“The rules for having a productive and insightful conversation across religious and cultural lines are not all that different than the rules for having meaningful interpersonal relationships.”1
***
I stand on one side of the space
– This “great divide” –
From the other, where stand you…
***
I, a part of my culture,
You a part of yours.
You see how representing our own we only ever appear
Apart.
***
Between the space
– This “great divide” –
If left un-traversed results in the binary alternatives:
Barbaric (arrogant) argument on one extreme and
‘Civilised’ (arrogant) diplomatic-silences the other.
Both end in disaster; both’s a-front.
***
But when enjoining to good,
We must void the bad
By avoiding the gap in our knowledge.
But how?
We must get to know the Other.
***
Only the journey to explore the meeting point
Is the terrain of civilised discourse.
We are united via our shared discussion
If we at least make a move to meet in the middle
– Not to agree on a false synthesis – that compromise of mediocrity,
But to whole-heartedly fulfil the balancing act
Of seeking originality on points of agreement
And agreeing to disagree on points of essential difference,
If we ensure our total comprehension of not just
our points of view but of the others’ value add-vantage points.
***
Only through civilised discourse, can we get “to know one another”
And peace is only ever made by agreements.
***
And with the peace made by discourse,
Comes the sweet treat of trade,
The lay of love and
The fair grounds to entertain the truth in the open state of play.
***
With hearts on sleeves and much blood, sweat and tears, we strive
To engender this.
For this is certainly the Muslim non-hidden, non-stealth jihad agenda
– for the sake of God.
***
Face to face, we face up to each other to face forward,
and not lose face but to be that face-saving grace.
***
Though we might not see eye to eye,
We’ll both listen and talk, respecting the others’ face,
Minding how rudeness blinds us, deaf and dumb, with disgrace.
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By Arif uz Zaman
February 2014
For Rules of Inter-Communication 2, please click here.
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1 ‘Memories of Muhammad’ by Dr Omid Safi (2010), page 24
Wonderfully expressed! It sums up what we need today in the world as we live among some of the greatest miscommunication ever witnessed. Love the image at the bottom, too!
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Jzk sis. You’re right. Sometimes problems stem from misunderstanding rather than from some inherent difference. If some of that were alleviated, perhaps we might be in a better position to be able to judge (more calmly) more reasonably.
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