Human beings can never live in solitude. Mankind will find it difficult to understand the true meaning of humanity if he or she fails to appreciate the society that he or she is in. Through social interactions, we will be able to learn about the differences and similarities that exist among mankind. It is a process which would allow us to understand more about other people, their personalities, cultural traits and many other important aspects that reflect the dynamics of social relations.
In Islam, society is identified as an organization of a group of human beings, which is formed based upon the Divine law. The purpose of such organization is to ensure that human beings are able to live in harmony with one another despite the differences among them thus ensuring peaceful coexistence. Through society, individuals have the opportunities to develop the much needed characters which would allow them to contribute positively to the welfare of the society as a whole.
In multicultural societies, it is important to engage and interact with one another as a form of educating the general public on cultural diversity and spur discussions on different levels in society on a specific value or practice. What is essential in a multicultural society is a comprehensive framework that consists of a solid philosophical foundation for peace and also the practical aspects of interactions that would make harmonious co-existence to be long lasting and permanent. No society can really achieve its economic, social and political success if it lacks the elements of peace, harmony and positive social development. It is therefore imperative that all nations in the world that seek to be great must as a matter of necessity tread along the path of peace.
Islam is a peaceful religion which encourages mutual understanding, tolerance and also respect towards people of other religions and cultures. For Islam, the essence of peace in communities characterized by differences in cultures, religions and ethnicities is justice.In the Islamic worldview, justice signifies putting things in their rightful place. It is also considered as a moral virtue and an attribute of human personality. Justice needs to be determined and applied by the principles and guidelines set by God through His Divine revelation. Islam’s approach to justice is all-embracing whereby the means, procedures, and processes which help to ease, refine, and advance the foundation of justice, and do not contravene the Islamic Law are acceptable and supported.
The Quran regards justice to as a supreme virtue. It is a basic objective of Islam to the extent that it is positioned next in order of priority to belief in God’s exclusive right to worship and the acceptance of the prophethood of Muhammad’s (peace be upon him).
Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded” (Quran 16:90)
And in another verse;
“We sent Our Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the balance in order to establish justice among the people…” (Quran 57:25)
The universality of the principle of justice and its compatibility with human nature becomes the formula that can guarantee peace and harmony on earth. Justice is not restricted to particular groups only but it is for all. Only when such a critical religious principle is applied to all could it remove all discontent, hatred and prejudice. Hence, this principle which underlies the Islamic worldview is very pertinent for the practice of tolerance, acceptance and respect, which are all important values to ensure peaceful co-existence.
It is also important for all of us to understand that establishing peaceful co-existence in a pluralistic society needs collaborative and sincere efforts among its people. Thus, religious values must be understood and upheld by all religious followers. Acceptance and respect, which are also values emphasized in all religions, should become important underlying principles in realizing the goals of peaceful co-existence and efforts in peace-building. Injustices, inhumane treatment towards others and conflicts occur as a result of the inability to tolerate differences of opinion and failure to establish peaceful co-existence within society.
Sometimes, threats to peace in societies are caused by unfamiliarity towards people or groups who are different from us. For instance, Islamophobia, which is fast becoming a worrying problem in the world today, is also the result of ignorance and incorrect perception of what Islam really is. It is also reflects a situation where efforts are lacking at personal and societal level to embark upon a noble quest in knowledge- seeking to discover the truth about things which are different or unfamiliar to us . With the spread of information through the social media, negative generalizations become a norm and accepted as being the truth. Unfortunately, the dangers to such form of generalization are the fertilization of prejudice and feelings of hatred which definitely will hinder any efforts to achieve peace and harmony in society. Therefore, a comprehensive vision of long lasting peaceful co-existence of a strong society is without doubt to have an environment characterized by diversity achieved through cultural engagement, respect, acceptance and justice.