Concept of a Blissful and Inclusive Society in Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Other Religions
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
22 June
2021
Every
Religion, Abrahamic or Otherwise Guides Its Followers Towards The Manifestation
Of A Beautiful Society Laden With Peace And Tranquillity
Main
Points:
1. For a beautiful
society, beautiful people pluralistic ideologies are the first requirement
2. A society is an
amalgam of religious and social institutions that are required to run it like a
well-oiled and nicely looked after chariot.
3. Today's society
is riddled with the discriminatory deficiencies of religion and its ethos.
4. Today's
majoritarian society of the world is ready to accept the minority 'others' but
only if those 'others' are prepared to accept the religious supremacism of the
majority.
5. A blissful
society embedded with the ethos of inclusiveness and tolerance for others is
the need of the hour.
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An inclusive society (Photo courtesy: Free Muslim Association)
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Man is a
social animal. That is why man requires a society to live as a social being. A
society is an amalgam of religious and social institutions that are required to
run it like a well-oiled and nicely looked after chariot. For a beautiful
society embedded in the beautiful social ethos, beautiful people with
pluralistic ideologies are the first requirement, everything else comes next.
Pluralistic ideologies of a society are not against the materialistic
achievements, development and richness rather take them as the basic
ingredients of a nicely ornamented society. An adored society carries graceful
honesty, loving brotherhood, divinity ingrained respect for each other and a
highly placed ethos of equality among all the members. The spiritual demand of
a respectable society is that all the above-mentioned qualities are accepted
without any discrimination of any kind, religious or social. And all are living
in harmony and peace. A society can enjoy the fruit of its development only if
it is at peace with itself.
Today's
society is riddled with the discriminatory deficiencies of religion and its
ethos. Among many of its reasons is its blind race behind the accumulation of
materialistic belongings. For in such a situation a man forgets his
personality’s ingrained divine powers and falls prey to the satanic
upheaval. Each one of us has a micro
portion of the satanic trait in us and fighting and defeating it is like being
on the ‘(Serat ul Mustaqeem الصراط المستقيم), the straight path guided by the holy
scriptures of all the religions.
Unless we
accept and practice, 'For you is your religion, and for me is my
religion." (Surah Al-Kafirun - 6) — Saheeh International', nothing is
going to change for the better. Today's majoritarian society of the world is
ready to accept the minority 'others' with all their beauties and ugliness but
only if those 'others' are prepared to accept the religious supremacism of the
majority. This is the real satanic bane of society at present. We will have to
fight and win this supremacist attitude of the people with the minorities of
the society, with the help of religious teachings of their religious books. In
case, we failed to do it the concept of a blissful society will remain in the
realm of dream.
Every
religion, Abrahamic or otherwise guides its followers towards the manifestation
of a beautiful society laden with peace and tranquillity. What we lack at the
moment is the beauty of our educational system, both at home and at the
institutions. Our society lacks the spiritual education imparted through visual
media, print media, social platforms and of course the educational
institutions. All these media care for their materialist earning and not the
religious and spiritual wealth that will bring them peace of mind and God’s
rewards.
Consider
the following verses and sayings of various religions that propel human being
to divinity and a spiritual world that is full of peace, tranquillity and
freedom of mind.
Islamic
Ethos of an Inclusive Society
Islam has
always been an ardent advocate of a pluralistic and inclusive society. Quran
says that the creator of the universe is Allah, the Most Gracious hence all the
communities that reside on the planet earth are His creation. Thus all that
Islam says, say for the whole of humankind and not exclusively for the Muslims.
And in that sense, the teachings and the guidelines of Islam in connection with
the formation of society are for the whole world.
... and
give preference (to them) over themselves, even though they are in poverty.
-And those who are saved from the greed of their hearts are the successful. - (Surah Al-Hashr - 9) — Mufti Taqi
Usmani
We have
moulded you into a society justly balanced that ye may be a pattern unto
others, even as the prophet (SAW) has been a pattern unto you. (2:143
You are
the best of people evolved for mankind enjoining what is right, forbidding what
is wrong (3:110)
Do not
follow your own desires and deviate from the truth. If you twist or turn away,
Allah is aware of what you do". Al Quran (4: 135).
