Religious Freedom

For The Good of All

JANUARY 31, 2023, WASHINGTON, D.C

Speech of

Shaykh Abdallah bin Bayyah

President, Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace

Chairman, UAE Fatwa Council

Religious Freedom for the Good of All (January 31, 2023):

His Excellency, and my friend, Ambassador Sam Brownback – Former Ambassador for Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State

Your excellency, Ambassador David Saperstein

Your excellency, Imam Mohamed Magid,

Your excellency, head of this session, my friend, Pastor Bob Roberts,

His Beatitude Theophilos, III, Eastern Orthodox Patriach of Jerusalem

Excellencies and Eminences,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you,

Allow me to express my sincere thanks to the organizers of this conference for convening this important meeting, which is sponsored this year by the New Alliance of Virtue.

     These meetings and initiatives are well placed to realize the coalition, human fraternity, tolerance, and peace that we all seek, especially with the presence of personalities such as my friend, His Excellency Ambassador Brownback, with his wisdom, experience, and openness. In this context, we also commend the efforts of his predecessor Ambassador David Saperstein, and his successor Ambassador Rashad Hussein, who are likewise highly capable and commendable leaders.

Mr. Chairman, colleagues, distinguished audience,

The title of this session, ” Religious Freedom For The Good of All”, may stem from either the assumption that the availability of religious freedoms is in the interest of all, a hypothesis that needs to be tested and proved, or that the title is a  call to make religious freedoms legitimately for the benefit of all, and this requires a mechanism as well as a theoretical and practical framework to achieve it. In any case, I will try to address this topic by answering the following questions:

Why do we believe that protecting religious freedom is in everyone’s interest? What are the challenges to religious freedom? And how can we push for religious freedom in the world?

By answering or discussing these questions, our conference can contribute to a shared vision for advancing religious freedom worldwide.

First: Why do we believe that protecting religious freedoms is in everyone’s interest?

All religions are at risk in various parts of the world, and it is therefore in their interest to join hands and defend one another. Religious freedoms of a particular religion should enjoy the support of other religions, as each one often constitutes a majority in a certain part of the world, whilst it constitutes a minority in another. If it does not cooperate with other religions in its regions of influence, it may not cooperate in turn in areas where it forms a numerical minority. Thus, religious leaders must cooperate to ensure religious freedom for all. Globalization, which has seen the movement of goods and merchandise around the world, has witnessed a similar migration in ideas and peoples of different religions and beliefs, and thus there is hardly a land that belongs exclusively to one religion in the world today.

Nonetheless, the purpose of protecting religious freedoms should not be based on a pragmatic calculation. It must stem first and foremost from a religious belief or principle since all religions teach and, in fact, urge support for the oppressed and the protection of freedom of faith and practice. It is, in fact, one of the rights Islam grants human beings. The Holy Quran states, “There is no compulsion in religion.” (Quran 2:256).

Also, the provision of religious freedoms is not merely important but necessary to ensure coexistence and peace among human beings on earth, for “there is no peace in the world without peace between religions,” as the Swiss philosopher Hans Kung put it. Guaranteeing religious freedoms, therefore, contributes to understanding and joyful coexistence among human beings.

What are the challenges that hinder the availability of religious freedoms?

The challenges facing religious freedom stem mostly from policies that regulate societies. These may be policies that are hostile to all religions equally, whether through an ideological basis, or they may be discriminatory policies based on historical accretions and cultural memory. Factors such as poor communication, ignorance of the other who follows a different religion, fear and apprehension of religion generally, and the inappropriate practices of some religious leaders due to selfish competition or bigotry likewise intensify these challenges. Therefore, we can only deal with the obstacles to religious freedom effectively if we understand the factors affecting these policies, and we must deal with them rationally and conscientiously.

Whilst we support and advocate for religious freedom, we believe that if it is founded on the solid ground of peace and within its context, it will be truly secure and sustainable.

The freedom we call for is unconditional to the extent that it guarantees the observance of public order, social tranquility, and peace in every country.

How do we push for religious freedom in the world?

This requires continuous effort and broad-ranging cooperation between religious leaders of different faiths through increasing mutual acquaintance between their followers and enhancing cooperation and joint initiatives between them. Likewise, dialogue and open channels of communication with policymakers are needed to raise awareness of the importance and value of religious freedom.

The followers of each religion must also turn to their sacred texts to highlight teachings encouraging coexistence and tolerance, and to see their religious texts, history, and heritage in new and open interpretive contexts that allow them to discover the foundations for coexistence therein. In this regard, they must draw attention to inspirational stories and models from their history whose recital may contribute to spreading the values of goodness and peace in the hearts of their adherents.

In this context, I thank you for dedicating this session to discussing the contents of the historic 2016 Marrakech Declaration promoting religious freedom in Muslim-majority lands, which was jointly issued by the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Endowments of Morocco and adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It is a model that should be emulated by other religious leaders who are called to launch further initiatives aimed at protecting minorities in areas where they are in the majority.

Dear Participants,

The existential challenges faced by humankind increase the need to protect the religious freedoms of followers of different religions in many regions of the world.

Also, whilst we monitor from time-to-time threats to religions and religious sanctities in various regions of the world, such as the burning of the Quran in Sweden and Denmark, we fear that these bigoted trends and extremist practices will overshadow the spirit of tolerance and joyful coexistence that we call and work for. Our country, the United Arab Emirates represents a model where dozens of different religions, cultures, and races coexist, and hundreds of nationalities live in security, safety, fondness, and respect. The UAE hosted the signature of hundreds of religious leaders to the Charter of the New Alliance of Virtue and the Human Fraternity Document, and we will celebrate the opening of an office of the Alliance of Virtue here this evenings.

One of the important initiatives that should be jointly pursued by religious leaders, the United Nations, and decision-makers around the world are laws protecting places of worship from damage and desecration because they are places where God is worshiped, and His name is praised. The Quran says, “If God did not repel some people by means of others, many monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, where God’s name is much invoked, would have been destroyed. God is sure to help those who help His cause; God is all-powerful and almighty. (Quran 22:40).

The issue of religious freedom is neither Eastern nor Western, it is not specific to rich countries nor democracies, all of which have had their share of successes and failures. Rather, the discrepancy is in the pursuit of religious freedom in the most effective manner possible.

There is an urgent need to activate the Charter of the New Alliance of Virtue by religious leaders to support the oppressed.

The New Alliance of Virtue supports freedoms grounded in peace and proposes that religions cooperate with each other in place of competition and rivalry. In fact, what we seek is not unrestricted freedoms, but rather seek joyful coexistence among all. What is required of us is that we vie with one another in doing the good, not in the numbers of our followers and adherents. The freedom to insult what others consider sacred, to belittle them, abuse them, or attack them in fact goes against religious freedom. Freedom is a positive act done in the best of manners and character, so that the values of love, mercy, humility, generosity, and cooperation prevail among human beings. Let understanding replace conflict, dialogue replace aggression, and kindness and compassion replace cruelty and malice. This is the fundamental message of the New Alliance of Virtue: it is tolerance, peace, and coexistence.  

In conclusion, we hope that our joint efforts here will satisfy the need for understanding, dialogue, and the search for commonalities. May it serve as a general invitation to people of goodwill to unite to preserve the flame of hope for a better future for the great human family.