Interfaith Dialogue between Muslim and Christian Scholars- Priests and Ulama In the dialogue with the Christian scholars and priests, Muslim scholar, Mr. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi briefed the recent graduates of Islamic seminaries and Ulama and Fuzala of Madrasas about the significance of interfaith dialogue and its contemporary relevance. Quoting the Qur’anic verse exhorting interreligious dialogue: “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and hold discourse with them in the finest manner” (16:125), Mr. Dehlvi said that holding interfaith dialogue is one the finest manners of presenting Islam as a spiritual, peaceful and pluralistic faith rather than a political ideology. He said that the “Letter of Pope to Muslim leaders stresses the pressing need of inter-faith relations in general and Muslim-Christian ties in particular.” He pointed out that “in the face of intense conflicts and grave atrocities perpetrated by religious extremists, the followers of the two largest religions of the world, Islam and Christianity, are in dire need of coming and bonding together to restore global peace.” “While the history witnessed the bitter reality of the Crusades, the pathetic plight of Christians in many parts of the Muslim world continues to create misconceptions about Islam in the minds of many Christians. In such an environment which actually seems to promote division, exclusivism and intolerance, Pope’s letter to the Muslim leaders came up with glad tidings to the mainstream peace-loving Muslims and Christians”, Mr Dehlvi concluded........ Popes Message Invited Both Muslims And Christians “To Build Bridges Of Peace And Promote Reconciliation Especially In Areas Where Muslims And Christians Together Suffer The Horror Of War.” Islamic Studies Association (ISA) is an interfaith-oriented organisation committed to preparing Indian Christians to reach out to their Muslim brethren. Fr. Victor Edwin SJ, a catholic Christian priest and an expert on Islam, Christian Muslim Relations and Inter-religious Dialogue (associated with Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi) is a dynamic and active member of the ISA who helped the NAI foundation organise an interfaith dialogue event. The Program initiated with a brief introduction of the Christian and Muslim guests—a number of priests and Ulema—followed by a brainstorming session among the Muslim and Christian scholars, Ulema, priests and intellectuals of both religious groups. Mr. Sultan Shahin spoke on the vital issues and concerns that matter the process of interfaith dialogue. He shed light on the harmonious teachings of Sufism in India and said that Indian Sufi saints and mystics upheld the cause of interfaith discourses with an aim to enhance the ties of people professing different faith traditions. He said that “Islam spread far and wide in India as a result of peaceful efforts of Sufi saints who taught the pluralistic, moderate and inclusive narrative of the Islamic faith. On this occasion, Fr. Victor Edwin SJ presented an Arabic version of the Pope’s Letter to Mr. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, who read it out in the Arabic accent welcoming the letter from the Pontifical Council For Interreligious Dialogue titled “Towards a Genuine Fraternity between Christians and Muslims” (نحو وحدۃ اصیلۃ بین المسلمین والمسیحیین) . Mr. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi reads out the Arabic version of the Letter of Pope The Letter of Pope to Muslim leaders started with these words: “Last year, Pope Francis personally signed the Message addressed to you on the occasion of ‘Eid ul-Fitr. On another occasion, he also called you our brothers and sisters (Angelus, 11 August 2013). We all can recognize the full significance of these words. In fact, Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters in the one human family, created by the One God”. The beautiful message in the letter reminded both Muslims and Christians of the words of Saint John Paul II to Muslim leaders (at Kaduna, Nigeria on 14 February 1982): “All of us, Christians and Muslims, live under the sun of the one merciful God, we both believe in one God who is the creator of man. We acclaim God’s sovereignty and we defend man’s dignity as God’s servant. We adore God and profess total submission to him. Thus, in a true sense, we can call one another brothers in faith in the one God.” Addressing both Muslims and Christians, The Letter of Pope to Muslim leaders reinforced the idea of universalism and shared values. It says: We are inspired by our shared values and strengthened by our sentiments of genuine fraternity …We are called to work together for the rights and dignity of each person … for those most in need: the poor, the sick, orphans, immigrants, victims of human