At a time like this and in a society and country like ours, we are faced with a host of problems, chief among which is the ethnic conflict and also at a time when we are in search of peace and harmony, the subject matter we are going to deal with this is extremely relevant and appropriate.\u00a0\u00a0 However there had been a confusion I suppose regarding my subject.\u00a0\u00a0 I was originally asked to speak on the Dialogue of Civilization \u2013 an Islamic Approach, so I prepared my lecture in that light.\u00a0\u00a0 But just now I was informed that my subject is Islam in Multi-Ethnic Environment.\u00a0\u00a0 Of course I am happy to emphasize that both are interrelated.<\/p>\n
If you want to have harmony and understanding there must be dialogue, so let me begin by the main theme of dialogue of civilization and then come to the subject of Islam in a Multi-Ethnic Environment.\u00a0\u00a0 Dear friends, today we are living in a world plagued with conflicts and confrontations between ethnic groups, communities, nations and cultures.\u00a0\u00a0 Human blood is shed like nothing; violence is unleashed; voices are raised not in the name of humanity, but in the name of race, ethnicity and nationhood.\u00a0\u00a0 Since the end of cold war and the demise of the Soviet Union and the disintegration of the bipolar world the West has began to view Islam as the major threat and emerging new menace against humanity.\u00a0\u00a0 The worldwide Islamic resurgence is being portrayed as the rise of fundamentalism and religious fanaticism.\u00a0\u00a0 Genuine resurgence movements and struggle for freedom from domination are depicted as terrorism.\u00a0\u00a0 The entire Western media is being mobilized and set in the gear for the mission of\u00a0\u00a0 portraying Islam as a religion of bloodshed, terror war and a religion of gruesome violence.\u00a0\u00a0 The Western media has, wittingly or unwittingly, orchestrated and coined its own phrases such as Green Terror, Militant Islam et al to disfigure the edifice of Islam in its totality.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s in this background of events that Prof. Samuel Huntington propounded the theory of Clash of Civilization.\u00a0\u00a0 Since its publication in the in the journal of Foreign Affairs (USA ? \u2013 Ed.) and later in the form of his (infamous) book, The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of Humanity, Huntington theory has generated a great deal curiosity and also controversies, both in the West and among the third world intellectuals.\u00a0\u00a0 On the other hand, Intellectuals, opinion leaders, thinkers and theoreticians started talking about dialogue of civilizations instead of clash\u00a0\u00a0 of civilizations.\u00a0\u00a0 In the course of this development the United Nations aptly intervened and declared the year 2001 as The Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations, ( in response to a proposal originally put forward by Muhammad Khatami, the President of Iran \u2013 Ed).\u00a0\u00a0 International Islamic Institutions and Academic Forums interacted and initiated an intellectual discourse on the subject of Dialogue of Civilization or hiwarul <\/em>hadhara instead of sadamul hadhara <\/em>or Clash of Civilization, as they are called in Arabic.<\/p>\n In Malaysia the University of Malaya with the co-operation of Japanese Cultural Center organized an International Conference on Civilizational Dialogue on the 2nd<\/sup> – 4th\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup> of December 1996.\u00a0\u00a0 In Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, known as ISCSECO, with the collaboration of the Tunisian Ministry of Culture, held an International Symposium, in the Tunisian capital, on Dialogue Among Civilizations \u2013 Theory and Practice, on the 12th<\/sup> \u2013 13th<\/sup> of ? 2001.\u00a0\u00a0 Similarly, in Bahrain too, an International Symposium was held on the 30th<\/sup> June 2002, on the subject.<\/p>\n If we focus our attention to the on-going Peace Negotiation between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam in our country, we could term it as a form of Dialogue to heal the wounds of two decades of bloody conflict and to bring about understanding and reconciliation among the communities constituting the Sri lank an identity.<\/p>\n In the factual term, Dialogue Among Civilization, communities, nations, races or ethnic groups is the very opposite and anti-thesis of Clash of Civilizations that visualizes the break Roth\u00a0\u00a0 of war between them\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n Prof. Sato Saiso Boro, a Japanese scholar of Dialogue among Civilizations in his book, Clash of Cross Fertilizer Civilizations,\u00a0\u00a0 has to say the following points regarding the (infamous-Ed) Huntington theory : One of the major flows of Huntington paradigm is that he ignores the fact that contacts between different civilizations have not always led to eruption of clashes.