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A. Sajid: The Way of Islam
Written by Imam Dr. Abduljalil Sajid, Chair, Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony, United Kingdom
Monday, January 2, 2006
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” (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 salam, “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” (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.
QUR’ANIC PRINCIPLES
The Qur’an advances many important principles that should regulate the attitudes and behavior of Muslims. 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” (6:108).
Second, Muslims should not associate with those who ridicule their 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” (5:57–58).
Third, when Muslims address those who do not share their beliefs, they should speak with courtesy: “and do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation otherwise than in a most kindly manner” (29:46).
Fourth, 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 until long after him? Will you not, then, use your reason?” (3:65).
Above all, within the bounds of propriety there must be freedom of opinion and discussion both with those who hold other religious views and with those who share the Muslim's faith; for if Muslims cannot appreciate diversity within our own religious community, we will certainly not be able to value religious diversity. 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” (2:143), exercising moderation and avoiding all extremes.
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 Israel and Palestine, dialogue is very difficult. In fact, the arrogance and selfishness of the rich nations, and the ever-widening gap between them and the rest of the world, generate feelings of resentment and discontent. In Islam a rich man has a duty to distribute some of his wealth to the poor, and the poor have a right to a share in his wealth. The discrepancy between the rich nations and the poor is now so great that the wealth of the world’s three richest families is said to be equal to that of 600 million people living in the world’s poorest countries.
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 denied their most basic rights and dignity. In Iraq, thousands of children have died as a result of the international community’s sanctions. Not unnaturally Muslims feel that they have been treated unjustly by what is euphemistically called “the world community.”
Those who see religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity as a blessing, and who share the view of Chief Rabbi [of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth] Jonathan Sacks that “no one creed has a monopoly of spiritual truth; no one civilization encompasses all the spiritual, ethical, and artistic expressions of mankind,” must find the middle way between religious fanaticism and fanatical secularism. It is essential, as His Royal Highness Prince Hassan of Jordan said in a speech in October 2001, that we promote a dialogue of civilizations, and that we not allow extremists to hijack Islam or any other religion.
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, Jr., 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.” This vision of a just and peaceful multireligious 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 in interfaith cooperation “to come to common grounds” (3:64). As a Muslim I have been ordered to build good relations with all people of the world (49:13; 16:40); work for peace everywhere and whenever possible with others (2:208; 8:61); cooperate with others in furthering virtue and God consciousness (5:2); seek and secure human welfare, promote justice and peace (4:114); do good to others (28:77); and keep promises made to others (16:91). The Qur’an tells believers that those who do good deeds and help others are the best creation (98:6). The Prophet Muhammad made it clear that “religion is man’s treatment of other fellow-beings” and “the best among you is he who does good deeds in serving other people.”
The Prophet of Islam practiced this ideal for interfaith dialogue himself while talking to Jews, Christians, and members of other faith traditions, as well as people with no faith on issues concerning life, death, and relevant matters. The Prophet confirmed this in writing explicitly in the Charter of Medina in 622 C.E. According to the Holy Qur’an, religious pluralism not only recognizes other groups as legitimate socio-religious communities but accepts their spirituality. The preservation of the sanctity of the places of worship of other faiths is paramount in Islamic tradition (22:40). The Holy Qur’an is full of examples.
IN SEARCH OF A COMMON GROUND
Much controversy arises over the question of values. What is meant by values? Which values are good and which bad, if any? Which values are to be tolerated even if their rightness is controversial? Has one a right to express and teach values? Can any science or doctrine be neutral with regard to values? These are key issues of psychic and social importance, not facts merely to observe and describe. The essential goodness of human nature is ultimately something for us to reach out to together, through discovering, experiencing, and further developing on a personal level. Progress in this direction invokes many kinds of responses from others in one’s personal sphere of experience, which strengthen the conviction that, despite all, values are a human heritage. Anti-values are but the result of ignorance of this heritage, as well as our shortcomings in discovering and pursuing our true destiny, whether individually or collectively.
The question that preoccupies us at present is this: Can we find a common ground on which Muslims and non-Muslims stand comfortably in a democratic and pluralistic society? My answer is a resounding yes. The Qur’an directs Muslims to find a common ground with other religious communities. This is expressed as mutual respect for the freedom and autonomy of different religious communities—that none should appropriate to themselves the right to impose their way of life on other religious communities. The Qur’an is also clear that there can be no force in religious matters. It urges Muslims to seek a political order based on peaceful cooperation and mutual respect, warning them against placing religious solidarity over covenanted rights and the principles of justice.
Religious conflict, particularly between Islam and Christianity in the past or the conflict between Israel and Palestine, more often than not arose out of human excesses and the desire to stir religious passion to support political goals. It is true that these Abrahamic religions (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity) advance slightly different conceptions of God and of humanity’s relation to the divine, but doctrinal differences are not limited to interreligious relationships. One can find more doctrinal diversity within each of these world religions than between them.
Muslims, Jews, and Christians share similar core values of respect for human life and dignity and profound commitment to charity and the common good. There are five common values in all major religions and faiths of world: honesty and sincerity, compassion and love, sacrifice and selflessness, a sense of justice and of fairness, patience and perseverance. Likewise, there is no religion that does not regard human dignity and mutual respect, modesty and humility, moderation and restraint, a sense of balance, and a sense of propriety as vital aspects of a flourishing civilization. Industry and diligence are important attributes. So are kindness and courtesy. The world has become a fairly stable multireligious society as a result of political, economic, and cultural policies and arrangements that have sought to accommodate the interests and aspirations of the different communities. But new challenges are demanding new strategies for bridging the chasm that separates disparate communities. Harnessing the common values embodied in the world’s religions is one such strategy that deserves our consideration.
Most religions base their moral code on the highly effective Golden Rule. Islam teaches, “No one is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.”
GOOD DEEDS AND MORAL VALUES
As a Muslim, I believe that faith in the broadest sense includes all that is good in life. And Islam emerged as a moral challenge for humanity to respond to the call of the faith with active submission to divine will, with a commitment to obey the Creator in providing for all beings in the society without any consideration of race, gender, language, color, culture, physical build, or ethnic origin. The goal of Islam—of its concepts, worship, and teachings relating to values, attitudes, morals, and behavior—is to create an individual Islamic personality prepared for a wider role in this life. Belief in Islam is not a simple assent to a dogma. All Islamic beliefs have reference to an action. Good actions become a part of Islamic faith, which leads to a more virtuous life. Men and women are thus accountable for their own actions and behavior. Humans have the responsibility to choose and implement a moral and righteous life in obedience to God’s commandments for common good.
The Qur’an and teachings of the Prophet of Islam strongly suggest that faith without the backing of good deeds is meaningless. Faith based on aqida (belief system) leads toward good deeds, and good deeds prepare a man for a full Islamic personality. Islamic concepts of taqwa (God-consciousness), falah (well-being), and hayat tayyibiah (good life) facilitate the realization of an Islamic personality—when a Muslim seriously pursues the broader goals of the creation believing that mankind is but one community and striving hard with others for freedom, justice, and peace. It is up to the individual Muslim to build Islamic qualities, values, and morals, such as brotherliness, sincerity, honesty, truthfulness, pursuit of knowledge, responsibility, integrity, fair dealing, discipline, self-control, humility, patience, courage, thankfulness, modesty, honor, self-respect, warmth and lovingkindness, generosity, hospitality, charitableness, kindness, helpfulness, respect, tolerance and mutual understanding, obedience to the commandments, and abstention from the prohibitions. These attributes transcend religious belief.
On a community level, a Muslim’s obligation is to establish what is right and eradicate what is wrong; strive for an Islamic identity supporting, promoting, and protecting a Muslim way of family life; deal with health and educational issues; and persevere in creating a condition wherein mutual compassion and well-being prevail for the benefit of the individual. On national and international levels, Muslims must work toward a better and more peaceful world. With their own actions and deeds they can dispel myths and misunderstandings about Islam and Muslims. The Muslim community has a great responsibility in promoting the teachings and values of Islam as a part of a global Muslim ummah (world community). Muslims must squarely confront the reality of secular trends and adopt a different approach in their strategy when living in a minority setting of darul ahad (domain of alliance and treaty agreement), as opposed to living in a majority setting of darul Islam (domain of peace), where Muslims have power and authority over their own affairs.
