Studying Islam

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[quote]Asalamu Alaykum

I agree with what you have to say, more than often we approach others with the preconceived notion that "we are right and all else is wrong", so that all discourse becomes an effort of merely proving that and nothing more. It seems to me that we move around with impenetrable fortresses around our minds, without doors, just bombardment pipelines. What then is the point of such drawing room, after dinner, coffee discussions, except to show case our own superiority of intellect and education, to highlight our grand perception and understanding to pamper our pride and pacify our souls for a good night's rest. Such discourse is like fodder, chewed and spat, nothing learned or achieved. When people develop such an attitude, progress comes to a halt, for in an exchange of ideas and knowledge lies evolution of minds and society, but when discussions are close ended even before they begin, the end is very different.

Besides arrogance, the reasons for discarding different views also lies in ignorance. If we lack in knowledge about any sphere, when presented with something new about that field, which we are not already familiar with, many times the response is in denial rather than curiosity and inquisition.

Other times, like you pointed out the reasons are psychological. Sometimes people identify the ideas they are familiar with, with their own identity of self, so that the individual consciousness shapes in relation to the social or family consciousness as people often do not consciously pick or formulate the ideas that define them. And when an opposing viewpoint comes along their communal and individual sense feels violated. Change threatens the security of the familiar and they feel inclined to stand by what they have known as true through familiarity and "elder wisdom", preserving of which then seems integral to persevering one's own identity as the latter had been derived from the former. We need to get out of the tangles of reverence of the familiar, or social beliefs, or reverence of anyone's ideology that we put up on a pedestal, rather we should evaluate all ideas irrespective of their source on basis of merit; not look to the speaker but to what is spoken.

And then there is intolerance of opposing views because people perceive them as a threat to their political or religious power sucked through mass following. So that people of opposing views whether they lie in a different sect of the same faith or in a different faith are portrayed as deviated and evil. On claims of self righteousness and piety, other people are dammed and people are divided into hostile groups each laying exclusive claim to salvation.

Before we can be fair to anyone else we need to stand before ourselves in judgment. We need to blow off the dust we have gathered along the way and fair intention and honest effort judge and evaluate our own beliefs, actions and intentions.

We need to recognize our limitations to knowledge and effort and our inherent fallibility.

And we need to inculcate the principles towards which you have already pointed. 
Thank you for your insight.[/quote]

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