State Leaders Must Remain Vigilant to Safeguard Religious Harmony

Shahidul Islam Kabir, Daily Inqilab

Bangladesh is a country of people of many faiths. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and others have the right to follow their own religious rites according to their beliefs. Mutual respect, tolerance and peaceful coexistence are key foundations of our national life.

On the question of religious harmony, we must remember one basic point. Showing respect for another person’s faith and keeping the uniqueness of one’s own faith do not conflict. In fact, true harmony needs both of them equally.

A debate has recently arisen in religious and social circles over the President’s speech at a religious event of the Sanatan faith followers. A Daily Inqilab report from a few days ago said that a person in the highest constitutional post of the state must speak with special responsibility and care. The speech clashes with the basic Tawhidi belief of Islam, and it may hurt the religious feelings of Muslims. Presenting any god or goddess as the saviour or protector of the whole world fully goes against the Tawhidi belief of Islam.

In this context, leaders of the organisation have urged the President to withdraw the speech and clarify the matter. Mr. Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari, Amir of Hefazat e Islam Bangladesh, and Mr. Allama Shaykh Sajidur Rahman, its Secretary General, gave this reaction in a statement earlier this week. They said a person in the highest constitutional post of the state must speak with special responsibility and care. According to the basic creed of Islam, Almighty Allah alone is the one Creator, Sustainer and Protector of the whole universe. In their view, presenting any god or goddess as the saviour of the whole world goes against the Tawhidi belief of Islam.

The Hefazat leaders said that people in responsible positions in the state and society must think about the religious, social and national effect of their words. Careless or controversial remarks by people in key state posts can start unwanted debate in public. Such remarks can also affect the feelings of people of different faiths.

The statement also raised the issue of religious freedom and communal harmony. The leaders said every follower of a faith has the right to practise religious rites according to their own belief. Islam also teaches its followers to respect the religious freedom and safety of people of other faiths. But they think it is not right to make a remark that clashes with the basic creed of one’s own faith, or to back such a remark, in the name of respecting another person’s belief.

They said true religious harmony rests on keeping mutual respect while protecting the uniqueness and dignity of each faith. In this matter, people in responsible state posts must be more aware and sensitive in their words. At the end of the statement, Hefazat e Islam Bangladesh urged the President to withdraw the remark and explain it properly. Its leaders also warned that if the demand is not met, Islamic scholars and ordinary Muslims will have to raise their voices in protest over Islamic values and religious belief.

While we discuss these matters, we should think about religious belief, constitutional duty, social reality and national unity, and not act on emotion alone. The President is not just one person. He holds the highest constitutional post of the state. The meaning of his words goes beyond the personal sphere and can affect the dignity of the state and national life.

Tawhid is the basic foundation of Islam

The basic creed of Islam is Tawhid. It means that Almighty Allah is one and has no partner. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of all creation. The Holy Quran says: “Say, He is Allah, the One” (Surah Al Ikhlas, verse 1). The next verses of the same Surah declare that Allah needs no one and that nothing is like Him.

According to Muslim belief, final authority over creation, upkeep, life, death and the whole universe belongs to Allah alone. So presenting any god or goddess as the universal saviour or protector of the whole world does not fit with the Tawhidi belief of Islam. If any person or group in the Muslim community raises questions about the religious meaning of such a remark, people should consider it with reason and decency.

We must also make one key difference clear. Joining a religious event, promising to protect the safety and rights of people of other faiths, or greeting them on their festivals is one thing. Presenting a belief of another faith as a basic truth of one’s own faith is a different thing. For a Muslim, showing respect to people of other faiths is important. But this respect does not mean giving up one’s own creed.

So when the state gives a message of religious harmony, it must choose words with care. The words should show respect to followers of one faith. They should also avoid needless conflict with the basic beliefs of followers of another faith.

Why the President’s words need extra care

The words of a person in the highest constitutional post of the state naturally carry more weight. People may see an ordinary person’s remark as a personal opinion. But people often read the President’s remark as the state’s view or the national position. So his words are expected to be very careful on sensitive matters such as religion, ethnic identity, national history and constitutional values.

Article 41 of the Constitution of Bangladesh recognises the right to religious freedom. Article 2A recognises Islam as the state religion. It also promises equal status and equal rights to Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and followers of other faiths. So the constitutional frame of Bangladesh holds both things: the state religion and the religious freedom of other faiths.

In this reality, the President’s duty is to speak in words that make no religious community feel neglected or insulted. At the same time, his words must stay sensitive to the Tawhidi belief of the Muslim majority. For people in state posts, the choice of words, the context and the possible reading of the speech all matter. A sentence may come from good will, yet it can carry a different meaning from another religious point of view. So before speaking at a religious event, a leader should know the beliefs and terms of that faith and keep the limits of his own words clear. This is part of being responsible.

Religious harmony does not mean sameness of belief

In our society, people sometimes read the meaning of religious harmony the wrong way. Some think that to keep harmony, we must present the beliefs of all faiths in the same way. Others see differences in religious belief as a cause of conflict. We must correct both views.

True religious harmony means accepting differences in belief and protecting each other’s rights, dignity and safety. A Muslim can stay firm in his Tawhidi belief and still play a responsible part in protecting his Hindu neighbour’s right to hold Durga Puja. In the same way, a Hindu can stay firm in his faith and still respect the religious feelings of Muslims and their freedom to worship.

The Holy Quran makes the uniqueness of each belief very clear in Surah Al Kafirun. Verse 108 of Surah Al An’am tells Muslims not to abuse what others worship, so that they do not abuse Allah in ignorance. This guidance teaches Muslims decency, restraint and social responsibility along with firmness in faith.

So if a remark seems to clash with the creed of Islam, people must protest it. But the protest must rest on reason and facts, and it must stay peaceful. Blaming the followers of a whole faith, spreading hatred against them or calling to cut their religious rights fits neither Islamic principles nor civic duty.

The feelings of the Muslim majority and the rights of minority citizens

It is natural for Muslims in Bangladesh to stay alert in protecting the dignity and uniqueness of their faith. At the same time, the state must protect the religious freedom and safety of citizens of other faiths who live in this country. These two duties should not conflict.

Respecting the religious feelings of the majority does not mean limiting the rights of minorities. Likewise, protecting the religious rights of minorities does not mean ignoring the belief of the majority. The state’s duty is to make sure every citizen can practise his faith without fear. It must also make sure that no one faces bias, threats or violence because of another person’s religious belief.

A harmonious Bangladesh that protects the dignity of belief

The future of Bangladesh depends on a society where the uniqueness of each religious belief stays intact. It depends on protecting the rights of every citizen, and on state leaders who speak with responsibility. No one can ask a person to give up his belief to build religious harmony. Instead, every person must stay firm in his belief and also respect the rights and dignity of others.

In the light of Muslim thought, being firm on Tawhid and ensuring justice, good conduct and safety for people of other faiths do not conflict. Islam teaches a Muslim to protect his creed and also to practise justice and restraint. So people must settle debates over religious belief with knowledge, reason, decency and responsibility.

People expect extra care from the person who holds the highest constitutional post of the state. Religious leaders must also play a role that protects the dignity of Muslim belief and stops hatred from spreading against any religious community. We hope Bangladesh will move forward through responsible words from state leaders, due respect for the religious belief of the Muslim community, and protection of the rights and safety of people of all faiths.