Download Explorations of Peace and Reconciliation in the Islamic Traditions: A

Explorations of Peace and Reconciliation in the Islamic Traditions:
A Case Study of Kashmir
By: Yousra Y. Fazili
Whatever your name is, Shiva, Vishnu,
the genius who inspired Scherazade,
savior of the Jains, the pure Buddha,
lotus-born God, I am sick. The world
is my disease, And You are the cure,
You, you, you, you, you, you, you.
-Lalla, 14th century Kashmiri poetess
Introduction
This paper seeks to explore a faith-based approach to the problem of communal violence and
strife in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, looking specifically at Hindu-Muslim dynamics.
While religion has been used to segment the population and exacerbate internal differences,
is it possible to look at religion as a source of positive change---- religion as part of the
problem and therefore as part of the solution? How can we mobilize religious leaders to
think of religion in terms of peace building? Before Gandhi couched his pacifist movement
of nonviolent resistance in Hindu theology, 1 Hindu philosophy dealt with issues of peace
and inclusivity. What needs to be explored, is an examination of Islam as part of a solution
for building inter-religious dialogue. While the Quran and Sunnah can be read in ways to
encourage pacifism and tolerance, this paper will explore the practical application of
Quranic peace discourse to Hindu-Muslim violence in Kashmir.
A brief history
The state of Jammu and Kashmir (popularly referred to simply as Kashmir) incorporates 3
regions--- Jammu to the South, the Valley of Kashmir in the center and the northern plateaus
of Ladakh. Islam is the predominant religion with a minority of Hindu Brahmins, referred to
as Pandits, and a minority of Buddhists who live in Ladakh. Traditionally deemed part of the
unfinished work of decolonization, in 1947 Kashmir was forcibly integrated into the Indian
Union. Almost immediately a third of the region revolted and broke off to become a semiautonomous region of Pakistan known as Azad Kashmir. While Pakistan and India have
gone to war twice over the fate of Kashmir, the current stalemate is the result of an armed
insurrection that began in 1989 after a contentious rigged public election. Unlike previous
Ainslee Embree. “Kashmir: Has Religion a Role in Peacemaking?” in Faith-based Diplomacy Trumping Realpolitk. Ed.
Douglass Johnston. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003), 33-75, 41.
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wars, this was instigated by local Kashmiris who felt that the state of India did not truly
represent their concerns or seek to develop the region for the benefit of Kashmiri Muslims.
In many ways, the current struggle in Kashmir can be framed as a post-colonial struggle for
liberation. The struggle in Kashmir has never been framed as a civil war, a revolution, or as
a religious war of Hindu vs. Muslim. There is neither a readily identifiable leader nor a
clearly articulated and singular aim. 2 At the same time, there is no denying the decidedly
Islamic component of the nationalist struggle. Indeed, there are three forces that operate in
this theatre of war. One, Kashmiriyaat, is the ethno-nationalist struggle of Kashmiris for
self-determination. Within this nationalist struggle there is no unified vision for an
independent Kashmir. Some Kashmiris envision union with Pakistan, others hope for an
independent country, and still others seek the implementation of India’s Constitutional
Article 370 in which Kashmir is promised semi-autonomous status. The second factor is the
religious nationalism of Pakistan and Kashmir’s symbolic value to maintaining Pakistani
nationalism. Lastly, in the 1980s India witnessed the rebirth of militant Hindu nationalism,
which threatened the democratic character of the country. 3 The rise of Hindu nationalism
within India has been a potent force that has shaped Indian policy in Kashmir. 4 This
movement strayed far from the secular democratic ideals enshrined in India’s constitution. 5
Indeed, the secession of Kashmir would threaten not only India’s democracy but also reveals
the cracks and fragmentation in the Indian Union as a whole.
Today the calls for independence have grown louder amid India’s gross human rights
violations. At the same time, so too have calls for an end to violence. War weariness has
settled upon the valley carrying with it a more ardent desire to find a way to make peace.
Muslims represent the majority of those killed by India’s armed forces and by Muslim
militants who seek to silence dissent. On the other hand, most Kashmiri Pandits are
displaced people who have been forced from their homes and live either in Jammu, India
itself or abroad. Of 200,000 Pandits less than 5000 remain in the Valley. 6 On all sides is a
sense of loss and betrayal. While Kashmiri Muslims feel that their human rights have been
trampled upon, Kashmiri Hindus feel uprooted and betrayed by both their former neighbors
2
Id at 54.
