CONVERSION TO GOD IN DIALOGUE
Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua
Cardinal Francis Arinze outlines
the principles and dynamics of interreligious dialogue and explaines the type
of conversion that can occur in Interreligious dialogue[1].
Even though the goal of dialogue is not to convert a partner in dialogue to a
different religion, the testimony of a partner in dialogue can draw a person
closer to God in his own religion. This should not be done either by coercion, force
or financial inducements. Some people have claimed that they have to change
their religion as the only option to be admitted into a particular school. Some
have changed their religion to get a job. Some have changed their religion to
get a contract while others have changed their religion to marry a loved partner.
These are not conversion from convictions. In this sense, a religion is imposed
and not proposed. One of the arguments for the taking over of schools from
voluntary agents in Nigeria is to avoid this attitude of imposition of religion
on the children. This conversion with
material motivation has serious implications.
In spite of the above abnormal
phenomena there is a sense in which conversion can occur in the dialogue of
life, dialogue of religious experience, dialogue of social engagements and dialogue
of theological exchange. This conversion is not a conversion from one religion
to the other. It is a conversion to God within one’s own religion through the
life and witness of a partner in dialogue. Mustapha and Matthew were very close
friends in a college. Matthew was very prayerful while Mustapha had no time to
pray. In one of the examinations, Matthew passed “very well” while Mustapha
failed “very well”. Mustapha had a discussion with Mathew as follows: My
friend, we study together every day, how come that you passed and I failed.
Matthew replied, my friend, Muslims are known to be very prayerful. I am often
challenged with the way and manner Muslim pray five times a day, both in
private and in public. A true Muslim is not ashamed to pray any where at the
time of prayer. This attitude of the Muslims in my village has encouraged me to
be very close to God as a Christian. I say the rosary and attend mass everyday.
I wonder why you do not remember to pray. Mustapha really felt challenged and
started going to the Mosque. He became very committed to his prayers and
fasting as a true and good Muslim would do. In the next examination, both
Mathew and Mustapha came out in flying colours in their examinations.
Something
happened one day in the market that totally changed the life of Mustapha. He
totally surrendered his entire life to Allah as a Muslim. Matthew and Mustapha
were in the market and a young girl came from no where to slap Mustapha, grab
his neck and started shouting, “stupid boy, you think I will not catch you!
Today, both of us will die in this market.” Matthew held Mustapha and pleaded
earnestly that he should not revenge. Mustapha said, leave me, it is your bible
that says “turn the other cheek”, I must teach this girl a bitter lesson, I do not
know her, I have not done anything to merit her slap. At the end of the day,
Mustapha restrained himself (jihad) and followed Matthew home without
vengeance. The next day, it was reported that “the girl who fought in the
market yesterday is dead”. What saved Mustapha was that he did not fight the
girl.
Later
in life, Mustapha became a successful Muslim. He became a leader and a crusader
of peace teaching people that “A Muslim can not be a terrorist” because Islam
is a religion of peace. A friend confronted Mustapha one day on this subject
questioning the Jihad of Muhammad. Mustapha remembered a book edited by Ergün Ҫapan he had read and read it aloud to his friend: “In order to understand the importance that Islam places on peace we first
have to know the aspects and characteristics of the battles in which the
Prophet engaged. When we examine these closely we can see that these battles
were essentially of a defensive nature. The first battle waged against the
people of Makka was the Battle of Badr. This battle was intended to make the
Quraysh tribe, who did not believe in the oneness of God, to realize the great
economic importance Madina had for them and thus end their enmity and make them
accept peace; it was also intended to help the Muslims reclaim the possessions
that had been left in Makka when they left for Madina. These possessions had
been put together in a caravan by the Quraysh and sent on its way to be sold in
Syria. That is to say, the Muslim’s intention in this conflict was the defense
of their possessions and the establishment of peace; it was not war for war’s
sake. The Battle of Uhud, fought following the Battle of Badr, was a battle
started by the people of Makka who came to Madina in order to seek revenge for
the former engagement. For the Muslims, this was a purely defensive battle.
The Battle of Trench was also a defensive battle that was fought from behind
trenches dug around Madina; the aim of this battle was to resist the pagan
army, and was fought, not just against the Makkans but against all pagan tribes
which were fighting on the side of the Makka. Almost all of the military
campaigns in which the Prophet fought were intended to repel the attacks of the
great armies ranged against the Muslims, or in order to prevent the battle
preparations of the enemy. The Battle of Khaybar, the Battle of Bani Mustaliq,
the Tabuk Campaign and many other serious battles and also the battles of Badr,
Uhud, and Trench were all battles of one of the two types mentioned here. The
Conquest of Makka, which was one of the most important battles, was an
unprecedented effort at attaining both peace and conquest. The city of Makka
was conquered on the wisdom of the Prophet and in a peaceful manner: before,
during, and subsequent to this conquest I) the city was not plundered, 2) its
people were not killed or exiled, 3) no revenge was taken, 4) no blood feud
was pursued. When the fighting was over,
there was a general amnesty.Thus Mustapha was able to persuade his friend
through the word and not the sword.”[2]
In Interreligious dialogue, one
can have a moral conversion through the influence of a partner in dialogue. Every religion has good values that can make
the world a better place. In African Primal religions, the value of
hospitality, life, and the love of God could be embraced by every body. In
inter-religious dialogue, we realize that every religion has a vision, mission
and objective of final union with God in heaven, therefore, our prayers and our
different religious practises must be reflected in our actions since by our
fruits, the world will respect us as true and good creatures of God who love
God and humanity. It will be a contradiction to see a Christian coming out of
the Church or a Muslim coming out of the Mosque fuming with anger to kill
somebody without restraint (jihad). What a mockery of religion and God! In inter-religious dialogue, the partners in
dialogue have the divine obligation to convince the world that the lost of
value for life, the killings of innocent people and the hell that is scorching
the world has nothing to do with religion.
Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and
Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja; and Consultor of the
Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M), Vatican City
(comonokhua@hotmail.com).
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