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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.8, No.1

Publication Date: January 25, 2021

DOI:10.14738/assrj.81.9664.

Huq, F., Islam, A., & Khatum, K. A. (2021).The Strategies and Practices of Sheikh Azizur Rahman Nesarabadi in the Pursuit of Unity

in Diversity and Harmony: The Global Viewpoint. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 520-538.

The Strategies and Practices of Sheikh Azizur Rahman Nesarabadi in

the Pursuit of Unity in Diversity and Harmony: The Global Viewpoint

Fayzul Huq

Post Doctorate Fellow, Department of History & Civilization,

International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Arshad Islam

Associate Professor, Department of History & Civilization,

International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Kazi Afifa Khatun

PhD. Candidate, Department of Education,

International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

ABSTRACT

The Muslims of Bangladesh are separated into diverse religious,

political, and social groups. Several scholars tried to unite

Muslims. One of the most significant Islamic intellectuals of

Bangladesh, Sheikh Azizur Rahman Nesarabadi, proposed a

paradigm of religious harmony to unite the Bangladeshi people

and global nations. According to him, religious harmony with the

doctrine of Ittihad Ma’al al-Ikhtelaf (Unity in Diversity) is the

only key answer to the current disunity at the national,

international, and global levels. This study examines his concept

and his role in the society and politics of Bangladesh by textual

analysis of primary and secondary data. After analyzing religious

harmony itself, we deliver a brief biography of Sheikh Azizur

Rahman, presenting his contribution to both Sharia and Sufi

education, and their effects on his vision. The study then

emphasizes his thoughts on four steps of religious harmony and

analyses in light of current social realities in Bangladesh and the

Muslim world. This paper concludes that Sheikh Nesarabadi’s

thought and theory on religious harmony depend upon three

foundations: common good interest, moderation, mutual respect,

and the Tawhidic model. These contain the structure for

religious harmony of Muslim unity whose implementation by

Muslims can achieve the command of Allah to empower the

Ummah to continue a leading role in the world as a Khalifah of

Allah SWT almighty.

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URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.81.9664. 521

Huq, F., Islam, A., & Khatum, K. A. (2021).The Strategies and Practices of Sheikh Azizur Rahman Nesarabadi in the Pursuit of Unity in Diversity and

Harmony: The Global Viewpoint. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 520-538.

Keywords: Sheikh Azizur Rahman Nesarabadi, Unity and Diversity,

Harmony, Muslims, Bangladesh, Sharia, Sufi,

INTRODUCTION

“Unity in diversity” is a linguistic combination of two antonyms (Amin and Khan 2019): unites

(“unity, oneness”) and varietas (“variety, variousness”). It is an idea of “unity without uniformity

and diversity without fragmentation”, that transfers focus from unity based on a simple tolerance

of political, religious, linguistic, social, physical, ideological, cultural, and psychological differences,

to a more complex unity grounded on an understanding that diversity improves human

interactions. The primordial philosophical ideas that underpin this concept date back to early

Western and Eastern philosophies, including Taoism c. 400-500 B.C. In pre-modern Western

society, it has been in an imbedded form in certain organic ideas of the cosmos established in the

nations of early Greece and Rome.

“Unity in diversity” has practical implications in many fields, including politics, religion,

cosmology, philosophy, and ecology (Keller and Ortega-Aponte 2015). It is used as a common

motto or slogan by diverse political parties and religions as an expression of harmony and unity

between different persons or societies. It posits that diversity has its own goals for humankind

relating to dissimilar things, ways, thoughts, and experiences, which create verve in lived

experience, avoiding monotonous ways of thinking and living, and repetitive expressions and

approaches.

Harmony is vital in confirming solidarity and unity among different-religious believers. Living in a

harmonious and peaceful atmosphere is essential when the society comprises varied religious

supporters (Zulkefli, Endut et al. 2018). In other words, religious life in a country is connected to

four kinds of activities (Kharlie and Kubis 2020): understanding, appreciation, service, and

practice of religious teachings. The role of religious organizations is in cultivating the

understanding and appreciation of religious communities and their appreciation and

manifestation of their religious ideals. Religion seeks to imbue life with moral, ethical, and divine

meanings for humanity, communities, and nations. Religious education seeks to foster and

inculcate related values, via religious institutes and government. The government role relates to

guidelines, assistance, and security, in order to progress the excellence of religious harmony for all

modules of the nation. Fayzul (2019) explained that religious harmony by unity in diversity

determines the state of “inseparableness”, which establishes togetherness among fundamentally

different ingredients in diversity. Huq (2019) noted that religious harmony, by unity in diversity,

is an idea theorizing that all ethnic, national, religious, community, and individual differences are

not the central reasons of conflict; rather these differences redirect the affinity and productivity of

the combined cultures that embrace a community, from the local to international stages.

According to Islam, unity is a relationship essential for the establishment of ties amongst

believers, who trust in the oneness of Allah, in the messenger of Muhammad (peace be upon him)

and in the Quran. The Quran undoubtedly declares that all of mankind are equal on some grounds.

Firstly, all human beings are the servants of Allah, as in Surah Fussilat (41:53), where Allah says:

“We will show them our signs in the horizons and within themselves”. Allama Ibn Kathir,

interpreting this verse, states that “within themselves” means what the mankind is made of, what

is inside and outside of them, and it may also refer to their bodily reality. As the utmost signs of

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.8, Issue 1, January-2021

Allah, humans are to be united in one object as His servants, worshipping Him alone, and humans

are created in the unity of humanity, from a single pair, as the Holy Quran (4:1) enjoins: “O

mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and

dispersed from both of them many men and women”. This verse evidently shows that the source

of the human being is one man and woman (i.e. one soul), separated into the panoply of human

types and societies exhibiting in their inherent diversity their fundamental unity as members of

the same species – the union of mankind.

The Quran clearly describes diversity as a beautiful blessing from Allah (SWT) (Ali 2006): “O

mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations

and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most

honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full

knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)” (49:13).

Nursi (2017) (p.115, Khutb-e-Shamela, Dhaka: Liberty Publication), noted that religious harmony

with unity in diversity is also a political point promoting freedom of multicultural society. Neo

(2019) considered that states have accountability for ensuring, objectively and neutrally, the

application of numerous religions, beliefs, and trusts. Their role is to support maintain religious

harmony, community order, and tolerance in a democratic culture, mainly between opposing

parties. Islam (2020) noted that religious harmony in diversity is a fact of natural settings

according to the Islamic paradigm, and Robby (2020) viewed the crisis of harmony among

Muslims today as a major problem attributable to the absence of harmony, causing the various

difficulties faced by the worldwide Muslim community. Notwithstanding, Quranic commands,

Prophetic narrations, and memorable Islamic civilizations that highlighted unity among believers,

Muslims of the current day fail to integrate and develop the very idea of religious harmony and

unity.

Bangladesh is a microcosm of the broader division of the Ummah, with Muslims in the country

being divided and separated (Mahmudur Rahman 2019), (p. 35-351, Newcastle:

Cambridge Scholars Publishing). Even Islamist political groups, which should be the icon of Muslim

harmony, cannot avoid this separation. Many Ulama are worried with unimportant sectarian

differences and are failing to help the society and to deliver much needed divine support and

leadership. The divergence among Bangladeshis makes a bad image of the nation and the Ummah,

and is vitally damaging to religious harmony and social diversity and the life of the people of South

Asia. Sheikh Azizur Rahman Nesarabadi was a revolutionary symbol who developed an inclusive

philosophy of revitalization and transformation by uniting the Muslims in Bangladesh (Huq 2019).

According to him, Unity in Diversity and religious harmony with Ittihad mal Ikhtelaf is the suitable

method to deal with this matter. This paper investigates his thoughts on Unity in Diversity in

Bangladesh by textual analysis process to examine primary and secondary sources. The next

section presents a short biography of Sheikh Azizur Rahman.

LIFE AND EDUCATION

Sheikh Muhammad Azizur Rahman Nesarabadi was born in to a renowned and devout traditional

Muslim family in Jhalokathi, Barisal. His father, Maulavi Mofizur Rahman, was a famous preacher

and a passionate follower of Pir Badshah Mian, who was directly guaranteed and chosen by Haji

Shariatullah. Rofikullah states that he was a colleague and contemporary of Munshin Meherullah