stewardship for the earth." [3]
The actions of a few Muslim fanatics have been interpreted as vindicating the old idea that Islam promotes violence. All too often in the media the word "terrorism" is coupled with the adjective "Islamic." If Islam were really, as some suppose, a religion of fire and sword, why would "the true servants of the Most Merciful" be defined in the Holy Qur'an as "those who walk gently on earth and who, when the ignorant address them, say 'Peace'" (The Holy Qur'an 25: 63)? Why would Muslims be admonished to greet one another, on all occasions, with the words, "Peace be with you and God's mercy and blessings"? It is clearly stated in the Holy Qur'ân: "There shall be no compulsion in religion" (The Holy Qur'an 2: 256). This disproves the fallacy that Islam imposes on the non-Muslim the choice between conversion and the sword. According to the Holy Qur'an, "God does not love aggressors" The Holy Qur'an 2: 190), and war is only permitted in self-defence, or in defence of religion. If people did not have such a right, then, "monasteries and churches and synagogues and mosques, in which God's name is much remembered, would surely have been destroyed by now" (The Holy Qur'an
However, when the opportunity for peace arises, Muslims are encouraged to be forgiving and to seek reconciliation, for mercy and compassion are God's chief attributes: "Whoever pardons [his foe] and makes peace, his reward rests with God." (The Holy Qur'an 42: 40). This is why Muslims are taught to dedicate themselves constantly to God's service with the words, "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." Since the word Islam means "submission," from the same root as salâm, "peace," a Muslim is simply a person who attempts to find inner peace by submitting to God's will: "He guides to Himself all those who turn to Him — those who believe, and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of God — for, truly, in the remembrance of God hearts do find their rest" (The Holy Qur'an 13: 27-28). War in itself is never holy, and if the lesser jihad of war is not accompanied by what the Prophet Muhammad called "the greater jihad," the struggle to control the lower instincts and the whims of the ego, then war may be diabolical.
The following principles may be derived from the The Holy Qur'an.
First of all, Muslims should not ridicule the beliefs of others: "But do not revile those whom they invoke instead of God, lest they revile God out of spite, and in ignorance: for We have made the deeds of every people seem fair to them. In time, they must return to their Lord, and then He will make them understand what they have done" (The Holy Qur'an 6: 108).
Secondly, Muslims should not associate with those who ridicule our faith: "Do not take for your friends such as mock at your faith and make a jest of it…they are people who do not use their reason" (The Holy Qur'an
Thirdly, when Muslims address those who do not share our beliefs, we should speak with courtesy: "And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation otherwise than in a most kindly manner" (The Holy Qur'an 29: 46).
Fourthly, Muslims should invite people to use their reason, appealing to the intellect to interpret God's words, because there is no contradiction between faith and reason: "O People of Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham, seeing that the Torah and the Gospels were not revealed till long after him? Will you not, then, use your reason?" (The Holy Qur'an 3: 65).
Above all, within the bounds of propriety — no backbiting or blasphemy — there must be freedom of opinion and discussion both with those who hold other religious views and with those who share our faith — for if we cannot appreciate diversity within our own religious community, we will certainly not be able to value religious diversity.[5] The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said: "The differences of opinion among the learned within my community are [a sign of God's] grace." If Muslims were to follow these principles, they would become once again a"community of the middle way" (The Holy Qur'an, 2: 143), exercising moderation and avoiding all extremes.[6]
It needs to be said, however, that before one can begin to apply these principles there has to be the willingness to listen and to engage in dialogue, and there has to be some degree of mutual respect and equality between the two parties. When there is a gross disparity of wealth, power and privilege, such as exists between
We now have to make a choice — individually and collectively — between confrontation and dialogue, between destruction and construction, between war and diplomacy. True global cooperation will not be possible until we recover an awareness of the ecumenical, ecological and ethical principles that are at the heart of every spiritual tradition. In most of the world's trouble spots — in Palestine, Kashmir, Gujarat, and Chechnya — Muslims have been massacred and tortured and denied their most basic rights – freedom, independence and dignity of life. In
Those who see religious, cultural and ethnic diversity as a blessing, and who share the view of the Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks that "no one creed has a monopoly of spiritual truth; no one civilisation encompasses all the spiritual, ethical, and artistic expressions of mankind,"[8] must find the middle way between religious fanaticism and fanatical secularism. It is essential, as His Royal Highness Prince Hassan of Jordan has said, that we promote a dialogue of civilisations,[9] and that we should not allow extremists to highjack Islam or any other religion.[10] It is vitally important, especially in the light of current events, to refute those shallow secularists who regard religion itself as inevitably divisive, and to rediscover the ethical principles upon which all the great spiritual traditions are based. It is not simply a matter of respecting religious differences; we have to recover the practical spiritual wisdom that unites us and makes us human. As Martin Luther King said, "our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies."[11] This vision of a just and peaceful multi-religious society can never be achieved without the active cooperation of the mass media.
