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©The Star (Used by permission)
by Shaila Koshy

KUALA LUMPUR: Dialogue is a matter of national integration but the Malaysian education system does not inculcate the three pre-requisites for inter-religious cooperation and relations, said sociologist Dr Syed Farid Alatas.

“We do not live according to the three principles for harmonious relations – recognising the multi-cultural origins of civilisation, inter-religious encounters and showing respect and understanding the point of the other,” said Dr Syed Farid, the head of the Malay Studies Department and associate professor of sociology at the National University of Singapore.

“Our education system does not inculcate these attitudes in us but instead tends to polarise us. We have little appreciation for each other’s religion and culture. In China, there is a strong interaction between Islam and Chinese culture.”

He said this yesterday at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies/Isis National Affairs Forum held at the Isis Malaysia office.

Speaking on An Islamic Perspective on the Commitment to Inter-Religious Dialogue, Dr Syed Farid said that modern civilisation was a multi-civilisational product that emerged as a result of various inter-civilisational encounters.

“One of the greatest examples of inter-religious encounters was that between St Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt Sultan Malik al-Kamil.

“St Francis was struck by the morality and sincerity of the sultan and the sultan was struck by the fact that St Francis was a man of God. They discussed for days, debated, did not try to convert each other and left with respect and admiration for each other.”

Dr Syed Farid said although the general impression here was that Islam/Muslims were indifferent to dialogue, he said the Quran and the life of Prophet Muhammad showed otherwise.

Citing verse 64 of Surah Al-Imran and verse 125 of Surah An-Nahl, he said the Quran asked Muslims to engage in interfaith dialogue and in inter-civilisational dialogue with reason and evidence.

He added the prophet entered into agreements with Jews and Christians in Medina and they were referred to as ummah.

“The term ummah in Malaysia today, however, is exclusive to Muslims. Imagine if we used it as in the prophet’s time to include all Malaysians and not just a part of.”

Dialogue, he added, was not just about theologians talking but people coming together to solve problems.

“Dialogue partners have two enemies – religious extremists and secular extremists,” he said. The latter had caused greater damage to humanity, he added, citing fascism, communism, liberal democracy (by dropping the bomb on Japan) and the Pol Pot regime.

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