'Interfaith forum a good platform to better understand different religions'

An interfaith dialogue or forum can be one of the best platforms to promote better mutual understanding among believers of different religions.

Global Unity Network president Shah Kirit Kakulal Govindji said the dialogue helps those living in diverse and multicultural countries including Malaysia to understand the differences they encounter.

“To respect one another we need to learn and understand each other. A lot of conflicts we have is because of presumption, prejudice, misconception and misunderstanding, and to eliminate this we have to know each other. Knowledge is very important.

“Conflicts and issues will always be there but with knowledge, we can better manage them.

“As leaders of religions and faiths, it is our duty and responsibility to promote peace and harmony among the people,” Shah Kirit (above) said in his remarks at the International Conference of Religious Leaders 2024 at Sunway Resort Hotel in Petaling Jaya.

With the theme “Unity within Diversity”, the conference has drawn about 2,000 religious and intellectual figures from 57 countries.

Promoting peace

A Buddhist leader from Cambodia, Samdech Preah Buddhacariya Touch Sokvoha said the conference provided a valuable platform for interfaith exchange, promoting peace, tolerance and respect for all religions.

Commending the efforts to organise the conference, he said witnessing such a diverse gathering dedicated to this critical value was truly inspiring.

“This conference serves as a powerful testament to the unifying power of faith. I am confident that the collaborative spirit during the event will continue to inspire positive changes on a global scale,” he said.

Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, on the other hand, invited participants from other religions to read the Quran to understand what the holy book says about Islam and Muslim civilisation.

He said Muslims have historically lived in peace and harmony with other religions, citing the golden era of Islam during the rule of the caliphate in Baghdad and Andalusia as prime examples, in contrast to the portrayal of Muslims by the Western world.

“Don’t listen to Western media, read the Quran about the golden history of a Muslim government or caliph and see what Islam has done for the community,” he said.

The mufti also denounced Western prejudice against Muslims which significantly contributes to disharmony and conflict within the Muslim world.

Emphasising the Western media’s tendency to disproportionately associate terrorism with Islam and Muslims, he stressed that such a hate campaign needs to be stopped.

“What we are facing today is the perception and agenda they put in our mind. We cannot move forward to live in peace until we remove this kind of campaign, this bad and negative perception,” he said.

- Bernama