The necessity of mutual cooperation:
In my faith tradition the Holy Qur'an commands believers for interfaith co-operation "to come to common grounds" (The Holy Qur'an 3:64). As a Muslim I have been ordered to build good relations with all people of the world (The Holy Qur'an 49:13 & (16:40); work for peace everywhere and whenever possible with others (The Holy Qur'an 2:208) & 8:61); cooperate with others in furthering virtue and God–consciousness (The Holy Qur'an 5:2); seek and secure human welfare, promote justice and peace (The Holy Qur'an 4:114); do good to others (The Holy Qur'an 28:77) and not to break promises made to others (The Holy Qur'an 16:91). The Holy Qur'an tells believers that those who do good deeds and help others are the best creation (The Holy Qur'an 98:6). The Holy Prophet of Islam made it clear that "Religion is man's treatment of other fellow-beings" (Bukhari & Muslim); and "the best among you is he who does good deeds in serving other people" (Ahmad & Tabrani).
The Prophet of Islam (May the peace of God be upon him) practiced this ideal for interfaith dialogue himself while talking to Jews, Christians and other faith traditions, as well as people with no faith on issues concerning life, death and relevant matters. The Prophet of Islam confirmed this in writing explicitly in the Charter of Medina in 622 CE. The Holy Qur'an not only recognized religious pluralism as accepting other groups as legitimate socio-religious communities but also accepting their spirituality. The preservation of the sanctity of the places of worship of other faiths is paramount in Islamic tradition (The Holy Qur'an
Dialogue:
Dialogue, as the term is used today to characterize encounters between persons and groups with different religions or ideologies, is something quite new. When different religions or ideologies met in the past, the main purpose was to overcome an opponent, because each was completely convinced that it alone knew the secret of human life. In recent times sincerely convinced persons of different religions and ideologies have slowly come to the conviction that they did not hold such a secret entirely unto themselves that in fact they had something very important to learn from each other. As a consequence they approached their encounters with other religions and ideologies not primarily in the teaching mode but the learning mode--seeking together to find more of the meaning of life. That is dialogue.
One lesson we have to learn from the evil events of
Dialogue is a sustained honest conversation between parties who are not saying the same thing and who recognise and respect the differences, the contradictions and the mutual exclusions between their various ways of thinking. The object of this dialogue is understanding and appreciation leading to further reflection upon the implications for one's own position of the convictions and sensitivities of other traditions.
Given the current animosity and misunderstanding between Jews and Muslims, it is clear that there are no quick fixes. There are no easy answers or simple solutions that will ensure mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation. But the road is not blocked. There is a way forward. Islam respects Judaism and calls for true deep encounter that will lead to the building of a real partnership. Islam educates to acknowledge the truth that in all religions and for non-violence. Islam says that it is better that all houses of worship, including Makkah, are destroyed and not one innocent person killed. Jews and Muslims live together in the
Jews and Christians will need to make a special effort to learn more about Islam than what was required for them intelligently to engage in the Jewish Christian dialogue, for in the latter situation they usually knew at least a little about the partner's religion. With Islam they will probably be starting with a negative quantity compounded from sheer ignorance and massive misinformation. Education provides the basis for mutual understanding. Uninformed or erroneous views about the other are at the root of many problems plaguing Jewish-Christian- Muslim relations.
Judaism and Islam carry with them stereotypical expectations about others. Among these expectations is that the faiths cannot be taught or studied without personal bias toward one's own faith and against another's. While this statement is partially true, bias can be encountered in any discipline whether theological or secular. All the same, these faiths can also be taught just as seriously as biology or English literature. More surprisingly, what many of us fail to realize is that what we learn about another faith may actually increase the depth to which we learn our own. There are two ways today to counter religious hatred in any culture. First, we must raise the awareness of our children that the greatness of any nation lies in its people. We ought to teach more to love and reach for one another without regard to race, colour or religious orientation. Finally, we must wipe out negative stereotypes of the "other" from our human hearts and minds, for harmful images lead to harassment, discrimination, and intimation and hate crimes.
