In the first part of this three-part article, I aired my concern over the position of muhibah in this country, of how I feel that it is being eroded away along with the arising of challenging social developments. I understand also that at the core of our pluralistic life here in this country is our attachment to religion and therefore the understanding and the appreciation of what religion means to each other and to the various communities here in this nation need to be comprehended. As such, in the last two parts, I therefore presented to the readers in general and in a nutshell the various perceptions of religion and the various readings of the fundamentals of religion.
I further maintain that that there should be certain cardinal principles of muhibah in order to sustain our pluralistic life in Malaysia. In the last two parts, two of these were expounded; firstly that there should be no interference and intrusion into the intra-religious matters and affairs of other religions and their respective communities; and secondly is to acknowledge, understand and appreciate differences among the various religions and religious communities. In this part, three more of what I understand to be the cardinal principles for pluralistic living, will be mooted.
Also, in this part, the role of religious ethics will be looked into and ethics here is seen as the common factor from which the various religious communities can comfortably relate with each other and from which platforms for inter-religious and inter-communal cooperation and efforts can be harnessed to help build a healthy, harmonious and happy society, from which peace can be sustained and prosperity can develop. Through such efforts, involvements and contributions, the comprehensive concept and the true spirit of muhibah hopefully can be enhanced. Muhibah, after all, is not just mere tolerance; muhibah is a spirit of togetherness, a kinship and a fellowship among the people of this beloved nation. In this part, I propose to expound on how the building of such a spirit and a kinship can be harnessed from the rich religious ethics of each religion.
As pointed out in the two earlier parts, at the level of the belief items and the doctrines and dogmas, each religion has its own perceptions and positions, which are formally structured, and are duly instituted and put to practice. Indeed, it is these understandings, and the living out of these understandings, that make the religious community a community wholesome by itself, cohesive and one. Along with these perceptions and positions, come the thought-patterns and the worldviews, the sensitivities and the value systems, and all else, and as these eventually gelled up and crystallized, they developed cultures and subsequently flowered into civilizations. Thus each religion contributed and brought into the chain of human history an identity, a culture and a civilization of its own which is unique, independent and distinguishable from other cultures and civilizations.
Read from this perspective, at the core of culture and civilization therefore is the intra-personal elements as well as the inter-personal elements, of what the individuals are and of how they relate to others. The intra-personal elements are those elements that form the personality and color the mindset of the person, including such as belief and faith, knowledge and education, taste and preferences, among others. The inter-personal elements include such items as ethics and etiquettes, norms and laws, and all the social institutions. This also means that the inter-personal items are all those items that support and sustain a structured, cohesive and vibrant social life. Indeed, religions in the main and on the whole, are concern with the development of both these two dimensions, the intra-personal as well as the inter-personal, the difference among them being mainly on the degree of attention that each religion devotes to these dimensions.
Whereas in the previous two parts of this three-part article, the focus was mainly on the intra-personal elements, in this part attention will be on the inter-personal dimension. In this context, the ethics of the religions will be looked into since religions are more concern with ethics then other aspects of social life. Basically ethics is how people behave with one another. It is about good and proper behavior and conduct, acceptable by one and all. Thus ethics gives guidance and directives on how human beings can relate and live together with one another properly, cohesively, decently and respectably. Ethics is therefore a form of social compliance and social discipline. Another form of social discipline is the law, which is a non-religious, non-spiritual social discipline. Whereas in law, the enforcement is through legal enforcement and punitive punishments to keep people disciplined and well behaved in society, in religion it is in the spirit of personal accountability and the consciousness over divine retributions. For some religions, divine justice takes place both in this world and in the next, but for some other religions, divine justice takes place only in the next life.
Like laws and other social institutions, ethics also places the persons within the midst of their communities and the larger society, the state and the nation, giving them right of place alongside everyone else. Although ethics pertains to social behavior or the inter-personal dimension, it however starts with giving attention to the intra-personal state of the person first, to wit, to nurture right thinking, right feeling and consequently, right action. As such, there are two dimensions to ethics, namely, the intra-personal dimension as well as the inter-personal dimension, and they are inter-dependent in ethics.