Ashutosh Varshney. “India, Pakistan and Kashmir: Antinomies of Nationalism,” in Asian Survey, vol 31, no. 11 (Nov 1991),
997-1019, 999.
4
Robert W. Hefner. “Multiple Modernities: Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism in a Globalizing Age.” Annual Review of
Anthropology, Vol. 27 (1998), pp. 83-104.
5
Embree 42.
6
Id. at 52.
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and the Indian government. Militancy represents the dangerous face of Islam and the Indian
army represents the oppressive face of Hinduism. According to Embree:
Both the Hindu and Muslim Kashmiris insist that there was little religious prejudice
as such…before the militancy began. Both stress the commonalities they shared in
Kashmiri culture and social relations and argue that it is only after the outbreak of
militancy and the harsh response of the Indian security forces that social identities as
Hindu and Muslim became sources of antagonism.”7
In this era of extremes, a tolerant center seems to have collapsed.8 Given these deeply held
identities and their association with recent violence, how can religion play a useful role in
conflict resolution? In a place where religion has made differences more pronounced, can we
imagine religion working as a positive force to bring together Kashmiri Muslims and
Pandits?
Religion as a Source of Conflict Resolution
Examining the Middle Eastern equivalent to India’s communalism, Mohammed Abu-Nimer
analyzes the prospects for religion and peace building in the context of Israel/ Palestine.
According to Abu-Nimer, research on conflict resolution focuses on the destructive elements
in religion or neglects analysis of religion, examining political concerns and societal issues
in a vacuum of sorts. But, he argues, assumptions about religious identity—from rituals to
symbols to moral values—impacts public perception of the “other,” even among the nonreligious. As a result, he argues that “religious identity can be a source for cooperation and a
force for peace when individuals and religiously active groups manage to reframe the core
issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from an existential conflict over land and salvation
into a conflict over resources and ability to live together as different yet diverse Abrahamic
traditions.”9 The same can be said for Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits--- the issues need to be
reframed in such a way that dialogue is seen as a partnership and where religious morality
can be the basis of a common ethic of peace and reconciliation.
In the context of Judaism and Islam, a shared ethico-moral base is easy to imagine given that
both are Abrahamic faiths. Yet when it comes to Hinduism and Islam it may seem more
challenging to create a perception of shared ethics. It is both possible and realistic to put
Hinduism and Islam on the same moral plane when we examine the mystical elements of
both faiths. In fact, this is the way religion has been lived at a social level in Kashmiri
7
Id.
Ashutosh 1017.
9
Mohammed Abu-Nimer, “Religion, Dialogue, and Non-Violent Actions in Palestinian-Israeli Conflict” International Journal
of Politics, Culture, and Society, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Spring, 2004), pp. 491-51, 495.
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society. Hindus worship at Muslim saint shrines and Muslims visit Hindu mystic sites.
Muslim parents take their children to Hindu astrologers to have their astrological courses
chartered. Historically the two religious communities have been close not just in terms of
physical proximity, but also in terms of a mystical understanding of the divine and the
metaphysical.
Abu Nimer suggests that for religion to be a meaningful force for peace, faith communities
must reframe exclusionary aspects of their faith into a more inclusive and tolerant set of
beliefs.10 In Kashmir mysticism could provide a path for different faith communities to come
together now as they once did in the past. In fact, as we shall explore later Embree posits
that the mystical trend of Kashmiri Sufism and Kashmiri Hinduism can be a platform for the
religious communities to intersect and build bonds of fraternity. Beyond the mystical, what
more mainstream elements of Islam can we unlock to promote reconciliation and inter-faith
understanding?
Problematic Quranic Elements
Farid Esack aptly notes that the Quran and Sunnah offer somewhat “discordant” impulses
when it comes to a discussion of peace, reconciliation and non-Muslims.11 This is related to
the historical trajectory of Islam, which moved from a minority religion to the majority in
the city-state of Medina. We see that Quranic ayats and hadiths that stem from the Muslim
community’s initially less powerful position promote peace making with non-Muslims.
