FACE to FAITHS

From what we have said so far, there are a number of statements about God, the universe and man which ought to be considered as valid:

· The Creator of the universe and of man is One; the Creator or God is One

· Mankind as a species is one

· The basic nature (fitrah) of all human beings is the same

· The guidance given by God to man has always been the same. True religions, in the sense of God’s guidance to man, therefore, can only be one

· One of God’s gifts to man, in addition to a basically good nature and guidance to preserve this nature, is freedom of choice. Man may use this freedom of choice to live according to the guidance of God and so preserve his good natural state. He may also use this freedom of choice, under various influences and for various motives, to deviate from this guidance altogether and so bring harm to himself

· Man also has the opportunity to abandon his errant or misguided ways and return to true guidance, to the calling of his inherently good nature and so achieve harmony comes true happiness and satisfaction.

Contains:

· FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING – The origin of religion; True religion is essentially one; Tolerance and protection

· ‘THE PEOPLE OF THE SCRIPTURE’ – Jews; Christians; Other Religions; Secular ideologies

· PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING – Dialogue/Trialogue

· DA’WAH – Focus and priorities; The spread of Islam