Religion, Peace, AND Conflict

Ahmad Reza Taheri , NISDA, PUNE, 16th April 2009: On 16th April 2009, the National Center of International Security & Defense Analysis, University of Pune (YC-NISDA) had invited Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer at a conference organized by the center to present his seminar on “Theories of Peace & Conflict Resolution.”

Asghar Ali Engineer is an Indian Muslim and Islamic scholar, reformist-writer and activist. Internationally he is known for his work on liberation theology in Islam, the leader of the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra Movement, and his work on (and action against) communalism and communal and ethnic violence in India and South East Asia. He is an advocate of a culture of peace, non-violence and communal harmony, and has lectured all over the world and authored around 50 books. He is presently head of 'Institute of Islamic Studies' and 'Centre for Study of Society and Secularism', both of which he founded in 1980 and 1993 respectively. (For more about Asghar Ali Engineer, see, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asghar_Ali_Engineer).

The conference began at 9:30 a.m. and lasted till 4:30 pm. Asghar Ali Engineer discussed over the theories of peace & conflict resolution, saying violence and conflict is perpetuated by powerful vested interests whether they are local, regional, national, or inter-national. Conflict is the product of clashes of interests, not of religion or civilization. These interests can be divided into various categories i.e. economic, political, religious or social. Vested interests often invoke religion, language, nation, or ideology to legitimate their interests. Categories like religion and nation, he said, are not fundamental causes of conflict or violence, rather they are instrumental causes being used as powerful instruments by the vested interests.   

He opined when one nation attacks on the other or one religious group attacks on the other they use emotional national or religious rhetoric as a strategy or even outright deception to mobilize support of their respective countrymen or religious community.  

On the issue of can one brings about peace, he cited few examples as "you cannot establish peace in Palestine unless the question of Palestinian territory captured by Israel in 1967 is resolved to their satisfaction." Similarly "one cannot establish peace in Sri Lanka unless the question of Tamilian people and their aspirations for autonomy is solved." The Kashmir imbroglio can never be resolved if the Kashmiri people feel justice is not being done to them. The communal conflict in India is again a burning question. It is not the creation of Islam and Hinduism but it’s the creation of conflict of interests between the Hindu and Muslim elites, he said. Dr. Engineer further remarked that even the partition of our country (India) did not cause by Islam. It is a very wrong perception. The causative factors for partition of the country were political and economic, not religious, though rhetoric was religious. Jinnah was a liberal constitutionalist, not a religious fanatic. Yet it is Jinnah who led the partition movement, not religious leaders and scholars like Molana Hussain Ahmad Madani or Molana Abdul Kalam Azad, rather they opposed the partition. This itself shows that the conflict was political and economic rather than religious. Thus, all these examples indicate that interest plays a major role in promoting conflict and violence and religions or ideologies play merely an instrumental role.

'On how to establish peace', he commented that peace cannot be established without understanding the role of these deep-rooted interests. Every conflict is of different nature so all conflicts are not the same; therefore, different approaches must be taken depending on different natures. Conflict resolution is an extremely challenging job and it requires not only correct understanding of the causes of conflict but also inexhaustible degree of patience.

At the end of the seminar, several questions were exchanged between the audience and the speaker. On the issue of Islamic fundamentalism, I asked him, “Don’t you think that Islamic fundamentalism has been inspired by the Quaranic verses, where Quran prescribes Jihad?”

He rejected my question, reasoning that though we have terms such as Jihad in Quran, the statement has been misinterpreted by the people who do not have sufficient knowledge about Islam and Quran, referring to the Taliban and Muslim fundamentalists all over the world.

Well, what makes a Muslim a “fundamentalist” or a “radical”? One answer to this question is that ‘his/her lack of knowledge about Islam and relying on the misinterpretation of others whom he has full trust, can blindly lead him towards fundamentalism.’ But again, what makes a fundamental Muslim clergy or charismatic individual defending the concept of Jihad in an aggressive manner? What is the source of such decree?

What Dr. Engiener said is correct. He has deeply gone into the problem. He said that it is only clash of interests which brings violence. I think "interest" is "interest" and we (human beings) cannot get rid of that simply because it is in our nature. He is quite right in saying that religion has nothing to do with terrorism. But then what is the solution? Religion continues to exist as long as we continue to exist. The ideologies such as nationalism and religion will be expired when we are expired…!

Contrary to what Engineer said, the reality is that Quran does support Jihad and therefore the concept exists in this holy book of Muslims. Although interpretations may differ, the potentiality does exist. That is what many Muslim clerics in general and many fundamental clerics in particular defend the practice of jihad and have generally agreed on the aggressive form of jihad. Thus, Quran itself is a source of inspiration.

If we follow the right theory (misinterpretation of Jihad by fundamentalist Muslims) of Dr. Engineer, who has tried to moderate Islam, then, how many of Muslims (do you think) will be ready to follow him and accept a moderate form of Islam, especially when powers like US (for whatever reason) target Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan? Based on such a foreign policy of Western powers like US, as a reaction towards these policies, Jihad becomes aggressive and vital for every Muslim, as hold by Taliban or other like-minded directionless groups.

To preach peace and to project a peaceful Islam works only if two factors go side by side.

First, let a moderate scholar who apart of being expert in Islamic teachings at least must have some general knowledge on science and art. Why? The better we are equipped with more fields of knowledge, the more we can feel and realize what we call the God --- a religious narrow-minded sees a different God, a geologist sees a different God, a philosopher sees a different God, a Chemist sees a different God, and an artist sees a different God. Therefore, the more one has knowledge of the entire sciences the better one can understand the God and its qualities which cannot be understood by others.

Second, equally important for the completion of our aim, the fist theory is not sufficient, because if done it can be regarded as a one sided achievement. What we (nations and states) need is to minimize our interest, minimize our exploitation, and work on a universal society and universal interest rather than sticking at national interest.

 Ahmad Reza Taheri

a Research Fellow of National Center for International Security & Defense Analysis (YC-NISDA)