C: Dominik Vanyi – Unsplash

New Delhi: Interfaith relationships have an invisible directive to generate a mutually beneficial co-existence among the people involved, but this is not happening everywhere, and thus shatters the values of life while whipping up turmoil in both body and mind that then leads to intra-religious violence, and the throttling of the freedom of conscience.

The recent reversal of the Pakistani government’s go-ahead for the construction of a Hindu temple in its capital, Islamabad (June 25th), in but one example of this.

A plan initially approved in 2017, it saw Prime Minister Imran Khan direct his government to provide 1.3 million US dollars towards its construction with a view to stamp on it his country’s mark as religiously tolerant. 

Imran Khan

The joyous mood of Pakistani Hindus (the largest minority in Pakistan) turned dark, however, when Muslim clerics ramped up their attacks on the idea, and mounted pressure to eventually force the Pakistani government to order a halt to construction on the pretext that the temple’s blueprint had yet to be fully approved. 

While Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi termed the temple-construction (on July 1st) as ‘against the soul of Islam’, the Muthahida Ulema Board Chairman Ashrafi (quoting from Islamic Sharia law) said that ‘To have their own place of worship and offer a life as per their faith and tradition are the right given to all non-Muslims (under) the Constitution and as well as in Sharia’.

This particular Sharia tenet was not considered by the fanatics’ evidenced religious bias. 

A report compiled by Pew Research Center (2013) titled, ‘The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society’ says that “many Muslims also say it is their religious duty to convert others to Islam”.

Such notions have always been detrimental to the health of a society. 

The policy of persuasion has never shown beneficial results, but the acts of force and violence by religious fanatics have been worse.

The sages and seers of human history have always advocated softer remedies to counter rising hatred between conflicting religious groups, but to date, not much has been achieved. 

The latest court order to restore the 1500-year-old structure of Hagia Sophia (pronounced as Ayasophia) Museum in Istanbul in Turkey into a mosque has sparked a verbal duel between Christians and Muslims, the echo of which is being heard worldwide. 

C: Pier Francesco Grizi – Unsplash

The court order came after a petition by an Istanbul based NGO, (Permanent Foundations Service to Historical Artifacts and Environment Association), which demanded the reversal of the 1934, decree converting Hagia Sophia, (founded initially as a cathedral), into a museum by modern Turkey’s founder Kemal Ataturk.

The title deed stated clearly that the property was defined as a mosque, and its legal status, therefore, could not be changed.  

The conversion has attracted strong criticism from different countries’ church and political leaders including from the U.S., and neighboring Greece, and Cyprus, who have called the decision ‘regrettable’ and fear that it would fracture already teetering relations between East and West. 

In May this year, Greece objected to the reading of passages from the Quran inside the Hagia Sophia.

The Russian Orthodox Church meanwhile called it a threat to the whole of Christian civilization.    

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Highly-placed sources in Turkey told The Taiwan Times that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, though projecting himself as secular, would always address public gatherings with “my Muslim brothers” reminding non-Muslims in a subtle manner that their strength was just 0.5 per cent of the country’s total populace. 

Over the last six years or so, Erdogan has shown himself to be a changed man because he has so often objected to conservatives’ calls to convert the museum into a mosque.  

The majority of the Muslims in Turkey though, have not appreciated the moves for conversion, but are unable to raise a voice against the decision.

Surprisingly, neither Islamic law nor Sharia prevails in Turkey which is, by all measures, officially a secular country, although 99.5 per cent of its population are muslims. 

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University, (JNU), Delhi, student, and Ankara Yildirim Beyzit University Assistant Professor (International Relations) Dr. Omair Anas says that Erdogan “should have taken into consideration the local Christian community while approving the decision of the top administrative branch of the country” and further adds that Hagia Sophia was originally built as  cathedral, not as a mosque. 

142 comments
  1. Pingback: aralen 400 mg
  2. Pingback: zanaflex 2mg
  3. Pingback: baricitinib cost
  4. Pingback: aralen depression
  5. Pingback: latisse online
  6. Pingback: 1gambling
  7. Pingback: Social Activities
  8. Pingback: fue
  9. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  10. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  11. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  12. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  13. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  14. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  15. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  16. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  17. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  18. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  19. Pingback: Hooled luce led
  20. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  21. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  22. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  23. Pingback: liv pure buy
  24. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  25. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  26. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  27. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  28. Pingback: fiverrearn.com
  29. Pingback: aussiedoodle
  30. Pingback: fluffy bully
  31. Pingback: jute vs sisal rug
  32. Pingback: SEO in Kuwait
  33. Pingback: dog accessories
  34. Pingback: micro frenchies
  35. Pingback: best deals
  36. Pingback: future university
  37. Pingback: future university
  38. Pingback: future university
  39. Pingback: future university
  40. Pingback: future university
  41. Pingback: Fiverr.Com
  42. Pingback: future university
  43. Pingback: Lean
  44. Pingback: Warranty
  45. Pingback: Piano tuning
  46. Pingback: FUE
  47. Pingback: FUE
  48. Pingback: Efficient moving
  49. Pingback: Classic Books 500
  50. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  51. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  52. Pingback: Fiverr
  53. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  54. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  55. Pingback: Media
  56. Pingback: Coach
  57. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  58. Pingback: Porn Australia
  59. Pingback: partners
  60. Pingback: Predictions
  61. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  62. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  63. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  64. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  65. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  66. Pingback: live sex cams
  67. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  68. Pingback: FiverrEarn
  69. Pingback: cheap sex cams
  70. Pingback: live sex cams
  71. Pingback: live sex cams
  72. Pingback: frt trigger
  73. Pingback: 늑대닷컴
  74. Pingback: nang delivery
  75. Pingback: Skywhip tanks

Comments are closed.

You May Also Like

Fitness Club Shut Due To Coronavirus Fears

despite a requirement (for) self-quarantine … club member chose to visit the Yawei fitness club

Taiwan to Impose Health Declaration Forms on All Visitors

Those failing to accurately do so face a fine of up to NT$150,000

Despite Trade War, Taiwan Raises Economic Forecast For 2020

The ongoing US-China trade war seems to be impacting everyone, except perhaps…

In Taiwan, Southeast Asians Find Roots In A Bookstore

Humans often tend to create and sustain differences between each other. In…