The Meaning of Dialogue (al-hiwar) between Civilisations ---Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3
Dialogue from a position of equivalence…I
view that it is not possible to say of eternal struggle because we are Muslims. I point to the Qur'anic ayah:
'Come to a just word between us and you' [TMQ Al-Imran:64].
This ayah
means that it is possible for us to dialogue with Christians, we dialogue
with Jews, and we dialogue with others. Why? Meaning there is a
common word between us; we do not say that we dialogue to our word"
(Ata-Allah Muhajirani, Iranian President adviser for the dialogue of
civilisations in the above mentioned study circle of Al-Jazeera). There are
those who call to dialogue between religions to create common
denominators between them, and stay silent about the points of
difference, in order to anaesthetise Muslims from the clash. They call to
the saying of 'the sons of Abraham' to strengthen dialogue between the
three religions on the basis that those who came with them descend
from one father namely Ibrahim (as). Some Muslims use as proof the
aayaat of Noble Qur'an that say the Prophets were Muslims, like His
saying at the tongue of Nuh:
"And I was commanded to be the first of the Muslims" [TMQ 39:12]
At the
tongue of Ibrahim and Ismail:
"Our Lord! Make us Muslims to you and of our descendants Muslims to you"
[TMQ Al-Baqarah: 128]
And about the people of Lut:
"But We did not find therein but one house of the Muslims" [TMQ Az-Zariyat:
36]
A
and at the tongue of the disciples (hawariyyin):
"And bear witness that we are Muslims" [TMQ Al-Imran: 52].
Perhaps there will come those who say that Christians and Jews are Muslims, and
we hear those who say that the followers of the three religions are
believers even though the Qur'anic texts, definitely proved and of
definite meaning, are decisive in charging Jews and Christians with
disbelief (kufr) such as His saying:
"Verily those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger and wish to distinguish
between Allah and His Messenger and say: 'We believe in some and disbelieve in
others' and wish to adopt a way in between. Those are in truth disbelievers, and We
have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment" [TMQ An-Nisa:
150-1].
And:
"Those who disbelieve among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not
going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence. A Messenger
from Allah reciting pure pages" [TMQ Al-Baiyinah: 1-2].
And:
"Say: O People of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the aayaat of Allah while
Allah is witness over what you are doing?" [TMQ Al-Imran: 98].
And:
"Those who disbelieve of the People of the Book and polytheists do not like that
there should descend upon you any good from your Lord. But Allah chooses for His
mercy whoever He wills. And Allah is the Owner of great bounty" [TMQ Al-
Imran: 105].
And:
"O People of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the aayaat of Allah while you
bear witness?" [TMQ Al-Imran: 70].
And:
"And because of their disbelief and uttering a grave falsehood (buhtan) against
Mary" [TMQ An-Nisa: 156].
And:
"Surely they disbelieve who say: 'Allah is the third of three'" [TMQ Al-
Mai’dah: 76]. >>>>>>>>> PAGE 1 2 3