Identity Conflicts

As a religion of God, Islam is an uncompromisingly monotheistic creed, and its spiritual realm has no space for any form of idolatry, or the worship of lords beside the Lord Almighty. As its mark of identity, Islam prescribes fraternal affection and bonds of solidarity among all believers, regardless of their racial or linguistic background, social or national origin. Indeed, Islam recognizes the universality of the religious experience and testifies to the Divine origin of religions among all the peoples. As God is Lord of all the Worlds (of mankind, angels, animals, plants, this world and the world to come, etc.), Islam also fosters utmost sympathy and compassion for all of His creatures (not just for fellow-Muslims); upholding the dignity and rights of all communities of people living in society. Islam envisages a social order that will peacefully facilitate the triumph of good over evil; the  prevalence of truth over falsehood in the ideational battle and struggle for supremacy between God's Religion, and all other ideologies.

Yet Today, ours is an age of rising intolerance and identity-based conflicts among communities. Societies are splintered on religious and sectarian lines. Many conflicts have their roots in religion-based adverse discriminations. The persecution of minority communities such as the Rohingyas in Myanmar and the Uighurs in China by the nationally-dominant  non-Muslim groups uprooted millions of Muslim peoples from their own homes and hearth in recent years. Likewise, the deep schism in Islamic lands, among the Sunnis and the Shias, and also other marginal  sects such as the Ahmadis, have also witnessed much sectarian bloodshed and killings. Likewise, the radicalization of the Muslim youth through extremist and militant interpretations of religious doctrines for political mobilization by a section of the Mullahs' and their terrorists' groups is also a threat to social peace and harmony, and also to the fair name of a pure religion.

In his Friday Sermon of 17 September 2021~09 Safar 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (atba) of Mauritius speaks about Islamic teachings that promote religious tolerance, inter-community harmony, and social peace in our divided world. Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) notes that whether majority or minority in  a land, the Muslims ought to emphatically reject all excesses in the name of our identity. As Hazrat Saheb (aba) points out, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated: “He who supports his clan in aggression and he who calls on others to support tyranny is not one of us.”  Indeed, it is vital to reclaim the true and original spiritual moorings of Islam, so that  a just social order  is available for everyone to pursue their religious beliefs and spiritual convictions without any hindrance.  

Read the Friday Sermon Below:  

'Surah Al-Kafirun': A Commentary

Chapter 109 of the Holy Quran

‘In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say, “O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.’

 

Despite the fact that before Islam the Arabs did not deny God, but they did not know Him by His true identity of One and Eternal. They did not devalue Him either, but associated Him with other partners, idols who were supposed to represent godly ancestors or angels who they believed were the daughters of God. In addition, they implied that there was a relationship between Him and the jinns. They forgot His attributes and worshiped other idols. But in any case, as the Quran says, they said:

 

“We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position.” (Az-Zumar, 39: 4).

 

Moreover, the Quran says: “If you were to ask them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?” They will surely reply: ‘Allah.’” (Al-Ankabut, 29 : 62).

 

“If you were to ask them: ‘Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death?’ They will surely reply: ‘Allah.’” » (Al-Ankabut 29: 64).

 

Despite their belief in God, polytheism distorted their concept as well as their traditions and rites to such an extent that they allotted part of their property to these gods, and even their children.