B U S I N E S S N A M E
Reflections
I S S U E
The Problem With Religious Pluralism
‫َو أَ َّن هذا ِِصاطي م ُْس تَقاميً فَات َّ ِب ُعو ُه َو ال‬
‫بيِل ذ ِل ُ ُْك‬
ِ ِ ‫الس ُب َل فَتَ َف َّر َق ب ُ ُِْك ع َْن َس‬
‫َو َّص ُ ْاُك ِب ِه ل َ َعل َّ ُ ُْك تَتَّ ُقون‬
And indeed this is my straight path so
POINTS TO follow it, and do not follow (other)
PONDER ways for they will divert you from His
way. This is what He enjoins upon you
UPON
so that you may be God wary.
(Al-An’aam [6]:153)
 What is the
meaning of
Religious Plural-
Religious Pluralism has been defined
ism?
in different ways by scholars. Some
use the term to refer to a theological
 When was the
view that allows salvation for the
concept of Reli-
gious Pluralism adherents of different religions and
thought up? concedes some sort of validity to a
plurality of religions. Others (mis)use
 What are some the term to mean the acceptance of or
of the problems
respect for followers of other religions
with the idea of
- something akin to the role played by
Religious Plural-
present-day interfaith dialogues.
ism?
Peter Byrne defines Religious Plural-
 What does the ism in terms of three ‘equality’ condi-
Qur’an say tions. He says that all major religions
about following are equal in their reference to a single
one straight sacred reality , in their offering their
path as opposed
adherents a means to salvation and in
to other ways?
their inability to provide a norm for
interpreting the others. Muhammad
Legenhausen has termed this type of
pluralism as ‘equality pluralism’ and
then goes on to list seven different
types of religious pluralisms.
Religious pluralism was conceptualized
in the twentieth century and was
initially accepted as a theological
principle by sections of the Church.
Since discussions on the subject are
still ongoing, it is not uncommon to
find some scholars hinting to it in their
sermons and writings. The concept
seems especially appealing to those
Muslims who live in multicultural
From the Glorious Qur’ān
N O . 1 3 1 S T J U N E 2 0 0 9
societies and regularly have to deal One of the greatest problems with
with adherents of different faiths. the idea of religious pluralism is that
ُّ ‫تَت َّ ِب ُعوا‬ Traditionally, in Judaism, Christianity
it tries to rationalize religious beliefs
and Islam, salvation was limited to
and in claiming that all belief sys-
tems lead up to one and the same
believers of the respective faiths with
reality, it contradicts itself because
some concessions made for the pious
among other faiths in certain condi-
if this were the case, then both
religious exclusivity and religious
tions. The Catholic Church was firm in
pluralism would be, in the pluralist
its belief that there would be no salva-
view, equally efficacious in reaching
tion outside the Church and excom-
the ultimate goal.
munication for grievous offences was
common. Further, in making such claims, it
must be assumed that the pluralist
Today, scholars like Sayyid Hossein
is fully cognizant of what the
Nasr are strong advocates for her-
‘ultimate reality’ or ‘ultimate goal’
metic religious pluralism where all
is. This can be achieved in one of
religions are said to share a common
two ways. Either through revealed
esoteric core despite all their exoteric
religion or rationalization. If the
differences. Hermetic pluralists may
pluralist comes to recognize it
claim that all major religions are
through religion, then his recogni-
equally effective means for reaching
tion of that reality would be
the same ultimate goal. Other writers
founded on one particular religious
who advocate this form of pluralism
tradition exclusively. How could he
include Frithjof Schuon and Rama-
then extrapolate it to other religious
krishna.
traditions?
John Hick, who is known to be one of
Indeed, if a claim were to be made
the most influential promoters of
that the pluralist actually searched
religious pluralism, proposes that if
‘all’ the religious traditions and then
the differences in the major religious
came to realize the common
traditions are done away with, a single
‘ultimate goal’, this would question-
all-encompassing religious tradition
able in the very least. For the reli-
may be realized. He downplays the
gious experience varies from tradi-
doctrinal differences in the major
tion to tradition and religion is made
religions while ignoring their practical
up of doctrine and practice to-
aspects altogether. This type of plural-
gether, not just the former.
ism is known as reductive religious
pluralism. The second possible way of recog-
nizing the common ultimate goal is
The Muslim scholars who support the
through rationalization. Here again
notion of religious pluralism, some-
there is a problem. For if human
times present their arguments using
beings were able to reach the ulti-
verses of the Glorious Qur’an. The
mate goal through the rational
most oft-referred to verses are 2:62,
process, what need would there be
2:110-111, 5:59 which are interpreted
of religion in the first place? Of
to mean that Jews and Christians who
course this does not negate that
believe and do good will not suffer
religion is rational, rather it high-
chastisement in the hereafter.
lights the limits of the human mind.