Ahiṃsā and Salām: Comparative Perspectives on Nonviolence in Jainism and Islamand the Potential for Contemporary Dialogue

In a global landscape increasingly defined by religio-political conflict, religious traditions are often depicted through monolithic and stereotypical lenses. This is particularly evident in a prevalent Western academic and popular discourse that frequently frames certain Indic traditions, such as Jainism, as inherently pacifist while portraying Islam as intrinsically violent (Cort, 2011; Abu-Nimer, 2003). Such generalizations not only obscure the rich internal diversity and ethical complexity of these faiths but also hinder the potential for meaningful interfaith understanding. This article seeks to challenge this binary by examining a crucial counter-narrative emerging from within the Indian subcontinent itself: the work of contemporary Indian Muslim scholars who are actively re-articulating Islamic ethics in conversation with Indic philosophical concepts. Using the writings of Mehboob Desai and Dr. Nizamuddin as central case studies, this article argues that a nuanced reading of Islamic texts reveals a robust tradition of nonviolence ( amn-o-āshātī ) that shares significant philosophical ground with Jain ahiṃsā . This shared ground, centered on the ethics of intention, universal compassion, and the pursuit of justice, provides a fertile basis for substantive interfaith dialogue and offers a powerful framework for nonviolent resistance to oppression for modern communities.