Dear Friends,
I have no doubts that human race has reached a new stage in its evolution. The world has become a “global village” as many of us would like to call it challenging the old ideas and divides and liberating humanity from the shackles of nation-state mentality a memoir of last few centuries of colonialism.
This new state of affairs requires ‘global’ thinking accommodating different beliefs and practices in such a way that while one can continue to be a good Muslim, a good Jew, a good Christian or any religious person for that matter but allows diversity in religious opinions to flourish so as to live with peace and harmony with other religious communities. Muslims should remember that this diversity is sanctioned in the Holy Quran which tells us that if God had wished, he could have made us all the same.
One may argue that it is the difference which gives different religions their uniqueness and I do not have any problem with it, but it is a mix of differences and commonalities that I tried to bring together in this web site and hope that it will generate a friendly interfaith discourse and understanding.
I would like to reiterate that it is not my idea but the Quranic command to all Muslims to look for common grounds with other religions stating, “You say: O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), Come to common terms between us and you: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside God. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him) (Holy Quran 3:64).
We should remember that this message of monotheism is not at all new to our religious cousins in Abrahamic faiths -Jews and Christians- who were the forbearer of Divine revelations in the form of Old and New Testament respectively as our Christian brethren will put it before it was finally given to Prophet Mohammad as the Holy Quran, the Last and Final Testament.
In a world of varied religious ideologies the only thing which can bring these different Abrahamic faiths closer is a quest for true monotheism and it is superfluous to say that in this regard the Holy Quran has already made its call. With these words I welcome you to explore this web site and send me your valuable comments and suggestions.
Last but not least I want to thank my wife Ambareen Khan Waseem for her editorial reviews and corrections.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mohiuddin Waseem