Reading into Ethics
Unlike at the levels of the belief items, doctrines and dogmas, where every religion is on its own and barely touches each other, if at all, at the level of ethics, however, religions do indeed touch each other and share so many common concerns and hopes, and do have so many similar and parallel items of ethics. Indeed, it is at the level of ethics that human beings function as fellow human beings with other human beings and as fellow creatures with other creatures. In fact, through these similarities, commonness and parallels in the ethics of the religions, the third cardinal principle or formula for a pluralistic society may be derived, namely to celebrate similarities and to work together upon the commonness and parallels of the religions.
It is interesting to note indeed that the similarities of ethics across religions are found both at the intra-personal as well as at the inter-personal levels. This is because what are perceived as proper, good and noble conduct in one religion and community are also generally perceived as proper, good and noble in another, and similarly a respectable person in one community is also a respectable person in another community. Conversely, the same is also true - a bad, evil, obnoxious and irresponsible person is regarded as bad, evil, obnoxious and irresponsible in all religions and in all societies.
As mentioned earlier, with regard to ethics, all religions start with the nurturing and the promotion of the individuals’ conscience, to inculcate and educate an inclination towards choosing, preferring, favoring, and performing what is good and right, and the disliking and rejecting of what is bad and wrong. What is good and right, and what is bad and wrong, are defined by the religions. As such, religious ethics are normative ethics whereby the norms of right and wrong, good and bad are set by the religions, imbedded within the very teachings of the religions. It follows therefore that the more conscious and committed the persons are to their religions, the more inclined they are to observe the ethical values and uphold the ethical items of their religions, and reversely, the less concern the persons are about their religions, the less compliant and observant they will be towards their religious ethics. Religious ethics work along the principle that good individuals form good society and therefore to build and sustain a good, healthy, harmonious and happy society, the individuals in the society ought to be good, properly behaved and duly functioning.
Ethics thus operates at the level of faith and the conscience, of willing and voluntary compliance, with the person’s own conscience acting as the stimulus to do the good and proper. Although the lists of good and praiseworthy conducts are very open in all the religions, in that all that brings good to the person and to all others are considered as acceptable and commendable, with regard to the bad, however, they are properly listed and itemized. Many religions therefore have lists of conduct and practices that are itemized as bad, censored and even condemned. It is noteworthy indeed that the items listed as wrongful and bad in one religion are also similarly listed in almost all the other religions too, thereby indicating that religions do share similar views regarding what is bad and condemned, although the explanations on them may be different from religion to religion, very much dependent on the teachings of each religion.
Hence there are indeed parallel values among religions as regard to ethics, morality and social norms. For example, it is interesting to note that what are perceived as the seven deadly sins in one religion, are also strongly censored too, if not downright condemned also, across the religions. These deadly sins are lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, anger, envy and pride. Likewise what are considered as the seven cardinal virtues in one religion, are also regarded as praiseworthy conduct by other religions too. These virtues are chastity, abstinence, generosity, diligence, patience, perseverance, kindness, and humility. Other common items on the positive side include such as sincerity and honesty, compassion and forgiveness, magnanimity and chivalry, selflessness and altruism, respect for parents and seniors, care for the weak and the young, responsibilities and duties towards relatives, neighbors and society, among others. Moreover, all religions too encourage their adherents to be nice and considerate, kind and helpful, sensitive and sympathetic, to others.
Likewise, all religions also instruct and teach their adherents to overcome and free themselves from negative or bad characteristics, or from what is termed as the vices. In some religions, vices are also regarded as sinful. In fact, for those on the higher ladder of spirituality, such as the mystics, devotees, monks and ascetics, much of their training and spiritual exercises revolve around the purifying of their personality from the negative characteristics, struggling to attain spiritual purity of the highest order. As for the ordinary lay adherents, the rituals and rites of the religions are also geared towards helping the individuals to discipline, control and suppress these negative traits that reside in themselves. In the places of these negative elements, the positive elements or the virtues need to be groomed in. Indeed, the essence of religious education and instructions, as well as of spiritual exercises in the forms of the rituals and rites, among others, is also for the purposes of inculcating and the upgrading of the virtues in a person and to abolish the vices that may exist in him.
Ethics and Education
Thus education is important as a means to inculcate ethics upon the individuals as well as upon the society. Moreover, and as commonly understood, education, family upbringing and the social environment play very significant roles in the nurturing and the forming of a decent personality and an ethical person, and likewise, they are also the key players behind the formation of an ethical and moral society. Indeed, all religions give serious attention to the family institution, not only in order to sustain a wholesome and happy family life, but also to nurture the individuals in the family to acquire the right and proper behavior straight away from birth. In the case of the latter, the parents and elder members normally function as role models for the children and the young, and the character of senior members are generally assimilated by the younger members into their own personality, and their conduct generally emulated. Thus, it is essential that the lead figures in the family portray good ethical behavior and carry out their duties and responsibilities well.
Normally, therefore, religions have sets of etiquettes on family life, and fundamental to these etiquettes are fidelity and loyalty of the spouses to each other, and the care and caring for the children and the aged parents. In fact all these are mandated upon the adherents by their religions and are thus the sacred trusts of religions upon their communities. Religions also build up affection, care and concern among the siblings and the relatives, and thus marriages too are sacred trusts because they not only bring together the two spouses but also the families, relatives and friends of the spouses. The general philosophy behind the family institution is that families are units of society and thus if the units are healthy and happy, then society too will be healthy and happy, in concurrence with the philosophy that good individuals make good society. Indeed, when families break up, the family members undergo a lot of misery and hardship, and if the family institution as a whole were to break up, then social upheavals will rush into the society.
Religious ethics also insist upon proper conduct towards neighbors and friends, with duties and responsibilities entrusted towards them. Among the parallel items of religious ethics across the religions are taking good care of the orphans, the widows, the aged, the sick, the deprived, the handicapped, to list out some. Indeed social ethics of religions are inclined towards caring for the less fortunate and the weak, which is actually a mandate upon the strong and more fortunate to do so. Moreover, social ethics of religion promotes decent behavior among members of the community, and encourages proper decorum towards one another, and towards the larger society and the state as a whole. Loyalty to the state and defense of it too appear as a religious duty in some religions.
The catch-phrase "Do unto others as you like done to you", and "Do not do unto others what you do not like done to you", reflect to a large extent the general ethical principles of inter-personal relationship. Nonetheless, in a larger context, particularly with regard to a pluralistic society, i.e., a society or a state with multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-racial communities, it is also necessary to add a second dimension to these two social principles. This second dimension should read as - "Do unto others what they like done to them", and "Do not do unto others what they do not like done to them". This second formula shifts the point of reference from oneself to the other. This extra dimension is necessary in a multi-communal society because each community has its own sensitivities and values, and thus what one community likes, the other communities may not. As such, not only should people treat others as how they want others to treat them, but they should also treat others as how the others want to be treated.
This is because, as highlighted before, although there are numerous and exciting similarities and parallels among ethical items in religion, however, there are also some serious differences. As stated earlier, each religion and community has its own worldview and value system, sensitivities and preferences, stemming from its theologies, doctrines and dogmas. Thus, what one community may favor, another may not; what one religious community feels right, another may feel wrong. Indeed, although there are many similarities and parallels in ethics among the various religions, they however are not identical and therefore religious ethics are not homogenous despite their commonness. Thus to promote and sustain muhibah in a pluralistic society, it is necessary that members of the society understand and respect the sensitivities and values of other communities. Thus, the fourth cardinal principle for a multi-religious and multi-communal society is to treat others as others want to be treated.
To reiterate, that while celebrating and working together at the level of the parallels and the similarities, at the level of the differences, there should be acknowledgment and respect for the others’ sensitivities and preferences. In other words, every community should be given the space to be as they are and to be accepted as they are. Any attempt at trying to reform and reconstruct other communities’ thoughts and views, or to interpret for them their religious teachings, values and culture, is to court trouble and will only result in unhappy consequences. Moreover, the methodologies applied in understanding religious teachings differ from religion to religion by virtue of the fact that what entails as authority also differ from religion to religion, as also their historical developments. For some religions, history played a vital role in the formation of the theologies, doctrines and dogmas, while for others it is the revelations, and for others still, it is the culture and the human factors.
The same arguments apply if members of a particular religion were to be engaged by another religious community to persuade them to move for changes within their own religion. Such members will find themselves disoriented, belonging neither here nor there, and end up as misfits per own their religion and community. This is because these persons will be rejected by their own community for their disloyalty and betrayal and at the same time they are however not members of the other community. As explained earlier, religions are not personal properties of individuals or groups of individuals to do as they like, and nor are religious teachings seasonal in nature that they can be molded and be fashioned to fit particular preferences and moods of particular people. Moreover, the role of religions is to guide and not to be guided. Indeed, religions are firmly established with well instituted institutions, and are older in age than any of their living adherents today, and they have rode over all seasons of thoughts and moods.
