The Secret to Unity in a Divided World
I remember my first real argument on an internet forum.
It was the early 2000s, and online discussions were this amazing new thing. You could talk to people from anywhere about anything - philosophy, religion, politics, life. It felt like the future.
I'd grown up in a pretty insular environment. Most people around me shared similar backgrounds and beliefs. So when the internet opened up this whole world of different perspectives, I was genuinely excited.
I jumped into these forums with enthusiasm, ready to share what I believed and learn from others. I imagined thoughtful exchanges where we'd all grow together.
Then it hit me hard.
Suddenly I was encountering people whose entire worldview seemed foreign to me, some deeply religious but from traditions I'd never encountered, others who rejected faith completely, and many who understood reality in ways I couldn't even comprehend.
And that really bothered me because they didn't agree with me.
What made it worse was that many of them had thoughtful, well-reasoned arguments for their beliefs. I felt my own certainty crumbling, and it was deeply unsettling.
What I went through in those early forums - that discomfort, that sense of threat when encountering different worldviews is something many of us are experiencing, but on a much larger scale.
Today, we're living in a world where people disagree more than ever. We see sharp divisions everywhere - politics, religion, culture, way of life.
Why is this happening?
I think part of it comes down to how we process information in the modern world. We're overwhelmed by the sheer volume, so we naturally gravitate toward what grabs our attention - the sensational, the alarming, the stuff that confirms what we already believe.
When our opinions become part of our identity, any challenge to them feels like a threat to who we are.
So what do we do?
One tempting response is to wish away all the disagreement - to long for a world where everyone sees things the same way.
But that can't be right. Diversity of opinions is natural.
God created the world diverse. Just look around. Plant life, animal life, seasons, colors, people - everything is rich in diversity. Different opinions are healthy, and can open our minds to ways of looking that we didn’t consider before.
"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you." - Quran 49:13
So here's the real question: If we want to accept diversity of thought, knowing this will create strong opinions and maybe even divisions between friends and family members, how do we deal with it?
How can we have meaningful relationships while accepting diversity of thought? How do we maintain friendship, family bonds, and community connections when people see the world so differently?
The Answer I Keep Coming Back To
My mind always comes down to one thing: humility.
Not fake humility where you think low of others but pretend to be humble. I'm talking about the kind of humility that naturally comes from understanding how we have different perspectives. Whenever we disagree, there are usually different viewpoints of the situation. Everyone is looking from their particular vantage point.
It's only when we understand this that we can start having real humility - knowing there are things we don't know, and things we don't know that we don't know.
This reminds me of a famous story that Rumi wrote a poem about.
The more humble and curious we are, the more perspectives we can see. And the closer we get to reality.
This doesn't mean we don't have convictions. There are things we may feel strongly about. But the question is: how are we holding those beliefs?
Do we hold our convictions with arrogance or humility?
Do we force them on others or live them authentically?
Do we dismiss people who disagree or maintain respect for their journey?
I can be completely convinced something is true while still understanding why someone else might see it differently. The humility isn't about always doubting what I believe - it's about recognizing that someone else's path to understanding might look different from mine.
When Relationships Get Strained
When I find myself in disagreements and relationships are getting strained, I remind myself that humility is the answer.
It helps me get curious about different perspectives so I can understand better. With understanding, with being able to see things from multiple viewpoints and understand people's backgrounds, we get closer to truth.
There's something beautiful that happens when I hold my beliefs more lightly. Instead of feeling chained to defend my identity, I feel free. Free to be curious. Free to learn. Free to maintain relationships with people who see the world differently.
This is the work of our time. In an age of information explosion, we need to bridge understanding between people and communities.
It starts with humility - admitting we might not have the complete picture. With curiosity to ask: what am I not seeing? What experiences shaped their perspective?
I believe we can do better than the endless cycles of division we see today. Not by pretending our differences don't matter, but by approaching them with the kind of humility that opens doors of understanding.
One conversation, one relationship, one moment of curiosity at a time.
