Malaysian Scholars' Perspectives on the Role Of

e-ISSN 2785-9444 VOL. 1, NO 1 (JUNE) 2021: 59-73 Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) Malaysian Journal of Islamic Movements and Muslim Societies مجلة ماليزية للحركات والمجتمعات اإلسالمية

Submission Date: 5/04/2021 Accepted Date: 3/05/2021 Publication Date: 30/06/2021

MALAYSIAN SCHOLARS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE ROLE OF DIALOGUE OF CIVILIZATIONS AS AN APPROACH IN PROMOTING WORLD PEACE

Muhamad Razak Idris

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

[email protected] (corresponding)

Abstract This paper seeks to contribute to the narrative of the role of dialogue in promoting world peace in human society. It will focus primarily on the extant scholarly discourse on this theme and will be governed by two crucial questions: ‘what are the perspectives of Malaysian scholars towards the practical achievement of world peace?’ and ‘how can dialogue be extensively applied to attain this? At the core of this discussion rests the idea of ‘dialogue of civilizations’, proposed by a number of prominent Muslim intellectuals such as Khatami, Ahmad and Al-Tauwijri as an effective model for promoting peace and justice across the globe. ‘Dialogue of civilizations’ suggests that despite the differences that characterize world civilizations and culture, there is room for dialogue between these cultures. It sprung up in the late 1990s as an alter-theory for the scenario of a ‘clash of civilizations’ that some scholars projected as a future possibility. It consolidated in the early 2000s. Over the years, it has stimulated mounting interest and debate among scholars, mostly regarding its practicality, importance and principles both ethical and methodological. Overall, the theory has been warmly received across the board. In 2001 the UN adopted it as a theme for promoting peace. Given its strong underlying religious roots, dialogue as a means of promoting peace among cultures, has caught the attention of many scholars in Malaysia including Uthman El-Muhammady, Osman Bakar and Chandra Muzaffar who have explored the challenges and prospects of implementing a dialogue of civilizations and discussed in detail the role of interreligious dialogue in promoting world peace. This is a qualitative studies based on analytical review of several writings on the theme of dialogue of civilizations posed by those three prominent intellectuals in Malaysia. Their views are selected as they are among the most referred scholars in Malaysia on the issues of Islam and contemporary global challenges. The research found that Malaysian scholars 59

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emphasized the need for promoting a universal mindset founded on universal values as a basis for world peace. Nonetheless, no attempt has yet been made to synthesize all their perspectives and to highlight the emerging trend in this discourse. This is what this paper seeks to accomplish.

Keywords: Dialogue of civilizations, multi-cultural societies, international relations, contemporary Islamic thought, Malaysian Muslim scholars.

INTRODUCTION There is a significant number of writings published by several prominent Malaysian scholars on the idea of dialogue of civilizations, its essentiality and challenges, in relation to its role in promoting world peace. The perspectives of Malaysian scholars like Muhammad Uthman El Muhammady, Osman Bakar, Chandra Muzaffar, to name a few, will be analyzed to illuminate the level of intellectual awareness about the concept of dialogue of civilizations in Malaysia. Uthman El-Muhammady (1943-2013) was a prominent religious intellectual in the field of Islamic studies in Malaysia. He was an Academic Fellow at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Malaysia until he passed away in Mac 25, 2013. Uthman El-Muhammady contributed significantly to Islamic knowledge in Malaysian publishing several major books on Islam and its civilization, one of his major works is Al-Quran al-Karim (1992), which is a full translation of The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (Ghazali & Sabjan, 2018: 108-110). Osman Bakar (1946-) is a well-known Muslim scholar-philosopher in Malaysia. He was among the founders of the Malaysian Academy of Islamic Sciences (ASASI) in 1977 and a former deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya. He is currently a scholar of Islamic thought at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Malaysia. Among his major works are Tawhid and Science (1991), Classification of Knowledge in Islam (1992) and Islam and Civilizational Dialogue (1997) (ATMA, 2021: 1). Chandra Muzaffar (1947-) is a Malaysian political scientist and Islamic reformist and activist. He was a primary founder of Malaysian human rights NGO Aliran established in 1971 and its president until 1991. He has been the president of the International Movement for a Just World since 1991 and its current president. Among his major works are The Universalism of Islam (1979), Islamic Resurgence in Malaysia (1987), Human Rights and the New World Order (1993), and Alternative Politics for Asia: A Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue (1999). Muzaffar was the first Director of the Centre for Civilizational Dialogue at the University of Malaya (Oxford Islamic Studies Online, 2021: 1).

