Global Journal of Human-Social Science, A: Arts and Humanities, Volume 23 Issue 5

Volume XXIII Issue V Version I 15 Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 ( ) A © 2023 Global Journals A Quranic Concept with Universal Appeal: The Innate Monotheistic Disposition ( Fitra ) religion" means that divine transcendence manifests itself in such perfection that it imposes itself naturally and without violence. In this respect, the monotheistic religion is the only one that suits his nature, since it does not need to be imposed by coercion. On the other hand, polytheistic religions, which are at odds with natural reason, need to resort to this kind of practice. As a result, it is clear that polytheism breeds violence, whereas authentic monotheism can only be accompanied by peace. The immediate result of the concept of a natural monotheistic tendency is the need to abstain from all violence, especially when working in the service of true religion and true faith, which are destined to impose themselves on beings with this innate capacity. False cults, on the other hand, are contrary to human nature and are characterized by their use of violence and coercion to convince. The irenic behavior that accompanies true religion is recalled on several occasions by the attitude of Abraham, a model of monotheism. The Qur’an says that he was gentle and compassionate ( halîm ) (Q 11, 75) and that he was kindness itself (Q 9, 114), which explains why he spontaneously wanted to intercede on behalf of Lot's people (Q 11, 74), as well as for his father (Q 19, 47), until he was told that this was impossible (Q 11, 76). conference in Regensburg on 12 September 2006. Before quoting Manuel II Palaeologus on Islam's relationship with violence ( Entretiens avec un musulman , 7ème controverse, ed. Théodore Khoury, Sour ces chrétiennes no. 115, Le Cerf, Paris 1996), the Pope takes up this verse and notes: "The emperor addresses the theme of jihâd , of holy war. Surely he knew that in Sura 2, verse 256, it says: 'No compulsion in religion'. This is one of the suras from the initial period, say the specialists, when Muhammad himself had no power and was under threat. But of course the emperor was also aware of the provisions on holy war that were subsequently developed and laid down in the Qur’an. As he later clarified, he was merely paraphrasing T. Khoury, the editor of the text, who had expressed himself in the following way, in which the allusion to the abrogation of the Qur’an by the Qur’an appears even more clearly: "This verse (an expression in this case more precise than that of the Pope, who speaks of "sura". Sura 2 is in fact made up of strata from different periods) dates from the period preceding Muhammad's great struggles. Determinations relating to jihâd can be found in Sura 9: it is the expression of Muhammad's last will on the subject". Following v ari ous indignant publications and demonstrations of discontent, this position was called into question, from a scientific point of view, in "La lettre des oulémas au Pape Benoît XVI" signed by 38 imâms from all over the world, published in the book by Jean Bollack, Christian Jambet and Abdelwahab Meddeb, La conférence de Ratisbonne, enjeux et controverses , Bayard, 2007, pp. 101-116, which declared that the verse (C 2, 256) was not only unwritable, but was also addressed to Muslims in a position of power, inviting them not to use violence against those they wished to convert. On 13 October 2007 this open letter, drafted on the initiative of the Ahl al-Bayt Royal Institute for Islamic Thought in Amman, Jordan, was signed by 138 imâms. However, in the meantime, another response had sadly confirmed the position of some on this issue: the murder on 17 September 2006 of Sister Leonella Sgorbati, who worked in a pediatric hospital in Mogadishu, with local Islamic representatives telling the Reuter agency that the murder was a sign of protest against the words spoken by Benedict XVI on Islam. These traits attributed to Abraham by the Qur’an correspond to a model found in the Torah in Genesis 18, 16-33, which relates his intercession on behalf of Sodom. It is mainly developed and generalized in apocryphal literature. According to the Apocalypse of Abraham , for example, he tries to draw God's attention to the righteous, while asking God to overlook the evil committed by the unrighteous (XXVII, 5-8): "O Lord, O Mighty One, let the evil deeds of the unrighteous now pass away, but let the righteous who have fulfilled the commandments remain, for you can do this. He shares this compassionate character with many of the heroes of the apocalyptic heavenly journeys, such as Sedrash, Ezra and Baruch. The Qur'an indicates in numerous details that the wisdom of the ancient prophets and patriarchs, such as Solomon and Moses, already transcended earthly laws in favor of the rules of peace and mercy that Jesus describes as being those of the Kingdom of God. 50 On the other hand, he underlines that belonging to a religion of the Book is not a guarantee of non- violence on the part of its followers. Were they not the first to kill the messengers and prophets sent to them by God, as verses (Q 3, 21) and (Q 3, 112) indicate? In doing so, they behaved like unbelievers and polytheists. This situation reminds us that authentic and efficient monotheism in all its dimensions must be a personal acquisition, corresponding to the injunction addressed to believers to behave as hunafâ' , taking Abraham as an example, both for his faith and for the mercy that characterized him. Here we come to a final aspect of the functions of fitra , which is to s ee k the model of ideal worship in heaven. To raise one's head towards heaven is turning towards a double model. Its first aspect is the visible model of the "harmony of the spheres", which, by its very existence, pays homage to the Creator. 51 By its very existence, it pays homage to the one who conceived it and gives access to its second aspect, which is the awareness that having created such a work, the creator must, in addition to his omnipotence, be good and merciful and love peace and harmony. It is from this 50 See Matthew 18:32-35: "(32) Then he (the Master) sent for him (his servant) and said to him, 'Evil servant! I had forgiven you all this debt because you had begged me; (33) should you not, in your turn, have mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?" The Qur’an invites us to note, for example, that although Solomon had learned that the people of Sheba worshipped the sun after having been monotheists, instead of applying the law of Deuteronomy (17, 2) in such cases, namely stoning, he brought their leader to him in order to get her back to the true faith at the end of an initiation (Q 27, 38-42). 51 (Q 24, 41): "Do you not see that what is in the heavens and on earth and the flying celestial bodies ( tayr ) lined up in order ( sâfât ) celebrate the praise of God?" and (Q 67, 19) "Have they not seen the flying celestial bodies ( tayr ) above them, lined up in order (sâfât ), and soaring ( yaqbidna )? Nothing keeps them (balanced in the air) but the Merciful. He sees everything perfectly (20), Would such beings, who are an army for you, protect you without (the intervention of) the Merciful? The disbelievers are deluded".