Difference, Dialogue and a Dynamic Tradition

The first human being, Prophet Adam, and his wife Hawa were sent to Earth by Allah, the Lord of all worlds, with the innate religion of nature (Deen-e-Fitrah). Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was appointed by Allah as a devout and upright Muslim (Hanif), entrusted with the pure monotheistic faith (Islam) and the mission of Prophethood. His task was to guide the nations toward righteousness and divine instruction. All subsequent prophets were sent upon the foundation of Abrahamic belief and Shariah to guide humanity, purify their souls, impart knowledge and wisdom, liberate them from slavery, restore human dignity and freedom, and provide spiritual elevation, moral excellence, justice, brotherhood, and equality.

The final and greatest link in this prophetic chain is the noblest of all prophets, the leader of the messengers, the Seal of the Prophets—Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), who is the bringer of true religion and divine guidance. He is the last guide (Al-Hadi), the final word, and the ultimate proof in matters of our faith. Our religion begins and ends with the sacred person of Muhammad(SAW). His every word and action serve as the ultimate touchstone of our faith and the final argument. Beyond him, what remains is history, civilization, and tradition.

Every human being on this earth may be disagreed with—except for Muhammad (SAW), the last prophet of Allah, who is the only and final source of our religion. When the heart and mind are satisfied—based on knowledge and reasoning—that a saying, action, or command is reliably attributed to him, accepting it without argument becomes a fundamental test of faith.

History and civilization are invaluable to vibrant societies. Enlightened nations do not belittle or disregard their heritage; rather, they draw deep wisdom from it. The Companions (Sahaba), Successors (Tabi’een), their followers, scholars, Imams, jurists, warriors, conquerors, philosophers, scientists, sufis, and pious reformers have immensely enriched Islamic civilization with profound knowledge, cultural wealth, and diversity. The Islamic world remains indebted to them.

The Companions of the Prophet are radiant stars in the sky of Islamic heritage. Each Companion possessed unique virtues and strengths. Each was unmatched, and unique, in his character, capability, and moral stature: some excelled in humility and asceticism, others in leadership and valor; some in justice, others in scholarship; some mastered the sword, while others were experts in governance. They were the embodiment of the wisdom cultivated by divine instruction, tutored by Jibreel (Gabriel), and refined by the Qur’an. The lives and contributions of these highly revered personalities are a luminous chapter in Islamic civilization, and their sincerity and sacrifices are exceptional in human history. Still, it must be acknowledged that none of these noble individuals were prophets nor recipients of revelation.

Though immensely revered and exemplary, they were not infallible. They were worthy of respect but were not immune to mistakes or oversight. So apart from Muhammad (SAW)- the revered messenger of Allah, disagreement is possible with any individual of history, but it must be within the boundaries of respect and grounded in knowledge and evidence—not stubbornness or dogma. Thus, to respectfully disagree with a Companion’s statement or action or political initiative—or to point out a historical error based on scholarly consensus or established knowledge—is not a sin, provided it is done within ethical boundaries.

Sectarian prejudice and hostility are mental illnesses.

This fact must be born in mind that the religion of Islam is not confined to the writings of Imam Razi, Ibn Arabi, Imam Ghazali, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qayyim, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, Shah Waliullah Dehlavi, Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi, Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Manzoor Naumani, Syed Maududi, Abu’l Hasan Ali Nadwi, Wahiduddin Khan, Sheikh Albani, Ibn Baz, Imam Khomeini, Ustad Motahhari, Ali Shariati, or Ayatollah Sistani. Their works represent their personal religious thought—their intellectual and scholarly interpretations of faith— which, by its very nature, invite differences. However, in many contexts, this intellectual diversity is a divine gift. Such differences are a testament to their greatness: each one unique in thought, reasoning, knowledge, insight, and understanding.

Each of these scholars brought original, profound, and insightful contributions to religious understanding—hallmarks of a living and dynamic tradition. It is precisely through such differences that knowledge flourishes. Conversely, blind imitation and intellectual stagnation are signs of a decaying faith. True knowledge only emerges and progresses through critical analysis and constructive disagreement. If Nicola Copernicus (1473–1543) and Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) had not challenged old beliefs, modern astronomy and the technologies built upon it would not exist. Likewise, had Albert Einstein (1879–1955) not critiqued Isaac Newton’s (1643–1727) mechanics, the Theory of Relativity would never have come into being. Therefore all our religious scholars, across sectarian and “Muslaki” divide are stars in our religious universe and stewards of Islamic thought. We must, therefore, respect and value this intellectual diversity among our scholars, and learn the graceful art of honoring differing opinions. Such disagreement, in essence, should never justify conflict, hatred, or sectarianism. Sectarianism is a psychological affliction, most common among the narrow-minded, the ignorant, and the intellectually weak—even if they occupy pulpits in mosques or religious seminaries.

The question remains: What, then, is our religion?

Truly our religion is not essentially what is contained in the theological discourses and debates of our scholars (their religious worldviews) but what the Muslim Ummah collectively acknowledges and practices in day–to-day lives of ordinary Muslims, based on the common, universally understood principles of the Qur’an and Sunnah, transmitted to us faithfully through the consensus, and the consistent practice of the Muslim Ummah over centuries. The fact remains, that in majority of the (core) matters of faith (leaving aside few minor differences in secondary details), there is a broad consensus and uniformity among all Muslims across the Sectarian and “Maslaki” divide, which most of us fail to recognize and appreciate. Hence, faith does not permit any form of hostility, bitterness, or division—whether in beliefs, acts of worship, or worldly dealings.

There is no substantial divergence among the major schools of thought that would justify warfare, abuse, or mutual excommunication. It is worth pondering what measure of wisdom and scholarship is reflected in the conduct of preachers and religious leaders who, from the pulpits of religious institutions, engage in cursing and abusing eminent figures of faith and historical personalities.

It is therefore incumbent upon scholars and Muslim youth to uphold their beliefs with dignity, while acknowledging the right of others to hold differing views. They must learn to engage in intellectual discourse with civility, humility, and refinement—and master the noble skill of expressing disagreement within the bounds of ethics, decency and decorum. Sectarian peace and unity are only possible when each of us respects the right of disagreement of others and allow differences of opinion to exist in a mutually dignified and graceful acceptance. Evelyn Beatrice Hall’s famous quote about Voltaire can guide us immensely, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

By: Dr. Altaf Hussain Pandith