Muslim scholars have addressed Pope among other Christian leaders in a letter, urging peace and understanding between the two religions.
“If Muslims and Christians are not at peace, the world cannot be at peace. With the terrible weaponry of the modern world; with Muslims and Christians intertwined everywhere as never before, no side can unilaterally win a conflict between more than half of the world’s inhabitants”, reads the letter from the Muslim clergy and authorities around the world on the eve of Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan, the holiest month of Muslims.
The scholars, numbering more than 130, called “the common future” of the people of both religions as well as “perhaps the very survival of the world itself at stake” in the absence of such peace and understanding.
Citing common canons between the two faiths, as worship of the same God and righteous treatment of one’s neighbor, the scholars deemed reaching understanding between Muslims and Christians to take more than merely polite dialog between religious leaders.
“So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works”, the letter, entitled A Common Word Between Us and You, goes on.
Prominent Muslim leaders, politicians and academics signed the letter including the Grand Muftis of Bosnia, Russia, Croatia, Kosovo and Syria, the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the former Grand Mufti of Egypt and the founder of the Ulema Organization in Iraq.
HN/MMA