We are living in a world made up of multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic societies - a world of differences. A reformer has rightly said that nature abhors uniformity. This means that 'difference' is a part of nature and it exists in every aspect of life. The same is true of religion. The problem is that people have been trying to eliminate the differences throughout human history leading to confrontations and negative situations.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan involved in Inter-Faith Efforts in Italy

At CPS, we feel that we need to simply learn the 'art of difference management' rather than the art of difference elimination. For, who has the power to remove differences? There may be differences in religion and culture, but there is absolutely no difference or discrimination can be made between people in terms of respect and honour. We believe that difference is not a curse, but rather a blessing. History shows that difference of opinion leads to dialogue, and dialogue results in intellectual development, which is a boon for everyone concerned. Difference of opinion, moreover, leads to high thinking, which is the key to all kinds of human progress.

At CPS we try to use the art of difference management to facilitate meaningful and positive inter-faith dialogue with the aim of such dialogue being to seek peaceful solutions to controversial matters, in spite of differences. The objective of the exercise is to share positive information so as to make a tolerant and peaceful society, in which its individuals appreciate the differences between them - thus leading to a tolerant and peaceful society.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan involved in Inter-Faith Efforts in India

The Principle of Inter-Faith Efforts – Mutual Respect
At the same time, we are living in an age of information – the age of the knowledge explosion. Today, everyone wants to know more and more about everything, including religion. The result is that, today, on the subject of religion, people are far better informed than ever before. CPS and its global partners are making positive use of this curiosity among peoples to undertake inter-faith dialogue, using the principle of ‘mutual respect’, that is “Follow one and respect all.”

During the inter-faith efforts, CPS and its global partners are making people understand that they have to welcome differences wholeheartedly without any reservation. It is hatred, which has to be eliminated, and not difference of opinion. People may have their differences in belief, religion, culture, etc., but while following their religion, they have to have mutual respect for others and discover a common bond between themselves as we are all human beings first. While following the principle of mutual respect, we are presenting our viewpoints supported by arguments, while remaining ever ready for give and take — a pre-requisite for successful inter-faith efforts — rather than insist on all demands being unconditionally met.

Revealing the True Face of Islam
Revealing the true face of Islam, based on peace and spirituality, Maulana explains that due to the knowledge explosion, today, on the subject of religion, people are far better informed than ever before. But there is a difference. About other religions, people generally know what is enshrined in their religious books. Whereas the case of Islam is the opposite. Their information about Islam is derived from unauthentic sources – the actions of Muslims and the misinterpretation of the Islamic Scriptures instead of the original sources of Islam – Quran and Sunnah. The reason for this lies with the Muslims and not with anyone else as the violence engaged in by the Muslims is being done in the name of Islam and Muslims are neither condemning these activities, nor disowning them outright. It is, therefore, but natural for people to attribute their violent propensities to their religion.

Another aspect of this phenomenon that must be questioned is the Ideology of Violence. Calling it ‘Islamic jihad’ is clearly a misnomer. The name of Islam is falsely linked to the Ideology of Violence. Repeated acts of terrorism led the Daily Times, London, to study Islam with reference to violence, and then, laying the emphasis on sensationalism rather than on objectivity, produced an article entitled, “A Religion that Sanctions Violence.”

During CPS Inter-Faith Efforts we affirm that Islam is actually a religion of peace and humanism. Not only Islam, but also all other religions may be defined in this way. The misconception is that people across the world people have come to regard Islam as a religion of violence, which is contrary to the fact. There are two major sources of Islam, the Quran, which is the word of God, and the Hadith, which are the sayings and the actions of the Prophet of Islam. From these sources we derive the true message of Islam. But the problem we face is that, where Islam is concerned, information is being derived not from its original sources - the Quran and the Hadith, but from latter-day interpretations and commentaries on these texts and from the practices of present day Muslims in different parts of the world. Due to this, Islam has wrongly come to be regarded as a religion of violence, while its true face remains elusive.

We make people understand that to be quite scientific in their approach, they must make the distinction between Islam as presented by the Prophet Muhammad and his companions (information about which is available to us in the Scriptures - the Qur'an and the Sunnah) and Islam as represented by the deeds of later Muslim generations. We are clearing misconceptions in Islam to reveal its true face, based on peace, spirituality and tolerance.

Join CPS Inter-Faith Efforts to make a tolerant and peaceful world a reality. For more information, contact us.