AMID news of religious conflicts at home and abroad, an interfaith dialogue was held today in Klang, Selangor to celebrate commonalities instead of differences.
 
Speakers of Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian faiths shared their views on what fasting means and how it is observed in their respective religions.
 
Buddihist Maha Vihara Malaysia patron Vijaya Samarawickrama said fasting was also central to Buddhism as it was a way to achieve spirituality.
 
“When we deny what the body demands, we raise ourselves to higher spirituality.
 
“Fasting allows us to develop compassion, concern for others and experience the humility that food comes from the grace of nature.
 
Parit Buntar MP Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the concept of fasting was an essential part of all religions.
 
“From Islamic literature, the prophets before Muhammad, like Jesus and Abraham, also fasted though for different periods. But during the time of the Prophet Muhammad, All had shortened the period to a month and marked it for Ramadan,” said Mujahid.
 
For the Amanah vice-president, fasting is also about cleansing the soul so that one can connect better with God while observing his laws.
 
“There should be peace in the heart of the Muslim when he is cleansed. And when he is cleansed he will have a peaceful heart.
 
“But some people have got this wrong. And there’s not tranquility in their hearts when they create violence or curse other religions or destroy their places of worship,” said Mujahid.
 
The former PAS leader said that being more religious is not about hating others but loving them.
 
Pakatan Harapan Secretary-General Saifuddin Abdullah said paying zakat is also another important aspect of fasting.
 
He commended Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin for decreeing that zakat could be distributed to non-Muslims.
 
“People thought that zakat is only for Muslims but the Perlis mufti has stated that zakat money can be used to help non-Muslims and that is a milestone.
 
“This is important in the context of understanding the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims,” he added.
 
MP Klang Charles Santiago said there was a group of people bent on dividing the country and urged the people to work to combat that.

“A group of people is doing a disservice to the nation by trying to divide it. We need a major reset button in the country to promote unity nationwide,” said Santiago.

Also present were Pastor Gary Yeoh from the Methodist Church; Dr Balamurugan Tharmalingan from Malaysia Hindu Sangam; and representatives from Sisters in Islam (SIS), Ikram Malaysia and Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM). Some 90 people attended the dialogue. – June 20, 2017.