By
Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Hamdy Zaqzouq
President of Al-Azhar Center for Dialogue
Al-Azhar Magazine (Safar, 1440 A.H. October, 2018.)
If we really want to create one world for all, then religions also have to contribute their share creatively. For this reason, the dialogue of religions is as necessary as never before, to be able to fight successfully against misunderstanding existing between religions, which certainly is no easy task. In this context, a realistic look at the present situation of the world may be helpful.
Although humanity technically dominates the world to an extent never imagined before, in all this the question arises more and more urgently, how to master the future of the global society. Besides, poverty increasing world-wide, tendencies of aggression and destruction growing everywhere have to be tackled. They have to be replaced by the necessary peaceful cooperation in the spirit of mutual understanding and true tolerance. Not only the problem of material survival of humanity and of our mismanaged planet is topical here, which, however, is seriously called into question today. At stake is rather that the instruments of peace – the true sources of religion and cultures originating in them – can be saved in their essence. For, although man is part of nature and has a multitude of biological and material claims to make his true nature and dignity line in his special ability to think freely and reasonably, i.e. in his capacity for culture.
Of the many problems, at the moment the issues of coexistence of religions and cultures as well as the establishment of general human rights are especially on the table for discussion. More precisely, both questions are closely linked with one another. This means that we are basically concerned with finding ways how to establish in the global society a true pluralism of religion and culture and with it also an effective acknowledgement of general human rights.
Seen from the side of Islam, such a pluralism of religion and culture is not only possible, but from the perspective of religions even required. Unity through diversity is in this sense a truly Islamic principle. And most certainly, the necessity of respecting human rights is here one of the main Islamic claims.
In the constitution of Medina, the Prophet Muhammed from the beginning claimed, in an exemplary manner, religious pluralism for all citizens. The city constitution of Medina, which was proclaimed fourteen hundred years ago, expressly defines the Jews as a nation, which, together with the nation of Muslims, forms the society of Medina. According to the document of this constitution, the Jews have the same rights as the Muslims, whereby the difference of religious between these two nations is expressly emphasized. Thus the Prophet Muhammad already 1400 years ago supported the cause of the religious freedom and of religious diversity and in connection with it also the difference of the respective customs and traditions.
Diversity of religious beliefs in this sense is not to be equated with religious relativism. For its faithful, without doubt, every religion has a unique claim of absoluteness. Yet, seen from an Islamic prospective, this is fully compatible with acknowledging other revelation religions, which are, according to the teaching of the Quran, all of divine origin. Therefore, Muslims have to acknowledge all prophets – as e.g. Moses and Jesus- as divine messengers. A Muslim who does not accept this is no true Muslim. The Quran says that all these different religions are revealed by God. It is indeed the diversity of religion that makes the dynamic principle of development possible and only it can become effective. About this it is said:
“We have assigned a law and a path to each of you. If God had so willed, He would have made you one community, but He wanted to test you through that which He has given you, so race to do good: you will all return to God and He will make clear to you the matters you differed about.” (Al-Ma`idah:48).
Just as every human being has an identity of their own – for instance also visible in their finger prints – So peoples and nations also have their mistakable identities and their own ways of life and expression. Guidelines of peacefulness and justice, common to all religions, make possible if they are followed, a peaceful emulation for the good. This finally enables people to acknowledge the otherness of other people and groups as enrichment for humanity as such. For it is exactly this difference of people with reference to their nationality, religion, and culture that may, in the short and long term, result in getting to know more closely oneself and the others. This then may lead to discovering that after all, humaneness the capacity to be creative – is, in principle, common to us all. In this context the Quran inform us:
“People, We created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should recognize one another. In God’s eyes, the most honored of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is all knowing, all aware.” (Al-Hujurat: 13).
In context of our deliberations, I would like to refer to the fact that Islam was the first among all religions to have announced the call to religious dialogue. The Quran refers to the commonness of religions: they all do indeed call to man to serve the one God and no other religions of the same and is therefore not only basically open towards the idea of a society of religious pluralism, but even supports it. Since the beginning of humanity, thus is the teaching of the Quran, from time to time God has sent Prophets, teaching human beings the path of justice and mercy and of peace resulting from it.
The absolute uniqueness of God, announced by Islam, is to be seen closely together with the teaching of a primordial unity of human beings, which indeed, according to their origin, as the Quran teaches, stem from one soul, and who fundamentally share the coherent goal of peace.
If religions remember their primary task, which is to educate humans to be peaceful, they will thus be placed in the position to contribute to the necessary education of a global society of religious and cultural pluralism. For in this way they will gain the strength that enables them to effectively oppose the dominant trends of our time – nihilism, anarchy, terrorism – by creating the necessary climate of trust.
From an Islamic point of view, man has the chance, if he truly follows the guidelines of his religion, to create the three necessary interconnected circles of peace. This is firstly the circle of peace with God, in believing in Him. This is secondly the circle of peace with himself, in the heart of man. This is thirdly the circle of peace created around himself through his good deeds, with his fellow-men and environment. The harmony created thereby is what every man finally strives for in his innermost heart and what he is in vain searching for in outward goods (cf. Adh- Dhariyat: 22). Living in this harmony, he will be enabled to set out for his true task, which is to be active as the vicegerent of God on earth and thus make his contribution to the establishment of a world which is one world for all. This implies that with reference to religion, culture and society he practices the necessary tolerance is binding. But not only them is expressly required of Muslims, because, as the Quran says (Al-Mumtahinah: 8), this enables them to act justly. Since man, within the scope of his responsibility, has to live like a shepherd acting on his own responsibility and with as much dedication a possible, according to a well- known Hadith of Prophet Muhammad. As shepherd, creatively active in his domain, in accordance with his own endeavors and efforts, man gives his life a goal and a direction.
Since the world constantly changes, doubtlessly our responses to these challenges have to change with it. Thus we also have to change ourselves respectively and try to find the necessary new ways. Strictly speaking however, this does not really mean that we have to put totally aside the treasures of our history- our religion and culture.
To sum up, I would like to emphasize once more that Islam accepts religious and cultural pluralism as a fact. Thus Islam has never tried to force Christians and Jews to accept Islam. With reference to the adherents of other revealed religions, there is in Islamic law the principle that they all have the same rights and duties as the Muslims. Islam does not only accept religious pluralism, but considers it as a prerequisite to the creation of fruitful cultures and an optimally just social order.
Of course, this also implies that Islam by no means supports the construction of one single ‘World culture’ becoming more and more uniform and monotonous. In contrast, it establishes the example of a fruitful dialogue between the cultures and religions- and with it readiness to understand, tolerance, and cooperation between them. It expressly points to the fact that an occupation with the disagreements between the religions leads to sterile controversies and that the final judgment on these disagreements has to be left to God (cf. Al-Ma'idah: 48).
Since after all, in our global society we all live in the same world, the main aim of cooperation between the religions should be the defense of general human rights, without which the world will be increasingly destroyed. According to Islamic teaching, these rights for all are primarily the right of life, religion, and use of reason, property and the protection of the family.
Accordingly, what remains to be done for religions is trying, despite all differences, to accept one another. In this manner, they are given the chance of being in preparing the way for hope and optimism in our world. For the proper administering and protection of the gift ofcreation is our task (cf. Hud: 61), so that we can thus bring about” One World for all”.