Malaysian Scholars’ Perspectives on the Role of Dialogue of Civilizations as an Approach to Promoting World Peace

This article reviews the perspectives of the above-mentioned Malaysian scholars on the role of dialogue of civilizations as an approach to world peace. Their perspectives on this theme are found in several academic works such as Uthman El- Muhammady’s Dialogue For Peace: Building A Partnership Between Muslims and Christians (2005), Osman Bakar’s “Challenges to Dialogues of Civilizations and Ways of Overcoming Them” (2008) and Islam and Dialogue of Civilizations (2007) and Chandra Muzaffar’s “Towards a Universal Spiritual-Moral Vision of Global Justice and Peace” (2010). This analysis aims to examine the perspectives of these Malaysian scholars towards the ideal of world peace and how the approach of dialogue can be applied to attain this ideal. It also will show the pattern of understanding and attitude of Malaysian society towards the issue of the diversity and plurality of human society in the world today.

DISCOURSE AND INITIATIVES OF INTER-CIVILIZATIONAL DIALOGUES TODAY Discourse on the role of dialogue of civilizations as an approach in promoting world peace has been well-received and is now expanding. The reality of the globalized world today confronting mankind has brought him to realize the essential role of dialogue in initiating opportunities for mutual cooperation between different human societies. As social beings, human societies depend on each other to sustain worldly life. Dialogue promotes interaction at multiple levels and establishes mutual cooperation between different human groups enabling them to achieve progress and happiness in this world (Yakunin, 2019: pp.16-19, Kayaoglu, 2012: pp. 129-32). The initiation of dialogue as an approach towards world peace was a response to idea that the diversity of human society is a threat to the harmony of human life in this world. This idea is based on the assumption that differences between human societies, especially the diversity of beliefs and values in life will lead to civilizational tension and conflict. Inter-civilizational dialogue has been proposed as a civil way to overcome the gloomy attitude of ‘civilizational clash’ subscribed to and adopted by certain individuals and groups in the world today (Heynes, 2019: pp.1-3, Bilgin, 2012: p. 1103). In this regard, Samuel P. Huntington’s thesis of the ‘clash of civilizations’ in post-Cold War 1990’s, was the example of the ideas that foresee the threat of diversity to the future peace of world society. Huntington states: Conflict was on the other hand, a product of difference, particularly the Muslim concept of Islam as a way of life transcending and uniting religion and politics versus the Western Christian concept of the separate realism of God and Caesar. So long as Islam remains Islam, which it will, and the West remains the West (which is more dubious), this fundamental conflict between two great civilizations and ways of life will 61

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continue to define their relations in the future even as it has defined them for the past fourteen centuries (Huntington, 1996: p. 193). Huntington’s thesis envisioning that the future relationship between human civilizations especially between Islam and the West will be a state of tension due to their inherent differences in religious culture and practice has invited multiple responses from world scholars including Muslims. Muslim scholars began to propound the concept of ‘dialogue of civilizations’ with the aim of promoting the Islamic approach in dealing with the reality of human diversity and plurality in the world. For Muslim scholars, this type of attitude that sees diversity and multiplicity of human societies as a threat to world peace is against the Islamic vision of ‘a global pluralistic society’. This idea of a peaceful pluralistic world society is found in the Quran, which is the fundamental source of Islamic teaching. It proposes the idea that the diversity in human society is God’s creation. According to the Quran, human diversity creates opportunities for human beings to ‘know each other’ (ta’aruf) as it states, ‘O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other) (The Qur’an, 49: 13) In other words, diversity is a fundamental tenet of group social behavior and the mutual interaction between different peoples will lead to human progress in this world. This Quranic vision of world unity and peace in diversity is the philosophical ground for contemporary Muslim scholars’ efforts at developing the concept of inter-civilizational dialogue and promoting its essentiality in the globalized world of today. A pioneer contemporary Muslim scholar who has participated in promoting the concept of dialogue of civilizations is Mohammad Khatami1, a thinker and political leader, who believes in the essentiality of dialogue as an approach to peace and justice in the world. In one of his writings, Khatami stresses that the foremost step towards universal peace and justice in contemporary society is the dialogue between civilizations: The most significant effort of the 20th century is to believe in the importance of dialogue, not power, to strengthen coordination and cooperation in the fields of culture, economics and politics. All these are basic and foremost steps towards universal justice, freedom and human rights…. The condition for prosperity of the world’s nations is a dialogue among civilizations of different ideas and views. The future of humanity of the next generation in the twenty-first century should be determined by strong dialogue and co-existence among civilizations, not clashes and conflicts” Khatami (2002: p. 28).

1 Mohammad Khatami served as the fifth President of the Republic of Iran from 1997-2005. 62

Malaysian Scholars’ Perspectives on the Role of Dialogue of Civilizations as an Approach to Promoting World Peace

For Khatami, the basis of dialogue between civilizations is possessing the right perspective and attitude toward others. In this regard, he urges Muslim society to develop the right perspective towards Western civilization as one of its significant partners in dialogue nowadays. In another statement, he says: Western civilization is not limited to its political aspects. Alongside Western politics, there is a system of values and thinking, which we must also come to understand and learn to deal with. Here, we are confronted with our philosophical and moral opponent, not just with a political rival. To understand the West, the best tool is rationality, not heated, flag-waving emotionalism. In rejecting the West, we wish to free ourselves from its political, mental, cultural and economic domination, for as Muslims, we differ from them fundamentally in worldview and values. Thus, to understand our points of contention and for negating rival domination, we have to no choice but to appraise and understand the West precisely and objectively. If we must adopt the positive features of Western civilization, simultaneously casting aside its deficiencies, we have no choice but to understand the West correctly and comprehensively in the first place. We must judge it fairly and objectively and learn from, and use its strengths, staying clear of its defects by relying on our Islamic values (Khatami, 1998, 2001: 64-5). The main idea that Khatami is trying to stress is the need for a society to perceive the reality of human diversity with the right perspective as proposed by Islamic teachings. In his view each society has its own strengths and weaknesses and they are dependent on each other in order to achieve progress in human life. The idea of dialogue between civilizations can also be understood as a process of promoting ‘cooperation’ between different human societies. Cooperation between individuals and nations nowadays is not just a need, but an imperative. Cooperation between human societies, according to Khursid Ahmad another prominent Muslim scholar, (will promote the realization of a vision of a ‘pluralistic world where every culture and every value system should have a genuine opportunity to exist and flourish’ (Ahmad, 1995: p. 72). The dialogue of civilizations, in his view relates to the very idea of survival of human existence. The self-dependency of every society in terms of its identity and values depends on a positive surrounding environment. As an approach to peace and justice in the world, dialogue will promote the development and flourishing of productive values of cooperation between different human identities. On the same basis, Al-Tauwijri asks Muslims societies, especially the Arab World to enhance dialogue among themselves and with the outside particularly Western civilization. In his view, dialogue or ‘al-hiwar’, is a civilizational approach that will realize the idea of peace and co-existence between all human societies. 63

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Muslim society needs to actively participate in promoting the concept and practice of dialogue as it promotes the Islamic ideal of a peaceful pluralistic world society (Al- Tauwijri, 1998: pp. 1-10) This review of several Muslim scholars’ perspectives shows that the concept and importance of dialogue of civilizations for human society today is well-received and recognized. It is rooted in Islamic teachings and it is a religious responsibility and Muslims should participate and engage in the activities of inter-civilizational dialogue in the world today. It is important to note that Kofi Annan, Secretary General of United Nation (UN) announced 2001 as “A Year of Dialogue of Civilizations”. As a response to UN’s announcement, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) declared the 29th Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers on June, 25-27, 2002 at Khartoum, Sudan as the “Session of Solidarity and Dialogue”. These initiatives demonstrate the commitment of world organizations i.e. UN and OIC to the popularization of dialogue to world communities, and the importance for them to adopt the approach of dialogue as a civilizational way for mutual engagement in all aspects of human life. The commitment encourages world communities to initiate dialogue initiatives at all levels of civilizational interaction (H. Mohirzadeh, 2020: pp. 211-15). Ever since the approach of dialogue of civilizations was institutionalized and recognized by the international community, activities for promoting world peace through dialogue have intensified engaging many different parties today. Solon Simons (2019) reported that extensive dialogue initiatives were held by many countries and organizations such as the 8th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations at UN Headquarters in New York in November 18, 2019. Turkey and Spain are among the main countries that promote and organize this global ‘alliance of civilizations’ network which is recognized by the UN. Another is the Tunis Process, an inter-civilizational program organized by Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute (DOC), Al Jazeera Centre for Studies (AJCS) and LBH Foundation which aims to formulate policy recommendations and launch initiatives to make a positive and substantive contribution to debate about the relationship between Islam and Europe. The World Economic Forum has also participated in strengthening these initiatives publishing Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue in 2018. This report was initiated by World Economic Forum, Community of West and Islam Dialogue (C-100). Its main objective is benchmarking the state of dialogue between both civilizations and covers five scopes, which are international politics; citizenship and integration; religion, ethics and ideology; education and intercultural understanding; and economic and social development. This initiative by C-100 is another important global dialogue milestone. It shows the international recognition of

