According to the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), the Director-General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding of Malaysia, Datuk Nik Mustapha Hassan has issued a statement saying that Islam rejects religious pluralism which espouses that all religions are equally good and true.
This statement seem to have been issued in the wake of the recent statement by several Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders' rejecting the concept of Malay supremacy.
According to the Quran, Those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Christians and Sabaeans- whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does right- surely their reward is with God, and there shall nor fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. (Quran 2:62)*
Religious pluralism was promoted by several Muslim rulers in the past such as Emperor Akbar Jalaluddin Mohamed of India, and also Muslims saints such as Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi of Persia (Iran).
In a country where Muslims make up slightly over 50% of the population, it is mind-boggling when there are groups out there who do not accept religious pluralism.
However, IKIM's stand that all religions are not equal can be true in a way. For example Buddhism, Christianity and Islam for example should never be seen as equal because they each have their own concepts, doctrine, theology and theosophy. It would also be wrong to view one religion by comparing it with another as this would be akin to comparing spaghetti to stir-fried noodles.
But to totally reject pluralism? No wonder then, groups like Al-Qaeda have no qualms about killing other human beings, because they feel those human beings are less than equal than them (Al-Qaeda). This is the kind of thinking Sabahans and Malaysians in general should be up against.
*see Mohammed Abdul Malek and Sajeda Malek's study of this verse in astudyofquran.org
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1 comment:
Be brave to speak the truth...
just like Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador:
http://www.silk.net/RelEd/ezineromero.htm
One of his quote:
" A church that suffers no persecution but enjoys the privileges and support of the things of the earth - beware! - is not the true church of Jesus Christ. A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good, so that they are secured in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call." (1/22/78) -- Salt of the Earth's remembrance of Archbishop Oscar Romero
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