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ENCOUNTER WITH ISLAM The rights of non-Muslims and Muslim commitment towards them: Tawhid as a central theme of Islam and its implications for: One Creator One Word One Revelation Prophethood is one The World is one Humanity is one (Holy Quran 49:13; 30:22 etc.) Mutual responsibility for the liberation of humankind Mutual responsibility for the preservation of this world; this is the only one we have Mutual responsibility for world peace, justice and development Mutual responsibility for the elimination of injustice, discrimination, hatred, oppression, religious/racial bigotry; poverty, immorality (moral decay) Good Neighbourliness “We must not imagine that such global issues as peace and justice can be undertaken, or even addressed in a meaningful way, by any one religious tradition alone. For we are not alone in this world. We share our world with people of all cultures, races, and religions, and our future is one” (p. 8) Cited in Diana L. Eck: “A perspective in Dialogue: Looking ahead” in Current Dialogue-8 June 1985. There is the need for Muslims to firmly recognise the Inter-relatedness and interdependence of the human family. Since in Islam, the means to an end is often as crucial as the end itself we must work within a process which is in accordance with the end we seek to achieve/attain. Hence, understanding the other is very crucial. We need to understand the other but even more than that we need each other. It is when we look closely into the eyes of our neighbour that we see ourselves and understand ourselves better. There must be a shared consciousness of God’s will and way. This should create mutual spiritual enlightenment/upliftment. Our relationship with people of other faiths must be founded on mutual speaking and listening, giving and taking/sharing, agreeing and disagreeing Celebrating our differences. These things do not happen by chance. We cannot afford to be that fatalistic to believe that Insha Allah, one day we would all unite for the common good of humanity. No! We would have to work for that goal. We must pursue this goal with vigour but care and sensitivity. We must seek to build not to destroy positive structures. Harmonious relationshipon polarization of families and individuals. It cannot be built on fear, suspicion and show of contempt. It cannot be built on the Holier than thou attitude of the conqueror and the conquered/ the triumphant and the vanquished. Indeed da’wah cannot be made on such premises. “Amidst the political tensions between nations big and small, in a world of threatening nuclear holocaust, in a century of historic advances in science and technology with their great power for good or destruction, in an age of instant mass communications which make the world look like a village, in a world of ever widening gap and tension between rich and poor nations, rich and poor individuals, employer and employee, young and old,…” Muslims have a responsibility to promote unity. (Cardinal Francis A. Arinze, Pro-President, Secretariat for Non-Christians, The Vatican, in a sermon in Geneva 18-19 March 1985 during Annual meeting of WCC summit on Dialogue with People of Living faiths and the Vatican secretariat for Non-Christians; In Current Dialogue 8, June 1985, p. 13. The traditional (often too common) position of a Muslim’s relationship with his neighbours is basically that since the essence of the concept Islam itself means “peace”/”submission”, a Muslim must necessarily be an agent of peace. He must seek, cherish and uphold this fundamental value in society otherwise, perhaps, he is not living up to expectation. This reasoning is not to be questioned. Islam constantly encourages its adherents to promote the consciousness for good work and the sense of avoiding evil (3:104,110;7:156, 199; 2:143; 22:78) Very often when adherence/acceptance of faith (belief) is mentioned, there is a follow up expression specifically mentioning the doing of good as the perfection of faith (95:4-6; 103:3) Freedom of worship In accordance with the status of man as a unique, holy, elevated being, the creator makes it clear that the conscience should be allowed room to make a choice when it comes to faith (2:256). The Quran recognises the inevitability of other people amongst us. By the design of the Sacred - the Creator, Allah (swt), we would not all follow the same faith (10: 99). Allah (swt) explains that faith is a free thing from Himself (28:56) and that man with his limited free will has every right either to accept or to reject it because the parameters of Truth are absolutely (credentials) clear from those of error (2:256). This respect/ reverence for other people and their faith was abundantly displayed in the life of the Holy Prophet and his companions. Example with Umar: When the Muslim army entered Jerusalem, the then Khalifa Umar Ibn al-Khattab signed a treaty with the Catholic Patriarch in the city granting them security in terms of life, property and churches and religious paraphernalia (e.g. Crosses etc.) The Quran prohibits attacks on churches, temples or mosques where the name of Allah (swt) is mentioned frequently (22:40). (16:125; 29:46) The Quran warns Muslims never to hold anyone’s faith or object or worship in ridicule (6:109). The difference between what ought to be and what is. Programmes like these are essentially to bridge the wide gap between the two because faith and action go together. Inter-Faith All these put a lot