The Golden Standard: It's not so uncommon!
Mohammad Omar Farooq
Salam and greetings.
One of the points the secularists (in Bangladesh and elsewhere) often make against religionists is that the latter group has a bad and somewhat unjustified tendency of being exclusivists. They not only seem to have a superiority complex, but also they display it in very bad taste. It is not uncommon among some followers of various religions, including Muslims, who constantly - and without any regard to others' feelings - speak about their own religion in such haughty and highhanded manner that it is not just counter-productive, but also has proven to have harmful effects on mutual relationship.
A person upholds a faith because - it is understood - that the person believes his' to be THE truth. Such belief may be based on conscious and conscientious choice or (unfortunately, as in most cases) it might be culturally derived or inherited. Thus, the belief system (religion) to its adherents would be dear and precious - and that's quite natural. However, the nobility of one's own faith does not necessarily come or has to come at the expense of other's. Such a point to a great extent has validity and deserves great deal of consideration. [Note: As a Muslim I am not saying that we should not propagate or invite others to Islam, but if others are to be attracted to it, the only way it's going to happen is that if Islam and Muslims win their hearts and minds - not because constantly nagging others by talking about superiority of Islam, when there are so many things going on around us in the name of Islam for which we can't but feel ashamed. Also, this does not mean that others are without their own blemishes. I want to shift MY attention away from others' blemishes to mine.]
Let me share my personal experience - a kind of rude awakening. One of the most important concerns of Islam in this world is justice. And, as a foundation-spirit of such justice we often point out the Prophetic narration (Hadith): "He is not a believer who does not like for his brothers what he likes for himself." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, #12]
Since my youth when I began to take active interest in my faith, that Prophetic narration has been a guiding light (though not necessarily I have been a shiny success of practice based on this). Such principle has deepened my commitment toward my faith. However, I had to gradually learn (and unlearn a few things of the past) that such a precept or principle is NOT UNIQUE to Islam.
Not that it should be surprising, but it's a natural tendency for human beings to be possessive (and may be even exclusivists). Thus, it is just unthinkable to share such a fundamental principle with others!!! The fact is that it is not unique to Islam. First I learnt that the same or a similar statement is also known as the Golden Rule of Moses. [Of course, as a Muslim, that's exactly the same as stated by the Prophet because we believe in ALL those prophets.] Then, I had to learn that, virtually, all major faiths have the equivalent of this statement or principle.
*************************************************************************** Read the following: in the alphabetical order of the faith
African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria) "One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts."
BUDDHISM: Sutta Nipata 705
"Comparing oneself to others in such terms as Just as I am so are they,
just as they are so am I, he should neither kill nor cause others to kill."
CHRISTIANITY. Bible, Matthew 7.12
"Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."
CONFUCIANISM: Mencius VII.A.4
"Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself,
and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence."
HINDUISM: Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8
"One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to
oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to
selfish desire."
ISLAM: Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.
1, #12
"Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves
for himself."
JAINISM: Sutrakritanga 1.11.33
A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.
JUDAISM: The Talmud, Shabbat 31a
"What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow men. That is the entire Law,
all the rest is commentary."
ZOROASTRIANISM: Dadistan-I-Dinik 94:5
"That mature alone is good which refrains from doing unto others whatsoever
is not good itself."
That this precept is universal and common, should that make me feel bad? Should it weaken the faith of my choice? Not at all. Indeed, realizing that this is common to virtually all faiths gives us a common ground of such a strong foundation to build a better relationship among us. Now we all can look at ourselves (Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Muslims), and examine our life and conduct in light of what we all know to be something that we can't claim or treat to be exclusive, but ARE and should be important to us ALL.
Indeed, if we all embrace this GOLD, then we can transform ourselves as gold-diggers, rather than dirt-diggers. This could be the new, real GOLDEN Standard to bring us closer, making our relationship more harmonious. Recognizing this as a common, universal principle does not have to be at the expense of one's own faith, as the determination of what or which is the truth is a higher-level issue that we all can try to have a dialog about intellectually, rationally, conscientiously. However, whether we are Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists or Jewish (even seculars have an existentialist or instrumental claim on this), we all need this common denominator of justice and fairness. The life on this earth could be lot better for all of us - if we embrace this universal principle, universally! It might not turn this earth into heaven, but many might agree that it might make this earth at least somewhat more heavenly.
There is lot more and deeper implications of this Golden Standard, but I will save that for later.
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"... come to COMMON TERMS as between us and you:..."
[al-Qur'an/3/Ale Imran/64]
[Originally written for Shetubondhon - a forum for Bridge-building - on January 14, 2000; The archive of Shetubondhon can be accessed at http://www.egroups.com/message/Shetubondhon ]
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