Book on Islamic view of other faiths aims to dispel misconceptions

Ghazali signing a copy for Datin Mother A Mangalam, the president of The Pure Life Society (far left).

BANGI: A book on comparative religion aims to dispel the misconception that understanding and learning about other religions weakens one’s own faith.

Written by Dr Ghazali Basri, the Academy for Civilisation Studies chairman, the book views other religions from the Islamic point of view while propagating unity in Malaysia’s multi-religious society.

Titled "Comparative Religion: An Islamic Perspective", the book discusses major world religions, including Shintoism, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism and Christianity.

Universiti Putra Malaysia's Human Ecology Faculty dean Dr Zaid Ahmad said the book was "timely" in the era where Islam has been associated with "all kinds of negative images".

"It is important that the true portrait of Islam is presented so that the readers have a better understanding and the right tasawwur (conception) of Islam.

"In the context of the diverse and multi-religious society of Malaysia, while we propagate unity and a better understanding and peaceful coexistence between people of different religion, I believe this book is important and timely," he said in a speech during the book’s launch here on Saturday.

He also dismissed the notion that studying comparative religion would affect the religious belief of a person.

"In fact, this is not the case and definitely not the purpose of the study of comparative religion," said Zaid.

Ghazali, who specialises in interfaith studies, said the book he had worked on for the past one year was initially published in Bahasa Malaysia.

"I wrote the first book based on my interaction with religious leaders in the late 1980s so I could share my experience with my Muslim friends.

"I was told that the nuns wanted me to write in English so they could understand what comparative religion meant in the Malaysian context," he said in his speech.

The president of The Pure Life Society, Datin Mother A. Mangalam, who attended the book launch, said the book should be placed "at all libraries" in universities.

"The subject of respecting and appreciating all religious values should be taught to the students, so they can appreciate the common values in each religion," she said.

Director of Interfaith Relations of the Bahai Community of Malaysia, T.K. Lee also believed that the book would be able to reach out to the people in learning each other's religions.

"They will then be able to appreciate and understand each other as this is the book that gives us the fundamentals of all major religions," he said.

The book, which was launched by PKR Senator Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty, is published by Aras Mega (M) Sdn Bhd.

The hardcover edition now retails at a discounted price of RM44.