Q. (from slip) The question is, when all belief in one God, why people fight in the name of God, and in the name of Religion?
A. (Dr. Zakir Naik): The person asked the question- that if all the people, all the human beings, or most of them believe in one God… believe in one type of religion – why do they fight? – Why are there so much of infighting, riots, etc.
No religion, which I know of, tells that people should fight with each other unnecessarily – No religion says that. Neither the Qur’an, neither the Veda, neither the Bible – Unnecessarily you should not. And the Holy Qur’an says, in Surah Maidah, Ch.No. 5, Verse No. 32, if anyone kills any human being, unless it be for murder or creating mischief in the land, it is as though you have killed the whole of humanity’.
Qur’an doesn’t say, ‘if you kill a Muslim you have killed the whole of humanity – If you kill any human being, unless it be for murder, or creating mischief in the land, it is as though you have killed the whole of humanity.
So no religion teaches, that people should fight with each other unnecessarily. Suppose people are trying to oppress you, then most of the Religions say that you should put that oppressor back in its place. Qur’an says that in Surah Anfal, Surah Tawba, that if the people try to drive you out of your house, out of your faith, out of your land, then… you can fight them for self defense.
Even the Geeta…the whole Bhagwad Geeta – it is known as the ‘Nectar’ of the Vedas – Lord Krishna, he is giving advice to Arjun that… ‘See you fight for the truth – Even if the opposite people are relatives, don’t stop… If they are in the wrong – you fight.
The Qur’an says in Surah Isra, Ch. 17, Verse 81….(Arabic)….. ‘That when truth is hurled against falsehood, falsehood perishes, for falsehood in by its nature bound to perish’.
The Qur’an is a ‘Healing’ and ‘Mercy’ for those who believe – It was revealed in stages. But for those who are unbelievers it is nothing but loss after loss. So basically no Religion tells you to fight, unless in self defense. Even the police kills the robber, in self defense – Kills the criminals. But yet I do know that people fight.
Why?… Is the big question – You know what’s the reason? Why?… Is the big question – You know what’s the reason? The reason is, people fight for power, for material things.
The politician – he wants ‘vote’. So what does he do? He instigates a riot…a riot and then you get marginalized – And then Hindus vote Hindus, and Muslim vote Muslims -Politicians.
If a builder wants a land – You can’t acquire the land because there are 1000 huts there. What does he do? He instigates a riot on the base of religion – the huts are burned down and then he builds a big building on that land, for money.
So these people, for power, for money, for material requirements – these people, they instigate the riots. Otherwise, the common Hindus, the common Muslims – Alhamdullillah, we love each other – We love our Non Muslim brothers.
Bombay… you know Bombay, even during partition, there was not such a riot as we had a couple of years ago. Were engineered by whom? Politicians! Politicians engineered it – All because, for power, for material desires.
Otherwise, no religion says that you should fight with one another. We do know – we have similarities – We agree with that – We have differences also. But a politician, on front of everyone, he will say, ‘Ram bhi Khuda, … Allah be Khuda’ – Front of you – And behind he goes and engineers riots.
See we don’t believe in Pseudo secularism. If suppose two people are there – one person is saying 2+2 = 4, the other person is saying 2+2=5. That does not mean Oh! He is such a good man, 2+2 is also equal to 4, 4, 2 + 2 is also equal to 5. I am very desh bakth… secular person. What secular? Hypocrisy! I should have the guts to say-‘see what you are saying 2 + 2 = 4 is right – what you are saying 2+2=5, is wrong… but I will not fight with you. I will tell you the truth, I will not fight with you.
Then the Qur’an says in Surah Kafirun, Ch. 109, Verse No. 1 to 6.
…(Arabic)…. ‘Say to those who reject faith – I will not worship what you worship, nor will you worship what I worship. I will not be worshipping that which you want me to worship, nor will you worship what I worship. To you is your way, to me is mine’?- To you is your religion, to me is mine.
I will present the truth to him… ‘Bhai, don’t do idol worship… Don’t have the wrong concept of God’. Yet if you have…. (Arabic)… ‘To you is your way, to me is mine’ The Holy Qur’an says in Surah Baqarah, Ch.2, Verse No. 256…(Arabic)…‘
There is no compulsion in religion – Truth stands out clear from error. If you hold the hand of Allah Subhana Wa Taala, He will take you from darkness to light.
If you hold the hand of the evil one… the devil, he will take you from light to darkness. The choice is yours. But no Religion says that you should fight with each other, unnecessarily.
Hope that answers the question.