\u00a0\u00a0 Some times civilizations have been able to revitalize themselves by learning from each other.\u00a0\u00a0 He also speaks about encounters between cultures and civilizations.\u00a0\u00a0 Another author puts it as follows : Dialogue is a powerful civilizational deterrent against any power that seeks to impose its own dominance and hegemony authority on others.\u00a0\u00a0 Dialogue among civilizations has become today more than ever before a vital necessity, as it\u2019s the only tool that can bring consensus instead of conflict, understanding instead of mistrust and tolerance instead of hatred.<\/p>\n Dialogue among civilizations and communities is an efficient means of rooting out causes, factors and justifications that contributes towards the emergence of conflicts.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dialogue among Civilization should not be construed as a matter dealing with Islam and the West.\u00a0\u00a0 Rather, it has to be conducted among all religious and ethnic groups.<\/p>\n Mr. Barber in his work, Genuine Dialogue and Possibilities of Peace, defines a genuine dialogue as follows :<\/p>\n A genuine Dialogue means reaching out to other faiths and communities and establishing vital links.\u00a0\u00a0 For Barber, essential elements of Dialogue among civilizations include seeing others and experiencing the other side.\u00a0\u00a0 So rather than living in our isolated terrains keeping aloof from other communities we should seek to reach out to and interact with them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n As Br. Javed has rightly pointed out, this was the major drawback that we could see in Northern Ireland, that there had been very little interaction between the Protestants and Catholics.\u00a0\u00a0 So there had not been any scope or climate suitable for a really genuine dialogue.<\/p>\n As we already saw, Dialogue has become a vital necessity today than ever before to reduce tension and conflict situations.\u00a0\u00a0 As I said earlier, dialogue can remove misunderstanding and build bridge of understanding among communities, nations, ethnic groups, cultures and civilizations.<\/p>\n Taking into consideration all these positive features, promoting dialogue among civilizations is a shared responsibility of all of us who yearn for peace.<\/p>\n Dialogue is a virtue advocated by Islam; Not only that, its one the outstanding characteristic of Islamic civilization, especially during heydays of its glory.\u00a0\u00a0 Islam as we all know, a religion of peace.\u00a0\u00a0 The very Arabic word, Islam, means peace.\u00a0\u00a0 Al Qur\u2019an calls it as subulussalam,<\/em> the way of peace. One of Allah\u2019s attributes is salam<\/em> \u2013 peace and one of the names of paradise is darussalam<\/em> \u2013 the aboard of peace.\u00a0\u00a0 Peace and Islam are so tightly woven that neither can be separated from.\u00a0\u00a0 Islam seeks to establish peace in the hearts and minds of the people; in individual and collective lives of people.\u00a0\u00a0 It seeks to establish peace among mankind in the larger scope of the world.<\/p>\n As we all know conflicts arise due to divisions.\u00a0\u00a0 In an atmosphere where there is lack of harmony, unity and cohesion, division is always bound to arise.\u00a0\u00a0 Such divisions may lead to conflicts and also misunderstanding.<\/p>\n An important teaching of Al Qur\u2019an is the concept of unity of Mankind or the oneness of humanity.\u00a0\u00a0 Al Qur\u2019an also prefers the phenomena of nature where peace and harmony are found in abundance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It draws the attention of man to ponder over the functioning of nature where peace prevails.\u00a0\u00a0 In what a beautiful manner it puts the point across ! It says the sun and the moon and the planets that are moving in their orbit and do not come into clash with one another :<\/p>\n And then we have for the moon mansions (to traverse) till she returns like the old (and withered) lower part of a date-stalk.\u00a0\u00a0 It is not permitted to the sun to catch up the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day ; Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit \u2026..<\/em>Surah Yasin : 39-40<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>According to Al Qur\u2019an the natural phenomena itself reflects peace and harmony; Peace is a creation of God almighty.\u00a0\u00a0 This is what the above holy verses indicate.\u00a0\u00a0 As the sun, moon and other planets are moving in their own axis of orbit according to the law of Allah, we do not find any conflicts in their arrangement.\u00a0\u00a0 On the contrary we find order, symmetry, harmony and beauty in the nature. Its is this form of peace that Al Qur\u2019an strives to nurture in the hearts and minds of the people \u2013 in their individual and collective lives, that stretch from narrow national boundaries to the larger world.