Peaceful Interfaith Dialogue

are no grounds on which such a war could be considered justifiable. Only one kind of war is permitted in Islam: defensive war. According to Islamic teachings, only if one country, by deviating from the principles of nature, wages war against another, only then that country may wage a defensive war under attack. However, this must be temporary and subject to humanitarian considerations. Peace is thus a basic teaching of all religions. Therefore, interfaith efforts should strive to establish peace in the world, which is the bedrock on which all human progress rests. PRINCIPLES FOR ETHICAL TRAINING There are ample references in all the religions that provide a good basis for nurturing more spiritually evolved human beings and promoting a better society. These are the basic roles of religion. Without playing this role, religion becomes irrelevant to humanity. For decades, I have been undertaking sessions to inculcate character-building in individuals. Here, I would like to put forward some of the principal teachings of Islam and other religions that are of relevance in this regard. All Humankind Is a Single Family Islam teaches that all humankind is a single family. The Quran declares: “O mankind! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul. He created its mate from it, and the two of them spread countless men and women [throughout the earth].” (4:1)