Before going any further, it is essential to dispel one doubt created by some, that religion causes war, conflict, and sectarian divides. It is alleged that religion leads to a narrow-mindedness and lack of fortitude that has disastrous implications for world peace, as well as the progress and welfare of mankind. Therefore, they suggest that people should abandon religion to develop tolerance and broad-mindedness that will enable them to live harmoniously with each other, promoting peace and mutual love. As religion originates from the concept of God, it is argued that a god who is the cause of conflict and strife in this world should be forsaken. This is the objection raised by people with a modern education and greatly promoted by European philosophers. Evidently, this objection is based on a lack of deliberation. However, before I come to the actual answer, I would say that even if we accept the validity of this objection—i.e. admit that religion does cause what has been stated—it cannot serve as an argument against the existence of God. That is to say, it cannot prove that there is no Creator of this universe. At the most, it can prove that belief in God leads to narrow-mindedness and a violation of peace. However, if God does exist, then, whatever the consequences of believing in Him, we have no right to deny His existence. Therefore, if the existence of God is established, we cannot deny it even if religion causes strife. But in reality it is absolutely incorrect that religion causes disorder, and those who believe this have made a grave mistake.
Above, we established that belief in God creates sentiments of mutual love and brotherhood naturally and instinctively. Belief in God eliminates all national and racial prejudices and creates a worldwide brotherhood. Without belief in God, worldwide brotherhood is inconceivable. How, then, can belief in God lead to strife and narrow-mindedness? Strife and narrow-mindedness have no connection at all with the concept of God. Logically, it is unacceptable that the concept of God—not a national or racial God, but the Creator and Master of the whole of mankind— should manifest in the form of narrow-mindedness, national prejudices, strife, and sectarian divide. No sane person can find a cause-and-effect relationship between the two. Thus, if religions do lead to disorder, narrow-mindedness, and national prejudice, we should look for its cause elsewhere and try to find out why this happens, rather than attributing it unjustly and unnaturally to belief in God.
Unfortunately, those who make this criticism have witnessed religions in a state where religion exists in name alone. This objection is specific to the present age and, unfortunately, the followers of all faiths are far removed from the essence of their religions. There is not a single religion whose followers truly adhere to its teachings. Instead, the teachings of religions have been corrupted by the actions of humans, giving an opportunity to free-minded individuals to raise objections against religions. But the fact of the matter is that, of all means that promote world peace and enlightened minds, religion is the most powerful one. Whenever people adhered to the essence of religion, it decreased discord and undue strife and promoted broad-mindedness and fortitude. A study of religious history demonstrates that during periods when the followers of any particular religion abided by its teachings, they were found to be magnanimous, broad-minded, sympathetic, and seekers of peace and reconciliation. In contrast, during the age when these followers gave up their teachings and their commitment to religions existed in name only, they became narrow-minded, lacking in fortitude, prejudiced, petulant, and anarchistic. I make this claim without fear of contradiction and for every religion, and I believe anyone who researches history honestly in this matter will reach the same conclusion. By the Grace of Allah, I am a Muslim and take the greatest pride in counting myself among the humblest servants of the Holy Prophet(saw). Nevertheless, I cannot but make the regrettable admission that, these days, like other people, the Muslims are also afflicted by the dangerous and disastrous ill that is called narrow-mindedness. Undue national prejudices have overcome their sublime and noble sentiments. Quarrelsomeness and inclination to violation of peace over petty differences have permeated their nature. Is Islam to blame for this? No, never! These things did not exist among the Muslims when they followed the true teachings of Islam and the Islamic spirit was alive in them. They were a nation of bright-minded and big-hearted people; they were well-wishers and sympathisers of mankind, peace-loving and selfless, and made sacrifices for others. They illumined the whole world with rays of their universal light. What we see today are the ruins of that magnificent edifice!
The same applies to other nations. Early Christians were a very good model of self-sacrifice and sympathy for mankind; they sought peace and conciliation. However, once the Christians moved away from the real teachings and spirit of Christianity, they exceeded in injustice, tyranny, bloodshed, and religious prejudices. History bears witness to the narrow-mindedness, undue prejudices, strife, murder, and pillage displayed by the so-called followers of Hazrat Masih [i.e. Jesus the Messiah], may peace be on him, during the Reformation.
The history of Hinduism, Sikhism, and other religions reveals more or less the same pattern; even more horrendously so among the Hindus and Sikhs. All of this proves that in reality the blame does not lie with religion but with those who forsake the essence of their religion. Unfortunately, all the nations of the world have lost the spirit of religion, giving the impetuous and short-sighted critics an opportunity to blame religion for [their] narrow-mindedness and violence.
That is why God—who is Holy, who does not like to see the world immersed in the darkness of ignorance, out of His loving Kindness and Grace—commissioned one of His righteous servants, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, for the guidance of mankind in this age, so that he could answer the allegations raised against religion because of the misdeeds of its followers. These misdeeds distant humans from God and promote violence, coercion, and narrow-mindedness in the context of religion. The Promised Messiah(as) was sent so that the people recognise their heavenly Master and Lord and become like brothers again. Regrettably, as is typical of these people, they treat the servants of this divine reformer and torch bearers of this heavenly guidance with ignorance. Several innocent Ahmadis were most cruelly stoned to death in Kabul only because they were Ahmadis. Thus, giving others the opportunity to raise objections against Islam that it promotes violence, coercion, intolerance, prejudice, and tyranny. Alas! How very aptly a poet has said:
I certainly do not complain about the strangers,
Because all that was done to me was done by those who knew me.