Malaysian Scholars’ Perspectives on the Role of Dialogue of Civilizations as an Approach to Promoting World Peace

dialogue as a fundamental approach to peace and justice in contemporary world society. Muslim communities all over the world are active in promoting dialogue of civilizations as an approach to world peace. Mohamad et al. (2017: p. 36) in his study on the history of dialogue among civilizations, lists several major conferences organized by Muslim states and organizations on the theme of dialogue since 1990s. Among them are Multaqa Ahl al-Kitab: Iltizam min Ajl al-Salam in Madrid, Spain in 1994; Islamic Symposium on Dialogue Among Civilizations in Tehran in 1999; Francophone and Arabic World: Dialogue of Cultures in Paris in 2000; and The Islamic Summit Conference in Doha in 2000. These are among the significant initiatives in the form of intellectual engagement between world leaders and scholars aimed at promoting and strengthening the practice of inter-civilizational dialogue in answer to contemporary challenges. Discourse on the importance of dialogue of civilizations at the world level is found to substantially influence intellectual trends on the theme all over the world including Malaysia. According to Yasin (2019: pp. 127-31), the establishment of University Malaya’s Centre of Civilizational (UMCCD) in 1996 is one such consequent. It has become a significant dialogue institution in Malaysia and is actively involved in promoting the approach of dialogue for world peace in Malaysia. Prior to its establishment, the University of Malaya had organized inter-civilizational dialogue conferences on Islam and Confucianism in 1995 and on Islam, Japan and the West in 1996. The establishment of UMCCD as an institution of dialogue in Malaysia has activated intellectual activity on the theme of dialogue of civilizations in the context of multicultural Malaysian society and also in the diversity of world societies. This initiative has generated new ideas and perspectives from Malaysian scholars on the role and importance of inter-civilizational dialogues in society today. The perspectives of Uthman El-Muhammady, Osman Bakar and Chandra Muzaffar on the idea of dialogue will be examined in the next section of the analysis.

PERSPECTIVES OF MALAYSIAN SCHOLARS ON DIALOGUE AS AN APPROACH TO WORLD PEACE In Dialogue for Peace: Building A Partnership Between Muslims and Christians (2005), Uthman El-Muhammady stresses that dialogue is part of Islamic teaching. This means, by participating in dialogue, Muslims are fulfilling their religious obligation that encourages them to engage with different world communities for the purpose of getting to know each other better. The Qur’an urges the Muslims to participate in dialogue through the most effective ways and approaches. In Surah 16, verse 125, the Qur’an states, “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way”. This call for engagement is covers all people including Christians and Jews as the Qur’an states: “And argue not 65