of duties on us. As Shuhadaa ‘ala n- naas’, we have the divine responsibility of relating to other creatures of Allah (swt) and as followers of the Holy Prophet our own life must be like a lamp that guides others and shows them the way to Ultimate guidance. By the design of the Creator Himself we live in a world of various faiths. It is perhaps meant to be a test for us as and also Further, as people living in the same community confronting modern problems of injustice, intolerance, war, famine, various social maladies (diseases), armament etc., there is the urgent need to recognise that we have shared concerns. Our talk today focuses on the Islamic perception of this concern. How do we relate to people of other faiths in order to perform our duty as( )? Humankind is created to fulfill the divine will (purpose) (51:56). The Ummah has a moral/divine responsibility to ensure that this happens. As Khulafaa certain expectations are on us. Ismail R. al-Faruqi in his work on Tawhid: implications for thought and life p. 113-114, reminds us that “in the first place, Islamic society can never restrict itself to the members of any tribe, nation or race or group….It would have betrayed its very raison d’etre if it ever hindered any man from joining its ranks. Man’s right and title to membership is a natural birthright conferred upon him by his very cretureliness.” In the second place, Islamic society must expand to include humanity. It cannot rest until it has done so and succeeded….Islamic society is both the means and the end. It is the means when it is less than the universe and it is the end when it covers it all.” (p. 114) This observation makes it clear that Muslims cannot succeed in their role without knowing how to relate to other people. We are lucky though because the prophetic traditions and of course the revealed word itself provide us with the criteria as to how to relate to others. Islam as we all know, is built on the solid foundation of Tawhid - Absolute Oneness of Allah (swt) and it is this which reinforces the whole world view of Islam. Oneness of humankind, universal brotherhood is a natural outcome of a faith that has unity as its bedrock - and Islam is that faith. If we even examine the argument logically, it is true that: If God is one it means: His creation is one His world is one His message is one His revelation is one Implying: His prophets and messengers are one and that is why we don’t make fundamental distinctions amongst the prophets and messengers (ref. 2:285) The guiding principle in our relationship with others could partly be found in the Divine statement in 3:64 Say: “O people of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; That we associate no partners with Him. That none of us shall take others for Lords beside Allah. And if they turn away say ‘bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s will)” We are to convince humankind that the natural way for man to live is to submit to his creator for to rebel against Him is not only futile but also ungrateful. Islam is for the whole of humankind and therefore it provides the direction, the way of life and a guide for thoughts and deeds as well as a dynamic force which helps in understanding between men and nations. Plurality, they say, is the spice of life and hence the world is such that there would always be people of other faiths. Traditional African World view Scholars like J. S. Mbiti and Geoffrey Parrinder have described the African as notoriously and incurably religious. If you take religion out of the African, you dehumanize him. The African is indeed a real HOMO RELIGIOUSUS. Even though there is an ongoing debate as to the propriety of talking of traditional African cosmology because of the apparent diversity, there is no doubt that basic core beliefs and rituals are shared. Such core beliefs are common in all sub-saharan African communities and hence to talk of Traditional African Cosmology or weltanschaunng is justifiable. Despite the immense diversity, there is some amount of homogeneity to make certain basic generalizations worthwhile. The African’s understanding of everything is really coloured by his religious perception. To the African, religion is a 24 hour affair. It is communal and not private. This is why J. O. Hunwick argues that there is much of commonality between Islam and Traditional African world beliefs. Because the African believes religion control every aspect of human endeavours, life is not possible without the sacred. The material alone is not enough to make life possible for man. He attributes his moral codes ultimately to the divine. To the African therefore, the sacred is the real. In the statement “this is how our fathers did it” in the African expression, it should be understood to mean it has a religious significance. The statement has fundamental religious origins. Therefore, rules of conduct in African society are all divine commandments in the sense that they all proceed fundamentally from his religiousness. We need to stress that the argument does not mean that the African does not know any other dimension of life. The material dimension or consciousness is present except that the religious dimension is primary. Further it has to be emphasized that African Traditional religion is a religion in its own right. As Idowu describes it, it is a RELIGION INDEED! In this particular religion the central pivot is the sacred and its the irreducible element. NB: 1. The study of African Traditional religion should not involve value judgment. It is not part of the academic’s work to point out the rightness or wrongness of any particular belief or doctrine. 