Codes of Moral Conduct
Other then the general items of ethics, religions also have precise codes of morality or moral codes of conduct pertaining to social behavior and inter-personal relationships, wherein are precisely listed the prohibited and the censored. These are also known as sins, vices or immoralities and they are considered as wrong acts inflicted not only upon other individuals, but also upon the religions and upon their communities. Many items in these codes coincide also with what are classified as crimes by law. Thus in some religions, these wrong conducts entail both a religious and a legal penalty.
Again, there are many parallel items found among the various religious codes of conduct, and because of their precise nature, their commonness are even more pronounced then the general virtues and vices discussed above. To help identify these items, it is helpful if these codes of morality are to be identified as per their religion. The following are the lists, presented in simple terms.
ISLAM Hadd and Qiśaś 1. Theft 2. Banditry or violent robbery 3. Adultery 4. Slandering someone of adultery 5. Intoxication 6. Murder 7. Apostasy
JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY The Ten Commandments 1. You shall not have other gods than me 2. You shall not make any images 3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain (lightly) 4. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy 5. Honor your father and mother 6. You shall not kill 7. You shall not commit adultery 8. You shall not steal 9. You shall not bear false witness 10. You shall not covet or desire what belong to others
BUDDHISM The Ten Precepts (Items 1-5 are meant for all Buddhists and 1-10 are for the monks only) 1. One should not kill all living things 2. One should not steal or take what is not given 3. One should not commit adultery 4. One should not lie or cheat 5. One should not get intoxicated 6. One should not eat after noon meals 7. One should not indulge in entertainments 8. One should not have luxuries 9. Ones should not have comforts 10. One should not own wealth
HINDUISM The Yamas 1. No violence or killing 2. Do not lie 3. Do not steal 4. Do not lust 5. Discipline desire
JAINISM The Great Vows 1. I vow never to kill knowingly 2. I vow never to lie 3. I vow never to steal 4. I vow never to be unchaste 5. I vow to check greed 6. I vow to avoid temptation 7. I vow to limit number of things 8. I vow to guard against evils 9. I should observe periods of meditate 10. I should observe periods of self-denial 11. I should spend periods as monk 12. I should give alms
The Five Vows for the Ascetics 1. I renounce all killing 2. I renounce all vices 3. I renounce stealing 4. I renounce sexual pleasure 5. I renounce all attachments
SIKHISM The Five Major Vices and Other Sins (From the Rehat Maryada) 1. Lust 2. Anger 3. Greed 4. Worldly attachment 5. Pride 6. Atheism 7. Indolence (sloth and laziness) 8. Deceit 9. Slander 10. Ingratitude
Other Prohibitions 1. Eating slaughtered meat. 2. Cutting hair 3. Intoxicants and tobacco 4. Adultery 5. Asceticism and some spiritual behavior 6. Material obsession 7. Sacrifice of creatures 8. Non-family-oriented living, e.g. recluse, beggar, yogi, monk, nun or celibate. 9. Worthless talk e.g. bragging, gossip, lying, slander, back-biting. 10. Priestly class It can be seen from the above lists that there are items that appear in almost all the religions, if not all, and these are therefore the common or the parallel items that are out-rightly censored by all the religions. Some of these items may appear using the same terms or in different terms. The parallel items which are condemned, or also known as the sins or vices, found in all religions include the following:
1. Murder, killing or violence 2. Adultery, fornication, lust or unchaste behavior 3. Theft, stealing, or robbery 4. Lying, cheating, or deceit 5. Slandering, back-biting or bearing false witness 6. Intoxication
The parallel items illustrated above show just how close all the religions in Malaysia are at the level of ethics and how serious all the religions view specific social items, namely murder and violence, adultery and immorality, theft and cheating, lying and slandering, and intoxication. Moreover, the parallel items indicate that on these issues the various religious communities in Malaysia share the same concern, namely, that these unhealthy and asocial acts need to be addressed and curbed. Thus, the codes of conduct of the various religions can therefore be made the common platform from which the various religious communities in Malaysia can work on together. The proper type of mechanism for cooperation and the structuring of efforts need to be initiated wherein the various communities can work along together collectively and yet stay comfortable within the parameters of their very own religion. This is called unity in diversity and is the fifth cardinal principle of a pluralistic community.
