In the name of the Most Merciful Creator

A Dialogue between two friends

 

Ist Friend Friend, look, the social structure that is going to be implemented, if it is materialized, peace will surely be established in the country. As because, in the principle of secularism the Hindu-Muslim-Buddhist-Christians all are brethren. We shall have no dissension which is the main cause of the disquiet. As a result, we shall be able to devote ourselves unitedly in the making of a good civil society.

 
2nd Friend Friend, to  my mind, it will be a long delayed process for its implementation. Besides this, equality and fraternity which we want to establish, I can see one obstacle to it. For, we want everyone of us, forgetting religious differences, shall carry out our work mixing with one another as brothers. We also want that special features of every religion should also be maintained. Now, you think, special features of every religion are the main obstacles of equality and unity. Take, for example, Hindu, Muslim and Christian-three persons of three religions are working together in an office. But at lunch the three persons have to go to three different hotels. Then one friend loses the company of other two friends. And if the three persons go to one hotel, two of the three friends lose their own religious characteristics. Again, at the time of worshipping also the three friends go to three worshipping places and there also one friend loses the company of other two friends. And again, if the three persons go to the one same worshipping place, the two of the three friends lose their own religious characteristics. For matrimonial purpose also the three have to search out bridegroom and bride in three different communities. After death also the three shall have to go to three different places; for a Hindu or a Muslim will not agree to go to the graveyard of the Christians. A Christian or a Hindu will not agree to go to the graveyard of the Muslims. Likewise, a Muslim or a Christians will never agree to go to the cremation-ground of the Hindus. Although the three are brothers one another,  but after death the three cannot go to one place. If we three go to one place, then we shall have to give up our religious characteristics. Hence, it cannot justly be called fraternity and equality in true sense.

 
Ist Friend Friend, do you want that there shall be no religion in the country or the society be developed devoid of religion? Or do you want that there should not develop any new social system in the country?

 
2nd Friend Friend, look, don’t be angry. For, in the meeting of discussions, the truth comes out through argument and counter argument. So, it is unscrupulous to be angry on any point of discussions. Friend, deeply think over what I mean to say. My topic is that we should maintain the religion. For, religion is not a man-made thing that it can be easily given up. Religion is the Creator’s orders and proscriptions. Those who comply with the orders and proscriptions of the Creator are virtuous. And those who do not comply with the orders and proscriptions of the Creator are impious. Therefore, who is there so overbold that he will live in the kingdom of the Creator, but he will reject His orders and proscriptions i.e. His religion? My topic about society is: any thoughtful intelligent person can understand that a good social structure is a necessity for his living in the world. Otherwise, he will have to be deprived of many fundamental needs. A good social structure is so strong a basis on which a palace-like powerful state can be developed. Friend, keep it in mind that just as a beautiful and strong palace can be developed basing on the sound footing only, likewise a beautiful and powerful state can develop depending on the beautiful social structure only. But a society cannot develop on the basis of a state. Friend, our country has not yet developed as an ideal state. It is still floating in the planning of the planners. Hence, if we like to develop our country into an ideal welfare state, we shall have to develop such a society the foundation of which will be based on good counsels and research of many thoughtful intelligent persons. In fact, our society should be developed on a rational scientific principle to which none of us, a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian will have any objection. Friend, mind it that a state depends on a social structure; otherwise, it will be the patron of an autocratic dictator. Likewise, a good social system depends on a true religion; otherwise, a social system devoid of religion will be the source of unruly unrestricted disorderly lawless space.

 
Ist Friend Friend, I have come to understand that you want a social system be developed on the basis of one true religion only. If it so happens, then what would be the condition of other religions and their followers? Will they not be cast aside from our social system?

 
2nd Friend Friend, look, I do not like to keep anybody out: but I want just solution of the problem. Look, Friend, you claim that you are a Christian, I claim that I am a Hindu and He claims that he is a Muslim. But how all these claims be right? We all three belong to one human race. We all are born in one system. Everyone of us has five sense-organs and feeling of senses of everyone of us is the same. For our livelihood food, clothing and house are necessary. All our needs are being met with the same kind of ingredients. It is clearly understood that in the process of creation we all are of one race and our Creator is one only and He is not more. And the orders and proscriptions are His religion and nothing else is religion. When the Creator is one, then His order-proscription i.e. the religion shall be one only it cannot be more than one.

 
Ist Friend Friend, since long time we the different communities have been following different religions. We cannot understand how shall we be following one religion giving up our all ancestral religions?

 
2nd Friend Friend, hold up discussion about the old period for the time being. The present is the scientific age. Time has come for determining everything in the light of reasoning. Well, Friend, tell me, why do you worship?  Isn’t it for attaining pleasure of the Creator? The order giver is pleased with him who obeys his order. It is an axiomatic truth. O friend! Whatever community we may belong to and whatsoever rich or poor, lettered or unlettered, king or peasant we may be, we all are powerless. For, nobody has any power of loss and profit in his own hand. All of our good and evil are within the power of His Hand Who has created the vast universe. He is the Owner of everyone of us. Then, what should be our relationship with the Owner? Take for example, in a family there are one father and three sons. In this family all the sons have profound respect and obedience for their father, but the brothers themselves quarrel one another. In this condition the father cannot remain pleased with anybody. Therefore, if we want to keep our Creator actually pleased with us and if we want to have our happiness and peace from Him we shall have to take one another as brother, without begetting any hatred against one another, we shall have to live in one and the same social system and we all shall have to abide by the same ethics. If one and the same ethics is followed, we all shall be the members of one nation and our racial or religious differences will come to an end. Then differences in our principles or disunity will not ever remain there.

 
Ist Friend Friend, I have come to understand from your long dialogue that you want to develop only one social system by making all the human beings of all races the followers of only one religion. Then we all the three brothers will be able to work together in the same offices, courts, likewise the three brothers then will be able to worship in one place of worshipping. At the time of eating also the three brothers will be able to eat in one hotel and within the families of the three brothers, matrimonial affairs of their sons and daughters will be possible and after death also the three brothers will be able to go to the same place. This is an excellent system. For, full-fledged unity, perfect equality and real fraternity will exist in it, but to me it seems impossible. For, if we try to bring all human beings into one faith, the Hindus, the Muslims and the Christians-the two of these three will have to be banished. I am a follower of Christianity, I believe in the Christianity as true religion. In this condition, why should I be giving up my Christian religion? And you, will you be ready to give up your Hindu religion? Or any Muslim be ready to give up his own religion?

 
2nd Friend O Friend, please pay heed to one thing, that whatsoever great is the problem, the easier is its solution – this is what we have experienced so far. However, I am showing you an easy way for its implementation. As an independent citizen of the country, everyone of us has the right to express his opinion. What opinion would be acceptable that would depend on the verdict of the general public. In this matter I would like give below my opinion :

It is necessary to have a comparative study of all the religions of the world. It is better not to follow any religion than to following without having any study of the religions. In my opinion, after study only one relegion would be found out true. And the remaining religions would be proved false. The general public then would justly be able to accept the true religion giving up the false one.

 
Ist Friend O Friend! Who will be the man to judge between the religions? Follower of every religion would abide by what his religious teacher would be giving. Who has the authority to judge between them?

 
2nd Friend O Friend! Dark age has passed away. Age for science and reason has appeared. The religion also should be placed before the public in the light of reasoning. For this what we shall have to do is this:  The governments of all the independent countries in assistance with the general public to make arrangements for a general meeting and to convene there the important religious preachers of every religion. And to request the intelligentsia, the law practitioners, the politicians and the intelligent thinkers of the society to remain present in that meeting. Then to place before every religious teachers of all religions i.e. the priests, moulvis, etc. to ask them the following questions:

(i) What is true religion and what is called true religion?
(ii) In what procedure the true religion descends on earth?
(iii) How long the true religion remains acceptable and exists in pure condition?

 
  My firm belief, in the course of discussions of the above three questions the matter about true religion and false religion would come into light and the general public would be able to understand this.

 
Ist Friend Friend, your advice seems to be reasonable, but  from which religion the examiner  would be nominated?

 
2nd Friend O Friend, the examiner would be such an impartial person who would have no inclination to any religion or any community. But even, about religion his basic knowledge would be final and decisive. O Friend, let it be known, basic knowledge of religion or scholarship is four as follows:-

(i) Knowledge in respect of the very Entity of the Creator and His Attributes.
(ii) Knowledge about body and soul.
(iii) Knowledge about fate and means.
(iv) Knowledge about the reality of the present world and the world in the Hereafter.

Without having any knowledge of the above four subjects, the man who pretends to be a religious teacher, he would be called a fanatic or a bigot.

 
Ist Friend Friend, who is that person conversant with such knowledge and where shall we get him?

 
2nd Friend Look, Friend, if you could have faith in me, I tell you, you arrange that meeting, you will not require to search for the man. If it is necessary, the Owner Who is the Lord of you and mine, will meet up our necessity. For He is all-in-all over all things.