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with the people of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better.” (The Qur’an, 29: 46). Based on this Quranic perspective, Uthman El-Muhammady suggests that mutual partnership between different human societies needs to be established as a means to establish world peace. In this regard, the partnership and mutual collaboration between Muslims and Christians, which represent the two main religious communities of the world today is primary. Furthermore, in his view Islam has a high regard for Christians as they belong to the People of the Book, a religious community who subscribes to monotheistic belief in God (El-Muhammady, 2005, p. 4). This kind of partnership can be regarded as a form of inter-civilizational dialogue between religious communities of the world i.e. Muslims and Christians. This form of religious interactions is not new as both had mutually interacted with each other since the early era of Islamic civilizational development albeit with its ups and downs. During the Abbasid caliphate, the relationship between them reached the most fruitful stage when both mutually contributed to development of human knowledge especially in the fields of philosophy and sciences. However, according to Uthman El-Muhammady, certain factors, mostly politics have rendered relations more difficult nowadays (El-Muhammady, 2005, p. 5). Hence, it is a religious imperative nowadays for productive initiatives to be developed and implemented to enhance the partnership between Muslims and Christians in the 21st century. In this regard, Uthman El-Muhammady suggests two initiatives to improve and boost the process of dialogue between them. Firstly, the importance of developing inter-religious dialogue as a discipline in religious studies in society. In this context, he mentions the role played by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1878-1960), a profound Muslim thinker from Turkey in promoting dialogue between Muslims and Christians. Said Nursi’s commitment to the dialogue of Christian- Muslim cooperation was expressed even at moments of great tension between them, such as during the First World War and the years following. His understanding of Christianity led Said Nursi to consider Christians as a reliable and respected religious partner especially in combating threats in the face of anti-religious thought and culture confronting religion in the world today. In Said Nursi’s understanding, “true Christianity will reject superstition and distortion and be in unity with Islamic teachings” (El-Muhammady, 2005: p. 7). Secondly, a need for the establishment of interreligious institutions to promote dialogue among religious communities of the world. In this regard, Uthman El- Muhammady encourages the institutional role of Interreligious and International Peace Council (IIPC) in promoting world peace through dialogue activities. As a global movement, IIPC is pursuing lasting peace as the realization of harmony, cooperation and co-prosperity among all the members of the human family through the application of universal moral and spiritual principles (El-Muhammady, 2005: 9). In his view, the 21st century of interreligious dialogue needs many organized

Malaysian Scholars’ Perspectives on the Role of Dialogue of Civilizations as an Approach to Promoting World Peace

institutions to activate its activities involving global participation. The main roles of interreligious institutions are to expand intellectual and social spaces for mutual engagement between religious communities and concurrently promote the idea of a global pluralistic society based on respect and tolerance as expounded by the religious vision and values. In the perspective of Uthman El-Muhammady (2005), promoting world peace through dialogue is a religious imperative for every Muslim. He views partnership and cooperation between Muslims and Christians as essential to world peace today, hence needs to be continuously enhanced. The roles of religious education and interreligious institutions are paramount as they will enhance human understanding of other beliefs and offer vast opportunities for mutual cooperation between all religious communities in all aspects of human life. Meanwhile, Osman Bakar perceives the role of dialogue as a medium for overcoming differences in human civilizations. He states in Islam and Dialogue of Civilizations (2017) that dialogue is an approach that will “bring different communities together to work for the common good of society in as much as they are forced by circumstances to live together side by side while subscribing to different spiritual faiths, religious ways of life and political ideologies” (Bakar: 2007: pp. 1-2). This process of overcoming human differences is considered primary for achieving world peace. According to Osman Bakar, dialogue as a kind of human activity is an essential means to lead to the realization of the common goal of all civilizations, which is, “a universal human civilization and to the enrichment of global human culture”. This perspective of the role dialogue encourages a positive attitude about how human beings should view diversity in life and how to deal with its reality. Osman Bakar considers dialogue as the most effective way of bringing and overcoming all differences of human societies into a unified process of coordination and cooperation. Dialogue gives each human entity their own space of existence in order for them to flourish within the realm of mutual dependency between civilizations. In “Challenges to Dialogues of Civilizations and Ways of Overcoming Them” (2008), Osman Bakar perceives the problem of ‘cultural ignorance’ as the most fundamental problematic of the dialogue between civilizations. Finding ways for overcoming it is a must nowadays as this challenge can be understood as a mental obstacle to the promotion of world peace. According to Osman Bakar, “the challenge of human ignorance is twofold. There is the challenge of self ignorance, as there is the challenge of “one’s ignorance of the other”. The twofold challenge of ignorance applies to both individuals and groups. For Osman Bakar, the challenge of ignorance that applies to groups, especially between religious groups is the most problematic and needs to be given priority. This issue duly labelled as cultural ignorance between religious groups will lead to ‘misperception’ or ‘misconception’ of the other.