I truly believe that without the tolerance of the Arab rulers in
I also believe that Muslims, Jews, and Christians need to draw a line in the modem world between our communities and the non-monotheistic religions. Not that we should preach against them or hate them; but we should be unafraid to insist on our mutual concerns. The words of Pope Paul VI apply to all Christians, Jews, and Muslims, who "must assuredly be concerned for their separated brethren . . . making the first approaches toward them . . . dialogue is demanded nowadays . . . by the pluralism of society and by the maturity man has reached in this day and age." [Ecclesiam suam, no. 78, quoted in Austin Flannery, Vatican Council 11 (Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1975), 1003.] It is toward that end all Christians, Jews and Muslims are urged to strive, first among themselves and then with each other in pairs and all together.
Theological explorations have striven to enter into the rich spirituality of all three faiths. A three-fold focus of dialogue was identified and explored: 1) a dialogue of the head with an emphasis on intellectual matters; 2) a dialogue of the heart, beginning to see other" from their standpoint, 3) a dialogue of the hands, asking questions like: "What are we able to do for others?" Muslims are currently accused of being closed-minded, integrists, fundamentalists, prisoners of dogmatic beliefs. Here is a liberal, modern, humanist, Muslim proposal. I await the response of Jews, Christians, and secularists to my invitation to engage our thoughts, our endeavours, and our history in the cause of peace, progress, emancipation, justice through knowledge, and shared spiritual values.
The objective of the Dialogue may be to learn about how different cultural and religious traditions deal with the transmittance of value system and how one try to address the challenges of today with and through the value systems of old. The spiritual foundation of non-violence in the various religious traditions needs to be rediscovered in dialogue. One of the pressing questions for us all is: How do we speak about God in a century that has witnessed horrific events like the Shoah? "The Holocaust stands as an evil monument in history to what can happen if we fail to speak out against the spread of racism and intolerance. It is fundamental to our moral horizons and the way we choose to live our lives that we understand the Holocaust and why we need to oppose racism. Anti-Semitism. Bigotry, victimisation and prejudice, whatever its form and wherever it arises. The Holocaust still matters today, because the survivors were a reminder of the "living hell we should never forget". The events in
It is incumbent upon us to speak in ways that are not offensive or meaningless but respectful of the authenticity of our different faith traditions with their attendant moral-ethical and spiritual values, upon which a new world order must be based. A new world order in which every human life is valued and respected, "We are called to pray and work for the coming of God's realm." I passionately believe the act of remembrance must be active, not passive. If we are to avoid the mistakes of the past, we must educate people — particularly our young. Each one of us has a fundamental responsibility to protect and promote civil and human rights of all our brothers and sisters around us irrespective of their colour, creed, ethnic origin and their appearance. Jews and Muslims must reject their lunatic, fanatic and extremist fringes.
Dialogue: Scope and Principles
The cooperation and dialogue between different faith communities are needed in the following four basic steps: 1. Determination of the available scopes of our common work. 2. Determination of the common values and principles. 3. Making practical program to realize the common conceptions. 4. Presentation of the field results of our joint work to become a model on the world level. The following scopes and principles: 1. Religious values are the essential source of safe communities. 2. Dialogue is religious duty, civilisational method and secures demand. 3. Respecting unity of the human family and its common interests. 4. Respecting of human life and human dignity. 5. Respecting freedom of faith, obedience and religious privacies. 6. Respecting cultural diversity of communities. 7. Respecting human rights and assuring on the human duties. 8. Respecting right of possession and maintaining legality of the mutual utilization of cosmos riches. 9. Assuring the equitable complementary between the responsibilities of man and women in the life. 10. Emphasizing that the legal family between man and woman is the only basis of the safe communities. 11. Respecting rights of children to family upbringing and well education. 12. Respecting obligation of education for all human generations. 13. Fighting Injustice, aggression, and corruption in the Earth. 14. Fighting family dissociation, social degeneration and moral deterioration. 15. Fighting the misuse of Drugs, narcotics and human trafficking such as slave and sex trade. 16. Fighting disease and ignorance. 17. Fighting economic exploitation of the needy people and making poverty history. 18. Fighting extremism, terrorism and rebellion against doctrines of justice 19. Promoting harmony among religious and racial diversity 20. Fighting weapons of mass destruction and all kinds of aggression against innocent people and environment. 21. Respecting rights of peoples in self-defence and in self- determination. What is the difference between dialogue and debate?
| Dialogue | Discussion and Debate |
| To inquire and to learn | |
| To unfold shared meaning | To gain agreement on one meaning |
| To integrate multiple perspectives | To evaluate and select the best |
| To uncover and examine assumptions | To justify/defend assumptions |
Dialogue compared with Debate
Dialogue is very different than our usual ways of communicating. The specifics of dialogue can be easily forgotten, so it helps to review the principles.
· Dialogue is collaborative: two or more sides work together toward common understanding. Debate is oppositional: two sides oppose each other and attempt to prove each other wrong.
· In dialogue, finding common ground is the goal. In debate, winning is the goal.
· In dialogue, one listens to the other side(s) in order to understand, find meaning, and find agreement. In debate, one listens to the other side in order to find flaws and to counter its arguments.
· Dialogue enlarges and possibly changes a participant's point of view. Debate affirms a participant's own point of view.
· Dialogue reveals assumptions for reevaluation. Debate defends assumptions as truth.
· Dialogue causes introspection on one's own position. Debate causes critique of the other position.
· Dialogue opens the possibility of reaching a better solution than any of the original solutions. Debate defends one's own positions as the best solution and excludes other solutions.
· Dialogue creates an open-minded attitude: an openness to being wrong and an openness to change. Debate creates a closed-minded attitude, a determination to be right.
· In dialogue, one submits one's best thinking, knowing that other people's reflections will help improve it rather than destroy it. In debate, one submits one's best thinking and defends it against challenge to show that it is right.
· Dialogue calls for temporarily suspending one's beliefs. Debate calls for investing wholeheartedly in one's beliefs.
· In dialogue, one searches for basic agreements. In debate, one searches for glaring differences. · In dialogue, one searches for strengths in the other positions. In debate, one searches for flaws and weaknesses in the other positions.
· Dialogue involves a real concern for the other person and seeks to not alienate or offend. Debate involves a countering of the other position without focusing on feelings or relationship and often belittles or deprecates the other person.
· Dialogue assumes that many people have pieces of the answer and that together they can put them into a workable solution. Debate assumes that there is a right answer and that someone has it.
· Dialogue remains open-ended. Debate implies a conclusion.
Listening :
· Listen with compassion and empathy from the heart. Avoid quick judgment or blame. Control the urge to argue, counter, dissuade, or fix.
· Listen with equal respect to everyone, regardless of status or roles.
· Listen for each person's special contribution to deeper understanding.
· Listen from a place of learning rather than confirmation of current thinking.
· Listen to the quality of your own listening.
· Listen for common threads from the collective, from the community, from the whole - the collective mind.
· Listen actively. Try not to let your mind wander or think about what you're going to say while others are speaking. Avoid interrupting.
Speaking:
· Speak from your heart, from your authentic life experience, from the moment. When possible, use "I" statements, instead of "we," "you," or "they."
· Be willing to contribute even half-formed, unfinished ideas or thoughts. They may be the seeds of new insights and intelligence for the group.
· Ask questions from a place of genuine curiosity, wondering, or not knowing, rather than to make a point.
· Speak when you are truly "moved" rather than to fill a void. Allow for silence when appropriate.
· Share air time. Try not to dominate the conversation.
· Use considerate language. Avoid using labels whenever possible.
· Acknowledge your new insights gained from the group.
· Speak into the circle, into the whole group, into the stream of growing experience and shared meaning.
· Avoid cross-talk, to avoid excluding others and turning them into spectators of one-on-one interaction. When you are silent, indicate your listening presence from time to time in the group, verbally or by eye contact or attentiveness.
· Feel free to express your feelings when you have been offended or hurt.
Human Respect and Dignity:
Human dignity is an acknowledgement of the divine presence in each and every one of us and unites us into a single family. We believe in "Thinking globally but acting locally." We live in an increasingly inter-netted world where it is now possible, thanks to the development of mass media, to communicate across language, cultural and religious barriers to the extent that has never previously even been imaginable.
