RESPECT FOR RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES: A KEY TO PEACE AND PROGRESS
Address by Dr. Asnawil G. Ronsing, Professor of Shari’ah, Mindanao State University, Marawi City.
Delivered at Baccalaureate Services, 46th Commencement Exercises
Mindanao State University
Marawi City
December 8, 2010
Audhobillahi minassaitanir rajeem. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Alhamdulillahir Rabbil A’alamin, wassalatu wassalamu ala sayidina Muhammad, wa’ala alihi, wa ashabihi ajmain.
Thank you Dr. Cosain Derico for the kind introduction; my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the members of the committee on Baccalaureate Program: Ms. Hamsiya Alilaya, Alim Salic Manggis, Mr. Saripada Pacol, chaired by Dr. Cosain Derico, for your recommendation to invite me as speaker of this sacred Baccalaureate Service. My heartfelt thanks and gratitude also go to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Zenaida Ababa for her endorsement, and to the MSU President, Dr. Macapado Abaton Muslim for his approval in giving me the honor to be the baccalaureate speaker of this sacred and grandeur service.
Honorable members of the Board of Trustees of the Mindanao State University System; Honorable Dr. Macapado Muslim, President of the Mindanao State University System; Vice Presidents, Vice Chancellors, Deans, Directors, other officials of the university, beloved and honored baccalaureates, parents, friends of the university, ladies and gentlemen, assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh, and good morning.
The theme of this 46th Commencement Exercise is entitled: “MSU Graduates: Global Agent in Sustaining Academic Excellence, Peace and Development”. Consistent with this theme, I prepared a speech entitled: “Respect for Religious Differences: A Key to Peace and Progress”. As a speaker of the young and promising baccalaureates, the hope of our fatherland, I remembered my two friends when we were young like you, 34 years ago, who excellently demonstrated the title of my speech. Allow me to tell the story: these two friends were Christians namely Bertoldo Deloso from Surigao City and Ramonito Sanchez from Ozamis City. When we first met as roommates at room 51 north wing, Indarapatra Hall, they were freshmen and I was a junior. When I was about to graduate, they were sophomores. In the eve of my graduation day in 1978 inside our room, I saw them smiled at each other and then looking at me with smiles that lead to laughing. I asked why. They told me that for the past two years since we become roommates, they never taste pork out of respect to me who do not eat pork. Their names are still fresh in my memory as if it was yesterday despite of the 34 years lapse due to the excellent character exemplifying the respect for religious differences.
Baccalaureates, remember that baccalaureate service is a religious sermon preceding the commencement exercise to remind you of your relationship with God, the Almighty. The Almighty God is the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. The Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful to all His creations including mankind. Out of His Mercy and Kindness, He guided mankind from the first man on earth until the last man on earth. He guided mankind to the righteous path in order for mankind to please God for mankind success in this world and in the life hereafter.
Almighty God endowed man intellect and common sense in order for man to understand the existence and the sovereignty of God. The Holy Qur’an states to the effect: “The creation of the heavens and the earth are signs of (God) for those who understand”. The role of the perfect natural law that governs the nature is also a sign for the existence and power of God for those who reflect. Thus, the Deists believe in the existence of God, the power and sovereignty of God over the nature, without belief in the divine books and the prophets of God. They also exemplified an excellent morality as they also have two eyes, two ears, intelligence and common sense that guide them to distinguish between the two ways: the right and the wrong.
Almighty God revealed His series of divine books and scriptures to mankind through His series of Prophets, peace be upon them all, as guidance and light (hudan wa nooron) in order to guide and enlighten mankind to the righteous way. Among the revealed divine books are: The Taurah or Torah also known as the Old Testament was revealed to Prophet Moses or Musa alaihi salam; The Injil also known as the Gospel or New Testament was revealed to Prophet Isa the son of Mary or Jesus Christ, alaihi salam; The Zabour also known as Psalms revealed to Prophet Daud or David alaihi salaam; and the Holy Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad salallahu alaihi wasalaam. Among the Prophets of God were Adam, Noah, Ibrahim, Ismael, Ishac, Ya’cob, Yusoph, Daud and Solaiman, Moses and Haroun, Isa the son of Mary or Jesus Christ and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. The divine books mentioned or divine guidance were exemplified, characterized and explained by the series of Prophets to mankind. They were consistent with each other; the latter revelation confirmed the previous revelations. All the books of God and all the Prophets called mankind to believe in the existence of God and His sovereignty over the creations.
