Mohammad Fawas, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Colombo University, Sri Lanka, on the evening of Tuesday, October 17, at the 35th International Islamic Unity Conference, spoke on the subject of Islamic empathy and non-violence, explaining the background, causes and ways of dealing with threats and pressures.
He added: “If we can create unity among ourselves, we will be able to gain many benefits. Our Prophet, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), was a man of unity. He sought to spread love and kindness wherever he went. By his actions alone, the Prophet (PBUH) was able to persuade millions to convert to Islam. The power of unity is so great that if we stand together, we will be able to change lives. If we unite, we will be able to hold the hands of those who are disappointed and create a sense of belonging for vulnerable and lonely people.”
He continued: “Four important Islamic teachings are under the best theoretical foundations that we can cite to understand the importance of unity:
The first theoretical basis is that unity teaches us not to feel selfish. Our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) says that none of you will be a believer unless he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. This beautifully encompasses the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims to maintain brotherhood.
"The second theoretical basis is to know that we humans are like a building," Fawas said. The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said: "Indeed, the believers are like a building, each part of which strengthens the other." The Prophet then clenched his fingers. This message shows the importance of supporting each other in times of need, support that is based on emotion and honesty. Such support strengthens the bond between people.
He addressed the third basis and said: The third basis is to form unity by creating interest. Unity is a key and important factor. God says in the Qur'an: "Hold fast to the rope of God and do not be scattered." Our Prophet inspired us by raising the above issues. As the leader of the community, he suffered so much that he was stoned, dust and rubbish were thrown at him, and even his life was in danger. Despite these difficulties, our Prophet responded only with kindness and respect to his enemies. He used kindness to change the world and leave a legacy that remains to us today.
Regarding the fourth principle, Fawas said: "The fourth principle is to unite through benevolent actions." According to the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), Muslims act as a single body in expressing feelings, kindness and mercy to each other. When one part of the body is in pain, the whole body reacts in the form of insomnia or fever. In this way, many achievements can be achieved; Unity brings people together and creates love, harmony and generosity in them. We can use unity as a platform to be kind to others.
On the history of Sri Lankan Muslims, he said: "According to the 2012 census, there are about two million Muslims in Sri Lanka, which is equivalent to 9.7 percent of the country's population." Most Sri Lankan Muslims are Sunni. With the presence of Arab merchants in Sri Lanka in the seventh century AD, Islam also reached this land. When the Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka in the 16th century, they attacked and destroyed Muslim settlements in Sri Lanka. King Sinhala then sheltered these Muslims, who took refuge in the highlands of central and eastern Sri Lanka. During the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, Indian, Javanese, and Malaysian Muslims were brought to Sri Lanka by the Dutch and British. This helped the growth of the Muslim population in our country. Most importantly, Pakistani Muslims and Muslims in southern India helped introduce Shafi'i Denomination to Sri Lanka. The Muslims of this country generally follow the institutionalized traditions of Sufism, such as Qadiriyya, Shazliya, Naqshbandiyya and Chishtiyya.
He continued: "In the new era, the Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs Organization is responsible for governing the Muslims of Sri Lanka." The organization was established in the 1980s to prevent Sri Lankan Muslims from continuing to isolate themselves from the rest of the country. The Muslims of our country are mainly of the "Moor" and Malay race. In recent years, Sri Lankan Muslims have been increasingly influenced by the growing influence of Salafism.
“Muslims in Sri Lanka are worried about the spread of Wahhabism in this country,” he said. “The deadly Easter bombings of 2019 in Sri Lanka showed that the Jamaat-e-Tawhid Milli, a Salafist-influenced organization, was involved. Following the blast, the group and its Salafist activities were banned in Sri Lanka, leading to violence against Muslims in various parts of Sri Lanka since 2009, and Muslim businesses and property were attacked and at least one Muslim was killed.”
He explained how Muslims destroyed the friendly relationship between Muslims and Sinhalese: “In the last few decades, Muslims have distanced themselves from Sinhalese society. This has been pursued through the formation of parties with Islamic identities. This new phase of Sri Lankan Muslim political activity has disrupted and cooled relations between Muslims and Sinhalese. The political structure of Muslims in Sri Lanka has historically been shaped by the leadership of Sinhala political leaders. Thus, Sinhala political leaders voluntarily resolved all problems and disputes with Muslims. However, this political split isolated the Sri Lankan Muslim community and led them to find solutions to the community's problems. But this is not politically possible, as Muslims make up only 9% of Sri Lanka's population.”
“In addition, Muslim political leaders have been dispersed under various factions,” Fawas said. “These groupings are shaped by regional and ideological differences. Therefore, the unity of Muslims has been seriously questioned. These scattered political leaders made various political demands. This has made the Sinhalese worried and frightened.”
He concluded: “This kind of separation and secession was motivated by political motives to distance the Sinhalese community from the Muslim community and pave the way for racial violence between Sinhalese and Muslims in different parts of Sri Lanka. However, Muslim political leaders have historically been able to direct all violent behavior toward non-violent reactions, as our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has emphasized. Non-violence is a strategy that the Sufi elders have also emphasized, and it can still help maintain unity between Muslim and Sinhalese communities in Sri Lanka.”