Indeed, such works are urgently needed today in the light of the amounting social problems and crimes. Likewise, the positive ethical elements found in various religious teachings as highlighted above, such as compassion, helpfulness, charity, patience, perseverance, among others, can be promoted to help build a nation of noble people and to attain and sustain a healthy, harmonious and happy society, in the true spirit of muhibah.
Resolving Issues and Problems
However, to establish deep-rooted and genuine muhibah, challenging and controversial issues need to be effectively addressed otherwise the resentments that evolved out of these issues will not only hinder the fostering of muhibah but may also create hard feelings and build divides among the communities. It is indeed very unwise to overlook these issues in the hope that people will come to their senses by and by, and so the problems will eventually die off by themselves. On the contrary, resentments and bitterness do not just fizzle off by themselves but rather will accumulate and grow. For the meantime, these may be latent but in fact they may actually be building up momentum, and given the opportunity, they may explode. Malaysia had already gone through such bitter incidences before and these ugly historical facts are still revisited now and then, for this purpose or that.
Certainly, Malaysia does not want the recurrence of such incidences. Indeed, we have learned well enough on this matter, and social outbreaks, once sparked off, will be very, very difficult to diffuse. It will be a great pain and a tragedy all round, for one and all. Nobody will stand to win, but rather all will stand to lose out. Moreover, in such situations, it is always the innocents and the uninvolved that become the victims while the main players often go off without a scratch. Healing too is a very slow and painful process; delicate scars will remain and memories will linger and haunt for a long, long time. Worse still, Malaysia may never be the same again. Surely this is unnecessary and certainly we don’t want such to happen. We therefore need to settle these issues before they become too huge to handle and too late to resolve.
Indeed, there are many disturbing issues today but since the focus of this work is on religion, therefore only issues related to religion will be looked into here; in fact they are the key issues of the day. Among the issues that are often raised are that of conversion and the propagation of religions. In the case of conversion, it is necessary to view the matter from two angles or perspectives, i.e., from the perspectives of the religions that do the conversion, and from the perspectives of the religions that are affected by the conversion. From the perspectives of the religions that do the conversion, sharing out and propagating their religions is part of the injunctions of their religions, and not to do so means not to carry out the injunctions of their religions and is thus a religious defect. In fact, for them, propagating their religions is not only necessary but is also considered a great and noble act for they see this as saving others from sorrowful endings in the next life. In other words, conversion for these religions means to save people.
However, from the perspectives of the religions that are affected by the conversions, they see this as an intrusion into their religious and communal lives and they do not like it at all. Indeed, some religious communities feel quite upset and challenged, and even feel threatened by the converting out of their members from their religions. Although their religions do not stop conversion out, still they do not feel right that members of their families and friends leave their religions and communities. Furthermore, for those families that are affected by conversions out, they feel that their lives are no longer as normal as before; things have changed for them and their families. The matter becomes even more serious and complicated when young children are involved and where properties need to be divided up.
The affected religions, however, cannot stop the propagating religions from propagating their religions because, as mentioned earlier, propagation is part of the religious duties of these adherents. Moreover, this will mean to interfere with how other people practice their religions which tantamount to interfering with the intra-religious matters of the other religions, and this is against the cardinal principles of a pluralistic society. Other ways therefore need to be worked out, and one way, perhaps, is to work from within the religions themselves, to see what available resources there are within their very own religions to check conversion out. Another possibility is to carry out studies, including post-mortem studies, on why members of their religions choose to convert out. From such studies, ways can be devised to improve the situation. Another possibility is through legal actions, filed under harassment and interference, against those parties that prove to be a nuisance.
The need to resolve such inter-religious issues as brought about by conversion is even more urgent at the level of legalities and legal matters. In certain religions, when conversion takes place, the marriage is no longer valid. Thus, when one spouse converts out from the religion under which he or she was married and within which they have their children, the problem of the religion of their children, the custody and maintenance of the children, the inheritance and division of properties of the spouses, further complicate the issue. These are real and practical issues and thus need to be resolved by practical means. If left to continue unresolved as they are, hard feelings will evolve and spread among those concerned, and their families, friends and respective communities will rally to their side, as what indeed is happening now.
