Identification and Seeking Solutions to Race and Religion Based Cultural and Social Problems for Sustainable Peace and Social Development

Abstract

Today’s society is facing great challenges regarding social development and religious harmony. Religion and race, both serve as not only pivotal centers to many ideologies, norms and values but can also be key factors to the rise of divisive social unrest and conflicts between individuals, institutions and nations that run deep down the society to affect each chore of communal life. Thus, problems originating from religious and racial spheres pose a direct imminence to social harmony and progress. Religious intolerance can cause serious issues including hatred, intimidation, harassment, prejudice, discrimination, and violence . Consequently, extremism and sectarianism jeopardize the peace and often lead to bloodshed and terrorism.  Prejudice and overt biasness including stereotyping and racial profiling along with the subtle forms of racial discrimination present a direct threat to the social and cultural structures of society. Islam being a complete code of life, accepts the diversity with all its realities and procures desired set of applied rules and laws blooming from Islamic jurisprudence in the light of Quran and Hadith.  Sufism and mysticism, with never changing principles of preaching love, humanity and peace tends to find the feasible and preferably non-violent answers to eradicate the abovementioned volatile issues for the achievement of long lasting and sustainable social growth and peace.

It is, therefore, direly needed to examine and identify the challenges along with their root causes to analyze the intensity of their impact on various levels. This study aims to explore the problems, their causes, and solutions in the light of Holy Qura’an, Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), aided with the evidence and arguments from Islamic jurisprudence as well as the examples of famous pious predecessors whose contribution and attempts to develop and maintain peace and harmony over the centuries can never be denied. The study will hopefully assist in formulating the basic principles destined to create an atmosphere of mutual – respect, love, and harmony, making this world safer and a better place to live for all including the generations to come irrespective of faith, race, ethnicity, language, gender, and culture. Detailed study and descriptive analysis are undertaken for locating the solutions of challenges sprouting from religious and racial arena.