dialogue between the three monotheistic faiths
Madrid: 19 July
Dear & eminent colleagues:
I wish to bring you in picture about a truly historic meeting convened here on the invitation of the Saudi monarch. This conference had been convened for a most crucial dialogue between the three monotheistic faiths. Saudi King Abdullah appealed for “constructive dialogue” to end disputes between the world’s major religions as he opened an inter-faith conference in Madrid. In his inaugural speech on Wednesday, 16th July, to the three-day World Conference on Dialogue he observed:
“We all believe in one God. We are meeting here today to say that religions should be a means to iron out differences and not to lead to disputes.”
The conference had been organized on an initiative of King Abdullah (whom I have known since 2002-3 when I went to receive the King Faisal Memorial Award from him in Riyadh). Over 200 participants attended, including representatives of the world’s major religions. Among them were the secretary general of the World Jewish Congress, Michael Schneider, and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who is responsible for dialogue between the Vatican and Muslims.
After Wednesday’s inaugural session, four closed-door round tables were held before a final communiqué was issued on Friday, 18th July. In these sessions as a part of the experts drafting committee/panel, I did my best to have them include something about the Family.
The international Dialogue that just ended finally had something VERY POSITIVE to say which is fundamentally Good about Family. I will send you a detailed report later, but it may be useful to give you the quintessential phraseology used about this point.
The declaration issued at the end of the final Session on Friday by H.E.Abdulmohsin Al-Turki ( a Saudi Prince) in a press conference, inter alia, called for:
“observing peace, honoring agreements and respecting traditions of peoples and their right to security, freedom and self-determination that are the basis for building good relations among all the people of the world. Achieving this is a major objective of all religions and prominent cultures.”
The declaration however did highlight the:
“significance of religions and moral values as well as the need for human beings to revert to their Creator in the fight against crime, corruption, drugs and terrorism. We also call upon the people to preserve the institution of the family and protect societies from deviant behaviors.”
All major addresses given by the galaxy of pious people gathered there were really directed towards the anti-terrorism emphasis of all the great Faiths of Mankind (religious leaders belonging to Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Sikhism were gathered there). But in the drafting process I was able to have the language boldly supportive of our mutual struggles emerge in clear terms.
Since most of the talking was done by the Arabic speaking leaders in the context of the post 9/11 world, it was, I suppose, not easy to accomplish what I have articulated above. This matter is now going to the UN and, in the context of my earlier association with you, I shall do my best to keep you abreast of the future developments in this regard.
Best,
Farooq
Dr. Farooq Hassan, D.Phil.;
BA (Juris),MA,M. LiTT (OXON);
DCL (Columbia),DIA(Harvard);
Sen.Adv.Sup.Ct. (Pakistan),
Barrister at Law (UK),Attorney at Law(US).
permalink | Jock Gill | Community, Culture, Ethics, Islam, Religion
I feel that our worthy President Dr. Farooq Hassan has been he moving spirit behind many developents on the subject of the Family–both nationally and internationally. He has always endorsed the highest family values and as such few people outside of his native country really comprehend the love and respect he enjoys in the community. We in the Pakistan Family Forum look eagerly to the full report on this vitally important issue currently facing mankind in the present century. Western civlization while giving us many blessings has also wrecked havoc on the moral basis of family and marriage.
Something that’s always bothered me: Pretty much all religions I know of, EXCEPT Islam, have a very clear statement of some form of the Golden Rule. I’ve yet to find anybody who can point to an equivalent in the Koran. I’d love to have someone prove me wrong.