AT a time when the world is fighting a pandemic and looking to each other for a vaccine to return to some sense of normalcy, what Malaysia needs more than ever – according to Dr Clarence Devadass – is a “vaccine” against religious hypocrisy and bigotry. 

But Malaysia has long had the vaccines – not just a vaccine.

One of the vaccine is the principle in Islam - the religion of the Federation - of the conception that the human race is fundamentally one and the same. The Quran says: “O mankind, revere your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and made out of it a pair, and thereupon brought forth multitudes of men and women.” (Chapter 4:1)

Elsewhere the Quran says: “And if your Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation” (Chapter 11:118), and then explains what God has willed: “O Mankind! We created you from a single pair male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know each other (and be good to one another, and not despise one another). The noblest among you before God is the best in conduct. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware.” (Chapter 49:13)

The Quran also explains: “To every one have We given a law and a way. If God had so willed, He would have made you (all mankind) one people (of one religion). But He has done otherwise, that He might try you in that which He has severally given unto you: wherefore strive in good works. Unto God shall you return, and He will tell you that concerning which you disagree.” (Chapter 5:48)

Difference of belief is therefore divinely willed, a fact the Quran stresses again: “If God had so willed, He could have made them one people; but He admits who He will to His Mercy, and the wrongdoer will have no protector nor helper.” (Chapter 42:8)

So even the Prophet Muhammad was not to force and compel his own conception of truth on others. Indeed such a right was denied to him. Even as Muhammad himself was accused as a liar, scorned, insulted, threatened, resisted and rejected, and his followers severely persecuted by the people of Mecca, God’s instructions to him was unequivocal:

“Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in the most kindly manners.” (Chapter 16:125)

Elsewhere the Quran exhorts: “And so (O Muhammad) remind them; your task is only to remind: you cannot compel them to believe. However, as for him who turns away, being bent on denying the truth, God will cause him to suffer the greatest suffering [in the life to come]. Behold, unto Us will be their return and, verily, it is for Us to call them to account.” (Chapter 88: 21-26)

The Quran in fact calls for mutuality of respect for human belief: “Do not revile those who call mankind (to worship) others than God, lest they [in turn] revile God out of ignorance and spite; thus have we made each people’s behaviour alluring to them. In the end their point of return is their Lord, and He will inform them of what they were wont to do.” (Chapter 6:108)

These are only some of the principles the Quran prescribes – principles that were realised into action and exemplified in practice by Muhammad.

He set out with a clear message for the people he was sent to: “You are all humans and all humans are equal in the eyes of God. None is born with the slur of shame on his face; nor has anyone come into the world with the mantle of honour hung around his neck. He alone is high and honoured who is God fearing and pious, true in words and deed. Distinctions of birth and race are no criteria of greatness and honour One who fears God and does good deeds is the noblest of humans. One who does not love God and is steeped in bad ways is doomed.”

Humans are as ‘alike as the teeth of a comb’; ‘all are children of Adam and Adam was made of earth’. A few other examples of what Muhammad said will inform further:

‘All men are dependent on God. Of them, He loves most the one who is most useful to mankind.’

‘None of you truly believes until he wishes for others what he wishes for himself.’

‘Do good to your neighbour, you will be a believer, wish for others what you wish for yourself, you will be a Muslim.’

Muhammad reconciled the ‘numerous tribes, big and small, of a hundred different kinds that were incessantly at feud with one another’, and ‘created a nation’ ― the umma ― out of them. He then welcomed the Jews into the umma: “All Jews who choose to join us shall have all the protection tha Muslims have. Neither will they be oppressed, nor will there be communal agitation against them. To the Jews their religion, and to the Muslims their religion. The Jews of Bani Auf constitute a community with the believers. Between all there should be benevolence and justice. Between them there shall always be mutual council and advice.” (The Constitution of Medina)

The same was extended to the Christians: “To the Christian of Najran and the neighbouring territories, the security of God and the pledge of His Prophet are extended to their lives, their religion and their property – to the present as well as the absent and others besides; there shall be no interference with [the practice] of their faith or their observances; nor any change in their rights or privileges; no bishop shall be removed from his bishopric; nor any monk from his monastery; nor any priest from his priesthood, and they shall continue to enjoy everything great and small as heretofore; no image or cross shall be destroyed; they shall not oppress or be oppressed.”

As regards the Zoroastrians, Muhammad said: “Let it be with them as it is with the People of the Book (Jews and Christians).”

If Muhammad created a nation of Muslims, Jews, Christians and people of other faiths whose life, religion and property were accorded the security of God, why wouldn’t his followers extend greeting to others during their festivities - religious or cultural, in a greeting card or on a piece of cake?

Beats me.

For a country like Malaysia which for decades has celebrated its religious diversity and cultural plurality, it is because there is a vaccine in each religion against religious hypocrisy and bigotry.

So what Malaysia needs is not a vaccine, but vaccination – a fresh dose.

Happy New Year.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.