ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE OF DIALOGUE

1. ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE OF DIALOGUE

2. CONCEPTS • What is dialogue? Dialogue is, understanding, recognizing, knowing each other and seeking solutions for common problems of individuals or groups. • What is/is not dialogue between religions? Dialogue between religion members is a meeting, without trying to impose their ideas to the others. Upon that, approaching one another with tolerance, accuracy, sincerity, love, respect and good will to ensure knowing, listening, understanding each others in order to live together peacefully. It is NOT an endeavor to combine the religion either spending any effort to convert each other or to maintain the advantages of any religion.

3. QUR’ANIC PRINCIPLES OF DIALOGUE • Who is People of the Book? The people who believes any holy book which is revealed by God and follows that religion’s Messenger who is designated by Him. • Is there any chapters in Qur’an that states any imperatives to dialogue with People of the Book? Yes, there is. For example: Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but God. That we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than God. (Chapter 3. The Family Of 'Imran, The House Of 'Imran , verses 64 )

4. Does Jihad and Dialogue are conflicting terms? Absolutely not. Jihad and dialogue has different implementation areas. They depend on their social, political, cultural, martial and economic background. In Islamic literature, Jihad comes from the root of “jahd’ which means learning, instructing and living the Islamic life; also means to struggle with your bad inner feelings and command the good and forbid the evil.

5. PROPHETIC PRINCIPLES OF DIALOGUE • What is Medina Documentary? Medina documentary is an agreement which is signed between Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) and the people who are living in Medina before His emigration. According to this agreement, the people who were already leaving in Medina from different ethnical groups, can live together without sacrificing anything from their aspects and act harmonious on political, economical, judicial, martial and social bases which they agreed .

6. Is there any other agreement signed by Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) with same concept? Yes, there is. For example, The agreement with Christian “Ibn Haris b. Ka’b and his tribe:” …The Christians living at East and West will be under protection by the Messenger of God and Muslims with their beliefs, church, lives, honors, goods, properties. Who are living as Christian will never be disturbed, asked or forced to be converted. If any Christian treated badly and aggrieved or involved any crime or homicide Muslims must help them…

7. HISTORICAL PRINCIPLES OF DIALOGUE After the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), from the periods of 4 caliphs through Ottoman Turks are as important time as Prophet Mohammad’s time because of their historical implementations and Islamic social life living styles.

8. Is there any agreements after Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) to establish a dialogue with non-Muslims? Yes, there is. For example: Second caliph Omer (r.a) refused to pray in Ba’s Church or near by the Constantine churches while conquering the Jerusalem. He explained himself as : “ If I pray in one of those churches, my concern is the future generations may change this church to the mosque as honor of myself.” This example is just one of them. There are a lots of them in Islamic history.

9. CURRENT STATUS AND FETHULLAH GULEN’S THOUGHTS ABOUT DIALOGUE • Qur’an does not have any differences from original Christianity and Judaism with its Oneness idea who serves to the humanity. Qur’an is just the part of the long chain which starts with Adam (r.a) and continues to the resurrection day. In the Qur’an God says: And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say, "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)."Chapter 29. The Spider - 46

10. Is there any role of “human” and “love” to establish dialogue ideas of FethullahGulen? FethullahGulen addresses two important points. First: love is the reason and genuine of being and very powerful bond to connect the beings. Second: human being is the art of God. If so, “ Approaching to the art of God “human beings” without love; hurts the feelings of people who loves God and it also hurts the feelings of God Himself. It hurts God Himself because this is an unconcern of his art.

11. CONCLUSION According to FethullahGulen: “..Love, mercy, dialogue, accepting everybody in their own position, mutual respect, rights and justice; goodness, beauty, uprightness and virtue are the key values to stop the profit reliant crimes and wars and also to change socioeconomic imbalance...” “.. the spring, which is the ferment of the world will be rising on these foundations, is the spring, that humanity could find their own genuine. Whatever happens, our world, sooner or later will be heading towards to this direction and no one will find the ability to change this trend…”