2. Like any other discipline, the phenomenal aspects which bear witness to the people’s religiousness should be part of our concern. The so called SAID and DONE should form the central core of our study of the African Traditional World View. Sources of the knowledge of African Traditional Religion J. S. Mbiti points out that African Traditional Religion has no scriptures. “Religion in African societies is written not on paper but in people’s hearts, minds, oral history, rituals and religious personages like elders, rainmakers, officiating elders and even kings.” The list could be made longer by adding; myths, liturgy, songs, pithy sayings, adages and proverbs. There are also other intellectual expressions which are hierophorous; e.g. Among the Akan names e.g.: Nyamekye, Nyame Bekyere. Rivers: Praso, Tanoso, Obosomase Proverbs/Pithy saying: It’s God who drives away flies from the tailless animal; The thicket that provides shelter for the weak animals. (Ref.: ATR notes: ‘The African Philosophy of Life’ LIVING WITH MANY FAITHS : THE CASE OF GHANA Islam and other faiths: The central tenets of Islam, Tawhid, which means “the absolute Oneness of God” basically implies that the creator is one, His word is one, Revelation is one, and Prophethood is also one. This also means oneness of humanity and the world as a whole. Islam therefore, firmly acknowledges the inter-relatedness and inter-dependence of the human family. Mutual responsibility for the elimination of injustice, discrimination, hatred, oppression, bigotry of all kinds, poverty, moral decay and all the attendant evils of society are acknowledged in Islam. Throughout its history, since the period of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) Islam has constantly called for all people of faith to fight evil in all its forms. The Prophet himself, in Madinah, initiated this through the many alliances he formed with the various tribal and religious groupings. The famous ‘constitution’ or ‘charter’ of Madinah formed a documented evidence of his efforts. The Muslim scripture, the Holy Quran emphasises in many passages the significance of healthy inter-faith relations and exhorts Muslims to seek to promote it. For example in Surah (Chapter) 2:256, the Quran explicitly outlaws compulsion or force in matters regarding faith or belief. This is because, the Quran explains, the parameters of Truth are absolutely clear from those of error. It also points out that if God had wanted He would have made us all one and the fact that He created us differently and allowed us freedom to choose whether to believe in Him ir not is significant indeed, (see: Holy Quran 10:99; 49:13). The Quran admonishes Muslims never to hold other people’s faith or objects of worship in ridicule (6:109) and not to argue unnecessarily with others especially Jews and Christians. Further, even in the missionary enterprise, the Quran lays down the criteria of being wise and fair and presenting arguments that are better and honourable (16:125). Since in Islam faith per se is not enough unless it is matched with action, Muslims are expected , following the ‘living examples’ (tradition) of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH), to live these principles in whatever society they find themselves. Islam itself is a ‘way of life and not a religion’ in the Western intellectual definition of the word and hence it pervades every aspect of a Muslim’s life. It is this which makes the African connection very relevant. The African and Religion: Two of the most prominent scholars who have written on African Religions and philosophy, Mbiti and Parrinder, have pointed out that the African is ‘notoriously and incurably religious’. Religion is the foundation of the traditional African society and therefore it shows up in whatever the African does. Once religion is taken out of the African, he feels dehumanised. This is not very different from the Islamic perception of ‘religion’. Religion, to the African is therefore meant to promote health, life, prosperity and harmony. It is primarily because of this that in the traditional African context, living dialogue has become the cornerstone of the society and until what one might call intrusions of outside interests and influences, inter-religious conflicts were never known. As far as sub-saharan Africa is concerned, there has been an exemplary display of pluralism in their attitudes to people of other faiths. Islam in Ghana The present Ghana which changed its name from the Gold Coast after political independence in 1957 is said to be connected to the medieval Soninke kingdom of Ghana which lay somewhere north of the present West Africa. This ancient Ghana was known to be wealthy in gold. Scholars like Austin, Adu Boahene, Jopp, Hiskett and Adamu have all noted such a connection. It is suggested by Keith Jopp that at the breakup of this ancient Ghana empire in about 1076, many of its people travelled southwards as far as the present Ghana. With the strong Islamic orientation of this ancient Ghana empire, one would assume that if the above suggestion is correct, then, Ghana has had a fairly long contact with Islam the exact dates of which are beyond the concerns of this short paper. However, it is fairly certain that by the fifteenth century, some Muslims had made contacts with some of the