<\/p>\n The universe is following the path of peace imposed on it by the will of god from which it can never deviate.\u00a0\u00a0 However, man is destined to follow the path of peace out of his free will.\u00a0\u00a0 Therefore searching that path falls on his shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 Without our constant effort peace will not prevail among us.\u00a0\u00a0 This basic fact has to be ingrained in the hearts.<\/p>\n There are two important qualities that are needed to establish and also to create a healthy atmosphere for fruitful dialogue :<\/p>\n 1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Patience<\/p>\n 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tolerance<\/p>\n These are the two fundamental values Islam places great emphasize on and tries to inculcate among its followers. Islam speaks about patience aplenty and at one occasion Al Qur\u2019an stresses as follow :<\/p>\n Innallah ma\u2019assabirin \u2013 verily Allah is with those exercise patience.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>Islam has elevated exercising patience to the position of worship.\u00a0\u00a0 The above Qur\u2019anic verse clearly indicate that exercising patience will bring the believer closer to God almighty.<\/p>\n The Concept tolerance also takes an important position in Islam.\u00a0\u00a0 We want to avoid conflicting situations we have to live in a spirit of tolerance in dealing with others.\u00a0\u00a0 These are the two important qualities that we must possess in the case of seeking to establish mutual dialogue and relationship with others.\u00a0\u00a0 Even I think the current dialogue going on between the Sri Lankan state and the LTTE is a very difficult and complicated task that require these two fundamental qualities from both sides.\u00a0\u00a0 If we are not exercising patience and are hasty in achieving our objectives we can not be successful.\u00a0\u00a0 If the government or LTTE are in a state of haste the peace process may not yield constructive and momentous results.\u00a0\u00a0 If they are not exercising the spirit of tolerance and are not tolerating the viewpoints of the other side and in putting their viewpoint across the result will be as predicted above.<\/p>\n Islam is the religion that accepts religious pluralism and ethnic diversity based on languages.\u00a0\u00a0 This is a very important aspect of Islam.\u00a0\u00a0 Islam does not want to see one party or a particular nation dominates the entire world, although it says Muhammad (S) is the seal of prophet and his message is the final message from God.\u00a0\u00a0 However Islam accepts the reality that there will always be the presence of other religions.<\/p>\n The fundamental truth here is oneness of humanity and unity of mankind.\u00a0\u00a0 This fundamental truth is illustrate in Al Qur\u2019an as follows :<\/p>\n O ! Mankind we have created you from a single pair of male and female and made you nations and tribes so that you may know each other ( Surah 43 : 13)<\/p>\n The Arabic word Al Qur\u2019an has used here is \u201c lita\u2019arafu\u201d , <\/em>which means to get introduced to each other, i.e We have made you into nations, communities and tribes so that you may understand each other and get to know each other.\u00a0\u00a0 So in this Qur\u2019anic verse we get a glimpse of the concept of unity in diversity \u2013 there will be always diversity.<\/p>\n Lets not forget the fundamental fact that we are all from the one canyon origin and all these differences in race, languages and color is mainly for identification.\u00a0\u00a0 Throw your glance at a flower garden !\u00a0\u00a0 you will find flowers of all shapes, different fragrance and a variety of posture .\u00a0\u00a0 Nevertheless these differences will add beauty and luster to the flower garden.<\/p>\n In the same way, humanity is enriched and ennobled by the presence of diverse languages, diverse ethnicities, diverse cultures etc.,\u00a0\u00a0 Al Qur\u2019an again describes this fact as follows :<\/p>\n among his signs is the creation of havens and the earth and variations in your languages and colors\u2026. ( Surah 10 :57)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>In the above Qur\u2019anic verse Allah SWT says that the existence of different languages and different colors among people is one of the glorious signs of Allah SWT.\u00a0\u00a0 This is not there to disparage one group over another;\u00a0\u00a0 This is not there to bring divisions and friction but to reflect and ponder over the great signs of the creator of the universe and all what in it. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The fact that Allah SWT able to create different languages and assign different colors and shapes to human beings speaks about the wonders of the creator and his craftsmanship.