“And many people shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.”...
Interreligious Dialogue: A Path Towards Solving Crisis and Attaining Salvation
Khalid Sani
(+234) 08101210249
khalidsani001@gmail.com
The human thinking on the purpose of creation and eternal life is diminishing in the heart of some nominal believers of Christianity and Islam, this is due to negligence and ignorance; blind fellowship in religion and misinterpretation of some verses of the scriptures (the Holy Bible and Qur`an) and subsequently leads to Intolerance and Violence in our contemporary society.
Therefore, interreligious dialogue tends to solve problems of societal violence and human intolerance through introducing a new dimension of preaching that will establish a peaceful dialogue forum giving no rooms for acrimony and violence.
The conflict between the two most influential religions in Nigeria was adopted ignorantly as the majority of the followers of both the religions (Islam and Christianity) felt victims, results to loss of lives and properties. More so, the majority are confined to study the actual scriptures thereby handling weapons for a fight.
Matthew 15:6-9 Jesus Crist said: “For many will worship me uselessly, believing in the doctrines formulated and concocted by men, for in vain do they worship me, teachings as doctrine the commandments of men.”
This indicate that many people will instead follow the commandments of human beings but in vain, only claiming the belief. Therefore, understanding both the scriptures (religions) is the way to solving problems and that can be achieve by establishing interreligious dialogue.
Both the Bible and the Qur`an encouraged peacekeeping; loving each other:
Mark 12:31 Jesus Crist answered: “The second commandment is that you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself. There is none other commandments greater than these (believing in one Lord and Loving your neighbor).”
Isiah 2:3-5 “And many people shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.”
Qur`an 60:8 “God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes - from being righteous towards them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.”
The wrong interpretation of some verses, which some criminals adopt to become terrorist can be analyzed as to call for interreligious dialogue. For example:
Matthew 10:34 Jesus Crist is reported to have said: “Think not that I have come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
Luke 12:49 “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?”
Qur`an 22:39 “Permission (to fight) has been given to those who are being fought because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.”
Qur`an 2:191 “And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.”
The verses above do not permit killings. They are well explained especially in the course of interreligious dialogue. Notwithstanding, killing an innocent soul is against the spirit of the Bible and the Qur`an. For example:
Qur`an 6:151 “…And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden (to be killed) except by legal) right. This has He instructed you that you may use reason.”
Qur`an 25:68 “And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden (to be killed), except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet the penalty.”
John 8:40 “But now you seek to kill me, a man that have told you the truth, which I heard from the Almighty God: this did not Abraham.” That is why Jesus Crist told the people (John 8:39) that wanted to kill him that they are lying for claiming to be the children of Abraham, because killings are against the teachings of Abraham (the father of all nations).
Finally, interreligious dialog makes one adopt and follow what Jesus Crist said in John 8:32 “Seek the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
May the Almighty God continue to unite the nation.
Thank you.
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