Akan tribes at the coast at Elmina presumably in their search for gold and cola nuts. However, the most prominent presence of Muslims in Ghana are found in the eighteenth century records of the Asante kings where Muslims were employed as the scholars of the royal household. There is even an indication that one of the Kings, Osei Kwame who reigned between ca. 177 and 1798 was deposed because his people found him to be too predisposed to Islam. Then again one reads of the presence of the late nineteenth century colonial Hausa Police Force at the Gold Coast who obviously helped in disseminating Islam. For the main factors which have contributed towards the spread of Islam in Ghana, trade, migrations and dispersals due to conflicts, physical proximity of Muslims and nonMuslims and probably to a lesser extent sufism (Islamic mysticism) could be mentioned. As far as Muslim populations are concerned it is better not to put up figures because most of the figures quoted are arbitrary. Perhaps, the only reliable figure is the one dating back to the 1962 population census where it was given as 11%. For example the Muslim Gazetteer in 1975 put the figure at 30%, Richard Weeks in his Muslim Peoples: a world survey in 1978 gave 19% while in 1993, the Ghana National Church survey carried out by the Ghana Evangelism Committee says the Muslim population is 16%. None of these figures can obviously be relied upon for any scientific work. Christian-Muslim relations in Ghana With the traditional African tolerance and openness Christians and Muslims live together in harmony and it is certainly not unusual to have one household having both Christians and Muslims in it. Christians and Muslims share in practically every day social activities. In the rites of passage, i.e.: birth, puberty, marriage and death, Christians and Muslims carry out the various ceremonies together. Which means, at naming ceremonies (popularly called outdooring ceremonies), weddings and funerals the African communal spirit hold sway and the distinct “Christian” or “Islamic” flavour is not allowed to put others off. Religious festivals like Christmas and Easter fro Christians and the two Eids (that at the end of Ramadan fast and the sacrificial - Hajj festival) are generally occasions for the whole community. Inter-marriages between Christians and Muslims is common and often couples respect each other’s religious beliefs. Dietary laws have always been one of the problems of many plural societies but in Ghana, as it is in many African communities, the problem is not that acute or one would even say, does not arise. This is possibly because, if it is with Halal meat (meat slaughtered in the Islamic way), since most of the butchers are Muslims anyway, the issue of non-halal meat is a minor question. Unless, of course, it is pork, the meat on the market is very often halal. Even in the various communitites it is often the case that when someone wants to slaughter an animal meant for public consumption, the one looks for a Muslim neighbour to do the slaughtering. At the national level, celebrations which are deemed to be of national character usually have a multi - faith atmosphere. Christian, Muslim and traditional African religious presence is recognised. In schools up to the university, religious studies are taught and at least at the level of secondary school and above, one can opt for Christian or Islamic religious studies even though probably due to lack of adequate resource personnel the latter might not be available in most secondary schools. In my own personal history, I have had tremendous opportunities of studying side by side with Christians and even teaching Biblical studies both at the G C E “O” Level and “A” Levels. Obviously, what my employer was interested in was my expertise in teaching and not the faith I profess. Anxiety Despite all the above, which look rosy and promising as a good example of Inter-Faith relations, one has to note some recent developments which give cause for concern. The activities of certain missionary organizations both Christian and Muslim are certainly worrisome. Typical examples are: 1. The group called Converted Muslim Christian Ministry (C M C M) which consists of Muslims who have become Christians and are vigorously targeting Muslim communities. Their approach seems very polemical and confrontational. 2. On the other hand one finds the Ahmadiyya community employing tactics which border on confrontation as well.One needs to note here that even though the Ahmadiyya has been proscribed in Islam as a non-Muslim community, in West Africa and certainly in Ghana, they are fairly strong and they speak as Muslims and hence their activities become worrisome that it might generate a reaction from Christians towards Muslims. There are certainly other fringe missionary/evangelical organizations on both sides of the religious divide who are certainly a cause for concern in a rather peaceful inter-faith atmosphere in Ghana. The traditional African Living- Dialogue is possibly the best example for both Muslims and Christians and one would think that it does not violate the essence of our various faith traditions. It is hence our prayer that this philosophy would be allowed to thrive so that all people of faith would live in peace and harmony and create a better world for all. If this happens, Ghana, and indeed Africa as a whole, would be spared of the hatred, bigotry, stereotyping, injustice and oppression and all their attendant evils.