by Dr Sulaiman Rifai, Naleemi (London)

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Dr Sulaiman Rifai, Naleemi

Today one in every six person is a Muslim. Out of approximately 6 billion people one billion or little bit more people are Muslims in the world. It is a universal duty and responsibility of International Muslim community to reach out to these 5 billion Non-Muslim people with the compassionate message of Islam.  Religion of Islam is not a monopoly of certain race or ethnicity rather it is a universal religion for humanity. Indeed, Islam is the culmination of monotheistic faith of all prophets on the earth. From the very first prophet Adam to the last Prophet Muhammad all prophets of God came with same message of Islam: literally to demand people to submit to the will of God. This universality of Islamic message is very clearly articulated and elaborated in the Holy Quran and Prophetic traditions and therefore, reaching out with the message of Islam should be number one priority of collective responsibility of international Muslim community.

Yet, Universal Muslim community is divided into groups and sectarians. Fragmented nature of universal Muslim community into different political and religious groups makes tasking of reaching out with universal Islamic message more difficult and intricate. Rather than engaging in this primary task of reaching out with the universal message of Islam Muslim community all over the world is interlocked in ideological and dogmatic battles between many groups. Today, humanity is in a dire need of divine and spiritual guidance than ever before and it is pathetic that International Muslim community that possesses such a pristine divine guidance is not competent enough to reach out with its message. Unfortunately, porosities of international Muslim community are mixed up and consequently less important issues are given preference over most important issues.

No doubt in 1400 hundred years of Islamic history, Muslim Ummah is going through a hard time today than ever before.  Muslims are beings mocked simply because of their faith and they are portrayed and branded as terrorists simply because of some handful of radicals. Despite the international media manipulation and bias reporting on Muslims and Islam it is said that the message of Islam is spreading more than ever.  More and more people return to religion of Islam than ever before. What does this dichotomous trend tell us?  It tells us a lot. Since 9/11 and some other attacks in Europe western people have begun to read the Holy Quran and Islamic books and Islamic awareness dramatically increased in the western world.  Yet, a large percentage of western people do not have any clue about basic teachings of Islam and most of basic Islamic teachings and doctrines are wrongly understood or presented to them wrongly.

Today more than 25 Million Muslim people live in Western countries. It is expected that Muslim population in Europe will be doubled in 2050. Muslim presence in Europe is unprecedented in Islamic history and these Muslim people in Europe have a golden opportunity to be ambassadors of Islam. They could inspire, influence and invite Non-Muslim people with wisdom and rationale argumentation. We live in a modern age of science and brain power and ultimately by the virtue of the quality of our rational and logical arguments we could win the hearts and minds of people in modern world not through means of violence and extremism. Unfortunately, we have failed to represent the true Islamic message in these countries to manifest the true beautify of Islam. As a result of this Non-Muslim people still have some misperception of Islam and Muslims in general.

It is responsibility of Muslim intellectuals and scholars to clear these wrong perceptions about Islamic teachings and doctrines. In a recent research done by a group of dedicated Islamic researchers some astonishing findings are revealed on Non-Muslim perception of Muslim in England. Though this research is done in England these research questions are viable in all Non-Muslim countries. We should do a similar research project in Srilanka so that we could collect pool of opinions on Non-Muslim perception of Muslims in Srilanka. That will help us to guide our community to build a strong communal connection and strengthen relation between communities. More importantly, to amend some of our past mistakes and social perceptions. As a prelude such a field survey, I shall share some of the questions presented to Non-Muslims in England to reveal some astonishing findings. I repeat these questions here because we as Muslim minority in Srilanka have somewhat same challenges as Muslims in England? That challenge is to reach out to People with Islamic message before they get wrong perception about Islam.

Some of the questioned asked in survey by IERA in England are more or less similar to these questions.

1) How much do you know about Islam?

2) Have you ever been taught or actively sought information on Islamic faith?

3) Where did you learn about Islam?

4) Which Holy Texts have you come into contact with?

5) How would you rate your knowledge of the Quran?

6) Can you Identify who or what Allah is?

7) What is your perception of Prophet Muhammad?

This questionnaire survey reveals some astonishing findings and I shall discuss these findings in my next week writing.  It would be more viable and appropriate in Srilankan context to carry out some field research work among Non-Muslim people in Srilanka to collect other perceptions of Muslims and Islam so that we could clarify some of basic wrong perceptions. Unlike today, we have all luxuries of information technologies and facilities to educate people about Islam and Muslims.  Unlike in the past today wrong information are so quickly filter through  people minds and hearts with international media that operates against Muslims and Islam at local and International levels.  This is very much similar to introducing new product or new piece of legislation to people. Until or unless a new product or new laws are being introduced people would have any clue or knowledge about them. Like wise, We Muslims in Srilankan context should educate our non-Muslims brothers about Islam and Muslim traditions.

Today when modern governments introduce any piece of laws the law enforcement agents educate people with new laws before enforcing then on people. Similar ways we are obliged to reach out and educate Non-Muslim people about Islam. At least, in the most of Western countries Religious Education is a mandatory subject and schools are obliged to teach at least six religions so that children of different faiths will have good understanding of other people’s religions, culture, tradition and way of life. Unfortunately, people in Srilanka do not learn about other’s culture, traditions and way of life.  I shall refer to one good example to illustrate this lack of interfaith knowledge. I happened to listen to Doramadalawa TV programme recently in ITN.  It was about greeting methods in different religious practice. One caller phoned this programme and questioned our Muslim Moulavi with a basic question. This caller posted this question with sincere remorse and sadness.

This caller said that he participated in one of convocation ceremonies at Sri-Jayewardene Pura University recently and certificates were given to students by the chancellor of the university most venerable Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratne Thero. All most all Buddhist, Hindus and Christian graduates did bow down and physically paid their worship to Chancellor on receiving their certificate except Muslim graduates. This behaviour of Muslim graduates may have been perceived by this caller as an act of disrespect to his religious Leader. Yet, this Islamic theology and belief system do not allow doing any form of worship except to Almighty Allah.  Thus, the lack of knowledge in Islamic belief system leads this caller to assume that Muslim graduates disrespected his religious personality. Similarly, a lot of Islamic rituals and traditions are not clearly comprehended and understood by Non-Muslim people today in our countries.  To appreciate our way of life and traditions our Non-Muslim brothers should have some clue and basic knowledge about Islam and Muslim.

To be continued next week  Insha Allah...