by Abdul Hafeez siddique

Here at the Flowhesion Foundation we work tirelessly thinking about innovative ways to bring communities together.I have always been inspired by the wise words of the Prophet Muhammed (Pbuh) when he first entered the city of Madinah ‘Oh People! spread peace, join the ties of kingship, feed one another, Pray to your Lord at night when others are resting, you will surely enter heaven peacefully’.

The conversations and interactions i have had around peaceful interactions have got me thinking. There are reams of books, hours of video and terabytes of information that illustrate the many divisions, factions and frictions between those of all faiths and none.  I wish to reflect and take stock of the brave work we are doing here at the Foundation. In this spirit i thought it to be a grand idea to share five things we have learnt (so far on our awesome journey ) that people of all faiths and none share in common. 

 

1. Peace and non-violence.

It may appear that this is contradictory given that most of the world’s crisis are ‘apparently’ centred around religion. But in truth all religions in their purest forms aspire to peace and non-violence. They do this in their quest for the greater good. The minority who use religion to further their own agendas unfortunately get the most press coverage.

2. Humankind is one family.

There is not a single faith or humanist belief system that differentiates between people on the basis of their caste, creed, color and nationality. Yes, selective quotes can be taken out of context, but on the whole the universal message is one of an overarching tie that binds us to one another. It is also surprising how the idea of ‘the global village’ has been taught in religious scripts long before the dot com revolution.

3. Morals are key.

The framework of what is right or wrong, social responsibility, shunning materialism and prevailing of justice are core teachings in many religious as well as humanist texts. All the faith and humanist belief systems agree that an erosion of such morals correlate to the weakening of societal progress.

4. Knowledge and wisdom are to be revered and sought.

Whether it be human knowledge or that of a spiritual nature. All faith and humanist belief systems have as central tenants the value of knowledge and wisdom as sources of prosperity and progress. Pursuing it is perceived as sacred and sharing it declared noble.

5. Nature is the language of the divine.

All religion and humanist belief systems articulate the view that in search for the divine and truth, contemplating the sophistication of nature, experiencing its beauty whilst reflecting on its power is key.