<\/p>\n The factual reality is that Al Qur\u2019an lifts up man\u2019s mind from a narrow outlook to a very broader universal outlook to witness Allah\u2019s glory and majesty in diversity.<\/p>\n Diversity and pluralism are some essential features of creation which is a universal reality we must accept.\u00a0\u00a0 Our prime role here is to seek unity in this diversity created by God almighty; We must seek this unity through dialogue and interaction among us.<\/p>\n Islam is a religion that believes strongly in freedom of conscience.\u00a0\u00a0 Al Qur\u2019an lays its principle as follow :<\/p>\n There is no compulsion in religion \u2026\u2026 (Surah 2:250)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>Islam does not believe in imposing its religious system forcibly on others.\u00a0\u00a0 Al Qur\u2019an categorically states that there is no compulsion in religion; It commands the prophet to declare to the non Muslims : lakum dinukum waliyadin \u2013 you have your religion and I have mine.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 In fact its not the will of Allah SWT to impose one particular religion on humanity but to reveal his message and to allow people the freedom to choose with justified accountability.\u00a0\u00a0 There is a beautiful verse in Al Qur\u2019an that illustrate this factor:<\/p>\n had it been the will of your God they would all have believed\u2013all who are on earth ! Wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe ?(Surah10 : 99)<\/p>\n This verse clearly repudiates the right of Prophet Muhammad (S) and other callers to Islam the right to compel people to believe in Islam.\u00a0\u00a0 This is the freedom of conscience that Islam speaks about.<\/p>\n Islam not only accepts religious pluralism and recognizes it as a reality, but in its history confronted the presence of other religions and dealt with them in a spirit of tolerance and understanding.\u00a0\u00a0 There are numerous instances in the history of Islam which stand as witness to this.\u00a0\u00a0 How Prophet Muhammad (S) and later Muslims sought to create a society based on social justice and ethnic harmony during the early phases of prophetic mission is an account of exceptional magnitude.\u00a0\u00a0 When the marvelous historic migration occurred from Mecca to Medina, he encountered a multi-ethnic society, composed of the ansars<\/em> or the Medinan helpers who harbored and extended all necessary support to his noble mission.\u00a0\u00a0 The ansars<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 were drawn from Al Awz and Al Khazraj, both prominent tribes of Madina at that time. Then there were the muhajirs<\/em> or the emigrant who accompanied Prophet Muhammad (S) from Mecca. The Medinite society also composed of a fair size of Jewish community.\u00a0\u00a0 The sooner he arrived in Medina he entered into a pact with the communities constituted Medina, as a matter of foremost priority.\u00a0\u00a0 This pact is called meesaq al madina <\/em>or the Medinan Charter.\u00a0\u00a0 Prof. Hamidullah considers this as to be the first ever written constitution of the world.<\/p>\n The Medinan Charter stands as unique in the annals of Islamic history.\u00a0\u00a0 It is a charter of human rights, because in this charter signed between Prophet Muhammad (S), the Meccan emigrants, the ansars <\/em>and the Jewish community of Medina.\u00a0\u00a0 The Jews of Medina were guaranteed their fundamental rights.\u00a0\u00a0 According to the Charter of Medina Jewish law and Religion became Sacrosanct Trust, <\/em>whose protection and security became the responsibility of Muslims imposed by the religion of Islam itself.<\/p>\n This is the great example of how Islam provided and created necessary climate for ethnic harmony.\u00a0\u00a0 Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad (S) knew, quite well after his migration to Medina, that there were a diverse society \u2013 Arabs from Mecca, the Medinite natives and the Jews who have been inhabiting for a very long period of time and conflict are, in consequence, bound to arise among these groups until and unless the boundaries of their mutual relations are clearly established or demarcated.\u00a0\u00a0 Hence the Charter of Madina assured the rights of all these communities and laid down on what basis there should be interaction between these three groups of people.\u00a0\u00a0 The outstanding characteristics of this Charter was that it guaranteed the rights of Medinan Jews \u2013 they were guaranteed their right to practice Judaism, and also their place in the affairs of the newly established State of Medina was recognized.\u00a0\u00a0 This stand as a major example for ethnic harmony vouchsafed in the history of Islam.<\/p>\n Today we debate about conflict resolution and in the event of conflicts how they must be resolved.