In a speech at Keio University in Japan, the prime minister said: “Just as it is so crucial for Muslims to understand and have compassion for other religions, likewise it is imperative that Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and others have that same empathy for Islam.”
Anwar’s speech was at a ceremony to honour the late Japanese scholar, Toshihiko Izutsu, who specialised in Islamic studies and comparative religion. He is known as the first translator of the Quran into Japanese.
Anwar acknowledged that in a world where populism and right-wing ethnic or religious extremism prevailed, calls for empathy may not be the easiest approach, “particularly for politicians who want to get re-elected”, Bernama reported.
He also called for more open dialogue between people of different faiths and backgrounds to counter the growing obscurantism, bigotry and intolerance which threatened to divide societies and undermine peace.
He said a lack of empathy, coupled with other factors such as politics and ethnocentrism gave rise to Islamophobia.
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