Submission to Truth Brings Differences to End
There have been different ideas about these differences that are sometimes biased and sometimes fair and balanced. But what is a fundamental way for creating unity and rapport among followers of faiths?
There is a verse in the Holy Quran that can helps us reach a solution and if understood well and acted upon can remove all the differences:
“The only religion with Allah is Islam (submission). Those to whom the Book was given disagreed among themselves only after knowledge had been given to them being insolent among themselves. He who disbelieves the verses of Allah indeed Allah is Swift in reckoning.” (Surah Al-Imran, Verse 19)
The word Islam in this verse may seem to have a clear meaning but it could be used to convey four meanings:
1- Anyone who accepts the divine revelation is a follower of Islam even if he is a Christian or a Zoroastrian. In other words, a Muslim is someone who accepts a divine religion with his intellect and free will.
2- The word Muslim refers to everything the world that accepts divine laws. That is to say all creatures follow the laws of nature and are bound to submit to divine will because they have all been created by God and have no other choice than submit to divine laws. For example, a stone has no other option than fall down as a result of gravity, which is a manifestation of divine will in the material world.
3- Muslim also has a sublime meaning that refers to noble men of God. Every second of these people’s life is in accordance with divine law.
4- A more specific meaning of Islam refers to the last divine religion that was conveyed to mankind by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) 14 centuries ago.
So Islam is an overall reality that includes mankind and the environment and the reason why the last religion is called Islam is because in this religion, man submits to the will of God, the Almighty.
In his Noor (light) exegesis of the Quran, Hojat-ol-Islam Mohsen Qara’ati points to the following messages from this verse of the Holy Book:
1- Belief in God’s oneness, justice, and wisdom (pointed out in the previous verse) paves the way for submission.
2- The requirement for submission to God is accepting Islam as the last divine faith (The only religion with Allah is Islam).
3- Breaching the boundaries of the truth cause differences: “Those to whom the Book was given disagreed among themselves only after knowledge had been given to them”.
4- The origin of many religious differences is envy and injustice not being unaware of the truth.
5- Envy sets the ground for Kufr (disbelief).
6- The book and knowledge alone cannot save mankind.
7- Those who create differences and divisions will soon receive punishment.
