AN INTERVIEW

If you talk to any CPS member across chapters in India and abroad, you will find one thing common among them. They have genuine respect for people for other faiths and eagerness to learn something new. This is because through his talks and writings, Maulana inculcated in every member that the key to coexistence lies in respecting and learning from one another. There is a verse in the Quran which is very relevant in this regard: ‘For you your religion, for me mine'. In other words, it means “Follow one, respect all” He always cited sayings from the Prophet that entire humanity is one, and Prophet as mentioned in the Quran was sent as a mercy to humankind. So how can we differentiate between people of different faiths? Maulana would travel to different countries to participate in the programmes convened by Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, and Jews. Thus, he demonstrated through his life and actions that if you want a peaceful society, then the key lies in interaction, dialogue, exchange and well-wishing for one another. The same culture now runs across CPS chapters and In Sha Allah, we will keep this spirit alive which Maulana fostered. Can you share some remarkable success stories that highlight the existing good practices of interfaith dialogue and peace-building? I will begin with the example set by the Prophet of Islam when Prophet Muhammad migrated to Madinah. At that time, Madinah was a multireligious society. When he became the political head of the city, he issued a declaration called Madinah Charter (Sahifat-ul-Madinah). This charter reaffirms his acceptance of the religion of Muslims for the Muslims, the religion of Jews for the Jews and the religion of the Christians for the Christians. This principle formulated by Islam is best described not as ‘religious harmony’ but rather as ‘harmony among religious people’. So, Islamic formula is based on this principle ‘Follow one and respect all’. One extremely revolutionary example of the principle of ‘Agreeing to Disagree’ is found in the life of Prophet Muhammad. It concerns the conference of three religions which was held in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. A 60-member Christian delegation from Najd had come to Madinah to determine the situation there. A congregation of Jewish scholars followed suit. The followers of three faiths (Islam, Christianity and Judaism) gathered in one place. They carried out dialogues and discussions on various religious topics for many days. The three scriptural religions thus met in a peaceful atmosphere in Madinah. This was a truly great congress which the city of Madinah had witnessed.