Christian and Muslim common ground

In mid-October, 138 Muslim religious, political and scholars leaders issued an open letter entitled 'A common word between us and you' aimed at improving relations between Christians and Muslims.

The letter was issued on October 13, 2007, on the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr al-Mubarak of the current Islamic year, 1428 AH, and on the anniversary of another open letter that 38 Muslim scholars had previously sent to Pope Benedict XVI.

A copy of the open letter was sent to the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lutheran and Methodist Churches, the Baptists, and the Patriarchs of the Orthodox Churches. It was an important event in the inter-religious dialogue.

'A common word between us and you' starts with an uncontroversial and conciliatory statement:

"Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world's population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.

"The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths; love of the One God, and love of our neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity."

The 138 Muslim leaders conclude their letter with this appeal:

"So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works. Let us respect each other, be fair, just and kind to another and live in sincere peace, harmony and mutual good will."

Commenting on this historical letter, Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, considered it as interesting, and a new document from the Muslims, the Shiites and the Sunni.

The Cardinal also appreciated the fact that the document contained excerpts not only from the Old Testament but also from the New Testament, and not only from the Holy Qur'an.

He also appealed to Christians and Muslims to separate violence from religion, and they can do this when they share the three convictions found in the letter of the 138 Muslim leaders: God is One; God loves us and we love Him; God wants us to love our neighbours.

Both Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI have repeatedly stressed "the Catholic Church wishes to pursue a sincere and fruitful interreligious dialogue with the followers of Islam and of the Jewish faith. Such a dialogue is not an attempt to impose our view upon others. What it demands of all of us is that, holding to what we believe, we listen respectfully to one another, seek to discern all that is good and holy in each other's teachings, and co-operate in supporting everything that favours mutual understanding and peace.

"To try to impose on others by violent means what we consider to be the truth is an offence against human dignity, and ultimately an offence against God, whose image that person bears. For this reason, what is usually referred to as fundamentalism is an attitude radically opposed to belief in God. Terrorism exploits not just people, it exploits God: it ends by making him an idol to be used for one's own purpose." (Message for the World Day of Peace, January 1, 2002, Pope John Paul II)