"Among
those we have created there is a community who guides by the Truth and act
justly according to it. Al Quran (7: 181)
"… if you do judge, judge between them
justly. Allah loves the just", (5: 42),
Does not let hatred for a people incite you
into not being just? Be just. That is closer to Taqwa. Fear [and respect]
Allah. Allah is aware of what you do" (5: 8)
That is
the home in the next world which We build for those who do not mean rebellion
and disturbance in the Earth, and (good) end is for those who fear God. (Qur'an 28:83)
Those
who rebelled in cities and enhanced disorders in them, God visited them with
His punishment.
(Qur'an 11:10)
Whoever of
you see something wrong must seek to rectify it by action or deed, if he
cannot, let him change it by words, if he cannot, let his feeling of
disapproval and condemnation intensify and this is the minimal degree of faith.
(Recorded by Imam Muslim in Kitab al-‘Iman)
How
Hinduism Perceives a Society
“The demigods
are natural elements like earth, water, air, fire, ether. If we worship
(conserve/respect) nature, environment and please demigods, then demigods will
bless us with abundance nature gift and beauty, and thus, by cooperation
between men and nature (demigods), prosperity will reign for all”. (Verse 3.11
- Bhagwat Gita)
“As the
ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, learned may similarly
act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.”
(Verse BG 3-25 - Bhagwat Gita)
The
following verse BG 18-46 in Gita believes in Karmic actions that are pure,
honest and good for the welfare of society.
“Work is
worship. A man can attain perfection in his own profession and by dedicating
all actions to god the source of all beings and who is all-pervading“. (Verse
BG 18-46 - Bhagwat Gita)
“If one
cannot take to devotion to supreme, then engage yourself in the cultivation of
knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is the practice of Yoga and
Meditation. Meditation brings enlightenment.” (Verse 12-12 - Bhagwat Gita)
Christian
Verses that Explain the Beauty of a Society
"Look
how good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"-
Psalm 133:1
"Everyone
who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal
life present in him."- 1 John 3:15
“The
authorities that exist are appointed by God…he is God’s minister to you for
good…an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Romans 13:1, 4)
“Do your
work heartily as unto the Lord, not to men. It is the Lord Christ whom you
serve” (Colossians 3:23)
But if
anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart
against him, how does God's love abide in him? (Apostle John says in 1 John
3:17)
But when
you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, Luke
14:13
But I say
unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
(Matthew 5:44)
“All things
were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. In Him
was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:3-4)
“Don’t be
drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to one another in
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to
the Lord” (Ephesians 5:18-19).
“that you
being rooted and grounded in love may . . . know the love of Christ which
surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:17, 19)
Philosophers
and Scholars on a Perfect Society
Consider
the following sayings of scholars of different ages voicing the same ideology
required in the formation of a formidable and inclusive society.
Society is
a Divine creation, an aggregate of different individuals, with religion as the
backbone. Its features are the essentiality of self-sacrifice for well-being,
gradual transition to being ‘one with the society, and the final result of
human relations, cooperatively shared happiness. (V. K. Arora, The Social and
Political Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda)
"He
who understands you is greater kin to you than your own brother. For even your
own kindred neither understand you nor know your true worth."- Kahlil
Gibran
"The
beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or
silver or gold."- Martin Luther King Jr
Where
justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and
where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to
oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.
- Frederick Douglass
Human
societies must be a place where love, brotherhood and respect should rule the
roost. It has to be an abode of peace and tranquillity. The human being is
perennially the most peaceful creation of Allah, the Almighty with a sense of
pluralism ingrained in his soul. If a
human being does anything rude and against the ethos of inclusiveness it is
against his nature. It means he is being ruled not by himself but by the
outside devilish powers. And in such a situation the society must take him
under the arms of peace and tranquillity, by bringing him closer to
spiritualism.
A blissful
society embedded with the ethos of inclusiveness and tolerance for others is
the need of the hour. There is no denying the fact that the present world has
to be taught to leave a balanced society for its future generations otherwise
the mayhem and the chaos that our world society is passing through has to be a
permanent new normal degrading its ethos further. And for the sake of the
formation of a godly society, the easiest way is to take the path Prophet
Muhammad Pbuh has shown through his following Hadees:
‘'Take care of the individual, who form the
society, and the society will take care of itself’ (Muhammad 1977)
And
Allah Knows the Best
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism