Unity in Diversity
Promoting Enduring Respect and Universal Fraternal Bond
by Shaukat A. Ali
Preface
Alhamdulillah, Praise be to Allah, for according the opportunity to write on the subject of unity among the various communities.
This treatise is addressed mainly to the Muslim community which has to a large extent, regrettably, been misled by the imams, ulamas and other community leaders, who base their lecture on hearsay and conjectures instead of encouraging and urging the masses to study the actual explanations included in the Holy Quran.
وَ کُلَّ شَيۡءٍ فَصَّلۡنٰہُ تَفۡصِيۡلًا ﴿۱۲﴾
We have explained everything distinctly (17:12).
وَ اِذۡ اَخَذَ اللّٰہُ مِيۡثَاقَ الَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّہٗ لِلنَّاسِ وَ لَا تَکۡتُمُوۡنَہٗ ۫ فَنَبَذُوۡہُ وَرَآءَ ظُہُوۡرِہِمۡ وَ اشۡتَرَوۡا بِہٖ ثَمَنًا قَلِيۡلًا
When Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Book: You shall explain it to people and shall not hide it. But they threw it behind their backs and took a small price for it (3:187).
وَ مَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنۡ کَتَمَ شَہَادَةً عِنۡدَہٗ مِنَ اللّٰہِ ؕ وَ مَا اللّٰہُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ ﴿۱۴۰﴾
Who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony that he has from Allah? And Allah is not heedless of what you do (2:140).
Consequently, rather than offering personal views and elaborate comments, this effort provides the verses of the Holy Book so that the readers can judge for themselves the basis on which they should develop their beliefs. Almighty Allah says that He has explained everything that is required by people, as these are the last revealed Words to humanity.
It is therefore incumbent upon those seeking answers to first and foremost seek the explanations in the Glorious Quran. This booklet provides the actual verses on various aspects of the subject so that the readers can derive the benefit by looking into the verses.
وَ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡکَ الۡکِتٰبَ تِبۡيَانًا لِّکُلِّ شَيۡءٍ وَّ ہُدًي وَّ رَحۡمَةً وَّ بُشۡرٰي لِلۡمُسۡلِمِيۡنَ ﴿٪۸۹﴾
We have revealed the Book to you explaining all things, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit (16:89).
يُرِيۡدُ اللّٰہُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَکُمۡ وَ يَہۡدِيَکُمۡ سُنَنَ الَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکُمۡ وَ يَتُوۡبَ عَلَيۡکُمۡ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ عَلِيۡمٌ حَکِيۡمٌ ﴿۲۶﴾
Allah desires to explain to you, and to guide you into the ways of those before you, and to turn to you (mercifully). And Allah is Knowing, Wise (4:26).
ثُمَّ اِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا بَيَانَہٗ ﴿ؕ۱۹﴾
Again, on Us rests the explaining of it (75:19)
So, the explanation should be searched within the Book.
يٰۤاَہۡلَ الۡکِتٰبِ قَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ رَسُوۡلُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَکُمۡ عَلٰي فَتۡرَةٍ مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ اَنۡ تَقُوۡلُوۡا مَا جَآءَنَا مِنۡۢ بَشِيۡرٍ وَّ لَا نَذِيۡرٍ ۫ فَقَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ بَشِيۡرٌ وَّ نَذِيۡرٌ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ عَلٰي کُلِّ شَيۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ ﴿٪۱۹﴾
O People of the Book, indeed Our Messenger has come to you explaining to you after a cessation of the messengers, in case you say: No bearer of good news came to us nor a warner. So indeed a bearer of good news and a warner has come to you. And Allah is Powerful over all things (5:19).
Allah’s blessings and guidance be upon all those who study the Holy Quran, and find this effort useful – aameen ya Rabbal Aalameen.
I express my sincere thanks to Mr. Erwan Hamdani, of Jakarta, Indonesia, for assisting me with the insertion of Arabic texts and for formatting the final version. Notwithstanding, I take full responsibility for any errors and omissions and seek the forgiveness from the Lord of the worlds, and from the readers who disagree with anything included in this take full responsibility for any errors and omissions and seek the forgiveness from the Lord of the worlds, and from the readers who disagree with anything included in this.