Through Force or Faith? — Page ix
Foreword to the Urdu Edition The need of the time, as has been repeatedly emphasized, is a dia- logue between Islam and Christianity. No one denies its benefit, but there does not seem to be much progress. What could be the reason for this? One possible explanation is that expectations are too high; and that, first, much work needs to be done to cross the divide and to bridge the distance between the two faiths—which has come about from centuries of conflict and mistrust—and to promote mutual trust to establish interfaith peace and tolerance. It is also true, however, that only inter-religious peace can ensure world peace. With reference to dogmas and doctrines, academic discussion and discourse is helpful to remove misunderstandings. But coop- erative, practical efforts to achieve and maintain higher moral standards in society can be more effective in bringing religions closer, because these higher moral objectives are shared by all reli- gions. The process of mutual understanding can be enhanced if cooperative efforts are made for this noble objective. For a proper introduction to one another, it is essential to respect the partner in dialogue. The Holy Quran instructs