By: Dr. Maqsood Jafri
Dr. Frances James has put me a question, seeking my opinion on the matter of religious conversion. He says what is the need of converting people and convincing them to embrace their faith and abandon the faith of their ancestors? Is conversion necessary or religious obligation? To answer this burning question, one needs to write volumes and discuss the hazards of religious extremism and dogmatism. The human history is replete with human blood in the name of religion. The people of other faiths have been burned alive and forced to abandon their faith.
What is conversion? It is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others. This religious conversion would describe the abandoning of adherence to one denomination and affiliation with another. Religious Conversion is called “ proselytism.” There are several kinds of conversion. Ideological conversion by free choice, conversion for convenience, marital conversion, forced conversion , conversion for asylum and conversion for political or economic benefits.
There is no official or temple-oriented conversion in Hinduism. There is no religious process or ceremony for converting to the Hindu faith. To become a follower, one needs only to have the Will and the commitment to study Hindu Scriptures and abide the proper religious rituals, rites and practices. Even then, because of Class System, the upper Class of Hindus called Brahmins do not accept them as Hindus and ostracize them. They are ousted from their circle and treated as untouchable.
It is Christianity and Islam which proselytize vigorously, while others such as Judaism and Sikhism do not generally encourage or accept conversions to their ranks. Some sects of other religions such as Druze, Yazidis, Zoroastrians and Yarsans do not accept converts at all.
Studies in the 21st century testify that, in terms of percentage and world wide, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Pew Research Center has predicted that by the advent of 2050, the global Muslim population will grow at a faster rate. The Christian missionaries have rendered unprecedented services and sacrifices for spreading Christianity in Asia and Africa. Similarly, there are some Muslims who are all out to spread Islam in non- Muslims.
Now, the question arises as to why only the Christians and Muslims are busy converting others to their faith? The answer is simple. They consider it their religious obligation. Jesus Christ said to Simon Peter:” when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”. In the Holy Bible in the Gospel of Matthew 16: 16- 17 and in the Gospel of Luke 22: 32- 33, there is a conversation between Jesus Christ and Simon Peter, regarding the spread of the mission and message of Jesus Christ. Saint Paul took the standard of this mission and traveled near and far with the mission of Jesus Christ and later on his adherents were called Missionaries. Similarly, the Holy Quran asked its followers to spread Islam. It says:” Call the people to the way of God by decent way and wisdom”.
The Holy Quran invited all humanity to unite and respect human norms. It says: “ The whole of humanity is one community.” The very alarming and fraternal verse of the Holy Quran invites our attention to the Oneness of humanity and universal salvation. In Surah The Cow in verse 62, the Hoy Quran announces: “ Surely, the believers and the Jews and the Christians and the Sabians , whichever party from among those truly believes in God, and the last day and does good deed shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall have come upon them, nor shell they grieve.” Now, the point to be considered is that if we succeed in producing the men of piety, virtuosity and purity, who are good humans, we succeed in religious mission.
Just converting people to our religions with out application of the human rights, human values and human norms, what are we up to? The acceptance of Christianity or Islam or any other religion is absolutely purposeless, if we ignore the real message and mission of religion. In so many Muslim countries, there are monarchies and human rights are trampled under feet. There is no political freedom and social justice. Then what sort of Islam they are preaching? Islam needs practice, not preaching. There are 57 Muslim countries which only practice the religious rituals and have not implemented Islamic codes based on political, social and economic justice. Their clerics stress more on prayers instead of emphasizing the need of practicing Islam. They are even busy in inter sectarian conversions.
It is also with Christians. The external and internal conversion is also their chosen religious task. They like Muslims have several sects. All claim to go to heaven. In the name of heaven, the hardliners of all religions have made the earth worse than hell. To increase the population and boast that our number is the largest is a mockery in the age of qualitative world. Quantity is not required. Jesus Christ preached justice and raised voice against rabbis and the corrupt fascist rulers and officials. This was his mission , when he said that he would establish the “Kingdom of God” on earth. The Kingdom of God is the state based on justice and human values and human rights. Unfortunately, the Christians adopted papacy and monarchy , which are quite antagonistic to the mission of Jesus Christ.
The Muslims did the same. Islam came to establish the Rule of God on earth and free people from the tenacious clutches of clergy and monarchy, but the Muslims are even today under the stone wall of dictatorship of callous and uncouth Monarchs and sectarian Mullahs. Let all humans join hands for peace, progress and prosperity of all humans. Instead of fighting in the name of religion and shedding each other’s blood, let us serve and love humans as it is the Spirit of all Religions. “Humans Unite, and shun racial discrimination and religious extremism”. The business in the name of God must stop and human welfare states should be established as humanism is the core and crux of all religions.