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Overcoming the problem is crucial as this negative tendency will always lead human societies into unnecessary conflict or war (2008: p. 23). In this regard, dialogue becomes necessary for promoting “cultural literacy” of other religious traditions. This proposal is a way to negate the problem of cultural ignorance between religious groups. According to Osman Bakar, promoting cultural literacy would mean a process of empowering the cultural capacity of human society to become aware of its diversity and uniqueness. It is “basically concerned with our capacity to learn about spiritual traditions other than our own, to know commonalities that bind all religions together and differences that set them apart, and to enlist the support and contribution of every known spiritual tradition in the world in the pursuit of the common good” (Osman Bakar, 2008: p. 27). Osman Bakar suggests several initiatives for the purpose of activating the process of promoting cultural literacy among human societies especially between religious groups. First, the need for expanding of cultural-religious spaces for a shared identity. In this regard, he suggests the importance of the Abrahamic religious tradition to be further discussed as in his findings, this tradition will expand the conceptual space of the new meaning of religious community in this globalized world (Osman Bakar, 2008: p. 30). According to Osman Bakar, Abraham as a revered spiritual figure in the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, “would serve as a powerful symbol of the unity of the three religions in viewing the world and in dealing with the problems of humanity for the common good”. Thus, Abrahamic religion will become a new meeting space at the conceptual level between the three major religions, which share the same root of Abrahamic monotheistic belief. The creation of this new expanding space offers a vast opportunity for cultural and religious dialogue to be activated between the religious communities as they are family members of the Abrahamic religion. Besides that, Osman Bakar also suggest several practical measures to enhance dialogue in terms of enhancing cultural literacy among human societies. For him, the role of an institute of dialogue is significant in promoting cultural literacy especially through the activities of teaching, research and publications (Osman Bakar, 2008: p. 30). It is obvious from Osman Bakar’s perspective that the promotion of world peace through dialogue has to focus on overcoming the problem of misconception of the other caused by cultural ignorance. The solution to this problem in his view is through the enhancement of cultural and educational capacity as it will enable human society to positively appreciate the reality of diversity and plurality in their surroundings. Religious groups in particular play a significant role in the dialogue process. New meeting spaces for the constructive collaboration and cooperation between religious groups are important and should be initiated with the aim of empowering cultural

Malaysian Scholars’ Perspectives on the Role of Dialogue of Civilizations as an Approach to Promoting World Peace

literacy at the same time generating mutual understanding and commonalities between them. On the same subject, Chandra Muzaffar in “Towards a Universal Spiritual- Moral Vision of Global Justice and Peace” (2010) also perceives the essential role of dialogue in promoting world peace. He stresses the importance of strengthening ‘multi-faith interaction’ to achieve this goal. The interaction of the people of faith as a process in dialogue needs to be guided by a philosophy, which Chandra Muzaffar refers to as “a universal spiritual-moral vision, which seeks global justice for the entire human family”. It is a vision that “transcends class and gender. It not only binds the citizens of the planet together but also connects them to other life-forms, the planet itself, and indeed, to all the universes. It is universal because it links the human being to the Divine. It endows human life with meaning and purpose as it seeks to comprehend this transient existence, our mortality, the inevitability of death and the hereafter” (Chandra Muzaffar, 2010: p. 140). Chandra Muzaffar considers this universal spiritual-moral vision as a historic demand of all human society today. This is because human beings are perceived to be in a state of critical juncture as they are now facing great civilizational challenges in form of ideologies and cultures that are threatening the foundation of global peace. Among the great challenges to world peace today, according to Chandra Muzaffar, are capitalism and hegemonic power. In his view, capitalism as an ideology in the economic field today causes the marginalization of the ordinary human being. He defines capitalism as “single-minded obsession….with the pursuit of wealth and riches by a miniscule segment of the human family. Consequently, there is greater concentration of wealth in fewer hands on a global scale than ever before while socio- economic disparities between the ‘have-a-lot’ and the ‘have-a-little’ are widening at an alarming rate” (Chandra Muzaffar, 2010: p. 143). With regard to the challenge of hegemonic power to the promotion of world peace, Chandra Muzaffar refers to the tendency of greed and selfishness of some superpower countries that lead the domination of the world. He views the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq in 2001 and 2003 by the alliance of world superpowers as an example of how the idea of domination, greed and selfishness for global hegemony becomes a threat to global peace and justice due to wars and conflicts between nations that it causes and creates (Chandra Muzaffar, 2010: p. 145). It is within these global challenges that Chandra Muzaffar advocates the activation of multi-faith interactions in the world of today. As a community guided by universal principles and values of religious teachings, the people of faith are capable of promoting the universal spiritual-moral vision of peace and justice to the entire world. Multi-faith interactions, according to Chandra Muzaffar, needs to focus on two main aspects. First, it is important for each faith to strengthen the global philosophy of peace within its own religious community. To realize this, “they will have to 69

