Interfaith harmony

War is a profitable venture for a selected few. But for millions of others, it has unending consequences that last for generations. History has shown that wars and the need for military might and the struggle for global domination have led to the proliferation of deadly nuclear weapons that have the potential of destroying entire countries.

The need to create an external enemy has not worked well for the West as the roosters have come home to roost in the form of religious intolerance and extremism. And the resulting political instability and economic uncertainty have given rise to serious problems. The situation has triggered severe inflation and inequality, while a climate and energy crisis looms large. This has prompted faith leaders — including Pope Francis and Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb — to highlight the importance of peace and stability in the recent three-day global interfaith conference hosted in Bahrain. They have expressed their concerns about the Russo-Ukraine war and how it has affected the global order. The onus lies on superpowers who must now shift focus towards ensuring the survival and security of human beings through peace-building measures. The US has pulled out of Afghanistan but still have their hands stuck in the Middle East. Conflicts can only be curtailed through dialogue, which can prove an effective tool for developing countries to help them fight extremism and intolerance in their own backyards.

This could prove to be an important forum where tendencies spreading hatred between groups and religions can be removed through a peaceful method instead of resorting to conflicts and wars. Dialogue on longstanding issues such as Palestine and Kashmir can also be initiated on this platform. The world can only be a better place if we empathise with and understand each other.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2022.

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