Editor's Note:  This is the second entry in a series on  “Why Muslims must engage in interfaith dialogue” . The series contains excerpts from the author's presentation at the international symsposiom on “Islam and the New Era of ASEAN Countries: Unity of Worldview towards Shared Prosperity” held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 4-5, 2013.

Self-transformation I think is the first impact of interfaith dialogue. I can recall the story of a Muslim woman, a teacher by profession, whom I interviewed when I conducted my data gathering for my M.A. paper entitled: The Contributions of Interfaith Organizations to Coexistence and their Possible Role in the Peace Process Between the Government of the Philippines (GHP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Mindanao, Philippines”. The Muslim woman admitted that she was not a religious and practicing Muslim before and did not have enough knowledge about Islam before joining the interfaith dialogue. Challenged by the various questions about Islam during the dialogue, she studied madrasah to learn more Islamic teachings. “It was a shameful experience on my part as Muslim who cannot even articulate Islam when asked about it", she exclaimed. At present, she is very confident in explaining Islam and so much involved in interfaith dialogue in her community.

On the other hand, the personal transformation experience of a University Professor in Mindanao who happens to be a Christian is also another living example of the impact of interfaith dialogue to oneself. He confessed, during interview, that he hated and did not trust Muslims. He belongs to a military family. His brothers, cousins, and relatives are majority members of the men in uniform. Based from what he heard, Muslims are traitors and can’t be trusted. In effect, while studying in college he isolated himself most of the time from Muslim classmates until he attended an interfaith dialogue summer course conducted by Silsilah. He was surprised to know that Muslims are not what he used to think of. He, too, is actively involved in dialogue until now. 

Misconception about Islam is universally happening in different parts of the globe. A priest whom I interviewed about his view on Islam especially the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) frankly told me that he has this opinion that Prophet Muhammad is a “womanizer” because of his practice of polygamy. However, he found out later while engaging in interfaith dialogue that Prophet Muhammad’s wives are not virgins except for Ai’sha (r.a.). If he is indeed a womanizer, he should have selected the virgin woman/women instead of the other way around, he said. In my personal experience too, I was once invited to give lecture on Islamic teachings and beliefs. Immediately after the lecture, one participant stood up and said: “You know, before I came to this gathering my knowledge about Islam is very limited and that limited is mostly negative. Why negative? “It is because I only saw Islam in the news about beheading, kidnapping and suicide bombing. But now, after you explained it clearly and vividly, I can say that Islam is the best religion”, he said. 

The biggest challenge to the Muslim ummah, I guess, is how to convey the message of Islam in a nice and a better way. Allah (s.w.t.) enunciated in Surah an-Nahl (16: 125): “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom, and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better.” Muslims especially the Du’at (propagators of Islam) should “walk their talk”. It is not just enough to say beautifully the teachings of Islam. In fact, if we study carefully the life history of Prophet Muhammad, he seldom talks and speaks only when necessary. Instead, he showed Islam through his wonderful actions. It goes without saying that Islam is virtually a religion of “doing rather than merely speaking”. In the book of Al-Bukhari, Abu Hurairah (r.a) reported that the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad once said: "Allah does not look at your appearances or your financial status, but He looks at your hearts and your actions." Allah, the Almighty, blatantly warns in Surah as-Saff (61: 3) when He said: “The most hateful (thing) with Allah is that you say that which you do not do.” 

NEXT: Interfaith dialogue: the Basilan experience

Alzad Sattar is Undersecretary at DepEd-ARMM, Secretary General at Basilan Ulama Supreme and Islamic Studies Professor at Basilan State College.