On a serene afternoon, at his lush veranda in Sydney, Professor Thomas E. Hogan hosted me with a cup of coffee. We conversed about bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Australia, eventually delving into discussions about religion.
I was intrigued by his statement: “If Jesus and Muhammad are still alive today, they must shake hands with each other, Ali.” I smiled, acknowledging his sentiments, as I knew what lay in his heart regarding religion. This was during the turbulent times in Indonesia when terrorists were making headlines.
What I want to share with you is the essence of our religious beliefs. From his expression – I called him Tom, a communication professor at various universities in Australia – he signaled that there is essentially no conflict among the prophets.
Tom even continued, jokingly saying that Muhammad had let Jesus drink his wine, while Jesus avoided pork, both smiling. In essence, both great leaders of human civilization have sown the seeds of love and compassion, not only among sentient beings (khayawanun natiq) but also towards the entire universe.
So, why should we quarrel with each other? What is still being contested? Muhammad is an uswatun hasanah (excellent example). Why not follow his example? The Bible calls for peace and harmony among human beings. Why should we harbor hatred towards each other?
