Abstract:

Goodwill and cooperation between different faith communities are hallmarks of successful plural societies. Towards this end, strong leadership plays a crucial role to direct and guide communities towards building bridges of mutual trust and respect for others. In a world of rapid change and unpredictability, interpersonal skills as embodied by emotional intelligence is a cornerstone of robust interfaith relations. This paper highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in interfaith relations. It discusses the value of emotional intelligence as exemplified by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad through his interactions with the Christians of his time. In particular, the paper looks at Muhammad’s encounter with the Christians of Najran in 631 which makes a compelling case for true religious pluralism as advocated by Islam. The paper begins with a discussion on emotional intelligence before it outlines the historical account of Muhammad’s encounter with the Christians of Najran. It concludes with an affirmation that emotional intelligence is foundational for successful interfaith relationships to effectively bring religiously diverse people together amidst the ongoing challenges and conflicts.