Aga Khan Urges The West To Understand Islam’s Diversity

Ottawa: February 27 was a red letter day in the history of Canadian Parliament, as His Highness the Aga Khan, delivered a historic address to the Canadian Parliament at the invitation of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Aga Khan is the first faith leader and one of the few distinguished leaders who are not a head of state or government to address a joint session of Parliament.

Aga Khan spoke eloquently on many important issues, including the subject of pluralism and civil society. He praised Canada’s leadership in advancing pluralism in the world. He also expressed grave concern about the rise of extremism and intolerance in some parts of the world. “In fact, one harsh reality is that religious hostility and intolerance seems to be on the rise in many places – from the Central African Republic, to South Sudan, to Nigeria, to Myanmar, the Philippines and other countries – both between major religious groups – and within them,” he said.

The spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims urged the West to heed the diversity of Islam and to communicate with both Sunni and Shia opinions. “To be oblivious to this reality would be like ignoring over many centuries that there were differences between Catholics and Protestants – or trying to resolve the civil war in Northern Ireland without engaging both Christian communities,” he said.

The Aga Khan cautioned that lack of understanding of Islam’s diversity and external interventions have exacerbated religious conflict in some areas. “It has increased massively in scope and intensity recently and has been further exacerbated by external interventions. In Pakistan and Malaysia, in Iraq and Syria, in Lebanon and Bahrain, in Yemen and Somalia and Afghanistan – it is becoming a disaster,” he said.

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