<\/p>\n In view of further elaboration, let me throw some light on the Pact of Hudaibiyah which Prophet Muhammad (S) signed with the Meccans, and which is regarded as an illustrious example of conflict resolution.\u00a0\u00a0 In the sixth year of hijra<\/em> or migration, he intended to proceed to Mecca for the purpose of performing umrah<\/em> or the lesser pilgrimage.\u00a0\u00a0 He undertook the journey with an entourage of his companions, but on the way before entering Mecca the entourage was prevented by the quraish<\/em>, the ruling tribe of Mecca.\u00a0\u00a0 Prophet Muhammad was informed that this year they will not be allowed entrance to Mecca for umrah.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>This arbitrary action of\u00a0\u00a0 the quraish<\/em> pushed the Muslims to utter disappointment and a tense situation was ensued as a result.\u00a0\u00a0 The situation was so tense that eruption of a violent conflict was any time possible between the two parties.\u00a0\u00a0 However, Prophet Muhammad wanted to avert conflict at any cost.\u00a0\u00a0 He engaged the quraish<\/em> in vigorous negotiation which led to the signing of an agreement with them. This agreement was named the Pact of Hudaibiyah, after the venue where occurred.\u00a0\u00a0 The Pact contained several important (and mutually beneficial – Ed) clauses, chief among them is that this year the Muslims will not enter Mecca for umrah<\/em> but will return back to Medina.\u00a0\u00a0 However they will, next year, be permitted to perform umrah <\/em>on the condition that their personal weapons should remain sheathed from entrance to exit out of Mecca; the Quraish will leave out of Mecca when the Muslims were in.<\/p>\n Some the clauses in fact ignited and touched the pride and arrogance of the members of the Muslim party.\u00a0\u00a0 They felt, being the rightful party, the Pact was a total humiliation to their status and Prophet Muhammad (S) acted more flexibly towards the quraish.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Some of the hard-line followers were utterly disappointed.\u00a0\u00a0 As the Pact was put into inscription and was ready for signing, the Quraish saw Prophet Muhammed\u2019s name inscribed as: Muhammed, the Messanger of God almighty.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 They objected to this vehemently and informed that had they accepted Muhammed as the messanager of God almighty, there will be no question of any contradiction or conflict between them and demanded the deletion of the portion, messanger of God almighty, but leave Muhammed only.\u00a0\u00a0 At this juncture, the Quraish\u2019s attitude was met with stiff resistance by the hard-liners in the Muslim rank, but Prophet Muhammed asserted that the Quraish were right that they did not accept him as the messanger of God almighty.\u00a0\u00a0 The companions detached themselves from deleting the very word for which they have rallied around Prophet Muhammed (S).\u00a0\u00a0 On observing their disillusionment he asked the companion to show him the phrase, so we could delete it himself, as he was illiterate. With the help of the companion he did it accordingly.\u00a0\u00a0 Thus a great example for defusing tense situations and resolving conflicts in a prudent manner was set.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n I would like to recall yet another instance which occurred during the last stage of the prophetic career.\u00a0\u00a0 A delegation of Christians from Najran came to meet Prophet Muhammad (S) to Madina.\u00a0\u00a0 When the time of their prayers approached they were rather perturbed which prompted Prophet Muhammed (S) query the reason for their frantic mood. On being informed that this is the day of their worship and needed a place for prayers, which they did not dare to ask out of politeness, he offered them to conduct their prayers inside the grand mosque of Medina.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thereafter the parties resumed for a dialogue about Islam and Christianity that led a group of them accepting the new faith while the rest returning home without accepting it. This dialogue also led the parties signing an agreement in which Prophet Muhammed (S) assured them to preserve the sanctity of their monasteries and give them absolute freedom of practicing their religion.<\/p>\n These are some of the few instances found in the annals of the history of Islam and in the life of Prophet Muhammed (S) that shows how he set a model for creating a multi-ethnic society that accommodates diverse groups of people and ensures peaceful co-existence.\u00a0\u00a0 Right from the time of Prophet Muhammed (S) in the history of Islam this has been in continual practice.\u00a0\u00a0 Religious tolerance had been a characteristic feature of Islamic tradition.