Anthropological Aspects in the Christian-Muslim Dialogues of the Vatican by Jutta B. Sperber

Author:Jutta B. Sperber
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
Published: 2019-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

7.1.2 Religious education between identity and openness

7.1.2.1 Natural knowledge of God in Islam

The Muslim contribution began by examining the expression “pluralist world” in greater detail between the historical development of the Christian, Muslim and other blocs and the new challenge of the revolution in the media, as well as the factual proximity of others. Although, according to Abdul Aziz Kamel, secularism was not really an Islamic phenomenon, he called for the inclusion of such people in the reflections. The traditional behaviour of the religions alone was no longer adequate for this new situation. The aim in mind was clearly peaceful coexistence in a context of tolerance and mutual respect, something which had historically been quite rare. He then described Islamic identity as two circles revolving around the centre of monotheism, the prophetic circle with Muhammad as the seal of the prophets and – of greater interest in our context – the broadest possible circle of fitra – normally the natural knowledge of God which he called intuition. In any case, it was a reference back to creation and its unchangeable, divine order which also included human beings. Creation was, as it were, God’s open book and, according to Islamic logic which, as he emphasised several times, knows no dichotomy between religion and science, progress in education was always also a way of coming closer to God. On this basis, the combination of identity and openness was also absolutely no problem. His remarks on concrete Islamic rules also led to the statement that, in Islam, the earth was compared with a large mosque. And even in Islamic architecture, in the typical forms of Islamic decoration and in Islamic calligraphy, he identified reflections of the harmonious link between heaven and earth, the balance between the individual and the community, between law and beauty, the great unity which human beings needed. With regard to the practical situation of non-Muslims in an Islamic society, naturally the classical dhimmi status was explained, emphasising that Muslims could only not have such people as friends whom they had fought for religious reasons and who had at least helped to expel them. Otherwise, freedom of cult and protection were not only possible but required, against the background of all people being part of the vast human family which God had created and endowed with special dignity, which God cared for well and indeed to which he had subordinated the whole of creation. This framework was particularly important in order not to cause tensions due to a limited view, nor to upset relationships with other approaches to faith. In connection with openness in practice, he firstly referred to the Mexico declaration on culture which understands education in a very broad sense as a process of counselling, of exchanging ideas and experiences and an appreciation of the values and customs of others (within which basic human rights naturally also have their place). He attributed special importance to the equal value of all forms of education also mentioned there but which were not a reality for a long time because of the eurocentrism of science.

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