Yet, the paradox of our time is that despite these remarkable developments in IT and communication, there are important gulfs that separate people and in so doing, as recent international developments have shown, threaten the stability and security of our world
It has been argued that from an Islamic viewpoint, there must be a common moral basis for mutual understanding both in general terms and in relation to the role of the media. For Muslims, there is an imperative to understand the reasons underpinning diversity, recognise that this diversity is inherent within the Divine plan, commit to searching for truth and upholding justice, respect for the rule of law, engage in dialogue and, finally, where differences cannot be resolved through these means, to respect differing viewpoints. Such a framework is, I believe, in essence common to all refined moral codes. The world will not change for the better unless the conscience of individuals is changed first.
It is imperative that these differences or tensions are not buried out of the fear of political correctness. There is a need for us all, to do more to understand the standpoints of those of other traditions and this is unfortunately very true of many Muslims today who simplistically and often unfairly reject the western world and its media as being immoral and decadent. This is something that we in the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) are trying hard to change – and this underpins our motto – of 'seeking the common good'. For further details see www.mcb.org
The world's Religious view:
Plurality is a fact of today's global village. People from many different faiths and belief or no faith live side by side. But society can only be built on mutual respect, openness and trust. This means living our lives with integrity, and allowing others to do so too. Our different religious traditions teach us the importance of good relationships characterized by honesty, truth, love, unselfishness, compassion and generosity of care for resolving conflicts by peaceful means.
Better understanding of others require us to share our desire for peace-building based on reverence of life, freedom, and justice, the eradication of poverty, dissolution of all forms of discrimination and protection of the environment for future generations. We should show each other respect and courtesy. In dealing with people of other faiths and beliefs, or no convictions of any faith, this means:
· Respecting other people's freedom within the law to express their beliefs and convictions;
· Learning to understand what others actually believe and value, and letting them express this on their own terms;
· Valuing and respecting the convictions of others about food, dress, and social etiquette and not behaving in ways which cause needless offence;
· Recognizing that all of us at times fall short of the ideals of our own traditions and never comparing our own ideals with other people's practices;
· Working together to prevent disagreement from leading to conflict;
· Always seeking to avoid violence in our relationship.
Common, Core, Shared Human Values:
Honesty and sincerity, love and compassion, dignity and mutual respect, modesty and humility, moderation and restraint in our actions, sacrifice and unselfishness, kindness and courtesy, a sense of justice and a sense of fairness, a sense of balance and a sense of propriety, seeking forgiveness and asking for apology for past mistakes – these are values which all religions cherish.
When we talk about matters of faith and society with one another, we need to do so with sensitivity, honesty and straightforwardness. This means:
· Recognising that listening carefully with respect, as well as speaking, is necessary for a genuine and honest conversation;
· Being honest about our beliefs and religious allegiances in bringing people together, not in confrontation but in trust to tackle urgent needs of the community;
· Not misrepresenting or disparaging other people's beliefs and practices;
· Correcting misunderstandings or misrepresentations not only of our own but also of other faiths whenever we come across them;
· Being straightforward about our intentions in searching for solutions, focusing on what is right rather than who is right;
· Accepting and valuing the God-given diversity of our human family, honouring each person, appealing to the best qualities in everyone, and refusing to stereotype others;
· Ensuring that all religious commitments of all those who are present in any interfaith meetings will be respected;
· Recognising that energy for change requires a moral and spiritual transformation in each human spirit.
All of us want others to understand and respect our personal views. Some people will also want to persuade others to join their faith. In a multi faith society where this is permitted, the attempt should always be characterized by self-restraint and concern for the other's freedom and dignity. This means:
· Respecting another person's expressed wish to be left alone;
· Avoiding imposing ourselves and our views on individuals or communities who are in vulnerable situations;
· Always being sensitive and courteous;
· Avoiding violent actions or language, threats, manipulation, improper inducements, or the misuse of any kind of power;
· Respecting the right of others to disagree with us;
· Building lasting relationship outside our comfort zones.
Global Ethics and Interfaith Dialogue;
Since
Muslims stand clearly against all forms of racism. Islamic teachings insets on establishing justice between people, and through justice, peace. Islam protects the universal, God-given rights of humankind, while recognising that people have differing paths in religion which they are free to follow and which confer differing social and economic rights among people such as in marriage, divorce and inheritance. This freedom is at the heart of the tolerance of Islam.
