INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Contemporary Muslim scholars 1. Ismail Raji al-Faruqi is the first Muslim thinker who has advocated the need to have mutual respect and unbiased understanding of Christians and others way of belief.
Regards inter-religious engagement , especially with
Christians, as a more objective, scholarly shift of study.
Emphasises that Islams theory of engagement with
followers of other faiths involve: i) honour one anothers convictions without denying their own ii) The legitimate foundation for seeking religious unity in humankind.
Genuine inter-faith engagement can take place
only when people of different faiths are interested in each others claims by means of a friendly engagement becomes the removal of all barriers and is the only kind of inter-humane relationship worthy of man.
A Muslim is obliged to engage in inter-faith dialogue
as a means of presenting Islam to others.
Also should be prepared to listen to others account
of their faith.
Inter-faith engagement is a two-way affair
freedom to be convinced as well as to convince, of the truth. 2. Murad Wilfred Hofmann Inter-faith engagement will take place when there is a truism (penyataan yg memang benar) in their cooperation to solve contemporary problems faced by humanity.
to have peace in this Global Village, Muslims,
Christians and others are urged to engage in inter-faith dialogue under the climate of mutual respect and better understanding of one another. He argues that a peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians will happen only when western Christians have a serious understanding of Islam, on the one hand, and the Muslim World towards Western Christianity, on the other.
The clash between the Occident and the Orient
should be avoided.
Their coming together is the only solution to block
the destructive mans of tyrant leaders against the weak nations (Muslim world). The Muslims have two major references: a definitive Book and a definitive example (Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.), which are historical certainties that all other religions lack.
It is in the light of these two sources that the
Muslims can construct a peaceful co-existence with followers of other faiths respecfully living next to each other. Islam did not come to reject other faiths, but to purify these systems of faith from certain deviation from the original Abrahamic Monotheistic foundation. 3. Irfan Abdul Hamid Fattah
In inter-faith engagement, the Muslims have to adapt
themselves with the Islamic norm towards the Christian fellows and others by understanding and accepting them as they are, and why they are so, and not imposing subjective, normative claims in the form of why they are not.
They have to replace the monopolistic methodology of
the early Muslim scholars, which was built on two attitudes: refutation versus justification, with inter-faith dialogue that is built on mutual respect and better understanding of the others way of belief. In order to have a successful inter-faith engagement with others, the Muslims have to adapt themselves with the following rules:
i) To commence an openness in faith with the followers
of other Traditions who believe in One God, on the Judgement Day, and do good deeds, which ought to be consistent with the Quranic stance and the Prophetic way of conduct.
ii) To rough its twin stances: confirmation and
ratification, otherwise its coming after the Torah and Gospel becomes insignificant. iii. To acknowledge the eternal Quranic attitude of honouring the children of Adam as the family of God regardless of their languages, races, cultures or religious convictions and to build their stance towards other religions. 4. Abbas al-Jirari the Islamic concept behind dialogue: Dialogue, conducted on this Islamic basis, is the ideal way for attaining truth.
It is necessary to establish understanding , strength,
cooperation and narrow the gap between people. 5. Muhammed Abu Nimer Interfaith dialogue provide the framework to: i. Relearn the art of listening to each other
ii. Understand our similarities and differences through theological
and philosophical discussion on an intellectual level.
iii. Value other peoples spirituality by learning about different
religions through their sacred writings and narratives.
iv. Work together on joint projects at multiple levels to bring
greater justice, humanitarian aid and peace to society.
v. Operate in a peaceful atmosphere so that charitable and human
service programs can be provided to everyone. CONTEMPORARY WESTERN THINKERS 1. Martin Buber IRD according to Buber - in such a dialogue exists a feeling of fellowship and vivid sense that the other human being is as myself (me), listening with the heart, and not merely the intellect.
Therefore, the total involvement of both participants in
the inter-religious dialogue allows heart to speak to heart and illuminates the idea of neighbour-love. 2. Leonard Swidler interfaith dialogue (IRD) is a conversation among people of different faiths on a common subject, the primary purpose of which is or each participant to learn from the other so that he/she can change and grow.
But dialogue is not debate. In dialogue each
partner must listen to the other as openly and sympathetically as s/he can in an attempt to understand the others position as precisely and, as it were, as much from within, as possible. Swidler asserts that IRD operates in three areas: i. the practical where we collaborate to help humanity; ii. the depth or spiritual dimension where we attempt to experience the partners religion or ideology from within; iii.the cognitive where we seek understanding of the truth. The new paradigm shift of inter-religious dialogue came as a result of the pluralistic nature of the world, i.e., people of different faiths living next door to each other.
Therefore, it is logical to respect the faiths of
other people, even though their understanding of the nature of the Ultimate Reality differs from each others. iii) Jane I. Smith Dialogue is to bring together Muslims and Christians for conversation and engagement.
It is an experience of mutual cooperation and
support
To find some common ground for conversation
It is an initial get-together so that people could
begin to know each other Dialogue involve coming into contact with a person who was different from us.