– M Rafi Ahmed
So goes the inspiring interfaith quote “We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race” of Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan, who served as seventh Secretary General of the United Nations. Taking it in the right perspective, the Coimbatore unit of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) under the presidentship of P S Umar Farook and secretary Abdul Hakkim spearheaded the inter-faith event with Good Shepherd Seminary students at Karumbukkadai Masjid Al Ehsan yesterday.
The annual event was organised jointly with Divyodaya Inter Religious Centre led by its Director Fr Wilson, who accompanied the seminary students to the mosque as part of learning about Islamic principles and practices even while witnessing the Asar namaz. Later, Islamiyah Matriculation Higher Secondary School Vice Principal Saleem Moideen briefed about the five tenets of Islam and religious practices.
The 10 students in their 13th year of their seminary education were keen to know about Islam and got vital info besides getting their doubts cleared during the interface. It may be noted that JIH Coimbatore has been rolling the red carpet to Good Shepherd Seminary students for more than a decade or so which received accolades from the District Collectors and City Police Commissioners (CoP) during their tenure.
No doubt, Interfaith dialogue emerges as a vital solution. Interfaith dialogue facilitates intellectual exchanges between people of different religious traditions, fostering communication with mutual respect and understanding. It encourages a re-evaluation of our attitudes towards one another and our beliefs. This is where the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regarding interreligious relations can serve as a valuable model for peacebuilding, writes Sirajuddin Shaikh in Islam On Web portal.
In fact, JIH played a proactive role in ensuring peaceful coexistence among the residents cutting across religious barriers by organising ‘Peace March’ as an annual affair along with Kovaipudur Shanti Ashram led by Youth Leadership coordinator Vijayaraghavan by involving government and corporation school students thereby taking them to different places of worship right from Temple, Mosque, Church, Gurudwara, Jain shwetambar.
Indeed, the inter-faith event sends a strong message of the Divyodaya. The Bonds are stronger than the Barriers that separate us. Yes, JIH has been leaving no stone unturned in bringing religious leaders from different faiths closer through communal harmony programmes. Gurunanak’s saying, “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim, only one God.” Moreover, he promoted unity, reminding the people that divinity is beyond religion and found in every soul.
Great to witness Children Islamic Organisation (CIO) members led by its president Nabeela Karam presenting saplings as part of nationwide environmental campaign on the theme “Hands in soil, Hearts with the Nation” at the inter-faith event held at the mosque premises. Good Shepherd Seminary Fr Antony Raj besides Solidarity Youth movement president Sinuj, SIO president Shaik Mohammed, Masjid-Al- Ehsan president Akbar Ali were part of the religious harmony event. Copies of the Holy Quran with translation were presented to the seminary students on the occasion.
[The author is former Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle chief]
