Unity Day: An Islamic perspective

nothing of my fighting or of my befriending.” This statement may seem to belong to the world of poetry, but it also has enormous relevance to the real world.
It gives us an insight into the type of people needed to achieve any great purpose in life, that is, those who possess the quality, mentioned in this verse, of being able to bury within themselves the grudges that they feel towards others.
This year marks the 24th anniversary of Unity Day which was signed on the 22nd of December 1987 by the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe, and the late Vice President, Dr Joshua Nkomo, on behalf of their parties.
On that historic day, the two liberation movements PF Zapu and Zanu-PF signed an agreement that led to the formation of a united revolutionary party Zanu-PF. Unity Day is celebrated on December 22 every year. The unity pact was signed in 1987 between the country’s two liberation movements Zanu-PF and PF Zapu.
As a Zimbabwean Muslim I must say that we appreciate these efforts and we support them, Islam gives much guidance on the subject of diversity, unity, harmony, tolerance and peace.
Islam teaches that diversity is a fact of nature and it makes the nature beautiful. God has created this whole universe with diversity. God says in the Quran: See you not that God sends down rain from the sky? With it we then bring out produce of various colours.
And in the mountains are tracts white and red, of various shades of colour, and black intense in hue. And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colours. Those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, who have knowledge: for Allah is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving. (Qur’an 35:27-28)
There is diversity among human beings. They have variety of genders, colours and languages and multiplicity of races and tribes. These diversities are considered natural and are called “God’s signs” in the Quran (30:20-22).
They are indicative of God’s creative power and wisdom and are good and healthy since they endow human life with richness and beauty. God wants human beings to derive benefit from this diversity and not to allow it to generate unhealthy schisms and divisions in their ranks. God says in the Quran:
And from amongst His signs is this that he created you from dust; and then behold you are humans scattered far and wide.
Among his signs is this that he created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and he has put love and mercy between you.
Verily in that are signs for those who reflect. And among his signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variations in your languages and colours; verily in that are signs for those who know. And among his signs is the sleep that you take by night and by day, and the quest that you make for livelihood out of His bounty; verily in that are signs for those who hearken . . . (30:20-23).
The diversities of races, families and tribes also have a healthy and constructive purpose, viz. that “you may know each other”. In the words of the Quran:
O people, we have created you from a male and a female and made you into races and tribes so that you may know each other.
“Surely, the most honoured of you in the sight of God is the one who is the most righteous of you” (Quran 49:13).
Instead of enabling human beings to know each other better, there is no reason why these diversities should create barriers, or cause animosities among human beings.
In addition to these natural diversities there are others that are part of the human societies and cultures. There are diversities of viewpoints. The Quran recognises the individuality of each human being as well as the individuality of their groups and communities.
To each among you have we prescribed a Law and an Open Way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single People, but (His plan is) to test you in what he has given you; so strive as in a race in all virtues.
The goal of you all is to Allah; it is he that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute. (Quran 5:48)
Islam does not consider all viewpoints correct or of equal value.
However, it is also the fact well recognised in Islam that very often the differences of opinions are also a token of God’s mercy.
If God had so willed, says the Quran, he could have forced people to come together to one point, but he did not do so. God did send his Prophets and Messengers from time to time so that the right path might be made clear through them.
As regards the final judgment as to who followed the truth and who did not, that will be made known on the Day of Judgment by God himself. In keeping with this principle, God forbade his prophets and the believers from having recourse to coercion in religion.
“There is no compulsion in religion”, said the (Quran 2:256).
Unity is also the need of human beings. But unity is not the total negation of diversity. Unity in diversity means to explore and enhances common values that emphasise interdependence, equality, justice, human rights, and the sanctity of each individual’s dignity. The goal should be to further a unified vision and recognition of the principle of “unity and diversity” and of the fact that we all are fellow citizens of an emerging global village.
We must try to build a more inclusive community grounded in respect of differences based on age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, culture, political affiliation and national origin.
1. Other cultures and religions should not be misrepresented.
Educational institutions and media outlets should be held responsible not to propagate or perpetuate hate against any group of people and their recognised faiths and values.
2. Tolerance must be practised on all levels: individual, groups and states. It should be a political and legal requirement. Tolerance is the responsibility that upholds human rights, pluralism (including cultural pluralism), democracy and the rule of law.
3. There are several levels of tolerance. But I want to emphasise two levels herein:
l Tolerance between the members of the same community and same religion.
As we are aware people of the same religion have differences of interpretation and understanding. Although they have common sources, common principles but they do vary in their interpretation due to various reasons.
Here we need inter-community dialogues and building of relations to minimise contradictions and inconsistencies in our thinking or behaviour.
l Tolerance between the people of different faiths and cultures. Here we need interfaith relations and dialogues. Of course we have core differences in our religions but we must try to understand each other. As we learn about our own faith traditions and communities, we should also learn about others. Someone rightly said, “Understanding others changes us.”
By understanding we learn the areas of commonalities as well as differences. We can learn the nature of differences and the extent of differences. We must look what kind dialogues could be of value, and what issues are most in need of respectful dialogue in these times.
What concerns for the well-being of others should drive our efforts to reach common ground for action. Each group must encourage and facilitate shared responsibility to create a more sensitive and welcoming environment for our diverse groups.
On this day Zimbabweans should understand that unity is what will make us move forward in this competitive world.
It was because of unity struggle that God blessed us with victory and honour, wealth and fame. On this we need to be united now more than ever. We have to think about what we will and we can do to make our lives in this world and the hereafter better and blessed. God bless Zimbabwe.