Archive for Interfaith
Common Word: “now for action”
There is an article at IslamOnline about a recent conference in the USA developing the dialogue initiative now well known as A Common Word:
Religious scholars, politicians and experts agree that a Muslim dialogue initiative for the Christian world needs action to address all the challenges still standing between the followers of the two Abrahamic faiths.
“I think what we are addressing… is how to develop out of ‘A Common Word’ a common work together and common partnership,” John Esposito, professor of International Affairs and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, told IslamOnline.net.
Esposito was among a galaxy of international religious scholars and experts participating in a two-day conference sponsored by Georgetown’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and the office of Georgetown University President.
The conference, “A Common Word Between Us and You: A Global Agenda for Change”, is a follow-up on an October 2007 letter from Muslim scholars to the world’s Christian clergy urging dialogue to declare the common ground between Islam and Christianity.
For more details of the project itself, see the official website: A Common Word Between Us and You
Esposito was among a galaxy of international religious scholars and experts participating in a two-day conference sponsored by Georgetown’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and the office of Georgetown University President.
The conference, “A Common Word Between Us and You: A Global Agenda for Change”, is a follow-up on an October 2007 letter from Muslim scholars to the world’s Christian clergy urging dialogue to declare the common ground between Islam and Christianity.
Fridays at the Synagogue
See this video about a “super-unusual” arrangement between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Northern Virginia.
I’m not certain of the juristic positions of the respective faiths on this matter, but I do recall a rabbi mentioning in an inter-faith discussion I attended that he would have no discomfort in performing his prayers in a mosque if welcomed, whereas he would not do the same in a church.
The Original Sin: Racism
Today I had the pleasure of joining a large gathering in Edinburgh to mark the official opening of this year’s Festival of Spirituality and Peace. There were speeches by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill MSP and organisers of the festival, as well as a wide variety of performances and offerings for reflection.
My contribution was to recite a passage from the Qur’an, which I chose to do in a new way, alternating between each Arabic verse and its translation in English. Qur’anic recitation is a unique art form which I promote through an organisation I founded called Quranica, and which I practise as best I can. In terms of the science of accurate recitation, I am blessed to have learned from leading experts – mainly in Egypt – and received traditional ‘ijazah’ certification by reciting to them.
Since the theme of the 2009 Festival is “The Call of Home”, I explained before commencing that I chose these particular verses for three main reasons:
- They remind us that all humans beings share a common mother and father.
- They reveal that the true Original Sin – literally the very first sin to occur in the universe – was the arrogance of Satan in supposedly being made of a nobler substance: in other words, racism. It should be noted that Satan, also known as Iblis, was never an angel but was at one time in their company, hence his inclusion in the command directed to the angels.
- They remind us of our origin, and the home we must strive to return to by worshipping Almighty God and serving Him in these earthly lives of ours.
Three Faiths Action on Usury
Jonathan Freedland today comments on an interesting turn of events in the City. Apparently there is a campaign brewing to revive usury laws, which would put a limit on the amount that can be charged by banks for lending money.
Some will say that we should save all this talk for the pulpit, that it’s all very well in the realm of moral exhortation but it has no place in the real world of hard-headed economics. But London Citizens’s Glasman has a good retort: “What the crash has revealed is that it’s the bankers who’ve been living in a fantasy world of virtual money, where money has no relation to assets and no connection to the real economy.” [...]
It is telling that the lead voices in this new effort are from mosques, inner-city churches and synagogues. The politicians have been left looking flummoxed by the financial crisis, apparently desperate for normal business to resume as soon as possible. It has been left to the Pope to offer the most comprehensive critique of our devastated economic landscape, in his latest encyclical. But those facing crippling debts will not be too bothered by that. When people are desperate, they will take leadership from wherever they can get it.
What Freedland seems to have missed in saying that “to charge too much interest is immoral” is that the Islamic texts prohibiting usury/interest do so absolutely, and do not merely put a cap on the rate. He provides a few scriptural quotes, and I do not get the impression that the Jewish and Christian position would be any less absolute, if based solely on these texts:
The Code of Hammurabi, written in Babylon 17 centuries before Jesus, barred excessive interest. The Book of Exodus is no less stringent: “If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, do not act to them as a creditor, extract no interest from them.” Luke’s gospel insists we “lend without expecting any return“, while the Qur’an instructs believers to “fear Allah, and give up what remains of your demand for usury”.
There have been interesting developments in what is termed as Islamic banking, and even “halal (permissible) mortgages”, a term that many are uncomfortable with because it seems an oxymoron to describe something inherently usurious as religiously pure. However, there are complexities in how these transactions are designed, such that something that might look like interest is in fact something different.
While it is certainly devious and immoral to merely re-label something in order to make it seem acceptable, it is the case that two things can look the same while having a different ruling, such as two beef steaks, one of which came from a correctly slaughtered animal, and the other being incorrectly prepared.
To know the rulings on such loans, we need close consultation between the financial experts and the scholars of religious law.
Solidarity in face of atrocity
Words fail me when it comes to commenting on the horrific murder in Germany of the lady dubbed as the “headscarf martyr“. All I wanted to share was this glimmer of hope in peaceful coexistence:
Jewish and Muslim communities united against Islamophobia
Stephan Kramer, the Secretary General of the German Jewish Council, has been one of only a handful of non-Muslim voices in Germany willing to describe the murder as motivated by Islamophobia. Kramer gave his solidarity to the Muslim community and alongside Aiman Mazyek, Secretary General of the Central Council of Muslims visited Elwi Ali Okaz in hospital, ‘We want to send a signal against Islamophobia’, said Stephan Kramer, adding that the ‘meagre’ reaction of the authorities to the murder was ‘absurd’. Muslim and Jewish leaders are due to meet with the Saxon prime minister and the Intercultural Council has called for a public demonstration of solidarity with the victim’s family.
With thanks to PULSE.
Salmond’s Interfaith lecture
Earlier this year, First Minister Alex Salmond delivered the keynote speech at the 20th anniversary event of the Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association, an organisation with whom I frequently have the pleasure to work. Here is the text of the speech, which set out to “admire the full diversity of faiths and cultures – the threads in the tartan that are being woven together to create a powerful, positive image of the modern Scotland.”
Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association Lecture (Alex Salmond)
You can also view pictures of the event here.
