Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 9
Inter-Religious Peace 9 make a genuine and serious effort to remove misunderstanding between them. I believe that Islam can deliver the goods with distinction in a manner that can fully satisfy our demands and requirements. To facilitate a better understanding, I have further categorised the subject into different sections. For instance, I believe that for a religion to be helpful in establishing peace in the world, it is essential that a religion which is universally capable of uniting man ultimately, must itself accept the universality of religion in the sense that human beings, whatever their colour, race or geographic denomination, are all creatures of the same Creator. As such, they are equally entitled to receive Divine instruction—if ever Divine instructions were given to any section of human society. This view obviates the concept of monopolisation of truth by any religion. All religions, whatever their name or doctrines, wherever they be found and to whichever age they belong, have the right to claim the possession of some Divine truth. Also, one has to admit that, despite the differences in their doctrines and teachings, religions are most likely to have a common origin. The same Divine authority, which gave birth to any religion in one area of the world, must also have looked after the religious and spiritual needs of other human beings in other parts of the world and belonging to different ages. This exactly is the message of the Holy Quran, the Sacred Scripture of Islam. Universality of Prophethood The Holy Quran has the following to say in this regard: