Interfaith Dialogue in Islam: A Scriptural Scrutiny

Abstract

With a war-ridden world in dire straits caused either by incontinence of religious extremists or by manipulation of credulous religionists by the quarters of vested interests, when the religious, peace-loving people had been ardently striving to ferret out any way and awaiting God's blessings, interfaith dialogue surfaced as an emblem of peace, voicing a clarion-call for fraternal relation among the adherents of differing religions and as a guide-post to evade inter-conflict. It is a dialogic endeavor of the followers of different religions especially on a scholarly level to recognize and stress common phenomena in various religions in a bid to proceed towards the common goal of communal harmony. But in treading the rugged path of dialogue and paving the way of friendship, the dialoguers may any time stumble and, in a sheer effort for harmonization, may slide into adopting any unjust means not ratified by their religions. For instance, a dialoguer cannot go for any compromise on fundamentals or opt for syncretism and universal religion. Nor can he engage in a dialogue that creates indifference to his religion. Only a set of distinct guidelines can protect the dialoguers. Islam as a complete code of life has not left this field unexplored. Islamic directives in this regard, therefore, are very clear. This article has been designed to go through the Quran and the Prophet's way of life in order to clarify how Islam views interfaith dialogue and also to warn of various hazards to be guarded against while in dialogue.