Inter-faith leaders and academics on Monday called for deeper understanding and respect among different religions for building a pluralistic society.
They said a society with violence surrounding ethnic, religious or political divisions cannot prosper, while individuals fail to have their creativity flourish.
They made the observations at an international seminar on inter-religious dialogue and harmony organized by the Episcopal Commission on Christian Unity and Inter-religious Dialogue at the city’s Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB).
Diplomats stationed in Dhaka, teachers, students from different faiths were present at the event organised marking the visit of a Vatican delegation led by Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery of Inter-religious Dialogue.
“Interreligious dialogue is not about changing someone’s religion. It is about listening, understanding, respecting, and building trust. It is about mutual enrichment,” said Cardinal Koovakad.
Cardinal Koovakad said the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together signed in 2019 by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb urges all believers to work together as brothers and sisters, cultivate a culture of mutual respect, end the cycle of innocent bloodshed, protect the earth as common home.
“It also warned of declining empathy, dishonesty, corruption, extremism, and the dangers of fanaticism leading to conflict and destruction. The call is for dialogue, cooperation, peace, and coexistence,” the Cardinal added.
Dr Muhammad Elius at the Department of World Religion and Culture, Dhaka University, said diversity is a common phenomenon all over the world, so unity in diversity is very important.
The Quran says: “If your Lord had willed, He would have made you one community” and based on these verses, Muslim scholars say that all human beings have been religiously different and will remain different forever.
“Muslims must accept these differences positively, with love, cooperation, and mutual understanding,” he said.
Prof Elius said the Constitution of Medina made by the Prophet is the earliest example of accepting religious and ethnic diversity in the world. “In Islam, there is no problem accepting religious diversity,” he said.
The Quran also says all humans come from the same source, making everyone brothers, he said.
“Knowing one another is the first step in extending dialogue and relationships between people of different religions. Both Quranic verses and prophetic traditions encourage Muslims to engage with people of other religions and promote interfaith understanding,” he said.
Speaking on religious harmony in Hinduism, Prof Milton Kumar Dev at the Department of History at Dhaka University, said all religions teach love, peace, and human brotherhood, yet the world today is stormed by conflicts, enmity, and religious hatred.
“It is a well-known fact that hatred leads to violence, and violence in its extreme form becomes terrorism. Hatred is the opposite of human brotherhood, and hence human brotherhood is the antidote to cure this deadly disease called hatred,” he added.
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Dr Milton said a lasting peaceful society is impossible unless we understand each other better and understand different faiths in their proper perspective.
Father Tapan D Rozario moderated the event also addressed by Cardinal Patrick D Rozario, Vatican Ambassador to Bangladesh Archbishop Kevin Randall, Archbishop Bejoy D’ Cruze of Dhaka, Archbishop Lawrence Subrato Howlader of Chattogram, Father Victor Edwin, Father Patrick Gomes and Dr Shantu Barua of Dhaka University.