Considering that Hindus are seen as polytheists it’s easy to see the similarities between
analogies to early Muslim struggles against a polytheist, idol worshipping majority, the
mushrikeen.
The pagan polytheists of Mecca are often reviled in the Quran:
O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean...Fight those who believe not in
Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by
Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they
are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission,
and feel themselves subdued. (9:28-9)12
Let not the unbelievers think that they can get the better (of the godly): they will
never frustrate (them)…Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of
your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the
10
Id. at 506.
Farid Esack, “An Islamic view of Conflict and Reconciliation in the South African Situation,” in Religion, Conflict and
Reconciliation. Ed. Jerald Gort, Henry Jansen & Hendrik Vroom (Rodopi 20002). 290.
12
All Quranic quotes are taken from the Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation.
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enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not
know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of
Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly. (8:59-60)
They [enemies of Islam] but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and
thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until
they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn
renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case)
take no friends or helpers from their ranks. (4:89).
From these verses we see one side of the Quran’s story, the story of a monotheistic faith
trying to plant the seeds of its ideals in a hostile climate. In this regard Esack notes the
Prophet Mohammad “disturbed the peace” because the peace was based on injustice. 13 Thus,
Islam is not a religion of the status quo, but one that advocates the righting of wrongs. As
such it’s a faith that actively promotes conflict in the interest of justice.
Despite verses of the Quran that seems to promote violence, the Quran also promotes peace,
justice and reconciliation. The Quranic and Islamic legal tradition places a great deal of
emphasis on the importance of amicable settlements and respect for negotiated contracts.
Furthermore, if the Prophet’s life is an example of righteous conduct we see that he
concluded and respected several peace treaties with non-Muslims and polytheists.
Importantly, with regards to Hindu-Muslim relations, historically the ulema expanded the
definition of dhimmis from “people of the book living in Muslim lands” (Christians and
Jews), to include Hindus, Parsis, and Buddhists.14 If anything, this legal movement reveals
the broad flexibility in Islamic law and Islamic doctrines.
Quranic Elements promoting peace
As a religion whose name stems from the word for peace (salaam), issues of justice,
peace, reconciliation and forgiveness are interwoven into the fabric of the faith. Both the
Quran and the Prophet’s life reveal a pattern of dialogue with enemies, and seeking
understanding with people of different faiths. It is important to keep in mind that the
Quran certainly does not advocate a moral imperative akin to “turning the other cheek.”
Yet the Quran does not dismiss pacifism, it promotes pacifistic ideals centered on
notions of justice.15 For example, in Sura 60 the Quran states: “Allah forbids you not,
with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes,
13
Esack 291.
Khaled Abou El-Fadl, “Conflict Resolution as a Normative Value in Islamic Law” in Faith-based Diplomacy Trumping
Realpolitik. 178- 209, ftnote56, p206.
15
Abdelaziz Sachedina, The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), 22- 62.
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from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.” (60:8).
In his search for a Quranic hermeneutic of religious pluralism for liberation Farid Esack
notes that Islam is concerned with justice and that notions of fairness inform the authenticity
of what it means to struggle in the path of God. To truly create an Islamic liberation
theology he argues that Muslims must acknowledge the specificity of certain Quranic verses
(such as those noted in the previous section), and regard these as endemic of a certain time
and place to better conceive of an “Islamic” pluralism. Muslims today must also be willing
to acknowledge that the “Other” in the Quran is not void of moral authority nor are they
void of righteousness.16 For example we see: “If any do deeds of righteousness,- be they
male or female - and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be
done to them.” (4:124).
Similarly, Sulayman Nyang posits that the Quran promotes diversity and pluralism by
encouraging people towards mutual respect and understanding as evidenced in the following
verse:
O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and
made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may
despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he
who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well
acquainted (with all things). (49:13).
The Quranic goal of diversity underscores a common moral wisdom for the human race as a
whole. In many ways this principle is analogous to notions of dharma in which there is a
manifest goodness in pluralism when all are different paths to the same truth. Nyang
explains “the process of mutual understanding is the sine qua non for human solidarity.” 17
He then extends this metaphor to expound upon Islam and its receptivity to reconciliation,
focusing his argument on the concept of sulh, which is deemed a normative moral value in
Islamic law.
As Khaled Abou el-Fadl explains, sulh means conciliation and settlement. It stems from the
Arabic islah, meaning to make good, proper, right, to reconcile and to settle. 18 As such,
reconciliation is a normative good in the Quran. This makes sense considering that Islam
16
Farid Esack. Quran, Liberation and Pluralism: An Islamic Perspective on Interreligious Solidarity Against Oppression.
(Oxford: Oneworld Press, 1997), 146- 76.
17
Sulayman Nyang & Douglas Johnston. “Conflict Resolution as a Normative Value in Islamic Law,” in Faith-based
Diplomacy Trumping Realpolitik. 210-230, 219.
18
El-Fadl 179.
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began as a minority faith in hostile territory where blood ties and clan loyalties were strong.
Historically making alliances was part of 7th century Arabian life. Alliance building was a
way to maintain survival and promote peace building. In many ways we can see the virtue of
sulh as part of the fundamental pragmatism of Islam.
According to el-Fadl, the Quran advocates conflict resolution in several contexts. Verse
4:128 focuses on “amicable solutions” to marital problems. Other verses look at reaching
agreements and settlements regarding inheritance, personal injury or disputes between two
Muslims.19 Additionally, the Quran encourages arbitration in several contexts. For example,
speaking in the context of marital disputes it states : “If ye fear a breach between them
twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for
peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation: For Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted
with all things.” (4:35). Again we see this sentiment expressed in other contexts:
If two parties among the Believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between
them: but if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other then
fight ye (all) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the
command of Allah; but if it complies then make peace between them with
justice and be fair: for Allah loves those who are fair (and just). (49:9).
Rather than the popularly held misconception of retributive “an eye for an eye” type
of justice, the Quranic paradigm upholds amicable settlements over personal justice or
vindictive retribution. If anything, the very corpus of Islamic law is a testament to the fact
that Islam favors process and thoughtfulness over simple vigilantism. We can turn this
analysis onto the legal concept of maslaha. Maslaha is the public interest goal of Islamic
law. Jurists from the 14th century Andalusian al-Shatibi to the 19th century Egyptian
Mohammad Abduh to today’s Sudanese Abdullahi An-Na’im have advocated the use of
logic for the public interest to govern affairs between people when the Quran and Sunnah
are vague.20 When issues involve acts of worship, the Quran and Sunnah should be society’s
sole guides, but when they deal with man-to-man interactions we can introduce an element
of logic that looks to advance a perceived “public good.” In terms of modern western
philosophy this aligns with the Rawlsian notion that religion and the public good need not be
mutually exclusive as long as religious ideals can be supported by a public rationality that is
not grounded specifically in religion; but rather in logic for the public good. Consequently,
19
See 2:178, 2:182, 2:228, 4:35, 4:128 and 5:95.
Abdullahi An-Na’im. Islam and the Secular State: Negotiating the Future of Shari'a. (Cambridge, Harvard University Press,
2008).
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one can argue that the normative Islamic value of peaceful and amicable settlement of
disputes encourages a maslaha that favors dialogue, and seeks understanding and mutuality
as a means to overcome disputes rather than violence.
In fact, a careful examination of certain verses of the Quran reveals a tendency to take steps
towards peace if the other party does likewise.
It may be that Allah will grant love (and friendship) between you and those whom
ye (now) hold as enemies. For Allah has power (over all things); And Allah is OftForgiving, Most Merciful. (60: 7).
But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust
in Allah. for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things). (8: 61).
Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or
those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as
fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over
you, and they would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight
you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way
for you (to war against them). (4:90).
But if they [your enemies with whom you are engaged in a physical conflict] cease,
Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (2:192).
As a result of this peaceful orientation, the Prophet’s life presents great examples of
reconciliation with warring factions and tribes. The Constitution of Medina mandates
peaceful resolutions to Muslim/non-Muslim disputes and, in some cases, arbitration.21
Indeed, peace and neutrality agreements with non-Muslims and polytheists were frequent
during the Prophet’s lifetime.22 In fact there were peace agreements between the Prophet’s
Medina and the non-Muslims of Mecca, pagan tribes in the Yemen, Bahrain and Thaqif.