One way to resolve this delicate and weighty issue is perhaps for the government to set up an authorized committee, comprising of appropriate and qualified personnel to resolve the matter. In those cases where legality is involved, then perhaps both the civil court and the shari’ah court can sit together. A joint-court perhaps can be set up to handle such cases wherein both parties can be attended to as appropriate. The trials in such courts should be also be given a good coverage by the mass media so that the public knows what they want and ought to know. This can help check the spread of rumors and even of the spread of mischievous propaganda. It is half-truths and concealed truths that set off sensational and mischievous rumors and scandals. Thus, as the saying goes, justice should not only be done but should also be seen to be done. In the past, such cases have caused high tension in society and the issue of justice was extended into other issues, thereby arousing communal sentiments. So far, these high, hot feelings had stopped at a certain point, but there is no saying that such incidences will always stop at a certain point. It is well worth keeping in mind always that big wars were triggered off by petty conflicts, and mistakes are sometimes the making of tragedies.
Likewise, it is perhaps necessary too for the government to set up a body or a committee to look into the issues of propagation of religions. These representatives should be the proper representatives of the religious communities, fully committed to their religions, and with profound knowledge of their religions, are highly respected and well accepted by their communities so that their resolutions and decisions will sit well with their respective communities. If otherwise, then their resolutions and decisions will be suspected and rejected by their own people, and their people may even feel betrayed by them. Moreover, all groups within the religions should be duly represented since not all groups within a religion consent and endorse certain stance, and in fact some may even be appalled by them. Indeed, there are voices of resentments against those very people who claim to be the spokespersons of their religions and the champions of their communities. Self-elected and self-promoted leaders are never much respected and thus cannot be of help to resolve issues, and in fact may even aggravate the situation more by provoking intra-communal dissension. If such is to continue, then nothing is achieved and no purpose is served.
Regarding the matter of conversion, since for some religions, as stated above, propagation work is an injunction of their religions, such works therefore cannot be stopped. However, what is feasible is to look into the methods and mechanisms of the propagation. Religions do spell out the dos and don’ts in matters of propagation. All the same, there are always over-zealous members of the communities that go beyond what are recommended or even permitted by their religions. A body of the learned should be able to guide their communities on how to affect their propagation works in line with the guidelines of their religions. Since the injunctions to propagate the religions come from the religions themselves, thus it is only proper that the propagation be carried out as recommended and directed by the religions for if not, then the work and the efforts will no longer be religious in nature.
On the issue of conversions, it should be noted that for some religions, conversion in is possible but conversion out is not. Again, this is a religious injunction of these religions and is thus binding upon the adherents and their communities. In such religions too, what are injunctions in the religion becomes binding laws upon the community. This is because in such religions, there is no dichotomy between what are religious and what are non-religious, between what are temporal and what are spiritual. To expect such communities to adjust this ruling is to interfere with the intra-religious matters of the religion and this too will go against one of the cardinal principles of a pluralistic society. Moreover, religions, as stated earlier, are not seasonal in nature to be shaped, fashioned and engineered to fit the trend or issues of the moment. Indeed, in all religions, there are the negotiable and the adjustable injunctions, and there are also the non-negotiable and the non-adjustable ones, and for such religions, converting out is a non-negotiable item.
In the Footsteps of Religions
Other then religious issues affecting religious communities, there are also some that come not from religions but from sources that seem to have taken the shade and the force of religion, and in particular, the United Nations together with its institutions and charters. Indeed, the United Nations has moved on from being a body just to resolve conflicts into a body that does almost everything. Resolutions are proposed, decisions are made, charters are charted out, officers are engaged and the declarations are propagated across the globe. In fact, the zeal and passion that go to push for the recognition and endorsement of these charters and declarations are even more spectacular and pushy than the propagation of any religion, and one that involves all the state-of-the art techniques and the most sophisticated mechanisms that propagation can take.
Looking at the United Nations and its institutions from the definitions of religion, indeed, it has all that takes for it to be classified as a form of religion. It has the charters as scriptures, the resolutions and rulings as doctrines and dogmas, its institutions as the authorities, its officers and workers as the high-priests and shamans, its ardent supporters as the adherents, its speeches and debates as the sermons, among others. Not only is the United Nations in the footsteps of religion, it is in fact even more zealous and passionate to spread and propagate its philosophies and policies, often shelving off and side-lining those who choose to dissent and differ. Take a look at the propagation of its doctrines on secularism and democracy, its dogmas on human rights and freedom of expression, for examples, rigorously imposing these upon all nations, and at times in ways that are everything but democratic or free, a “holier than thou” stance.
