Page 6 - Pakistan Link - October 19, 2018

P6 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 19, 2018 OPINION
n By Dr Shahid Athar The Need for Interfaith Dialogue
Indiana, US End of the letter
Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, has a
efore the tragedy of 9/11, conserva- to Foster Understanding unique high place in Islam. Chapter 19 of the
tive American Muslims were op- Qur’an is devoted to the miraculous birth of
Bposed to interfaith dialogue out of Jesus and ends with the mention of the first
ignorance and thought of it as compromis- miracle of Jesus when he spoke as a baby
ing their faith. Thus in 1984 from his cradle: “Peace is upon me, the day
when I with Imam Ihsan I was born, the day I die and the day I will be
Bagby, Rabbi John Stein and raised alive”. We also believe in many other
Rev. Jerry Zehr started the miracles of Jesus, to include healing the blind
Interfaith Alliance in Indi- and the leper, making bird out of clay and
ana, they hesitated to partici- reviving the dead, all signs given to him by
pate in it. After 2001, the per- God to establish him as a divine prophet. We
ception of interfaith initiatives changed. Muslims are waiting for Jesus to come back
Most of the mosques realized their need and not Moses or Mohammad.
and interfaith committees were formed. Sev- There are many misconceptions about
eral other interfaith organizations emerged. Islam. Twenty-five of them are addressed in
We held the first interfaith iftar (breaking fast my booklet.
at the end of the day in Ramadan) at ISNA Five misconceptions are discussed here:
mosque in Plainfield in 1992. Now it has be- a. Shariah laws: It is the Islamic legal and
come an annual tradition in White House, moral code covering all aspects of a Muslim’s
State Department, Pentagon, and is hosted life including prayer and fasting not just
by State Governors and city mayors. criminal justice.
Why dialogue with others? b. Blasphemy: No injunction in Qur’an
Interfaith movement is a window to to kill someone who does this wrongful act.
share one’s faith and other’s holidays. The Prophet Mohammad did not order killing of
Holy Qur’an encourages interfaith dialogue anyone who opposed, insulted or tortured
- “Invite all to the way of your Lord with wis- gaged in dialogue. It was a Christian priest Monastery in Mt.Sinai, to assure them of the him or his followers. Most of the battles he
dom and beautiful preaching; and engage Waraqah, cousin of Khadija (Prophet Mo- rights of Christian minority. participated were defensive and took place
with them in ways that are best and most hammad’s first and only wife for 25 years) a. This is a letter from Mohammad ibn when Muslims were attacked by unbelievers.
gracious” (16:125) who first testified that Prophet Mohammad Abdallah, as a covenant to those who adopt c. Treatment of women: Men and wom-
Why with People of the Book (Jews and had divine revelation. It was a Christian king Christianity. We are with them, they are my en are equal in all acts of piety (Qur’an 33:35)
Christians)? Najashi of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) who gave citizens, we will defend them. and they get same punishment for a particu-
“ Say (O Mohammad): O people of the asylum to 80 Muslims who migrated from b. No compulsion is to be on them. lar crime. Their oppression was owing to the
book, come to a common understanding be- Mecca because of prosecution by pagan Ar- c. Neither their judges to be removed pre-Islamic culture which Islam opposed and
tween us and you, that we shall worship no abs. from their jobs nor their monks from their librated them. Their confinement to home
one except One God that we shall take no On March 22, 2013, Pope Francis urged monasteries. started with the colonization of Muslim
partners with Him and none of us shall take Catholics to dialogue with Islam and said d. No one is to destroy their house of lands, a culture which was later continued by
others for Lord beside One God” ( Qur’an “the role of religion is central to peace. We worship, or to damage it, or to take anything Muslim kings and tribal leaders.
3:64) should engage in service to the poor and not from it to a Muslim’s house. d. The sanctity of human life: “If anyone
Why with Christians? in mutual rivalry”. I agree and thank him for e. No one is to force them to fight (for has killed one person, it is like he has killed
“ Nearest in love Muslims will find those this statement. Muslims). Muslims are to fight for them. whole mankind” (5:32). There is no place
who call themselves Christians, as among When a delegation of Christians from f. If a Christian woman is married to a for terrorism in any faith. Condemning ter-
them are those who are dedicated to learn- the Roman Empire visited Prophet Moham- Muslim man, it should not take place with- rorism is not enough. We should deal with
ing, those who have renounced materialism mad, he invited its members to stay in his out her approval. She is not to be prevented the terrorists according to the law once we
and those who are not arrogant” (Qur’an mosque and allowed them to pray in their from attending her church to pray. identify them, do not negotiate with them,
5:82) Christian ways. In 628 AD he granted a char- g. No one from my nation is to disobey dialogue with all to dissuade them but never
Thus, Muslims and Christians have en- ter of privilege to the monks of St. Catherine this covenant till Last Day. INTERFAITH, P9

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