During the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs there were peace agreements with then nonMuslim Egypt, Damascus, Jerusalem, Sudan and Nubia. 23 Thus, if we analyze whom the
Prophet was reconciling with (largely pagan polytheists), this sets a great example for
Kashmiri Muslims to reconcile with Hindus and approach their differences with the rational
level-headedness of treaty building and dialogue rather than violence.24
Frederick Denny. “Ummah in the Constitution of Medina,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies vol. 36 No.19 (1977), 39-47.
Reuven Firestone. Jihad: the Origins of Holy War in Islam (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), 47- 65.
23
El-Fadl 187.
24
Of course the flip side of this is that polytheists were also deemed initial transgressors and therefore initial enemies against
the faith. Thus we see that, depending on one’s motives you can use early Islamic history to justify peace or to make a case for
war.
21
22
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Furthermore, if we look at the development of Islamic law in the Indian subcontinent we see
a remarkable willingness to align Islamic principles with those of Hinduism. For example,
the 18th century jurist Mirza Mazhar Jan-i-Janan construed Hinduism as essentially
monotheistic and noted that the Vedas qualify as a “divinely inspired” book so as to grant
Hindus status as “people of the book.”25 His assessment of Hinduism as monotheistic is not
unfounded since high Brahmin philosophy articulates that the many gods are all different
aspects of a singular divinity.
Similarly the medieval writer al-Birfuni was decidedly
sympathetic to Hinduism and Buddhism, explaining idol worship as a necessity of the
uneducated masses that cannot comprehend the abstract.26 When contrasting medieval South
Asian Muslim thinkers with those today one notes a trend Farid Esack remarked upon: the
conservative impulse to narrow the definition of iman (faith) and widen the base of kufr
(disbelief). In many ways this is tantamount to limiting the scope and possibilities for interreligious dialogue by limiting understandings of the nature of the divine. Esack aptly
cautions that this trend must not only be resisted, it must be reversed for Islam to function as
a force for reconciliation in a pluralistic world.27
Mysticism and its Potential for Uniting Islam and Hinduism
According to Douglas Johnston mystics make natural peacemakers and pluralists because
they have an expansive definition of both the divine and love. 28 Mysticism is both “fluid and
syncretistic.”29 The importance of mystical traditions is important to keep in mind when
discussing an area like Kashmir because mystical traditions and Sufism, more so than
ulema-based Islamic orthodoxy, inspire and shape the lived religious realities of everyday
Kashmiri Muslims.
Ainslee Embree postulates that the intersection of mystical traditions provides fertile ground
for inter-religious dialogue in Kashmir. Specifically, he focuses upon Bakhti, a devotional
form of Hinduism involving intense devotion to one deity and characterized by mystical
love. In many ways Bakhti is analogous to Sufism, the vehicle by which Islam came to
Kashmir. Indeed, Bakhti and Sufism are related as both seek a personal and emotional
relationship with the divine. Both call for a search for unity with the divine. Alas, Hinduism
Yohanan Friedmann, “Medieval Muslim Views of Indian Religions.” Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 95, No.
2 (Apr. - Jun., 1975), pp. 214-221.
26
Id at 215
27
Farid Esack. Quran, Liberation and Pluralism.
28
Johnston 249.
29
Id.
25
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and Islam fundamentally differ when it comes to questions of an “ultimate reality.” Yet,
despite this we find that Kashmiri Muslims have great respect for Hindu philosophy. For
example, Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah, both separatist leaders, have expressed great respect
when they speak of Gandhi and his philosophy.30
Noting the fluidity of Islamic dogma in Kashmir, Embree further remarks:
[G]reat Sufi shrines became important urban centers because the Sufis “worked with
characteristic missionary zeal for the acceptability of the new regime at the base level of
their jurisdiction.” Their good deeds, spirituality and ascetic lifestyle attracted multitudes
around them, narrowing the differences between the alien and the indigenous and “leading to
the emergence of a synthetic cultural pattern.”31 In this manner we see that Islam became
uniquely Kashmiri when it came to the Valley because the Sufis proselytizing Islam wanted
to find and use the vocabulary of the locals and local concepts. As such, Kashmiri Muslim
perspectives do not exist in a vacuum separated from Hindu religious philosophy; rather
there are grounds to begin a dialogue that starts with religion.
