Allah vs Christ

Allah vs the Christ

Achieving societal pluralism simply requires finding a way for people of more than one ethnicity, race, religion and social group to live together in peace. Religious pluralism, however, requires more than tolerance for diversity; it requires actively engaging members of other religions, attempting to understand them and being open to finding the truth that exists in them. In an Islamic society governed by Sharia law, religious pluralism tends to run counter to its core beliefs.

Degrees of Pluralism

Like most 'isms,' religious pluralism comes in degrees. The terms exclusivism, assimilation and pluralism provide three different ways to approach religious pluralism. In its purest sense, pluralism is the belief that all religions are equally valid within the context of a given culture. Therefore, salvation is equally available to all who lead a pious life and have faith in the one God. Its direct opposite is exclusivism: the belief that one's own faith group alone possesses all of God’s revealed truth, and with it, the means of salvation. Societies that assimilate those with different beliefs acknowledge the right of every individual to believe in the God of his choosing. But, this does not necessarily require members of different religions to engage each other on matters of faith.

Pluralism in Islam

In extremely conservative Muslim societies, apostasy - abandoning Islam to embrace another faith - is punishable by death. Similarly, publicly trying to convert a Muslim to one’s own faith – proselytizing - is a criminal act. States that enforce such laws are decidedly non-pluralistic. Muslims living in the West are much more likely to embrace pluralism. In a 2007 survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, only 33 percent of American Muslims agreed with either of two statements related to pluralism: There is only one true way to interpret the meaning of my religion. And, my religion is the one, true faith leading to eternal life.

Religious Practices and Pluralism

Translated from Arabic as “the right path,” Sharia law guides all aspects of life in societies structured around fundamentalist beliefs. This is true not only of religious life, but political life as well. As a result of this all-encompassing role of religion in society, Sharia can act as a barrier to religious pluralism. Under Sharia law, a Muslim must demonstrate his faithfulness in a very public pattern of prayers and observances. As such, it becomes immediately apparent when a person ceases to participate in these observances. This system of public prayer and ritual provides powerful support for Islam. But it can also act as a powerful deterrent to conversion to another belief system. A decision to leave Islam can be seen within the broader community as a rejection, not only of the faith, but of those people who continue to actively practice it, and it can result in a person losing the bonds of community preciously held within Islamic culture. For the average Muslim, seeking religious freedom can extract an exorbitant price.

Functional Pluralism

Pluralists, while they may believe that God’s full truth can be found only in their religion, acknowledge that it may also be evident, at least in part, in other religions. While this perspective does not end the “one true God” debate, it is consistent with the belief held by many that a just God would not damn a pious and faithful person simply for choosing, or inheriting, the wrong religion. The Quran contains a verse that is strikingly pluralistic: “Those who believe, and those who follow the Jewish scriptures, and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in God and the last day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with the Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [2.62]