At the World Conference on Dialogue in Madrid on 16/7/2008, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz announced a message he carried from scholars and intellectuals who gathered in the precinct of the Sacred House of God; a message calling for constructive dialogue between followers of religions, a message promising humanity the turning of a new page where harmony, God willing, replaces conflict.
He added that we all believe in one God, who sent messengers for the good of humanity in this world and the hereafter. It was His wisdom, glory be to Him, that people should differ in their religions; had He willed, He would have united humanity under one religion. We gather today to affirm that the religions God willed for the happiness of humanity must be a means to their happiness.
Therefore, we must declare to the world that difference should not lead to strife and conflict. We say that the tragedies experienced throughout human history were not caused by religions, but by the extremism that has afflicted some followers of every divine religion and every political ideology.
Most dialogues in the past have failed because they turned into a barrage of accusations that focus on differences and amplify them. This is a futile effort that increases tensions rather than easing them, or because they attempted to melt religions and sects together under the pretext of bringing them closer, which is also a futile effort. The followers of every religion believe in their faith and do not accept an alternative. If we want this historic meeting to succeed, we must turn to the common denominators that unite us: deep faith in God, and the noble principles and high morals that represent the essence of all religions.
Humanity today suffers from the loss of values and the confusion of concepts. It is passing through a critical period that, despite all scientific progress, witnesses the spread of crime, the growth of terrorism, the disintegration of the family, the violation of young minds by drugs, the exploitation of the poor by the powerful, and hateful racist conflicts. These are all results of the spiritual vacuum that people suffer from after they forgot God, so He made them forget themselves. There is no way out for us but to meet on a common word, through dialogue between religions and civilizations.
Man may be a cause for destroying this planet with everything in it, but he is also capable of making it an oasis of peace and tranquility where followers of religions, sects, and philosophies coexist, where people cooperate with one another with respect, and face problems through dialogue rather than violence.
This human being is capable, with God's help, of defeating hatred with love, and intolerance with tolerance, and of ensuring that all humans enjoy the dignity that is an honor bestowed by the Lord—Glory be to Him—upon all the children of Adam.
There is no doubt that there is profound wisdom in the multiplicity of messengers, to establish the justice of the Creator, Glory be to Him, because He made worship a matter of choice; if the world were forced, reward and punishment would be void.
The followers of each message adopted a methodology different from the methodologies of other messages in terms of rituals, fasting, and acts of worship. Religions emphasized the unity of faith in marriage to preserve the members of their respective messages. Throughout history, kings, princes, and great leaders have deviated from this latter principle for political or personal reasons.
It is the duty of those responsible for each divine religion or sect to work for its survival, prosperity, and continuation. It is considered a duty for an individual born into a family belonging to a certain religion or sect to adhere to the principles, values, customs, and traditions of that religion or sect.
In this context, we recall the saying of the Messenger of God (PBUH): "The nation of Moses split into seventy-one sects, one is saved and the rest are in the Fire; the nation of Jesus split into seventy-two sects, one is saved and the rest are in the Fire; and the nation of Muhammad will split into seventy-three sects, one is saved and the rest are in the Fire"(1).
But the question that presents itself is: Who determines the saved sects?! Is it not God Almighty, who is the Wisest of judges!
The Sheikhdom of the Aql of the Druze Unitarian community, as it asks its members in the Unitarian faith to uphold the noble Unitarian values and customs, to commit to them, respect their exclusivity, and not violate the fundamental rules, finds in the speech of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz an expression of a reality that the sincere hope for.
And peace be upon those who follow the Truth.
