Afghan Press Author: Rooh-ul-Amin

The concept and tradition of inter-faith dialogue is not a new phenomenon. It has been since human recorded history but the advent of Islam renewed this concept since ever. Thus we have inherited a concept of tolerance and co-existence with the followers of other religions. The Madina Accord with Jews and other minorities, living in and on the fringes of Madina, is a living example. The prophet of Islam took a Jewish lady into wedlock and thus she and won the appellation “the mother of believers”. It shows that Islam not only tries to endure other religions but also to have ties with them.

Thus the great prophet of Islam itself kept the cornerstone of co-existence with other religions during his lifetime. The Quranic verse in chapter “ The Children of Imran” reveals it in such words “Say unto them: O people of Scriptures! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah and that we shall ascribe no partners unto Him and none of us take others for Lords beside Allah. And if they turn away then say: Bear testimony that we are they who have surrendered unto Him”.

The verse on one side clearly shows that at that time all the chaos was brought by this convoluted issue of god and God and on the other it suggests for an agreement with the owner of Scriptures. But in current scenario we will have to see the obverse of the coin.

If we divide the world community into blocks, we will discern that it is not religion that has brought schism among the different communities of the world rather it is the economic war and greedy nature of the dominant class that is responsible for all this fissure and violence across the globe.

The clergy of West and East has always tried to colour the issue as religious one but there sight does not go beyond their nose-tip. If it were the case then Europe must have not seen the wars among the followers of the same faith and also among the Muslim countries claiming the same faith.

Looking into the complexity of the situations across the globe the decision for holding an inter-faith peace dialogue was not only laudable but it is the cry of the time. Now that 17 leaders from world community including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, Spain, the UK and the USA under the tutelage of the UN General Assembly have partaken it, it is easy to feel the gravity of the issue which really deserves right attention.

The king of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz assured the world community that he (Muslim) is going to offer a hand of peace and brotherhood.

Pointing at the past history he said that at least we must take a lesson from the wars fought in past that have yielded nothing but decimation and extermination. He has also rightly brought to light that some hidden hands have been trying to exploit the religious concepts for their short ends since the near past but it is good that the world community took the importance of inter-faith dialogue into consideration.

The UN Secretary General BanKi-moon also explained the issue terming the present economic recession as the backlash of the on going clash among different nations of the world. He stressed for tolerance but I would say, if belligerent and usurper country like US offers such a cordial hand coupled with sincerity then the day is not so far that the world will see a dawn of peace. If even today it shuns bolstering up the Israel, then the next day the sun will rise with the omen of peace in Middle East. This is the reason that most of the Israelites considered Mr. Bush as enemy in guise of a sweet friend.

The UN chief explained the blame game with discretion talking about the prejudice that exists against Islam and its vilification.

It is not only the responsibility of these 17 nations but also the duty of the entire world to strive for peace. It is the issue of human not the issue of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The world peace is associated with these major and chronic issues of Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Kashmir. And the fast changing scenario demands its solutions now or it will be too late. To hope for a Garden of Eden keeping this issue aside, it is as if to run after mirage. No supper natural creation will comedown from heavens for its solutions but it is at our hands that how much serious and sincere we are in its solution and turning the world into a peaceful abode for our posteriors.

In this context the statement of the Zardari, the president of Pakistan also cannot be underestimated that the dominant class must delve into the causes and factors of terrorism. He rightly criticised the West must avoid discriminatory attitude with the Muslims in its war on terror.

But president Asif Zardari’s decision to stay away from a dinner hosted by the UN secretary general, according to some reports, in order to avoid a meeting with the Israeli president, is rather inappropriate.

Especially when we have a clear verse from the holy Quran, wherefrom most of the Muslims take aspirations, reveals that if they—the owner of the Scriptures expand their hand for peace then ye must too and if ye fear that they will deceive ye then repose in Allah and say that we are but peace-loving.

In response to the address by Saudi leader, the president of Israel, Shimon Peres also assured the partakers of the dialogue that he is keen in solving the Palestine issue with the Arab States.

He said that they have fought a long fray, which has given nothing but a great loss in men and material with a permanent mental strain for both the nations. “We sustained it for a long time and now we are weary of it, so let bygones be bygones and let to concentrate on peace and change our future”. By now Tel Aviv has violated more than 60 UN resolutions only in Lebanon. It must not be taken as an attack on the Israel, peace process and inter-faith dialogue but it is a reality that Israel has stampeded UN Security Council resolution No: 425 (1978) for 30-year. In spite of displacing more than one million and exterminating 1200 Lebanese civilians during the first month of Israel’s attack, it were the Israel who were portrayed as the victims by western media. In retaliation to it the Israel had lost 116 soldiers and 43 civilians. Thus the massacre resulted at the cost 28 Lebanese for each Israelite’s civilian loss. If he is sincere in his words then it will be the atonement for these violations.

I opine that until the history is secularised the upheavals and violence will go incessant. A French historian was the first one who suggested the world history must be secularised for it is too hard to discern truth in history. But till now the history is replete with ‘us versus them’ approach which has defaced history. If we want to seek a safe exit the term ‘we the human’ must be infused in the minds of human beings regardless of their religion. And this will be the first step towards secularising it.

But every now and then there is a sneaking of doubts over the valuable proposals of the leaders of rival nations that why the world is destined with this doom of violence? For most of us it is because of the duality of the leaders either it is in case of Middle East or South Asia. When the words and actions don’t go abreast then the result is conflict. Yes indeed it is the conflict of words and actions that has erupted violence across the world.

Purity in emotions, stability in actions and sincerity in words is the prime key for its solution. Because of this duality in actions and words, the Palestine issue has been lingering for more than six decades and the Afghanistan for no less than three decades. History has always shown the dominant class has been responsible for all the violence. If the world community is sincere in fighting the issue of violence, first it must scotch the ‘us versus them approach and the language of labeling,’ by secularising history, and bringing conformity in words and actions. After that we can hope for peaceful abode on the surface of the globe.

The writer is a FATA-based freelance journalist.