In this world there are many injustices, among these are the rise of anti-Semitism especially that manifested in unjust attacks on innocent Jews, the rise of Islamophobia, the attacks on innocent Muslims and the numerous other cases where human rights are violated across the world. In seeking to heal the world of these problems, we need to identify the good actions of those being criticised, as well as identifying their bad actions, and we need to avoid intending retribution by our criticism by forgiving those who have injured us or at least clearly being prepared to do so, should they ask for it. If it is done right, this will help to create, not inflamed argument, but sincere dialogue. We need a dialogue of civilisations, not a monologue and not a clash of civilisations.
I am reminded the words of Professor Hans Kung "No peace among nations without peace among the religions and no peace among the religions without dialogue between the religions". I add "No peace without Justice and no Justice without forgiveness and compassion". Dialogue and agreement must be conscientiously applied and maintained, so to create bonds of love, care, trust and confidence. Its prerequisite is proper education and learning from one another. We must speak and act truthfully with compassion. We must treat others as we wish others to treat us. Every human being must be treated, fairly, humanly and with dignity without any fear or discrimination.
I admire the work of Prince Hlassan El Talal over the years for promoting better understanding between different faiths and advocating dialogue for resolving conflicts. His short book "Continuity, innovation and Change" is must read for every Muslim. I not only share his vision but also say that he represents true Islamic scholarship in the current debate on the issue of World peace. The building of peace requires an attitude of sanctity and reverence of life, freedom and justice, the eradication of poverty, dissolution of all forms of discrimination and the protection of the environment for personal and future generations. The ideals of peace include fundamental and global directives such as:
· Do not kill i.e. have respect for life;
· Do not steal i.e. deal honestly and fairly;
· Do not lie i.e. speak and act truthfully;
· Do not commit sexual immorality i.e. respect and love one another.
I confirm that Islam is faith of moderation and girder of unity for all mankind and blessing for mankind because Muslim model communities where:
· All of God's creation — whether human, animal or the environment — is valued and respected;
· Where people want more to serve others than to get what they can for themselves;
· Where no one has too little or too much;
· Respecting the right of others to disagree with us;
· Being sensitive and courteous to all.
I affirm that in Islam the belief in God or the Divine is the bedrock of one's faith out of which flows ideas on the meaning and purpose of life; on the unity and dignity of mankind. Human dignity thus is an acknowledgement of the divine presence in each and every one of us and unites us into a single family. I believe in "Thinking globally but acting locally." The world will not
Unity, Diversity and Hope:
We have seen that history has not ended and civilisations have not clashed even after
We should pledge to increase our awareness by positive thinking in understanding one another. We must pledge to be courageous defenders of peaceful teachings and interpretations of Islam, and to be exemplary peacemakers in our personal, family and social conduct of our lives in order to socially beneficial, peace fostering, bridge-builder and nature-friendly way of life.
Remember, Remember, Remember. Evil is not in the body. Evil is in the mind, therefore harm nobody. Just change the mind.
Lord You said and your word is true! Love is stronger than hate. O God Almighty You are peace and from You peace comes. Bestow upon all of us your peace and make our final destiny in your eternal abode of peace. Let there be respect for the earth, peace for is people, love in our lives, and delight in the good, forgiveness for our past wrongs and from now on a new start.
9 Septermber 2008
Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid
Chairman Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony
Tel: +44 (0) 1273 722438
Email: imamsajid@gmail.com
References
[1] "War to the death between
[2] Murad Hofmann has been cited from a forthcoming collection of essays by different scholars on Islam and religious pluralism that Roger Abdul-Wahhab Boase has edited (unpublished)
[3]
[4] Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Traditional Islam in the Modern World (London: Kegan Paul International, 1987), pp. 27-33.
[5] Bhikhu Parekh made this point was with reference to cultural groups in Rethinking Multiculturalism: Cultural Diversity and Political Theory (
[6] See Yusuf al-Qaradawi's essay on "Extremism" in Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook, ed. Charles Kurzman (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), pp.196-204; and the chapters on "War and Peace in the Qur'ân," and "Tolerance in Islam" in Muhammad Abdel Haleem, Understanding the Qur'ân: Themes and Style (London and New York: I.B. Tauris, 1999), pp. 59-81.
[7] Cited in Rumman Ahmed, "My Identity and Me: An Exploration of Multiple Identities and their Contribution towards a Faith Position," World Faiths Encounter, 28 (March 2001), 50.
[8] The Dignity of Difference (
[9] Speech given at a conference on "Islamic Responses to Terrorism," given at the Al-Khoei Foundation,
[10] See interview with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson in The Guardian,
[11] Martin Luther King, Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community (Boston: Beacon Press, 1967), p. 190