\u00a0\u00a0 Prof. Bernard Luis , who is not a friend of Islam, in his work, The Jews of Islam, says that religious persecution of the members of other faiths was almost absent in the Muslim community.\u00a0\u00a0 When Muslims ruled Spain citizens of other faiths were not subjected to any form of , discrimination, exile or death \u2013 the Christians or the Jews were not subjected to any threat or occupational restrictions.\u00a0\u00a0 But on the contrary, when Spain was reconquered the Muslims and the Jews were offered the choice of exile or death.\u00a0\u00a0 This tribute was made by none other than Prof. Bernard Luis who is known for his abhorrence of Islam.\u00a0\u00a0 So, Islamic civilization was built upon a glorious tradition of tolerance and dialogue.<\/p>\n In Islamic civilization we find that Islamic culture and civilization were enriched by the contribution made by not only Muslims but also by Christians and Jews as well who had absolute freedom.\u00a0\u00a0 They were given due recognition and elevated to positions of higher repute.\u00a0\u00a0 During the Abbasid period (—hijri ?), Caliph Ma\u2019mun established an institution called bait al hikmah <\/em>or the house of wisdom.\u00a0\u00a0 This consisted a library, a translation bureau and also an observatory.\u00a0\u00a0 In this translation bureau Christians played a major role in translating the works of Hallen, Plato, Aristotle and Hypocrites into Arabic.\u00a0\u00a0 Among these Christian scholars is Hunaim Ibnu Ishaq who rendered a yeoman service by translating Syriat (?) into Arabic.\u00a0\u00a0 Besides, the Christians acted as court physicians during the Abbasid caliphate.\u00a0\u00a0 Its worth noting that the physicians of Caliph Harun Al Rashid and Ma\u2019mun Al Rashid were Christian.\u00a0\u00a0 In Egypt during the Mamluk period Coptic Christians attained higher positions. In Muslim Spain and Sicily Jews and Christians lived in peace and harmony and also contributed a great deal for the development of Islamic culture.\u00a0\u00a0 Among these great contributors the name of Rymonites, a Jewish philosopher stand as an ideal example.\u00a0\u00a0 He was responsible for absorbing Islamic treasure of knowledge and transmitting it to the Europe. The Andalusian (Spanish) Christians played the role of a bridge in transmitting Islamic culture and knowledge into the Christian Europe, which contributed for the renaissance of Europe. In conclusion, Muslims of the period of Islamic glory grasped the Greek thoughts, Persian and Indian sciences, refined them enriching with their original contributions and transmitted them to Europe through Sicily and Spain.<\/p>\n Therefore the history of Islam right from the time of Prophet Muhammed (S) has been the history of tolerance and also of a culture that accorded all communities and ethnic groups their due places and built a glorious universal tradition.<\/p>\n Nevertheless we do not deny the fact that there had been unhealthy instances where certain Muslim kings and rulers had made use of religion to perpetuate their own power and authority; there had also been instances of abuse and persecution of the subjects.\u00a0\u00a0 But these scattered instances had never been the tradition or the teaching of Islam. Neither it had been the general trend in the Muslim community.<\/p>\n The very presence of Christians in Islamic countries itself speaks quite eloquently for the tolerance of Islam.\u00a0\u00a0 If you go to Egypt today you get the presence of major portion of Coptic Christians and Egypt had been under Islamic rule for the last 1000 years.\u00a0\u00a0 Had the Muslim rulers imposed Islam on Coptic Christians forcibly then there would have not been a single Christian in existence in Egypt today.\u00a0\u00a0 The fact that Coptic Christians that is thriving in Egypt and the presence of Coptic Church even today after the presence of 1000 years of Islamic rule speaks volumes for the tolerance of Islam. Same can be said of several other countries. In India, the Moghul had ruled for a very long period (?) of time and Islamic law was in operation, but all along the Hindus have been majority. \u00a0Had the Muslims made an effort to impose Islam forcibly on other communities the history of India would have been different.<\/p>\n Generally speaking Islam has been a religion of peace and tolerance.\u00a0\u00a0 It has been a religion that believes in cultural and religious pluralism and ethnic harmony.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Islamic teachings and history confirms this.<\/p>\n If we take the history of Islam in this country, we can trace back the existence of Muslims over one thousand years.\u00a0\u00a0 Since then the Muslims have been cultivating very cordial and friendly relationship with other communities.\u00a0\u00a0 They have been interacting with others in a marvelous way without compromising their religious and cultural identities, while extending their contribution for the well being of the country and its development.