Embree maintains that the concepts of dharma and satyagraha (truth-telling) are important
for using Hindu theological concepts to promote reconciliation in Kashmir. Dharma is akin
to religious commandments of duty and obligation. In this manner dharma proscribes
obedience to a moral order. As such it is similar to Islamic conception of the “good life”
defined as obedience to God’s will.
Uniquely, Kashmiri Muslims and Hindus also share devotion for the same saints--- people
seen as close to the divine or holders of mystical secrets. Lalla (1335- 1376), was a Kashmiri
Brahmin woman whose mystical poetry had a profound influence on Bhakti Hinduism and
Sufism. She encouraged her followers to outwardly conform to society, but inwardly
renounce all ties to family, caste, and gender in the search for union with the divine. 32
Interestingly, Kabir, a 15th century poet, also represents another shared Hindu/ Muslim poetsaint even though he specifically disavowed religion in general. 33 Not isolated examples, the
sharing of mystics and mystical appreciation highlights a unique undercurrent of Kashmiri
Islam and Kashmiri Hinduism that comes together in exploring love for the divine.
30
Embree 55.
Id. at 47.
32
Id. at 64.
33
Id. at 65.
31
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***
Unlike negotiations, the process of dialogue creates a win-win situation for both sides, like a
rising tide lifting all boats. In this new millennium we see that religious leaders have opened
themselves up to inter-faith dialogue but in the context of Hinduism and Islam they are
plagued by the absence of highly organized religions. While the lack of formal hierarchy is
one of the most important parts of Islam and Hinduism (and another commonality that links
these faiths together) it also engenders the need for a certain level of realpolitik when it
comes to the maintenance of public support and authority by religious leaders. For example,
in 2000 the Shankaracharaya of Puri, Swami Adhokshayananda, held talks with members of
the All parties Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella organization for the main Kashmiri
separatist groups fighting to change the status quo.34 One of the few documented cases of
Hindu-Muslim dialogue, this meeting jeopardized the Swami’s claim to his position as a
high level guru. 35 In fact, because his position is contested, he was declared a fraud and
condemned for meeting with Hurriyat leaders since such a meeting was seen as treason. In
fact, for his foray into politics the Swami was even arrested.
On the Muslim side of the dialogue equation, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has a special
position in Kashmir as the Mirwaiz (an inherited office that makes him a revered religious
leader), has tried to start dialogues between different groups. As head of the All Parties
Hurriyat conference he united 23 Kashmiri political groups to encourage working together
for the common goal of restoring human rights in Kashmir. According to Time magazine:
Today, Farooq is a plain-speaking preacher trying to win a war without firing a gun. From
the start, he has used the moral authority of his ancient office to display a thoroughly
modern pragmatism in the search for a solution. In 1993, Farooq united 23 separatist and
militant groups in the Hurriyat Conference, which he has led into negotiations with India,
Pakistan and diplomats all over the world. "Some people say we must join with Pakistan,
others that we must have independence," he says. "I'm not going to set any target that
another side can dismiss outright. I will go for any solution that restores the dignity of the
people of Kashmir." Youth, instead of inexperience and immaturity, has given him energy.
Crucially it also gave him a flexibility that contrasts well with the tired intransigence and
blood-feud intrigues endemic to Kashmir.36
Embree sees the Mirwaiz as crucial to developing interfaith dialogue. In this assessment he
is quite correct. The Mirwaiz’s youth, refreshing outlook, and inherited moral authority
34
Id. at 58.
