Understanding Peoples, Civilizations

I was invited a few days ago to talk about the issue of tolerance at the annual meeting of the Union. It proceeds from the convergence  points rather than differences the framework of commitment to objectivity and neutrality when dealing with the other in all respects, and the absolute departure from changing the facts in a way that distorts or offends others.

This is a wise choice, a path for the wise and a common human responsibility borne especially by the decision-makers and intellectual, cultural and media elites of the world at large, for collective participation in the building of present and future peace.

Cultural and religious persity in human societies does not justify conflict and clash, but requires the establishment of a positive civilizational partnership and effective communication that makes persity a bridge for dialogue, understanding and cooperation for the benefit of all .

States that adopt the ideology and behavior of the issue of tolerance have a soft power above them.  As international observers know, an important reference book published in the late 1980's, by Harvard University professor, Marshal Joseph Nye, entitled "Soft Power: The Meaning of Success in International Politics".

He stressed the advantages of diplomacy and the soft power that comes from its cultural, political and other attractiveness, which can achieve many things- economic, political and even cultural goals and aspirations.

Soft power is the ability to influence others so that what you want is what they want, and your values, culture, principles and way of life become the model they want to follow.

The spread of fast food stores and McDonald's worldwide and people around the world attach to American jeans is a soft power.

The reputation of some northern European countries as the least corrupt countries in the world is a soft power.  Known precision about Swiss society is a soft power.

The Italian city  "Florence" as the capital of painting, art and architecture is a soft power, also Paris's cultural power of museums, artists and monuments is a soft power;  It is a constructive global dialogue based on rooting out the hatred causes .

On other hand, clashes and conflicts cause tragedies at the level of inpiduals and peoples, and sow hatred and aversion among human beings, and the best alternative to prevent them is prudence, dialogue, understanding and peaceful coexistence and respect for the rights of others and privacy.

Islam is a religion of peace that recognizes and respects all pine religions and recognizes all prophets and apostles.  Islamic civilization is part of human civilization, based on moderation and peaceful coexistence.

The theories such as; those of the "clash of civilizations" and "war of cultures" are wrong and tendentious rhetoric based on the imprisonment of inpiduals and groups in their cultural and civilizational identities and identities. It is inconceivable that a civilization can develop in isolation from the components of other civilizations and cultures.

If civilizational values ​​and common human norms are the building blocks of any fruitful and effective dialogue, then the common religious values ​​between Islam and other heavenly religions can open the way to response and acquaintance, and in common cultural values ​​allow them to live in harmony. It also establishes the Quranic text acquaintance and coexistence in the human meeting formula, based on security, tolerance and civil peace in several verses.

If we wonder about the methodological origins of the jurisprudence of acquaintance inspired by the Qur'an, and the foundations of the culture of coexistence with the other, we find that this verse, which is the basis in the jurisprudence of acquaintance, emphasizes the reality of national, ethnic and geographic specificities of humanity; because they represent the reality of human existence that cannot be eliminated.

Contributed by Ahmed Yasser