Nonetheless, like all other religions, some of the clauses, charters, and declarations do find echoes of similarities and parallels too with the teachings of other religions, and these are, likewise, well accepted by the religious communities. However, there are also some clauses and rulings that do not fit into the religious teachings of certain religions, and may even be contradictory to them. Thus, as in the cases with other religions, religious communities have every right to accept or to reject these rulings, and as other religions too, the United Nations cannot be imposed upon anyone, and thus there should be no obligation and compulsion on any community to endorse and implement anything they find contradictory, or even unpalatable, to their religions. Thus, the United Nations and all its institutions, its charters, declarations and rulings, should be stood along all other religions and religious communities, to be given due respect, position and consideration as one of the many and not as one above the many.
Closing Remarks
Returning back to the matter of ethics in religion, religious ethics therefore can indeed be harnessed to help build up a harmonious life in a pluralistic society, for the sustenance and the promotion of muhibah. The key-words are sound knowledge and proper understanding of all the religions and the religious communities in Malaysia, and their respective thought-patterns and worldviews, values and sensitivities, preferences and tastes. Moreover, there is an urgent need today for religious communities to work together, to reap from the richness of each religion and to harvest the commitment of their dedicated members to help resolve pressing and serious social problems in this nation, and all these can be addressed and tackled comfortably from the very platform, and from within the very parameters, of each religion. Every religion, without any exception, encourages and even instructs their adherents to care and promote the wellbeing of one and all.
Furthermore, the fact that religions transcend all boundaries – geographical, national, racial, political, economic, linguistic, cultural, color, and social status, among others – is a positive factor indeed and a great advantage to social and humanitarian works, not only at the local level but also at the global level. In fact, religious people more than anybody else need to act because their religions precisely teach them to care and help others, to be compassionate and helpful. At the level of conscience and concern, people are basically the same because every one sees and feels, and among the most conscientious people and sensitive of people are the people of faith and spirituality.
That Malaysians love Malaysia and are proud of being Malaysians and are also proud of fellow Malaysians - there is no doubt about this. However, love and pride by themselves cannot further the courses of this nation. This nation needs contributory members, pro-active in building up this country and in sustaining peace and wellbeing, prosperity and happiness. Malaysians need to come up to performance, employing the best that we have, and indeed every one of us do have what is the best there is to give to this beloved nation. Nobody is ever redundant in a community, let alone in a nation. Indeed every human being is gifted with a certain quality that makes the person special in his and her own way, even if he or she does not recognize or realize it yet.
For many too, all the years and the adventures of life experiences can be of great benefit to the nation as well as to themselves; for the nation, because these experiences can be shared around to benefit fellow citizens, and for themselves, because they will enjoy a fulfilled and meaningful. Happiness, indeed, is in the small things in life and the sharing of oneself with others, with families, with friends, with the nation, and with the whole world. This is what being great is all about – not in the shouts and the slogans, not in the claims and the complaints, not in the arrogance and snobbery – but in giving the best of oneself to noble causes, big or small these gift may be. This is our nation and our nation is our responsibility.
To reiterate, the five cardinal principles of muhibah as envisioned here are: 1. Not to interfere in intra-religious and intra-communal matters of any religion or community (i.e. the spirit of restrain and discipline) 2. To acknowledge, understand and respect differences and sensitivities of other religions and their communities (i.e. the spirit of sympathy and empathy) 3. To celebrate and harness commonness in religions for the benefit of this nation (i.e., the spirit of communal cooperation) 4. To treat others as they want to be treated (i.e., the spirit of respecting the other) 5. To be united despite the diversities (i.e., the spirit of unity in diversity)
May this beloved nation and all the beings in it, one and all, citizens and non-citizens, residents and visitors, human and non-human alike, be blessed.
posted by Interactive Muslimah Association (IMAN) @ 9:28 PTG
5 Feb 2010 -
IIUM will be organising a talk on kalimah Allah on Feb 5. Muslimin and muslimat are invited to join the program.
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From the President's Desk
I woke up before fajr this morning with a thought over Faridah's mail. In my previous two mails, I had explained to some details why I strongly believe not to get into a tango with people whose mission is to revise Islam for their own specific purposes, humiliate our 'ulama' and discredit mainstream Muslims....
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