India Today (July 31, 2000)
http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000731/religion.html
36
Alex Perry. “He Goes in the Name of Peace.” Time (Asia edition)
http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/heroes/farooq.html
35
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allow him to make somewhat daring and bold moves towards interfaith dialogue while
maintaining his religio-popular authority.37
Footsteps in the Right Direction
The International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, a Washington DC-based NGO run by
Douglas Johnston, began an inter-faith dialogue initiative in Kashmir in 2001, a little over a
decade since the current uprising for self-determination began. The first foray into inter-faith
dialogue was in fact an intra-faith initiative, focused on bringing 30 Muslim leaders together
to discuss peace-building possibilities. In July 2002 50 Kashmiri Muslim and Pandits came
together in a Himalayan resort for a retreat that focused on inter-religious dialogue and
reconciliation. According to Brian Cox: “An initially awkward, tense and angry atmosphere
was transformed by God into a time of healing, forgiveness and a commitment to work for
return of the Pandits to the Valley. Our most recent seminar in Ladakh, our sixth, was with
Muslims and Buddhists from both Leh and Kargil.” 38
As the battle for Kashmir rages on, the people---Muslim and Hindu—have become united by
a desire to put the violence to an end and reinvigorate the Kashmiri economy in order to
return to normalcy. The International Center for Religion and Diplomacy supports a
reconciliation framework with five basic elements: “imparting moral vision, building
bridges between estranged groups, establishing a lasting peace, social justice, promoting
political forgiveness and healing the wounds of history.” Similarly, faith-based
reconciliation is based on eight principles: “pluralism, inclusion, peacemaking, justice,
forgiveness, healing deep wounds, sovereignty and atonement.” 39 In the context of Islam,
Hinduism and Buddhism there are many overlapping religious themes that bring people to
peace, from the Buddhist/ Hindu concept of truth-telling and dharma, to the Islamic
emphasis on social justice and reconciliation through negotiation. Sufi mysticism, Buddhism
and Hinduism also intersect when it comes to metaphysical doctrines. This congruence has
led some to see mystical and ethical approaches as the most effective bridges to interfaith
dialogue in the region. 40
37
Personal conversation with Mirwaiz Omar Farooq. June 2008. Washington DC.
The International Center for Religion and Diplomacy. Kashmir Project: Faith Based Reconciliation. September 12, 2003.
http://www.icrd.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=206&Itemid=133
39
Id.
40
David Scott, “Buddhism and Islam: Past to Present Encounters and Interfaith Lessons.” Numen, Vol. 42, No. 2 (May 1995)
141-155,153.
38
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What is central to Kashmiris, irrespective of faith background, is the politics of personal
dignity. The essence of Kashmiriyaat is cultural, not religious, identity, and that basic fact is
what should unite Kashmir Muslims and Pandits towards peace and justice. 41 Interfaith
meetings are rare but crucially important to advance healing in Kashmir. Indeed peace
workshops create empathy and understanding between members of fighting groups.42
Significantly, even if for limited periods of time, intergroup contact can often help reduce
prejudice so long as the contact takes place in an environment that enfcourages mutual
respect.43
Conclusion
Peace builders are agents of social change who seek to find nonviolent solutions to address
social problems and injustice. While religion often divides people and leads to conflict or
politicizes identities in deeply divided societies, it can also be used as an ethico-moral
reason to bring disparate people together. Religion offers a keen awareness of justice, evil
and kindness. It is through faith that we can come to understanding the “other” as less other,
to feeling empathy and sympathy and to walking a path to peace that is surrounded by
notions of love, reconciliation and healing rather than a zero-sum game of blame and lament.
Because religion plays such a prominent role in the development of conflicts like Kashmir, it
cannot be left out of the equation for peace. Rather, the question becomes, how can we
formulate a faith-based diplomacy in which Islam is a source of peace and reconciliation;
where instead of separating people, Islam can bring together two opposing sides to the
bargaining table to approach each other with mutuality and respect. As it turns out, Islamic
history and theology is laden with examples of interfaith dialogue and understanding, and
these principles can be applied today to bring Kashmiri Muslims and Hindus together to
explore peace building and reconciliation in the hopes of ending a conflict that has had a
terrible human toll.
***
Don't talk of different religions.
The one reality is everywhere,
not just in a Hindu, or a Muslim,
Ashutosh Kumar. “Communal trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.” Economic and Political Weekly. vol. 36, no. 16 (April
21-27, 2001) p1359.
42
Lisa Schirch. Ritual and Symbol in Peace Building. (Bloomfield: Kumarian Press, 2005), 123-160.
43
Deepak Malhotra and Sumanasiri Liyanage. “Long-Term Effects of Peace Workshops in Protracted Conflicts.” The Journal
of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 49, No. 6 (Dec., 2005), pp. 908-924.
41
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or anywhere else! Realize:
your awareness is the truth about God.
-Lalla
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