Скачать или смотреть THE PRESERVED TABLET: Islamic Interfaith mandate - Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood

Zakat Foundation of India zakatindia.org President spoke at an International Seminar organized at Aligarh Muslim University on November 23, 2022. Vice Chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor presided. Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood made a PowerPoint presentation saying that the Quranic concept of Lauh-al-Mahfooz (The Preserved Tablet) is the sanctum sanctorum of the divine mandate for interfaith love and affection in the world.

Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood quoted Allama Iqbal’s poem Sarguzasht-e-Aadam (Adam’s Travelogue) in which Man is speaking, in retrospect. Dr Zafar clarified that, as per belief, before the human world came into physical existence - on the pattern of the angels - all the billions of human souls had already been created by God. These souls had jointly promised to The Creator that they would behave well in the world; that is known as the First Covenant.

After coming to the world, however, Man forgot his promise. Such was his fickle temperament that nowhere under the sky could he settle for good. Then at last his eyes, enamored of materialism, opened to find the ‘life-essence’ lodged in the mansion of his heart itself. Thus, unity of mankind and its universal realization is the essence of this poem:    • Sarguzasht-e Aadam (Adam’s Travelogue)  

Dr Mahmood reminded the audience that the holy Quran says (85.22) that since before the creation of humanity all the upcoming revelations were kept safely together in a Preserved Tablet (guarded from every accursed devil and secure from any falsehood). Well-researched scholarly opinions converge around the belief that the revelation of Quran as well as its predecessor scriptures to the earlier messengers occurred during pious nights. This is indeed another strong directive for maintaining interfaith affection.

The ZFI President said that the names of some divine messengers are mentioned in the Quran, many others are not mentioned. On the other hand, in different parts of the world great spiritual names occur in multiple theologies. Some of these spiritual persons are likely to be among those revered messengers whose names are not mentioned in Qur’an. Nonetheless, the believers are duty bound to equally revere all of them (2.285). Similar is the case with the spiritual books:    • INTERFAITH LOVE  -  THE ISLAMIC MANDATE  -...  

Dr Mahmood elucidated that what was sent down earlier from the Preserved Tablet to the worldly sky was a compendium of God’s perspective planning for the universe including the spiritual life on earth. God shaped us into races and nations. That way He has put us to test during our stay on planet earth. He evaluates as to, despite being apparently unlike each other in more than one ways how do we respond to His message and to what extent we accommodate love and help each other. God is testing as to how much are we able to appreciate God’s design of intrinsic human unity interspersed into outwardly group diversity.

Dr Mahmood, who is also President of Interfaith Coalition for Peace icpindia.net, went on to say that Quran begins with describing God as Rabbil Aalameen (Creator and Sustainer of the worlds) and ends with God’s description as Rabbin Naas (Creator and Sustainer of the human beings) that way addressing all the humanity and indeed the entire creation. That is the powerful mandate for maintaining interfaith love and affection.

The prophets spread to the mankind God’s word revealed through them. This is equally reflected in the philosophy of many other spiritual books. Like, the holy Vedas say: Ekam sat viprah bahudah, meaning thereby, there is only one Truth, wise men tell it differently.

Also this squarely translates into the Constitution of India which enshrines in article 51A(e) that every citizen is bound by the fundamental duty to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious diversities. In the same spirit Pope Francis
said: One’s self-enrichment lies in opening one’s doors to others with the goal of human good.

The Preamble to the UN Charter says: We the Peoples of the United Nations are determined to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person. It calls upon the world community to practice tolerance, live together in peace and for achieving that purpose to ‘unite our strength’.

Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood concluded: Let us thus rededicate ourselves to the spirit of mutual accommodation. Let us seek mutual help and friendship and stand firm in constancy and patient perseverance. Let the believers of all faiths emphasize Justice, Reconciliation, Harmony and Peace. And, thus, we would be able to fruitfully contribute towards fulfilling our First Covenant by cherishing and nurturing the common thread permeating across the various prophetic communities as envisaged in The Preserved Tablet.

Later, appreciating this presentation, the AMU Vice Chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor requested the AMU Faculty of Theology to regularly organize interfaith events.