Dialogue Paves the Way for Civilizations
By DR. ABDUSSALAM VANIYAMBALAM
The good days of Samuel P. Huntington seem to be over. The number of people who take his book The Clash of Civilizations as merely a myth is increasing in the world.
Huntington who emerged on the scene declaring in a speech at the American institute in 1992 that the source of conflicts and clashes in the post cold-war world will be the religions, and Francis Fukuyama who foretold the victory of the Western civilization by writing The End of History and the Last Man in 1992 are those who have artificially created the ideological background of the last two centuries of a terrifying and horrific atmosphere around the world. Anyway, by realising their imagination through the war George Bush somehow made the Clash of Civilizations a reality. It reached its zenith in the September 11, 2001 event. The world became a real hell following the invasions on Iraq and Afghanistan. Even though the main victims of these events were the Muslims, the West began to evaluate that severe damage has been inflicted on the Western Civilization also. The number of people who began to think that the world problems cannot be solved through clashes began to increase in the West. The result was the rejection of Bush strategy and the elevation of Barak Obama to power.
The world under the mist of the clash of civilizations which failed to give heed to the words of the former Iran President Mohd Khatami for a dialogue of the civilizations or the summoning of the United Nations to celebrate 2001 as the year of dialogue of the civilizations, had to come to the ground of reality by 2007. Following that Huntington and Fukuyama were pushed back. Paul Berman (Terror and Liberation), Amartya Sen (How to Judge Globalization), Edward Said (The Myth of Clash of Civilizations) and others strongly criticised Huntington‟s theory in their works.
The debate about dialogue on civilizations and their mutual relationship has increased a lot. The Muslim world is in its forefront. It was quite natural because it was easy to raise the slogan of „Dialogue among the Civilizations‟ from the Islamic point of view. There are enough evidences in the Holy Qur‟ān, the Sunnah and Islamic history for dialogue. Consider the verse of the Holy Qur‟ān which advances the idea of dialogue with an open and unbiased mind and equal status:
“And verily, (either) we or you are rightly guided or in plain error.” (Saba‟: 24)
The Holy Qur‟ān declares that pluralism is a universal fact:
“And if your Lord had so willed he could surely have made mankind one Ummah.” (Hūd: 118)
Allah, even though He is the Lord of the universe, doesn‟t impose His Will on the human beings:
“So will you (Oh Muhammad) compel mankind, until they become believers?” (Yunus: 99)
“Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve” (Al Kahf: 29)
When the situation was all set for structuring the first Islamic state, instead of making it a one-sided affair, the Prophet took the initiative to construct the first nation on the basis of pluralism with the co-operation of the polytheists and Jews.
The need for dialogue stressed by the scholars of Islam on the basis of the above mentioned foundations of pluralism have in fact played an effective role in creating global awareness of dialogue. Hundreds of researches and studies have been conducted in the Muslim world. Many books have come out on this topic. Seminars and conferences are being held in various parts of the world.
But among the leaders of the Muslim world the first path-breaking step was taken by Saudi Arabia‟s King Abdullah. The beginning of this venture was by summoning an international conference on dialogue under the auspices of Makkah-based Muslim World League from June 4 to June 6, 2008. Following this event an international conference was called at Madrid, Spain from July 16 to 18. Again as a follow-up of these two events an international conference was summoned on September 30 and October 1 at Geneva. The theme of the conference was, „Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for dialogue and its impact on the promotion of humanity‟. The conference was held in six sessions with discussions on various topics such as „The role of dialogue projects in the spread of human values‟, „Dialogue, man and society‟, „Dialogue among civilizations in the modern society‟, „Co-operation among the civilizations‟, „The role of religious values in refining the society‟, „Dialogue and the role of media in spreading human values‟.
The conference was inaugurated by Councillor Muriyal Berset, Adviser to the President of Switzerland. She emphasised the role of religions in the spread of high moral values. Muslim World League Secretary General Dr. Abdullah Abdul Muhsin Al-Turki, Saudi Human Rights Commission President Dr. Bandar Bin Muhammad, World Council of Churches former General Secretary Dr. Samuel Kobia expressed their views in the inaugural session. They underlined the need of unity among the religions to solve the problems faced by the world today.
Many prominent personalities like President of Christians and Muslims for Peace Dr. William Baker (USA), the Jewish Rabbi Stephen Jacob(USA), Father Nabeel Haddad(Jordan), Dr. Samir Nuh(Japan university), former Secretary General of National Council of Churches and former member of US Congress Dr. Robert Edgar (USA), Bosnian Mufti Dr. Mustafa Ibrahim, Vatican representative Khalid Butroos Khaleel, Lebanon media minister Dr. Tariq Mithri, Chairman of the Council of the American Islamic Relations Dr. Nihad Awadh, Swami Agnivesh (India), Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Saudi Islamic Affairs Dr. Salih Hussein
Al Aaeed, Sheikh Foudhi Fadil(Egypt) presented papers in different sessions. The delegates had the opportunity to talk and give their opinions after each topic presentations.
The conference witnessed open discussion throughout its sessions. The delegates took care in examining the possibilities of the cultural pollination in a totally friendly atmosphere. They stressed the need of the co-operation between religions in solving the problems faced by humanity like war, poverty, chaos, riots etc. Representatives of different religions put light on the principles of their respective religions on the topic of dialogue and tolerance among civilizations. The speech of Swami Agnivesh attracted the attention of the audience. He pointed out with the help of statistical data the problems of the people experiencing extreme poverty and aftermaths of wars and the inevitable need of the hour for the unity of the religions to solve them. The interference by M.D. Nalapat by presenting Indian examples of tolerance was viewed with amazement by the delegates of the conference.
The conference was made more beneficial by the delegates criticising the matters which ought to be criticised without confining themselves to formal talks. Such interferences were more from the side of Muslim delegates. Many a time the strong criticisms raised against the West by them put the delegates from West on defensive. They explained by quoting the examples of human rights violations and double-standard of the West how they counteract dialogues and make them meaningless and an utter failure.
It was an irony that while the conference on dialogue was going on in the inter-continental hotel, at the same time nearby the hotel the American and European Union members were trying to bring Iran on its knees on the nuclear issue. When the MWL General Secretary was giving a press meeting after the conference, the other hall of the hotel witnessed the American–E.U. members expressing their delight in having subjected Iran to their interests in yet another press meeting.
Dr. Mustafa Ibrahim, Mufti of Bosnia, strongly criticised the West especially America‟s stand on terrorism, neutralisation of weapons, etc. Dr. Robert, who was member of American Congress, while replying to a question, accepted the criticism but reminded that the changes that had begun in the American stand. Dr. William Baker, President of the „Christians and Muslims for Peace in America‟ often became very emotional while describing the miserable and pathetic conditions of the children of war and the sights he saw with his own eyes. He also unleashed strong criticisms against the terrorism of the governments and rulers.
Besides the presentations, discussions, theoretical and formal talks, the melting of ice through the interaction of the delegates and different cultures and sharing of experiences in the two days, were the real benefits and advantages of the conference.
The resolution adopted in the conference stressed that the misunderstandings which can harm the good relations between religions should be rectified and the fact that the real cause of problems is not the religion but the vested interests should be understood. The resolution highlighted that the nations and institutions have the obligation of safeguarding and obeying the international laws related to human rights.
The conference has put forward a lot of creative suggestions such as establishing a permanent centre for dialogue, increasing the participation of women and youths in the conferences, etc. An International Conference on the role of media in the dialogue of civilizations is also among the suggestions of the conference.
drsalam@aljamia.net
