• Sajad Ahmad Padday

Islam is undeniably a universal religion. It is revealed by Allah (SWT) to all human beings and does not differentiate between men and women, between the whites and the blacks. Islam never calls for bigotry; in fact Islam allows the Muslims and non-Muslims to live together happily and peacefully in a country. Islamic doctrine provides for religious freedom (Al-Qur’ān, 2:256) and (Al-Qur’ān, 10:99). Islam has been encouraging interactions and relationships with the Non-Muslims. Nowadays, we strive for the interreligious dialogue amongst the people of different religions. This inter-religious dialogue is very important from Islamic point of view as it was also used by the earlier generations of Muslims in delivering the message of Islam with wisdom and intelligence without involving any elements of coercion and violence (Al-Qur’ān, 16:125). India is a pluralistic society having a rich diversity of cultures, religions, ethnicities, etc. The debates on pluralism and multi-culturalism are among the hottest debates of the present times due to the increasing communication and interaction between people all over the world owing to the phenomenon of globalization. Nobody can deny the fact that pluralism has become an inevitable necessity of the present times when it is impossible to live with complete indifference towards others. But to imbibe the sense of pluralism in the very lives of the citizens, some motivating and inspiring factor is required. The religion has proved to be the most powerful motivating factor throughout human history. Religious pluralism is the recognition of the multiplicity and diversity of religion as a natural or divinely willed Phenomenon. The Indian collective conscience is certainly reflective of the religious inclination. Therefore to realize the pluralistic need of the present times, an analysis of the religious perspective on the same is indispensable. The present paper seeks to look at the Islamic perspective on religious pluralism as Islam is the religion followed by the largest minority of India.

Universal religion, Inter-religious Dialogue, Diversity, Religious Pluralism, Multi-Culturalism, Globalization

"Religious Pluralism in India: An Islamic Appraisal", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 2, page no.435-443, February-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1902G59.pdf

"Religious Pluralism in India: An Islamic Appraisal", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 2, page no. pp435-443, February-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1902G59.pdf