At a time of increasing religious divide Mahatma Gandhi’s views on religion can provide a healing touch

For quite some time it was widely and sincerely believed that with many-sided progress particularly in education and science the divisions and suspicions based on religious differences will decease considerably and there will be significant progress towards living with mutual respect or at least tolerance of other religions. In addition with the overall decreasing influence of religion in the daily life of people, this was expected to lead to much reduced possibilities of any social discord, tensions or violence based on religion and faith.

Unfortunately these expectations have not been realized and discord and tensions based on religious divides have continued to persist not just in societies with less education but even in highly developed societies. In such a situation the ideas of those leaders and scholars who made a big impact with their ideas and work based on unity and mutual respect among people of different regions should get renewed emphasis. In this context the name of Mahatma Gandhi easily comes to mind as he had a lifelong commitment to such unity and mutual respect and worked ceaselessly for this. When there was discord and violence based on mutual violence, he was willing to risk has life for this and sometimes succeeded, as in Calcutta and Delhi in difficult pre-independence days, in stopping such violence on the basis largely of the moral strength of his fasts and other efforts. 

Mahatma Gandhi’s views on religion were refreshingly free from any bias or discrimination. He went beyond tolerance and pleaded for respect for other religions. It was a matter of faith for Gandhi that while a person can be rooted in her or his own religion, all religions can get equal respect and should get equal respect.       

         “For me the different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branches of the same majestic tree. Therefore they are equally true, though being received and interpreted through human instruments equally imperfect.” (Harijan, 30.1.37, p. 407)

          “Each religion has its own contribution to make to human evolution. I regard the great faiths of the world as so many branches of a tree, each distinct from the other though having the same source.” (Harijan, 28.1.39 p. 448)

          All prayer, in whatever language or from whatever religion it was, was prayer addressed to one and the same God and taught mankind that all belonged to one family and should bear love to one another.

          All religions enjoined worship of the one God who was all pervasive. He was present even in a droplet of water or in a tiny speck of dust.

          Various religions were like the leaves on a tree. No two leaves were alike, yet there was no antagonism between them or between the branches on which they grew. Even so, there is an underlying unity in the variety which we see in God’s creation. (Harijan, 26.5.46, p. 154)

          There is therefore absolutely no reason why anyone while remaining true to one’s own religion should not respect other religions. In fact those who are free-minded and liberal enough to learn from all scriptures (as Gandhi surely was) are the ones who benefit the most.

          “I am a believer in the truth of all the great religions of the world. There will be no lasting peace on earth unless we learn not merely to tolerate but even to respect the other faiths as our own. A reverent study of the sayings of different teachers of mankind is a step in the direction of such mutual respect. (In Search of the Supreme, Vol. III, (1962), p.10)

          “I believe in the truth of all religions of the world. And since my youth upward, it has been a humble but persistent effort on my part to understand the truth of all the religions of the world, and adopt and assimilate in my own thought, word, and deed all that I have found to be best in those religions. The faith that I profess not only permits me to do so but renders it obligatory for me to take the best from whatsoever source it may come.” (Harijan 16.2.34, p. 7)

          “India, with its ancient religions, has much to give and the bond of unity between us can best be fostered by a wholehearted sympathy and appreciation of each other’s form of religion.” (The collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi  Vol.-V, p.50)

          A Christian friend asked him. “Would you say then that your religion is a synthesis of all religions?”

          Yes, if you will. But I would call that synthesis Hinduism, and for you the synthesis will be Christianity. (Harijan 6.3.37 Page 27)

          In compatibility with his views on equality of all religions, Gandhiji said that the path of progress is to improve the understanding and practice of your own religion and not try to convert others to your own religion. “After long study and experience, I have come to the conclusion that (1) all religions are true: (2) all religions have some error in them; (3) all religions are almost as dear to me as my own Hinduism, inasmuch as all human beings should be as dear to one as one’s own close relatives. My own veneration for other faiths is the same as that for my own faith; therefore no thought of conversion is possible. The aim of the Fellowship should be to help a Hindu to become a better Hindu, a Musalman to become a better Musalman, and a Christian a better Christian.” (Selections from Gandhi, (1957), pp. 258-59)

          In Mahatma Gandhi’s religion there is enough scope for rational reasoning and social reforms. “I reject any religious doctrine that does not appeal to reason and is in conflict with morality. I tolerate unreasonable religious sentiment when it is not immoral. (Young India, 21.7.20, p. 4)

          Gandhi went one step further on social reforms when he said, “True morality consists, not in following the beaten track, but in finding out the true path for ourselves and in fearlessly following it. (Selections From Gandhi, (1957), p. 254)

          This broad-mindedness extended not just to religious matters but also to matters relating to different cultures, different value-system and world-views. Gandhi said, “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any. (Young India, 1.6.21, p. 170)

          Gandhi’s emphasis on tolerance, respect, reasoning, respect and plurality needs to be remembered in these troubling times of growing conflicts over religious issues.

Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Man over Machine, A Day in 2071 and Navjeevan.