\u00a0\u00a0 Dr. (Mrs.) Lorna Devarajah\u2019s book, Muslims of Sri Lanka, One Thousand Years of Ethnic Harmony <\/em>gives an extensive account of the subject with proved historical facts. She explains how Muslims were able to interact and integrate with other communities without while preserving their Islamic identity.<\/p>\n This is a marvelous experience of ethnic harmony in this country that can remain as a lesson to all the communities in this country.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s worth mentioning that these Muslims derived their inspirations from Islam that preached the concept of oneness of humanity.\u00a0\u00a0 This in fact had been the major factor that have been moving the Muslims right throughout.\u00a0\u00a0 They treated each and every human being \u2013 irrespective of their religious, cultural or ethnic identities \u2013 as members of one human family.<\/p>\n Prophet Muhammed (S) said that : al khalqu iyalullahi<\/em> \u2013 the creations are members of Allah\u2019s family.<\/p>\n This has been the moving spirit and principle of Muslim affairs vis a vis relationship with other communities and nations.\u00a0\u00a0 This principle impelled Muslims to deal with tolerance and also to integrate with other communities and nations for the common well being of humanity at large.<\/p>\n We should bear in mind that the sciences and arts that we have inherited and developed are common heritage of mankind and our cultures and civilizations are human achievements to which many communities and nations have enormously contributed.\u00a0\u00a0 Civilizational dialogue and encounters between cultures have been a continuous phenomenon in the history of human civilizations.<\/p>\n The world we are living today is said to be a Global Village.\u00a0\u00a0 This world is supposed to be inter-linked making the globe like a small village.\u00a0\u00a0 The term, Global Village has become very popular, but unfortunately, it is in this very village conflicts and tyranny are perpetrated against one another; communities and nations are struggling to win their legitimate rights from oppressors; one man is eliminated by another.\u00a0\u00a0 Understanding, co-operation and consensus that prevail in the villages do not exist in the so-called Global Village.\u00a0\u00a0 The main reason for this lacuna is that the concept of Global Village is built on sheer materialism, wild nationalism, utilitarianism and capitalism.\u00a0\u00a0 Human values and ethics do not find shelter in this concept, but have been totally neglected.\u00a0\u00a0 There is a need to establish dialogue and there is a need to establish interaction among civilizations, cultures and communities in order to build a world of stability and peace for the future generations.<\/p>\n Ignorance can be identified as a major cause for the development of misunderstanding and outbreak of conflicts.\u00a0\u00a0 This ignorance ranges from values, cultures, habits and ways of lives of other communities.\u00a0\u00a0 This ignorance creates a mental barrier in us to interact with each other.\u00a0\u00a0 Only constructive and meaningful dialogue can create a healthy environment for interaction with understanding and appreciating others\u2019 cultures and ways of lives.\u00a0\u00a0 It also helps to understanding of others\u2019 religion, language and traditions.\u00a0\u00a0 This is how Al Qur\u2019an puts this concept :<\/p>\n O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things) Surah 49 : 2<\/em><\/p>\n It is this understanding coming together that fosters unity and harmony when we say there is diversity that implies there is room for dialogue.\u00a0\u00a0 Finding unity in diversity can come only through genuine dialogue.\u00a0\u00a0 Through this process we must concentrate on what areas we can co-operate and what we in reality share as members of human family, rather than on what we differ.\u00a0\u00a0 When we speak about diversity we must not forget the fact that when there is diversity there is also unity; difference are in fact natural phenomenon in human life.\u00a0\u00a0 We must try to understand and mutually respect this aspect, and then only we can build bridges of consensus and co-operation.\u00a0\u00a0 Muslims as I already mentioned do not believe in Clash of Civilizations, but do believe in integration of civilizations with the mutual recognition of cultural specialties of each and every nation. Our history and traditions in the world and in this country speaks amply for this simple fact of Islamic teaching.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At a time like this and in a society and country like ours, we are faced with a host of problems, chief among which is the ethnic conflict and also at a time when we are in search of peace…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n