Almighty God has stated in the holy Qur’an: (Audhobillahi minassaitani rajeem)
“Ya ayyohannas! Inna khalaqnakom min dhakari wa unta, wa ja alakom so oba wa kabail litaarafu, inna akramakom indhaollahi atkaakom.”
Meaning: “Oh mankind! Verily, I have created you from a single pair of male and female (Adam and Eve) and made you into nations and tribes so that you may understand each other, and the most honored of you in the sight of God are those who feared God.”
In another ayah, Almighty God said: “Wa min ayyatihi halaqa sama wati wal ardh, waktilafu al sinatukom, wa al wanikom, innafi jalika la ahyyati likaomi yatafakarron.”
Meaning: “And among His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, the differences of your tongues (languages) and the differences of your colors (races) are signs for those who understand.”
It is part of God’s natural creation that He created us from a pair of male and female and made us into nations and tribes, with different languages, different races for the purpose of having understanding of one from another. Understanding connotes harmony, peace, cooperation, loving, caring, progress and development. The opposite of understanding is misunderstanding, disharmony, hatred, conflict, war and destruction. God created us not to hate each other but to love one another, not to envy each other but to appreciate each other, not to intrigue each other but to help and cooperate with each other.
It is also a part of Almighty God’s law that He guided mankind according to the revealed divine book or books revealed to a particular nation or nations. For example, the Jews are divinely guided by the divine books, among which are the Torah and Zabour, or the Old Testament and the Psalms revealed and explained by Prophets Moses and David, peace be upon them all. The Christians are divinely guided by the divine books and scriptures among which are the Old and the New Testaments and the Psalms revealed to Moses, Jesus and David; peace be upon them all. The Muslims are divinely guided by the Holy Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad salallahu alaihi wasalaam.
The Holy Qur’an stated to the effect: “To each among you have we prescribed a law and an Open Way. If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you; so strive as in race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to God. It is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which you dispute.”
In another Qur’anic ayah: “Innal lazeena ‘aamanoo wallazeena haadoo was-Saabi’oona, wan-Nasaaraa man ‘aamana billaahi wal yawmil ‘Aakhiri wa ‘amil a saalihan falaa khawfun ‘alayhim wa laa hum yahzanoon” (Holy Qur’an, Surah 5: Verse 69)
Meaning: “Those who believe (in the Qur’an); Those who follow the Jewish (Scripture), and the Sabians and the Christians, any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
The foregoing ayah placed the Muslims, the Jewish, the Sabians and the Christians on equal footing in the sight of God, the Almighty. Any of them who believed in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
The principle of equality of man, religious freedom, separation of church and state adhered to by all civil law and common law countries is also consistent with the Islamic principle of religious tolerance: “Lakom diinokom walyadeen”. Meaning: “To you is your religion and to me is my religion”.
All the different world religious denominations, though of different modes of worship, the goal is the same – to worship God. The Christians go to the church to worship God, the Muslims go to the masjeed to worship God, the Jews go to the synagogue to worship God, the Buddhists and the Hindus go to the temple to worship God.
The common teachings of all monotheistic religions, among others are: calling people to worship God, calling people to understand, adjust, and harmonize, to love, care and cooperate towards common peace and progress.
Baccalaureates, a couple of hours from now, you will receive your degree through commencement exercise. You are endowed with sufficient knowledge and reasoning, backed-up by divine guidance: Divine Books and Holy Prophets. Thus, to sustain the global academic excellence, peace and development is in your hands.
To the Christians, be a very good Christian in accordance with The Holy Bible; to the Muslims, be a very good Muslim in accordance with the Holy Qur’an. All of you are among the most honored in the sight of God because you believe in God, you believe in the Life Hereafter, and you do righteous acts. You are the wonderful agents of peace and progress in Mindanao, in the Philippines and all over the world.
Again, congratulations! Wishing you the blessings of Almighty God, the Most Beneficent the Most Merciful.
Wassalamu’alaikom warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
