Scholars prefer religious dialog to Islamic proselytization<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Departing from the concept of disseminating Islamic teachings
\n(dakwah) with the purpose of converting people from other
\nreligions, Muslim scholars here agreed over the weekend that a
\ndeparture from that method could in fact open up the possibility
\nof an inter-religious dialog.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the conclusion of a two-day seminar jointly
\norganized by the International Center for Islam and Pluralism
\n(ICIP) and the European Union (EU), the scholars stressed that
\nthe propagation of Islamic teachings was actually an invitation
\nto the message and discourse about Islam and did not involve
\nconversion.<\/p>\n
Scholar Imtiyaz Yusuf of Bangkok's Assumption University said
\nin the midst of religious militancy that tended to alienate and
\nanger people from other religious beliefs, the time was right to
\nremind Muslims that the Koran indeed teaches about religious and
\ncultural pluralism.<\/p>\n
\"Through the Koran, God plans to build a peaceful coexistence
\nbetween societies... besides, there should be no coercion with
\nregard to a religious conversion,\" Yusuf told the seminar, adding
\nthat Prophet Muhammad prohibited all attempts to force people to
\nbelieve in Islam.<\/p>\n
Islamic militancy has come under the spotlight following a
\nseries of terrorist attacks worldwide, including Indonesia, which
\nhave largely been blamed on Muslim groups such as Jamaah
\nIslamiyah.<\/p>\n
Yusuf said the cross-cultural dakwah aims to present the
\nmessage of Islam to humanity in a comprehensive manner, and
\nshould not be restricted to mere politics.<\/p>\n
\"Its cross-cultural dimension also requires contemporary
\nMuslims to expose themselves to learn about other religions and
\ncultures they encounter each day,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Fellow scholar Maarof Haji Salleh of the Institute of
\nSoutheast Asian Studies in Singapore said that a dakwah had
\nto be conducted democratically.<\/p>\n
\"It (the propagation of Islamic teachings) has to respect
\ndifferences and freedom of choice. Muslim scholars should not
\nhave the view that Islam is superior to other religions,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said that dakwah must take into account the fact that
\nthere are many people with other religious beliefs.<\/p>\n
Ahmad F. Yousif of the University of Brunei Darussalam said
\nthat respect for pluralism should not be confined to clerics who
\npropagate Islamic teachings. \"We also know that there are
\nChristian groups that attempt to convert other religious
\nbelievers. We must not repeat their mistakes,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
In their recommendation, the Muslim scholars also said that
\nrespect of other religious beliefs could start from educational
\ninstitutions by teaching students about all the different
\nreligious beliefs in the world.<\/p>\n
\"It would be better if schools at all levels taught students
\nabout all the religions in the world,\" ICIP executive director M.
\nSyafii Anwar said while wrapping up the seminar.<\/p>\n
Muslim scholars who took part in the seminar also agreed to
\nstrengthen their ties in the future to bolster efforts to promote
\npluralism.<\/p>\n
The scholars also called on the media to be more sensitive to,
\nand less prejudicial of, communities with a different religion or
\nethnicity. \"The media is a powerful vehicle to perpetuate wrong
\nperceptions about certain groups in the community. In the
\nPhilippines, the villain in all the movies is always a Muslim,
\nand people, in general, tend to take that for granted,\" stated
\nCarmen Abubakar of the University of the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Syafii said recommendations from the seminar would be relayed
\nto over 2,000 Islamic boarding schools (madrasah) across the
\ncountry, so that the message could reach the largest possible
\nnumber of Muslims who regularly promulgate Islamic teachings.<\/p>\n
Dialog -- Page 6<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/scholars-prefer-religious-dialog-to-islamic-proselytization-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }