The Rise Of Islam: CHAPTER 5 THE RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN MUSLIMS, CRISTIANS AND JEWS

CHAPTER 5 THE RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN MUSLIMS, CRISTIANS AND JEWS

The growth of Islam is also reflected in the recent growth of interfaith dialogue. These dialogues start by stating that the three monotheistic religions have a common beginning and can come together at a common point. Such dialogues have been quite successful and have engendered an important rapprochement, especially between Christians and Muslims. In the Qur'an, God informs us that Muslims invite the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) to unite on a common ground:

Say: "O People of the Book, come to a proposition that is the same for us and you-that we should worship none but God, and not associate any partners with Him, and not take one another as lords besides God." If they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims." (Qur'an, 3: 64)

The three monotheistic religions have common beliefs and the same moral values. Belief in God's Existence and Unity, angels, Prophets, the Last Day, Heaven and Hell are their basic tenets of faith. Furthermore, self-sacrifice, humility, love, tolerance, respect, mercy, honesty, avoiding wrongdoing and injustice, and acting according to conscience are all commonly accepted moral qualities. Therefore, since these three religions are on the same level, they must work together to eradicate the strife, conflict, and pain caused by irreligious ideologies. When considered from this point of view, interfaith dialogue assumes far more importance. The seminars and conferences that bring representatives of these religions together, and the messages of peace and brotherhood that come out of them, have continued regularly since the mid-1990s.
These initiatives have increased since 9/11. After these attacks, various members of the Christian clergy were among the most important advocates of Islam, saying that there is no terror or violence in Islam, and that it is a religion of peace, justice, and tolerance. The Pope, spiritual leader of Roman Catholics, and many other prominent members of the clergy said that Islam and Muslims cannot be held responsible for these attacks. Moreover, not content with this, they asked forgiveness on behalf of those people who held Muslims responsible and tried to harm Muslims.

A report entitled "Intercultural Dialogue" in Deutschland magazine gives an account of interfaith dialogue in Germany. These efforts are supported by President Rau.(above) In an article in the Telegraph entitled "The Need for Understanding and Tolerance between Islam and the West," Prince Charles stressed the importance of interfaith dialogue.The Pope often speaks about the brotherhood among religions and the importance of dialogue. The Vatican is making efforts in this regard. A report in the Detroit News, entitled "Pope urges religious tolerance," includes statements by the Pope on this matter (below).

The Qur'an's values suggest that people from every religion should live together in harmony and peace.

The Pope Asked Christians to Fast

One notable interfaith moment occurred when the Pope invited Christians to fast with Muslims on the last Friday of Ramadan. A report issued by the Vatican said:
The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has declared December 14th to be a day of fasting, a prayer, and charity throughout the world, begging for peace, as he indicated in his Angelus message of November 18, 2001: "Each of us who goes without by fasting will be taking on the disposition of the poor, especially those who suffer at present the consequences of terrorism and war."81

(Left) The whole world will hold a fast, (Right) An appeal to the world from the Pope to fast, The last Friday of Ramadan 2001, Pope John Paul II declared December 14th to be a day of fasting, prayer, and charity throughout the world.

This request was immediately put into effect, and on Friday, December 14, prominent Christian leaders visited mosques for Friday prayers and prayed with Muslims. One of these people was the Cardinal Archbishop of Detroit. In his Friday speech at one of Detroit's largest mosques, the Cardinal said:
I thank you for the gracious invitation to share these sacred hours of Ramadan with you and the congregation. I am especially pleased to be with you on this Friday, December 14, as the Catholic Church throughout the world unites itself in solidarity with Muslim believers everywhere in special prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for world peace and for the healing of all who suffer the effects of war and terrorism. . . The events of September 11 remind us that not only have technology and economy become global, but insecurities, fears, violence, injustice, and war have also become global! As the Pope has explained, what we need now is a response of what he calls "globalized charity" .… In the name of all the Catholics of metro Detroit, I offer my apologies and sympathy for any way in which members of our Church have ever offended you by remarks or attitudes of prejudice, anger, or violence.82
At services on the following Sunday, Muslims prayed for all those who had been affected by terror and war. Perhaps for the first time in history, many Christian services began with a reading from the Qur'an. In a Detroit church this prayer was said:
Let us lift our minds and hearts to God as we pray for all those who have died because of terrorism; may the Lord grant healing and peace to their families… We ask that the Lord rekindle within us hope for a new beginning as one human family. May we together receive and share God's forgiveness and mercy. To the merciful and almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, we submit ourselves in all humility and gratitude.83
Afterwards, before the reading of the Gospel, Surat al-Fatiha was recited to the congregation. This certainly was an extraordinary occasion, and a sign that a very important period has begun. This rapprochement is an important stage of the spread of religious morality throughout the world.

A Meeting in Brussels on "The Peace of God in the World"

A Joint Statement of the German Clergy

Brussels declaration: Extremists do not reflect any religion. A December 2001 meeting in Brussels, organized by Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, and the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos was attended by more than 80 members of the clergy. Participants expressed that it is absolutely essential for the three religions to work together for world peace. The final report began with this sentence: "The will of God is for the peace of heaven to reign on earth." The following words also are of interest: "We unanimously reject the assumption that religion contributes to an inevitable clash of civilizations. On the contrary we affirm the constructive and instructive role of religion in the dialogue among civilizations."1 http://www.orthodoxa.org/patriarcat/documents/BrusselsDeclaration.htm

In a meeting held in Germany's Fatih Mosque, representatives of the three religions prayed for those who lost their lives on 9/11. The message delivered was that religious morality deplores terror, and that peace can be established only when people live their lives according to religious morality.

