Purpose of this dialogue

This will hopefully become a dialogue of civilizations.

I make no claim of being a learned Hindu; i’ve not having studied the ‘Dharma Shastras’ nor have read the Gita. However, i am a seeker, a meditator, an ardent follower of Sanatana Dharma; i have a Guru, and have been learning about Hinduism from articles, lectures & videos delivered by its never-ending chain of spiritual masters.

While there are differences between different Indian religions, sometimes extremely contradictory, yet there is a fundamental string that binds them in a common civilizational thread. This is the focus on “seeking” or a personal search for the Truth or the Divine; and absolutely no commandments, no infallible word of god, no set of instructions from which one cannot deviate.

Just as i have come to learn about Hinduism, i have also come to learn a fair bit about Islam, and about Christianity (albeit a little less). They both being Abrahamic religions have commonalities specifically drawing on from their monotheistic idea of the creator. Both religions have a common framework to think of God largely driven by commandments or instructions.

My goal with this dialogue is to bring out the truth, however bitter (or sweet?), it may be. For until the time we do not face the truth, there is no reconciliation possible between Hindus and Muslims, or even between Hinduism & Christianity. So long as Islam and Christianity keep on the path of proselytization and converting Hindus and other Indian Religionists to their idea of God, i am certain there will no peace between these religions that will ever be achieved. So long as Islam and Christianity do not face and accept the brutal genocide of Hindus in their respective expansionist religious ideas, i am not sure how peace between religions will ever be achieved. Until there is an understanding of the sentiment that Hindus carry for this sacred land they call ‘India’, i do not know how a a peaceful coexistence is possible.

This is my starting point. And i accept i could be all wrong about my assumptions and understanding of Islam, as well as about Hinduism. For years i have been meaning to have a sustained dialogue with a Muslim, to talk about difficult things, in an attempt to resolve our differences.

Dr. Yasir Nadeem, a Muslim cleric from Deoband, now residing in Chicago has offered to dialogue with me. You can find him at @Mufti_Yasir.

Since i am not an expert in Hinduism or other Indian religion (or Dharmic religions), like he is in Islam, i will draw on my friends and acquaintances, and probably even the reader of this dialogue to help me out with questions, answers, research and arguments as this dialogue progresses. I would invite Mufti Yasir to do the same, if he so desires.

This dialogue will get into difficult territory touching probably the most sacredly held beliefs about respective religions and civilizational values. Yet, i promise to maintain a civilized dialogue no matter how difficult it gets for me, and i hope Mufti Yasir can maintain the same civilized debate.

For… “Until there is peace between religions, there can be no peace in the world.” ~ Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, ‘Thich Nhat Hanh’