To summarise, the notion that religion is the cause of intolerance and discord arises from the condition that prevails currently. A study of world history makes it absolutely clear that when the people adhere to the real spirit and essence of religion, they develop broad-mindedness, enlightenment, peacefulness, self-sacrifice, and tolerance more than others. As regards to the teachings, without going into details, there is no religion that does not teach peace, conciliation, and tolerance in principle. Therefore, narrow-mindedness and conflict may result from forgetting the teaching but certainly not from abiding by it.
Second, let me dispel another doubt. If carefully contemplated, it is logically impossible that a person who understands the reality and objective of religion would perpetrate narrow-mindedness or trouble. Religion is not like a country or a nation that is confined by geographical boundaries or national limits and cannot be expanded. On the contrary, religion comprises doctrines, notions and a code of conduct pertaining to obligations to God and obligations to mankind; one accepts religion as truth and endeavours to disseminate it to others. Religion is like a building with its doors open for everyone, regardless of his nation or country; rather, every religious person invites others to this building. So anyone, who truly aims to fulfil the object of religion, can never perpetrate narrow-mindedness or strife. On the contrary, he will try his best to win others over with high morals and peaceful preaching, avoiding anything that may become a barrier for others to accept religion. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible for one to commit intolerance and conflict after grasping the essence and objective of religion.
Third, if at times religion leads to conflict and war, do other factors not also cause strife? There are many causes of conflict and war between individuals and nations, should these all be abandoned for this reason? There are dozens of factors like national and political differences, national interests, business and economic matters, etc., that lead to conflict and war between nations of the world. Likewise, undeniably there are hundreds of causes of discord between individuals. Will all these be forsaken just because at times they lead to disturbance of peace? If yes, then everyone should give up everything in life and become a recluse to avoid interacting with others and thus avoid all possibilities of conflict and discord.
Look at the history of world. Religious difference was certainly not the cause of most of the wars that took place. They were caused by national or political differences, national interests, economic and business matters, and at times by other factors. There was absolutely no religious factor involved in the last World War. All the bloodshed—unparalleled in its scope and devastation in the history of the world—was caused only by political motives. So give up politics as it leads to war at times.
My dear ones! This is all due to lack of knowledge and ignorance. There is no particular association between religion and intolerance, war, or strife. However, like all other causes of breaches of the peace, on relatively few occasions, religion can be used to create discord, but only in those circumstances where people have forgotten the true teachings of their religion. For instance, during the time of the Holy Prophet(saw) the Jews and the idolaters waged a war of aggression and injustice against the innocent Muslims because they misunderstood the true teachings of their religion. Then, Muslims had to react in self-defence. This led to a state of war which was entirely brought on by the idolaters and Jews, who did not grasp the reality and object of religion. The Muslims engaged in this war only to establish peace.
In short, it is absolutely absurd and nonsensical to think that religion causes war and strife. In fact, religion is the only force that can effectively end strife and it is the defiance of the essence of religion that causes breach of peace and conflict. Even if, as a remote possibility, we were to accept that religious differences lead to war and strife, the objectors have no right to turn away from religion inasmuch as there are many other factors that lead to breach of peace and strife and no sensible person gives them up for this reason. The fact of the matter is that any dispute, if handled badly, will lead to regretful consequences; this is by no means unique to religion. Poor handling of political, national, commercial, and economic differences leads to war. Likewise, improper application of religious differences can also lead to war. The only difference is that, whereas improper application of other factors leads to breach of peace, their proper application does not particularly lead to peace, cooperation, and brotherhood. However, religion in its original form and practised properly, particularly leads to peace, cooperation, unity, brotherhood, and sympathy. That is the truth. Accept it, if you will.
Fourth, critics have misunderstood the term ‘religion’. They probably think that religion implies only belief in God, and when one gives up that belief he has, as it were, given up religion. In other words, they think religion is something that one can give up. However, while one who gives up belief in God is technically termed ‘irreligious’, religion is an essential part of human life and it is impossible to completely break out of its confines. Religion, in fact, is the name of beliefs, doctrines, and codes of conduct one adopts about life and death. Obviously, in this sense, it is logically impossible for one to part with religion inasmuch as everyone adopts a certain way of life. One can say that he does not like this religion or that religion but it is impossible to be completely independent of religion. As long as one is living, he must hold some beliefs concerning life and death and must follow a code of conduct. The sum total of his beliefs and code of conduct would be called his religion. At most, one may separate himself from known revealed religions and invent a new religion for himself. However, he cannot really be labelled as not having a religion according to the definition given above. Whatever way of life he adopts will be his religion. If someone believes in God, that is his religion, and if he denies Him, that is his religion. In short, religion is composed of the way of life and beliefs that one adopts, and in that sense it is impossible to break away from religion. You can break away from Islam. You can break away from Christianity. You can break away from Hinduism. You can break away from Buddhism. You can break away from every other known revealed religion, but you cannot completely break away from religion. You will have to adopt a religion, even if invented by yourself. You will either believe in God or deny Him. If you believe in Him, you will have to acknowledge some attributes for Him. If you deny Him, you will have to postulate some doctrine concerning the genesis of this universe and beginning of life. You will have to adopt a code of conduct in dealings with friends, foes, relatives, non-relatives, husbands, wives, servants, masters, kings, the public, etc. Such doctrines and codes of conduct, or way of life, will constitute your religion. In short, religion is inseparably linked with life and no one can break out of the confines of religion. When someone is labelled ‘pagan’, it implies only that he is not following any of the known revealed religions, but has invented his own religion. Otherwise, no one can really be without a religion.
