01/01/2019
Are Religious Differences against Social Anthropology?
By Atif Suhail Siddiqui, DIIT President and Yale University Fellow, USA
Atheist, agnostics, antagonists and proponents of religious pluralism argue that God has not made any difference and distinction between man and man. Man is created with same blood color, skin and feelings. We are unable to distinguish men based on their color and blood; that means religious division is obscure and manmade. They argue that when we make a difference between man and man based on religious persuasion and their faith we harm social anthropology and common human social fabric. But, this perception is deceitful and creates confusion in innocent minds because distinction and difference persists in human life. Throughout the world each person is known with his distinct qualities and characteristics. The entire social and cultural human anthropology is based on ethnic, racial and even national grounds. These distinctions exist permanently and are known to us from the time the human history is available. The base and foundation of social and cultural anthropology rest on these distinctions and differences. Racial and ethnic distinctions are natural and undeniable quality of humanity. So, why is there a question mark on religious identity of individuals and why is religious identity believed adversary to the human anthropology and social fabric of man?
Like ethnic, racial and national differences religious distinction has also become natural and an undeniable part of human identity. Though all humans have similar color of blood and skin yet they are divided on a very natural ground.
God tested man with His guidance through single faith disseminated to humanity. This faith disseminated through the chain of God's chosen messengers and prophets who came to each community, group of people, people of all skins, ethnics and nations. Thus, God did not differentiate men while He sent His chosen people. He taught His knowledge to entire humanity without any difference of ethnicity, color, race, etc. But man distorted unity of God's religion.
Man who distorted message of God or rejected Divine message, they created their own religions and sets of beliefs. In fact, they created differences between humanity on religious grounds. Messenger of God Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) denied distinction based on religious grounds by saying: كل مولود يولد على الفطرة (each newborn is born on inherent faith). According to this narration faith is one and natural. This natural faith exists in human nature; it rejects all false gods and deities and instinctually surrenders to his Creator. But, parental guidance, surroundings, cultural and religious environment and social circle deviate them from inherent and instinctive faith and thus, man follows parental and communal set of beliefs instead of God's religion, he unwillingly creates false distinction and difference. This is why God has spoken in Quran about the differences and distinctions, which are natural and manmade both:, يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ - 49:13 "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted."
The above verse clearly and very beautifully answered this deceitful notion. This verse is talking about natural distinction among humans despite one color of blood and skin. Also this is talking about the deceitful denial of distinction on religious grounds widely propagated by atheists, agnostics, antagonists and religious pluralists. "Most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous," that means distinction is based on nobility, which is defined by God. This nobility is preached to entire humanity even before the natural distinction which evolved gradually. From day one till today God defined nobility and without distinction this nobility exists, those who rejected this nobility they created their own principles, cults and religions. This is a big rebellion against God and is a false distinction, which man has created. Thus, instead of God or His religion man himself is responsible for this rebellious distinction. He deviated from single natural faith, which exists from day one and did not differentiate between men. Man's denial of God's religion is the man cause of this difference.
