We must never underplay the fact that over 84% of the world’s population identify with a religious belief or tradition and so have earned their right to have a voice and to be heard.
There is growing recognition for religious leaders, with their unique grassroots influence, as being advocates for a dialogue-based solution, and in enhancing their role as inseparable partners to policymakers in peace building and in countering extremist narratives, be they religious or politically-driven.
There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue among the religions. Equally well, there can be no peace without equality. Existing religious and ethnic minorities have been increasingly viewed as outsiders, rather than equals with shared and common citizenship. Root cause of all violence is socio-cultural programming of inequality. Holocausts do not start with gas chambers but with words. It wouldn’t be within reason to count on the future leaders to change mindsets.
Let’s examine the legal position at the United Nations, UK, and Pakistan.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, enshrines the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, or other status.
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
As far as UK is concerned, Freedom of religion, faith, belief are enshrined in human rights jurisprudence. All guarantees under the Convention have been written into UK law by statute.
Ministers of the Crown and others when making strategic decisions about the exercise of their functions are required to have regard to the desirability of reducing socio-economic inequalities; to reform and harmonize equality law. This has been best explained in, the Equality Act 2010, Section 10.
The Human Rights Act 1998 sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to Article 9 protects your right to freedom of thought, belief, and religion. It includes the right to change your religion or beliefs at any time.
You also have the right to put your thoughts and beliefs into action. This could include your right to wear religious clothing, the right to talk about your beliefs or take part in religious worship. Public authorities cannot stop you practicing your religion, without very good reason –
Importantly, this right protects a wide range of non-religious beliefs including atheism, agnosticism, veganism, and pacifism. For a belief to be protected under this article, it must be serious, concern important aspects of human life or behavior, be sincerely held, and be worthy of respect in a democratic society.
Now coming to Pakistan.
Prince Aly Khan, Pakistan’s representative to the UN. The relevant provision of our constitution, under which Pakistan became a democratic Republic on the 23rd of March 1956, lays down: ‘Section 5 (1): All citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of law.
“The constitution further nullifies as void, any law, custom, or usage, which is inconsistent with the fundamental right to equality under the law, which is an enforceable right under an independent judiciary, the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
“This means that non-Muslims are guaranteed equality with Muslims under the laws of Pakistan.
“While it is true that the president of Pakistan must be a Muslim, he is, in fact, the symbol of the state, and the executive powers are vested almost exclusively in the prime minister and his cabinet. Pakistan is not unique in basing its political institutions on fundamental religious concepts. For example, a number of European nations, such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, and the UK restrict the office of the head of state to those who profess the predominant religious beliefs of their countries.
What is the position today when it comes to societal attributes?
Bernard-Henri Levy, the French celebrity philosopher, has coined the phrase for the period in which we are living as the age of madness.
We divide by sect, we divide by language, by caste, by biradari, by tribe, by class, by profession. We think we know one another but we don’t. We have opinions about one another; we don’t have knowledge!
Maybe we should direct our appeal to everyday people. Let even a small number of ordinary people, men, and women, make up their minds that as long as it lies in their power, there will be no coercion in our lands. That people will not be punished for their views, their beliefs, or for belonging to their religion, their caste, their poverty, their dissenting sects
We could learn about governance & humanity from some examples from the past. How many politicians and media pundits know of Babar’s beautiful letter written just before he died to his son Humayun who was the next emperor of India? “Oh, my son,” begins the letter, keep your “heart cleansed of religious bigotry,” see that “temples and abodes of worship of every community, should not be damaged,” “bring together the diverse religions” “in particular refrain from the sacrifice of cows,” and “ dispense justice according to the tenets of each community.” Islam is best served by “The sword of kindness, not by the sword of oppression.” Babar’s celebrated autobiography reflects exactly the same spirit of inclusiveness and generosity.
Today, we know, the megaphone has been seized by merchants of hate. But decibel levels are not everything. The murmurs for friendship, and the quiet entreaties to the Almighty for peace, constitute another real story. In the end, it will also be, God willing, a more powerful story.
May wisdom, peace, courage, and sanity descend on the people and leaders of the world.
Stay tuned to Baaghi TV for latest news and updates!
