Embracing Diversity in Religion
By
Jamal Rahman, New Age Islam
12 May 2021
Differences In All Religions Are More
With Regard to Their Forms
Main Points:
1.
Religions are different in form but they share much in common.
2.
When people get stuck on the form of religion and forget the essence,
they fall prey to ‘illusion’ and ‘vanity’.
3.
Behind the diversity of forms is a common essence.
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Religions
are different in form—there is no doubt about that. But in essence, they share
much in common. There is this wonderful poem by Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, where
he says that what is praised is One and so the praise is one also. Many jugs
being poured into one huge basin. All these religions, all this singing—it’s
really just one song. The differences are just illusion and vanity.
Those are
very critical words—‘illusion’ and ‘vanity’. When people get stuck on the form
of religion and forget the essence, they fall prey to ‘illusion’ and ‘vanity’.
A lovely
Rumi story again illustrates the oneness in the essence of religions behind the
differences of form. A kind mother makes cookies for a children’s party. She
uses the same ingredients—flour, sugar and all—but makes the cookies into
different shapes—camels, lions, turtles and so on. The children begin to
excitedly fight among themselves over the different forms or shapes of the
cookies. One says that their cookie is the chosen one, another insists that
theirs is the best, a third says that theirs is the most superior, and so on.
While this is happening, the mother just smiles and looks on with a
compassionate heart, knowing that when the children put the differently-shaped
cookies into their mouths, they will eventually turn into the same sweetness.
The same is
true for religions. Behind the diversity of forms is a common essence.
So, yes,
religions are different—and thank God for diversity. But, really, they are all
paths to a shared universal.
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Based in
the USA, Jamal Rahman is a popular speaker and author on Islam, Sufi
spirituality, and interfaith relations.
Along with his Interfaith Amigos, he has been featured in The New York
Times, CBS News, BBC, and various NPR programs.
Jamal is co-founder and Muslim Sufi Imam at Interfaith Community
Sanctuary and adjunct faculty at Seattle University. He travels nationally and internationally,
presenting at retreats and workshops.
Jamal’s passion lies in interfaith community building and activism.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/diversity-religion-interfaith/d/124820