RELIGIOUS FOUNDATIONS FOR DIVERSITY AND PLURALISM
Through my knowledge of the sacred text of the Qur’an and the sunnah (the body of Islamic customs and practices based on the Prophet Mohammed’s words and deeds), I have come to conclusions that are relevant to the application of the Qur’an to contemporary society, particularly with regard to democracy and pluralism. First, one of the core principles of Muslim belief is shura, which means consultation. This was how the Prophet consulted with his companions on making decisions for his society. In the Qur’an, shura is mentioned twice, as a fundamental belief, just like prayer, and as a practice, according to the time in which one lives. In our times, genuine shura means both genuine pluralism of points of view and democracy. Second, this view of shura changes the concept of jihad, which we hear so much about from the fundamentalists.
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 a natural and essential part of the human condition.
A denial of the right of others to hold beliefs and views that are different and incompatible to one’s own is tantamount to a denial of Allah himself. In the Qur’an, 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?” (10:99) And again in the Qur’an, Allah 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.” (11:118)
Both verses establish the principle of freedom of belief, thought, and expression in Islam. At the conclusion of the first verse, the Prophet Muhammad is himself reproved for transgressing this principle by being overenthusiastic 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 are not incidental and negative but represent an Allah-willed, basic factor of human existence.
The principle of freedom of belief and thought in Islam challenges Muslims 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. All basic freedoms (freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom from fear [prejudice and hatred], and freedom from want) have been guaranteed by God Almighty to all creations irrespective of their place of birth. Islam places great importance on human dignity and civil society based on rule of law.
Islam presents the perspective that all human beings are equal because we are all creatures of God, with no distinctions of color, race, or country, tribe, clan, or anything else. One cannot change the color of one’s skin; one cannot change one’s place of birth. You belong to one race, the human race; one family, the human family. You belong to one brotherhood. Diversity among fellow human beings must be recognized, appreciated, and valued in all aspects of life. The majority community is always judged by the way it treats its minority community.
One source of fanaticism and intolerance is the mistaken belief that the ends justify the means. Islam is unique and firm in asserting the very opposite. The principle that Islam has enunciated is that “good and bad are not equal. Replace evil by good” (41:34).
If you fight falsehood with falsehood, it is falsehood that prevails. If you replace vice with vice, it is vice that triumphs. If you change evil by evil, it is evil that is victorious. Islam says that evil is to be eliminated by good. If you employ this technique, you would be able to fill the earth with goodness, justice, peace, and empathy for humanity. Islam has struck at the roots of fanaticism. If you reflect upon the system that Islam has given, you would find that fanaticism has no place in it and that idealism is its lifeblood. The Qur’an mentions that the mission for which this Muslim nation has been created is calling people to goodness.
As far as the wrong (munkar) is concerned, you are permitted to eliminate it. But truth and virtue (ma’ruf) are not to be enforced by power. One can easily see that Islam has clearly discriminated between idealism and fanaticism. It has done everything to generate in us a real, noble, virtuous idealism, and to protect us from the evil influences of fanaticism. The Prophet has said that Islam is a religion of the middle path.
The Qur’an has called the Muslim nation ummat al-wusta, the people of the middle and model nation, the people who maintain balance and equilibrium in all their affairs. Adhering to idealism, protecting, and avoiding the extremes of fanaticism—this is the path to which Islam invites all humanity. Employing education, diplomacy, dialogue, and firmness, Muslims are urged to deal with extremism and fanaticism in the world.
We are dealing today with a very serious problem of hatred, fear, and prejudice. Deep-rooted hatred can only be fought with dignity, diplomacy, education, understanding, and dialogue. Unless the roots of hate are addressed, irrational people will continue to commit heinous crimes against humanity. Let all sensible people stand for peace and justice and make concerted efforts to eliminate all injustices and exploitations in their part of the world. I believe that without a revival of moral values, nurturing a shared sense of forgiveness and understanding, we may face an even greater challenge. We must pray to overcome hatred and violence in ourselves. Let us rededicate ourselves to peace, human dignity, and the eradication of the injustices that breed rage and vengeance. It requires multireligious cooperation of all decent people from all communities from around the globe.
In 1993, the Parliament of the World's Religions adopted a declaration called “Toward a Global Ethic.” It affirmed that a common set of core values was found in the teachings of the world’s religions and that this core should form the basis of a global ethic. The principles of the global ethic include:
- a demand that every human being must be treated humanely;
- a commitment to a culture of nonviolence and respect for life;
- a commitment to a culture of solidarity and a just economic order;
- a commitment to a culture of equal rights and partnership between men and women; and
- a transformation of consciousness.
This final principle deserves some additional attention. The declaration describes this point as follows:
Historical experience demonstrates the following: Earth cannot be changed for the better unless we achieve a transformation in the consciousness of individuals in public life. The possibilities for transformation have already been glimpsed in areas such as war and peace, economy, and ecology, where in recent decades fundamental changes have taken place. This transformation must also be achieved in the area of ethics and values. Every individual has intrinsic dignity and inalienable rights, and each also has an inescapable responsibility for what she or he does or does not do. All our decisions and deeds, even our omissions and failures, have consequences.
A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK
One may find a different outlook in Islamic history. In war, Muslims are not allowed to kill women, children, the elderly, or those crippled or disabled. Not only that, even trees and crops are not to be cut or burnt. When Muslims enter a country, they are to give guarantees of life, property, and honor to all the non-belligerents.
When the Prophet of Islam entered Mecca as victor, everyone was offered amnesty and complete forgiveness. When Caliph Umar entered Jerusalem he was not even prepared to pray in a church for fear that those who came after him would treat the sanctuary as a mosque and take it away from the Christians.
Islam condemns and rejects all forms of terror, killing without due process of law, injustice, corruption, tyranny, and oppression. There is no justification for the usage of terms such as “Islamic terrorists.” As Muslims we must take account of deeds committed by other Muslims in the name of Islam. I feel ashamed when I hear that Muslims are breaking Islamic law. I sincerely apologize to those who have suffered due to any senseless actions of so-called Muslims. I seek forgiveness from Allah for any mistake done and ask forgiveness from my fellow beings. The fact remains that we must find the root causes of the challenges of terrorism and hatred.
The work of Prince Hassan El Talal [of Jordan] has promoted better understanding between different faiths and advocated dialogue for resolving conflicts. I share his vision and 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 for life, freedom and justice, the eradication of poverty, dissolution of all forms of discrimination, and protection of the environment for personal and future generations. The ideals of peace include these fundamental and global directives:
- Do not kill (have respect for life);
- Do not steal (deal honestly and fairly);
- Do not lie (speak and act truthfully);
- Do not commit sexual immorality (respect and love one another).
I affirm that Islam is a faith of moderation, a girder of unity, and a blessing for all humankind. True Muslim communities are where all of God’s creation—whether human, animal, or the environment—is valued and respected; where people want to serve others more than themselves; where no one has too little or too much; and where citizens respect the right of others to disagree and are sensitive and courteous to all.
Thanks to the development of mass media, it is now possible to communicate across language, cultural, and religious barriers to an extent that was never previously imaginable. Yet, the paradox of our time is that despite these remarkable developments in communication, great gulfs still separate people. As recent international developments have shown, they threaten the stability and security of our world.
For Muslims, there is an imperative to understand the reasons underpinning diversity, recognize that this diversity is inherent within the divine plan, and commit to searching for truth and upholding justice. It is our duty to show 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. Institutions, nations, groups, and all decent individuals must work together and shape the modern world as a peaceful place. It is our collective responsibility to make this happen.
[Source: Islamic Perspectives on Peace. Tarrytown, NY: Universal Peace Federation, 2006.]