Azad and religious diversity

"Islam does not commend narrow-mindedness and racial and religious prejudice.It does not make the recognition of merit and virtue of human benevolence,mercy and love dependent upon and subject to distinctions of race and religion.Rather, Islam actually teaches us to respect every man is good,whatever his religion,and to be drawn towards merits and virtues,whatever be the religion or race of the person who possesses them.if human beings were to be free of religious prejudice,then how much more would God Himself have to be above such failings?"
Abul Kalam Azad wrote in his journal al-Hilal in 1913.Azad was the pioneer of religious diversity in India.His understanding of God's oneness and that of religion was upon his deep and clear knowledge of Quranic teaching.To Quran, the prophets from Adam (PBUH)to Muhammad(PBUH) were sent by Allah to every nation(Qaum).They all have taught the same religion Al-Islam or the "surrender to God".Those prophets taught their nations the laws,virtues and involved to lead them to right path. Even though their interaction with their was different,the core of their message however, was one and the same-surrender to God and the performance of good deeds.Azad states this point in the Tarjuman -al Quran,his commentary of the Quran:"The Quran states that the difference which exist between one religion and another are not differences in deen, the basic spirit of religion,but simply in its outward form"

For further reading:For India and Islam:Maulana Azad's vision of Religious Pluralism
by Yoginder Sikand

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