Interfaith Academic Work Is Vital In Strengthening the Spirit of Peace and Brotherhood
By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
27 November 2021
Interfaith
Dialogue: The Need of the Hour
Main
Points:
1. We need to grasp the
concept of homeland love, or what it means to love one's own country.
2. We must focus on finding
remedies rather than making things and events more provocative.
3. Hatred and violence cannot
be utilised as a means of combating hatred and violence.
4. Its imperative that we get
to know one another and form strong interfaith relationships.
5. Interfaith education is
welcome, but it should focus on fostering peace and harmony rather than
debating and disputing.
....
Mohammad Farooq Azmi's piece in the Sahara Urdu daily was noticed a few days ago. The author described the interfaith conversation as a pressing need, and he extended a heartfelt invitation to all leaders to help India develop a climate of peace, tolerance, and brotherhood.
Our lovely countrymen profess to love India
today, but first, we must understand the concept of homeland love, or what it
means to love one’s homeland. Patriotism, in my opinion, means working to
ensure the welfare of all citizens of the nation. Individuals of various faiths
reside in our country, and while everyone has the constitutional right to live
and die according to his or her religion, we must demonstrate in practice that
we do not injure people of other faiths. People in every neighbourhood and
state must ensure that they maintain a spirit of brotherhood and peace with
people of other religions while being true to their own religion and faith and
that no terrible events disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of our country.
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If one of our Indian brothers does anything
wrong, the first thing we should do is try to reform him. We should not condemn
him only to humiliate him; rather, we should propose a meaningful solution to
the problem; otherwise, it would be nothing more than a provocative act that
will damage the environment in our beloved motherland.
The following English translation of Farooq
Azmi's Urdu article is presented with the goal of demonstrating the importance
of academic work in strengthening the spirit of brotherhood and peace in our
country. We must create such a curriculum so that future generations may
effectively contribute to the growth of the country by cultivating a culture of
prosperity and brotherhood.
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Interfaith Dialogue: The Need of
the Hour
By Muhammad Farooq Azmi
Translated from Urdu by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi
India is being confronted with a number of
intellectual, ideological, political, social, and religious issues. Religious,
linguistic, social, and political prejudices and interests are quickly turning
into violence and fanaticism. Every day, a new storey of sectarianism and
violence emerges. From Tripura, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat, a tsunami
of hatred has swept the country. If this tide of hostility is not contained, we
may find ourselves fighting amongst ourselves and eventually annihilating
ourselves.
Getting the beloved country out of this
situation and fostering a climate of tolerance, enthusiasm, and mutual trust
has become a pressing requirement of the hour.
I'm not sure if the nation's leaders are
aware of this need or what steps they've made to address it, but some sensitive
Muslims in West Bengal have recognised the urgency of the situation and have
chosen the tough path of interfaith dialogue to break the cycle of hostility.
A group called the "Bengal Institute
of Multicultural Studies" has also been formed. These people strive to
foster in society the concepts of brotherhood, scientific temperament, and
social justice. Their goals and objectives are to do research and report on
many elements of social, economic, political, historical, and cultural concerns
affecting various classes, as well as to determine a plan of action in light of
those findings.
‘Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue’ was
recently inaugurated by the institute, which includes professors, teachers,
journalists, and intellectuals from Jadavpur University, Calcutta University, St.
Xavier's College, and other prestigious educational institutes in West Bengal.
They also advised the country and the nation that if discrimination, prejudice,
and animosity are to be removed, we must pursue a path of conversation rather
than confrontation. Regardless of ideological disagreements, the only way to
establish peaceful cohabitation is via dialogue and discussion.
It goes without saying that hate and
violence cannot be used to combat hate and violence. Without developing peace
and stability in society and taking into account each other's sentiments and
emotions, peaceful cohabitation is impossible to envision. In order to achieve
social peace, every member of society must develop a more positive attitude
toward one another without discrimination. Rather than adopting a contemptuous
and disrespectful attitude, behave gently without harming the opponent's
self-esteem, and this is the exact tolerance that may be the only way to alter
today's hate-filled environment.
Tolerance is essential for coexistence in a
multicultural and multi-religious society like India. We won't be able to
achieve peaceful coexistence unless we instil tolerance in our personal and
communal life. This sentiment cannot be created in this way; instead, a few
individuals must emerge among us who endure in the face of adversity and,
through dialogue and discussion, find a solution to the problem, as well as
urge others to do likewise.
It is not forbidden in any religion to have
good relations with others without renouncing one's own religion or beliefs,
and no rational person can argue against it. Essentially, all religions offer a
message of peace; nevertheless, humanity's fault is that it has begun to use
the same religion for discrimination, hatred, and violence against one another.
In today's India, religious prejudice is one of the leading sources of enmity.
Unfamiliarity and inferiority contribute to prejudice.
Non-alignment with one's religious
principles, as well as sometimes fanaticism, contributes to the spread of
religious prejudice. We won't be able to comprehend one another or develop a
community that is harmonious and united unless we eliminate prejudice. There
can be no peace in society, no stability, and no balance in our social life
without developing a pleasant climate amongst adherents of different religions
and establishing a tolerant spirit towards one another.
Every human person desires peace and order,
freedom, equality, and progress, and the fulfilment of this desire is found in
a positive social environment and conditions, which are decreasing day by day
owing to prejudice and hatred. As a result, it is critical that we understand
one another and build positive interfaith ties. When individuals of various
religions look at each other attentively, mutual misunderstandings are
dispelled, and many problems are solved.
The need is that we offer our point of view
with complete honesty, self-confidence, and courtesy and that we also encourage
ourselves to listen to others’ differing points of view and form genuine relationships
with them. It is envisaged that the work and initiatives of the Bengal
Institute of Multicultural Studies will help to create an environment
favourable to peaceful coexistence in the country.
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/academic-brotherhood-peace-spirit/d/125850