Re-Visiting Some Basic Truths About Islam: Road to Dialogue, Mutual Co-Existence and Sustainable Development in the Third World

Abstract

Every Religion has its fundamental truth, which is sometimes misrepresented by some of its own adherents and external prejudice. Such misrepresentations may lead to some myths and conceptions, which rarely present such a religion in a positive light. It happens to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam. In this paper, we shall concentrate on Islam by projecting some of its basic truths, especially as it relates to the Qur’anic injunction to maintain a healthy relationship with others (Surah 42:43). The love of kindred advocated by the aforementioned Qur’anic verse may be extended to mean the love of our common humanity, for all mankind are brothers descended from Adam (A. Yusuf Ali 1983:1312). The universality of this admonition is aimed at encouraging dialogue in countries where Islam and other religions co-habit, especially by proposing a re-visiting of the basic truths of Islam as a panacea for the promotion of dialogue and mutual coexistence. This might be particularly true and needed for sustainable development in Nigeria and other third world countries where various religions, especially Islam and Christianity must co-exist and contribute to their economic, political, democratic, social, and religious development