More than 200 Religious Leaders Gathered at Assisi

A Pope Visits A Mosque For the First Time in History

(Above) An appeal from John Paul II for all religions to meet, (Middle) 12 different religious representatives pray for peace in Rome, (Below) The BBC provided general information about the meeting in a report called "Pope calls Assisi peace meeting."On the Pope's invitation, as many as 200 religious leaders gathered in the Italian city of Assisi and prayed for world peace. About 5,000 people attended. In his address, the Pope said that violence and fanaticism were alien to religion and, if the world is to have a long-lasting peace, it was necessary to foster justice and forgiveness.

(Above) The Pope went to a mosque (Middle) Yesterday for the first time a Pope went to a mosque, Pope John Paul II's visit to Syria's Umayyad Mosque in 2001 was the first papal visit to a mosque ever. (Below) On his 2001 Middle East tour, as a sign of respect, the Pope kissed the Qur'an given to him as a gift by Muslim clergyman.

Members of the Christian Clergy Turn to Islam

(Left) After 9/11 I started to read the Qur'an, Abbé Pierre, selected as France's favorite clergyman, said he began to read the Qur'an after 9/11, and that it was a wonderful book. In an interview with the French magazine Le Point, he explained: Islam has preserved the deeds and actions that strengthen religious faith and connect people with God. This is demonstrated by the simultaneous and sincere prostrations performed in God's presence by thousands of people following the month of Ramadan. In our schools they tell us about the glory and the importance of the Crusades. But later we learned how shameful these crusades were. Crusaders committed terrible crimes and sins along the way.In his article in the Telegraph, Catholic priest David McLaurin said that Islam preserves the purity and sincerity that Christianity has lost and that this is why many people are turning to it.

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The number of people converting to Islam in Texas is growing by the day

As in so many other places in the world, a report on American television shows that the number of Muslims in Texas is growing by the day. The presenter describes this development taking place in Texas: "The fact that Islam is on the rise in Texas, always regarded as the bastion of Christianity in America, is quite amazing.” One of the people whose lives are described on the program is David, who served 8 years in the U.S. Navy. David, a Muslim convert, describes how proud he is to live by the deen. Eric, another person who has converted Islam was just about to become a priest when he saw the truth and became a Muslim instead. Eric began praying in a football stadium when the time for prayer came during a match he was watching, and he says that he never misses his prayers since he became a Muslim. The number of Muslims in Texas, with its Muslim population of 400,000, increased still more after the events of September 11. Katherine is one of those Texans who became a Muslim after September 11. Well-educated and working in public relations, Katherine describes how becoming a Muslim has improved her life.

The German physician and his spouse turn to Islam

The German doctor Kai Luehr and his wife Catherine Luehr describe in a television program how they coverted to Islam from Christianity. Catherine Luehr says that before being honored with Islam her soul was empty, and that she went to church from time to time but failed to find the answers she was seeking. She goes on to say that she had never found happiness before, nor the answers to the questions in her mind, but that she enjoyed a most beneficial change after converting to Islam. Kai Luehr says that he was hugely impressed by the logical and rational nature of the answers given to him when he first became acquainted with Islam. Some 4000 people in Germany convert to Islam every year, and there has been a huge rise in the number of German converts in the last 5 years in particular. Dr. Luehr and his wife are both excellent models for these Muslims.

PHILLIPPE TROUSSIER, THE FRENCH FUTBOLL MANAGER CONVERTED TO ISLAM

On becoming a Muslim the famous French football manager Philippe Troussier took the name Omar Troussier. Troussier had visited many countries and met a great many people during the course of his life, and started becoming curious about Islam and reading the Qur’an after the events of September 11. Realizing that Islam is a religion of peace and finding the happiness he had sought throughout his life in it, Troussier explains why he took the name of Omar: “Because Omar is the symbol of justice!” The French press regarded Troussier’s conversion to Islam as a great surprise.

An interview with Mr. Adnan Oktar by Vision Plus (Albania) (April 11, 2008)

Vision Plus TV broadcasting from Albania has done an interview with Mr.Adnan Oktar. In this interview Mr.Oktar said that he has 35 books published in Albanian and 46 documentaries and gave some examples of these books which can be downloaded from internet for free; Islam Denounces Terror, The Evolution Deceit, The Disasters Darwinism Brought to Humanity, Solution: The Values of the Qur’an, The Miracles of the Qur’an, The Rise of Islam, Global Freemasonry, Only Love Can Defeat Terrorism and The Creation of the Universe.

Mr.Adnan Oktar responds to the question asked to him about the difficulties Muslims faced in times of Enver Hodja as follows: “This is something in the soul of communism, places of worship are unacceptable, religion is unacceptable. The family is unacceptable, honour is unacceptable. That is why it tries to eradicate all institutions connected with it. But Allah made them fail. Communism has been collapsed in Russia, in Albania, in Romania, in everywhere else. There is no place that communism survived. And the ones that did survive, is about to collapse at the moment. In stead of those destroyed mosques, EvvelAllah, with Allah’s leave we will construct much better ones, we are already constructing and it will continue inshaAllah.”

In regard to his opinions about the Albanians, Mr.Adnan Oktar says: “Our Albanian brothers, mashaAllah, are highly religious individuals. They have a great love for Islam. They love the Turks. In fact, I regard the Albanians as Turks; they are Turks, mashaAllah, our very dear brothers. In the very near future inshaAllah there will be a much more massive strengthening.”

You can watch the whole interview from this link.