Obviously, when it is impossible to break out of the confines of religion, the suggestion—that because religion creates strife and narrow-mindedness one should break away from it—becomes absurd and ridiculous, and unbecoming of a sensible person. If by that, one implies breaking away from a known revealed religion, it would be ignorance. We are not speaking of a particular religion, rather religion in general causing war. If a particular religion does lead to conflict and breach of peace, we do not advocate it. We assert only that it is incorrect that religion is the cause of conflict and war, and even if it is, we cannot break away from it. Therefore, the suggestion of breaking away from religion is absurd.
Moreover, as a remote possibility, even if the people break away from the revealed religions, religious ideas will persist, because it is unlikely that, after breaking away from these religions, all of them will adopt an identical set of beliefs and code of conduct. In this case, the number of religions in the world will far exceed the current number. If there are currently ten to twenty religions, the number will multiply to thousands, even millions, as everyone would wish to invent a religion of his choice. This increase in number of religions will lead to an extraordinary multiplication of differences and consequent increase in conflict and bloodshed in the name of religion, from an occasional to everyday occurrence. One might say that it is only the revealed religions—with doctrines of God, resurrection, and the Day of Judgement as the central themes—that can cause conflict and bigotry. This is because followers of each of these religions consider themselves as those who have achieved salvation and regard others destined for hell; this leads to mutual enmity and rivalry, whereas non-revealed, man-made religions not based on the notion of God and the Day of Judgement cannot cause such negative feelings. But this view is against human nature. Human nature triggers a feeling of compassion on seeing someone in danger and creates a desire to save them—that is the natural reaction. It is unnatural to feel hatred and contempt in this situation. Therefore, if followers of different sects regard themselves saved and the others lost, then their natural response should be of compassion and a desire to save them. Hatred and contempt are out of the question here. It is inconceivable that one would develop feelings of contempt and hatred for a drowning man; the natural instinct is to jump in the water in an attempt to save him. If someone, despite having the capacity, does not make an effort to save a drowning person, takes pleasure in seeing him in trouble and contemplates to harm him even more, he would be regarded as a fallen man with a dead conscience.
It is unnatural for a person to deride and undermine the followers of other religions if he truly believes that his own faith is the means of salvation. Such actions are against the essence of faith. We observe that only those who do not comprehend the true reality and lack the spirit of religion act in this improper manner. Those who comprehend the reality of religion empathise with those on the wrong path and do their best to save them from total destruction. It is not possible for men of true faith to even feel an iota of hatred and animosity for others.
Moreover, religious blessings and bounties are not like material goods, and those who share these are not afraid of losing them. On the contrary, these blessings and bounties are enhanced by sharing; hence, a religious person always seeks to share the blessings of his religion with others by inviting them to accept it. Thus, it is out of question to despise followers of other religions for the fear that they may lessen one’s bounties.
To summarise, however we look at it, belief in God and affiliation to a religion can never lead to intolerance and conflict. If a ‘religious’ person, claiming to believe in God, creates narrow-mindedness and strife, lacks sentiments of sympathy and love for mankind, and instead entertains rancour and enmity towards them, and is mean-spirited and niggardly, he can never be labelled ‘religious’ in the real sense of the word. He is devoid of the holy spirit of religion, like a ruined house abandoned by its inhabitants. His claim to belief in God is a meaningless assertion. Unfortunately, such worthless persons abound in every faith these days and Islam is no exception, and this provides the critics with a justification to criticise Islam. However, a truly religious person who understands the philosophy of religion can never be malevolent and cause conflict.
Admittedly, people may at times suffer at the hands of a true believer in God. Nonetheless, that pain is akin to the discomfort of a bitter medication or apparently severe restrictions prescribed by a caring doctor. A religious person does sometimes take part in a war and brings about the killing of some, but this act is like that of a compassionate surgeon who amputates a man’s limb to save his endangered life. Thus, he sacrifices something of comparatively little value to save something of greater value. Such an act is regarded as commendable by all wise men.
My dear ones! How can I convince you that when the Messengers of God and pious people declare war against anyone, they do so with the purest and most virtuous intention? Their hearts, like a brimming fountain, are always full of love and compassion for mankind. This is the living and eternal truth; testified to by God’s pious people in every era. Would that you could understand!