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endeavour and strengthen the quintessence of faith, reinforce that fundamental message of justice, dignity and compassion which is what the universal spiritual-moral vision is all about” (Chandra Muzaffar, 2010: p. 148). The second aspect is the need for the expansion of the universal vision of peace and justice to other individuals and groups from other religions who also espouse such a vision. Chandra Muzaffar states that “as members of different religious communities or people who do not belong to any particular religion, we are forced to reach out to one another in the interest of our collective survival. As we reach out, our human identity becomes paramount. It is this recognition of our common human bond that will persuade us to embrace a universal spiritual-moral vision that seeks justice and peace for the entire human family” (2010: p. 148-9). The role of dialogue in promoting peace and justice from Chandra Muzzafar’s perspective is to reach out to the entire world society and promote a universal vision and philosophy of life which transcends all forms of human limitations i.e. social structures and religious identities present in human society. The process of dialogue involves intra- and inter-dialogue among religious communities and the entire humanity. A strong multi-faith interaction, in Muzaffar’s perspective is capable of promoting this universal spiritual-moral vision in facing the global challenges of peace and justice of the contemporary world. This analysis reviews the essential role of dialogue as an approach to peace and justice from the perspectives of several Malaysian scholars i.e. Uthman El- Muhammady, Osman Bakar and Muzaffar and reveals several findings. Firstly, the idea of dialogue as an approach to peace and justice in the world is well understood and recognized by the majority of Muslim society. Discourse on the concept dialogue of civilizations and the essentiality of its role by Muslims scholars such as Khatami, Ahmad and Al-Tauwijri contributed to the dissemination of its meaning and importance in the Muslim world. It is also interesting to find that the notion of dialogue is also well discussed in Malaysia as shown in the writings of its several prominent scholars such as Uthman El-Muhammady, Osman Bakar and Chandra Muzaffar. Secondly, Malaysian scholars have proposed several concepts for the dialogue of civilizations. For Uthman El-Muhammady, dialogue can be understood as a process of partnership between human societies to achieve a common goal in life. He proposes partnership between Muslims and Christians to be strengthened in order to realize world peace. Osman Bakar, on the other hand, perceives dialogue as a process of cooperating and coordinating differences in human society and then bringing and overcoming them together into a unified and mutual understanding. As for Chandra Muzaffar, dialogue involves the process of multi-interaction of different individuals or groups of people to achieve a common goal for all human beings. These conceptions of dialogue perceived by the Malaysian scholars suggest that it is a

Malaysian Scholars’ Perspectives on the Role of Dialogue of Civilizations as an Approach to Promoting World Peace

dynamic process of engagement which involves various levels of participation of individuals or groups. The motive of dialogue is to overcome differences and strengthen commonalities between human societies for the purpose of establishing global peace and justice. Thirdly, the Malaysian scholars propose two important areas of engagement in the dialogue of civilizations, namely education and culture that need to be focused on in order to promote world peace. For Uthman El-Muhammady, strengthening religious education is a priority as it will help human societies to appreciate the reality of diversity of world religious traditions and develop respect for their existence in this world. For this purpose, he suggests the development of inter-religious dialogue as a special discipline of studies and the establishment of interreligious institutions that aim to educate society of the important role of religion in human life and the need for mutual understanding between various religious communities. Osman Bakar stresses the essentiality of empowering cultural literacy in human society especially between religious communities. This is crucial in order to overcome cultural ignorance it being one of the main causes that lead to unnecessary conflict and war between human societies. For Chandra Muzaffar, mutual interaction and understanding between the people of faiths is central to peace and justice in this world. The contemporary challenge of capitalism and hegemonic power demands that human society adopt a universal vision of peace and justice based on spiritual and moral values that are founded on the divinity of religious teachings. All of them ask for great effort from all segments of human society to participate in the process of the dialogue of civilizations in the fields of religious and cultural education of the whole human society.

CONCLUSION To conclude, this analysis of Malaysian scholars’ perspective of dialogue as an approach to world peace illustrates significant signs of intellectual and cultural maturity of Malaysian society in perceiving the issue of diversity in human society today. Malaysian society as a whole can be considered as having reached a level of cultural confidence in facing the reality of diversity of human civilizations of the world. Their intellectual and cultural maturity as shown in the perspectives of dialogue of civilizations by these Malaysian scholars is a significant civilizational achievement that suggests Malaysian society is now mentally and culturally prepared to become an active partner of dialogue with other world societies in order to realize peace and justice for all humanity.

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Malaysian Scholars’ Perspectives on the Role of Dialogue of Civilizations as an Approach to Promoting World Peace

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