Diversity is God-given, sultan’s consort reminds Muslims
(TMI) – God created diversity so that people from different backgrounds could interact with one another and achieved mutual respect, Tuanku Raja Zarith Sofia Sultan Idris Shah told Muslims today, amid rising racial and religious intolerance in multi-ethnic Malaysia.
The consort to the Sultan of Johor quoted two verses from the Quran – Al Maidah, verse 48 and Al Hujurat, verse 13 – which described how God had deliberately created diversity among mankind so that they may be tested as well as learn from one another.
“These verses clearly remind us that diversity is God-given. He created diversity…and this should encourage us to interact with each other and try to achieve mutual love and respect,” she told a seminar on “Extremism among the Muslims in Contemporary Times” at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) here.
Raja Zarith, who is UTM’s chancellor, noted that even the Prophet Muhammad had declared the differences in his community as being God’s will, and that he strived to achieve peace among the non-Muslim groups as well.
“In the past, learned Muslims expanded their knowledge and learning by translating important works from other civilisations,” she added.
She said that Malaysians should be proud that all major religions were represented in their country, adding that muhibbah or love was needed to maintain peace among the communities here.
“It is this spirit that helps us sustain the peace we have achieved so far, and this must be allowed to flourish so the younger generation can enjoy what we have had so far.”
