By Cyril Anderson

Part Two of Two

This is usually the end of the discussion when it comes to the discussion of Islam and religious pluralism, with two extremes of a relativist picture where all religions are equal, and of Islam being 100% exclusive with no exceptions, being resolved in a more nuanced perspective that still leans, essentially, toward the second, exclusivist  perspective. 

My idea in this article is to present a slightly different possibility that, to my knowledge, has not really seen explored in writings on Islam, at least those published in the English language.

 The idea is this: that any path of sincere monotheist devotion combined with ethical behavior can, potentially lead to salvation, but that not all paths are equally effective in this regard, and that one of these paths, the path of Islam, and particularly, the path of Islam laid out by the family of Muhammad, is the most effective and efficient and overall best path to this end, and thus, the preferable one.  The idea is this.  We are here, in the midst of our life.  Consider this, point A.  Our goal, as envisioned by the mystic tradition of virtually every religion, is to journey toward the Creator from which we came in the first place, while doing as much good as possible during the journey, a sort of returning to our source.  Call this source point B. 

 Now, in any journey from a point A to a point B, there are multiple paths between the two points that will get you from the starting point to the destination.  But this does not mean that all of these paths are equal. Some are easier, and filled with reward, some are winding and filled with hardship and toil.  But overall, when everything is taken into account, there is one path between the starting and ending points that is the overall optimal path.  This is the best path to take, and the one which, ethically, should be recommended to any traveler trying to make the same journey.  This doesn’t mean that the other choices of path are entirely invalid, or that they can’t get you to the goal, but that there is something less optimal about them. 

 This perspective depends on a different, more essentialist view of religion than is typically held.  Most people define religion as a set of external rituals.  However, the perspective I am describing depends on another view of religion, that of an organized plan of seeking a way to God.  In this way of thinking, it is the journey to God that is the end, while the rituals are a means to this end.  This perspective should not be confused with the more extreme perspective that the external rituals are meaningless; no, the rituals represent a meaningful part of the religion, and represent a practical guide to lead people toward their goal.  In this light, for example, the rituals of Islam are powerful because of their effectiveness in helping us to purify our souls so that we can draw closer to God.  The point is that the rituals are secondary and subservient to the main goal of seeking God, and are important and correct only to the extent that they serve that purpose. 

 If this perspective is correct, then if a Christian praying in his usual way, or a Jew in his usual way is able to make a connection with God and draw nearer to Him, or if a monotheist Hindu (such do exist!) is able to do the same, then that prayer is correct to the extent that it works in that regard.  This perspective could be reconciled with Islamic understandings of Islam as the True Faith by saying that although the other monotheist faiths have salvific power, that Islam is the best such faith, and represents the straightest path (siratul mustaqeem) to God. 

 That is, although it may not necessarily be the only solution to the problem of life’s journey, it is nevertheless the optimal solution, and the most in line with mankind’s nature as a Being of both mind, body, and spirit, and the one most able to bring an optimal state to human civilization as a whole.  The Qu’ran does not say, after all, that we are to ask to be guided to “The Path” (as-sirat), but rather the “straightest path.” (as-sirat al-mustaqeem)  Such a path becomes the most natural path when we remember that the physical world always operates according to optimal paths or states under certain principles, as seen for example in the natural law of physical least action, a governing principle in physics.

                                   Part One                  Part Two