trafficking, and those suffering from any kind of addiction.” The Message also invited both Muslims and Christians “to build bridges of peace and promote reconciliation especially in areas where Muslims and Christians together suffer the horror of war.” The Letter expressed deep concern over the ongoing global crisis. It said: “As we know, our contemporary world faces grave challenges which call for solidarity on the part of all people of good will.....Such situations give rise to a sense of vulnerability and a lack of hope for the future. Let us also not forget the problems faced by so many families which have been separated, leaving behind loved ones and often small children”. Offering a solution to the worldwide crisis, the letter said: “Let us work together, then, to build bridges of peace and promote reconciliation especially in areas where Muslims and Christians together suffer the horror of war”. It continued: “May our friendship inspires us always to cooperate in facing these many challenges with wisdom and prudence. In this way we will help to diminish tension and conflict, and advance the common good. We will also demonstrate that religions can be a source of harmony for the benefit of society as a whole”. The letter ended with a beautiful prayer: “Let us pray that reconciliation, justice, peace and development will remain uppermost among our priorities, for the welfare and good of the whole human family.” In his reflections, Fr. Victor Edwin SJ said: “We were privileged to meet Islamic scholars and Ulema recently graduated from Islamic seminaries. We keep up brotherly relationship with the Muslim Ulema and scholars. We believe the best way to shed away the prejudices about a religion is to know it correctly by way of interaction, dialogue, friendly gathering. The event was such an occasion for all, as we all would agree.” He continued: “We were received by Muslim brethren cheerfully wherever we went and whenever we interacted and held dialogue with them.” “Their gesture of hospitality put us into a comfortable zone”, said Fr. Victor Edwin SJ. Father Victor Edwin S.J. reads out the English version of the Letter of Pope On the occasion the President of New Age Islam Foundation and Editor of New Age Islam website, Mr Sultan Shahin spoke on the challenges Islam and humanity faced presently and said that Sufi Islam was the answer to the threats posed by Wahhabism and extremist groups that insist that only their interpretation of the Quran and Sunnah was right. He said that the Sufi shrines are a centre of interfaith dialogue and interaction as they draw peace loving people from all the religious communities and these are the places where people find peace and solace. Fr Tom Kunnunkal, the President of Islamic Studies Association, and former Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education and founder Chairman of National Institute of Open Schooling said: Every year such letters are especially delivered to the Muslim community leaders, Ulema, intellectuals, scholars and interfaith activists ...... Participating in the dialogue, Islamic scholar, Mr Ghulam Ghaus, said that “one should respect differences among different faiths. No one should use abusive or offensive words for any religion, as it would create more problems and make all efforts of interfaith dialogue fruitless.” He recalled his experiences of student life related to interfaith get-together and cited the instance of a historical interfaith dialogue conference named “Islam and Eastern Religions”. He said that Muslim educational institutes like Jamia Millia Islamia often hold interfaith dialogue among highly skilled scholars from different faith backgrounds. When asked whether peace-loving and Sufi-minded Muslims could withstand radical, exclusivist and extremist Muslims funded by petrodollars in order to promote peace, integrity, harmony among different faiths, Mr. Ghulam Ghaus averred: “Yes, of course, we can, if we start brainstorming and make our own Herculean efforts, rather than waiting for and being dependent upon other silent Muslims”. He reiterated that sufi-Minded Muslims can surely succeed in eliminating ideologies of hatred, terror, violence if they really get committed to it”. Among many Muslim and Christian scholars present in the dialogue were Brother Joby, student of M.A. in Christian Theology, Maulana Ahmad Raza Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Maulana Ziyaul Mustafa, Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi), Maulana Ghulam Ahmad Raza from Odisha and a number of volunteers of New Age Islam Foundation like, Mr. Arman Neyazi, Mr. Misbahul Hoda, Mr. Anjum, Mr. Huzaifa Haroon, Mr. Asit Singh and others.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 07:36:14 +0000
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