People today still need to hear document’s message that Christians, Muslims share two great commandments On Oct. 13, 2007, 138 Muslim leaders signed “A Common Word Between Us and You,” a document stating that Christians and Muslims share two great commandments — love of God and love of neighbor — and should work for peace together. Now 10 years later, …

With the appearance of the new crescent moon last Thursday, the holy month of Ramadan commenced for the Muslim world. During this month, Muslims recall the first time the one God dictated verses of the Holy Qur’an through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammed. His mission would be to call people to obedience to the one God and to …

For many months, I have entertained the conceit that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reads my column. More recently, the conceit is that he reads my mind. Let me explain. Last month, I flew to Rome to participate in the third Catholic-Muslim Forum as a member of the delegation of Muslim scholars and intellectuals. We met with our Catholic colleagues …

ISTANBUL — Pope Francis further demonstrated his commitment to improving relations between Christians and Muslims on Saturday, as he prayed in Istanbul’s historic Blue Mosque and visited the Hagia Sophia—two powerful symbols of the Muslim and Christian faiths. On the second of a three-day trip to Turkey, the pontiff removed his shoes before entering the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, known as …

(Vatican Radio) Catholic and Muslim leaders, meeting in the Vatican, have issued a unanimous condemnation of terrorism, violence, persecution and the destruction of places sacred to religious communities. The joint statement came as part of a final communique from a meeting of the Catholic-Muslim Forum which held its third Seminar in Rome from 11th to 13th November. The theme of …

Professor David Ford OBE, Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Inter-faith Programme, described ‘A Common Word’ as, “The most important inter-faith initiative ever taken by Muslims towards Christians.” The Rt Revd Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Timothy Winter (Abdul Hakim Murad), two University of Cambridge alumni involved in the initiative, will be …

Amman – The election of Argentine Pope Francis, the 266th Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church, deserves both our congratulations and our reflection for the future of Muslim-Christian coexistence and dialogue. As a survivor of genocide at the end of 20th century in Bosnia, I am very interested in the policy of the Vatican and the …

Many Muslims share the observation that while Pope John Paul II had a clear-cut positive image in the Muslim world, Pope Benedict XVI unfortunately left mixed sentiments due to the controversy of his 2006 lecture at University of Regensburg. The perception of the Holy See’s long silence on the Danish publication of denigrating cartoons depicting Islam’s Prophet caused initial skepticism …

Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad visits Regent’s Park to take part in a conference organised by the Oxford Centre for Christianity and Culture. Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan visited Regent’s Park College last weekend to take part in a conference marking the fifth anniversary of ‘A Common Word,’ an open letter from Islamic scholars to Christian leaders, appealing for peaceful …

Introduction “Say: O People of the Book! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside God.”The Holy Qur’an, 3:64 In this study, the author will firstly examine The Common Word initiative and …

Thomas L Friedman, the New York Times columnist and author, is one of those writers who inspire admiration and indignation in equal measure. You may not always agree with him but you can’t put him down either. Commenting on a Saudi initiative for peace with Israel, also known as Arab Peace Plan, Friedman wrote last year: “What the moribund Israeli-Palestinian …

There have been four high-profile cases in recent years where the media in both the West and the Middle East have not been helpful in how they have reported the religious issues involved: these were the incidents of the Danish cartoons, The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Sharia Law lecture, the issue of whether Muslim women in Europe should be permitted to …

Bryn Mawr President Jane McAuliffe joined Muslim and Catholic scholars, intellectuals, and clerics from 18 Islamic and non-Islamic countries in a three-day interfaith forum focused on the theme “Reason, Faith and the Human Person.” Held from Nov. 21-23, the forum took place at the “Baptism Site,” a place on the shores of the Dead Sea not far from Amman, Jordan. …

Five years after Pope Benedict XVI’s Regensburg address that ignited protests around the Islamic world, the Catholic-Muslim Forum established to improve interfaith relations has said that what began as formal dialogue has become increasingly characterised by friendship. The forum, which grew out of Muslim dissatisfaction with comments in Pope Benedict’s 2006 Regensburg speech, held its second round of theological consultations …

Five years after Pope Benedict XVI’s Regensburg address that ignited protests around the Islamic world, the Catholic-Muslim Forum established to improve interfaith relations has said that what began as formal dialogue has become increasingly characterised by friendship, reports the Tablet. The forum, which grew out of Muslim dissatisfaction with comments in Pope Benedict’s 2006 Regensburg speech, held its second round …

In Jordan, at the Catholic Muslim forum, reference was made to the “ecumenical” episode, when Muhammad invited the Christians of Najran to pray in his mosque, before engaging in dialogue with them “Even the prophet Muhammad invited Christians to pray in a mosque before meeting with them.” Among the many words spoken during the three days of the second Catholic …

AMMAN (JT) – His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday received a delegation comprising participants in the Second Muslim-Catholic Forum, which opened at the Baptism Site in the Jordan Valley on Monday, according to a Royal Court statement. During the meeting, King Abdullah lauded participants’ efforts and emphasised the importance of the forum, held under the theme “Reason, Faith and Mankind”, …

Amman, Nov 22 (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah II said on Tuesday Jordan is pressing with reforms to offer a regional democratic role model that promotes moderation and openness. Speaking to 48 Muslim intellectuals and Christian clerics attending an Islamic-Catholic forum sponsored by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, the King referred to the importance of Jerusalem …

The second edition of the Catholic-Muslim Forum was held in Al-Maghtas, south of the Jordanian capital Amman (Baptism Site) from November 21 to 23. This meeting between Catholic and Muslim senior representatives was entitled “Reason, Faith and Human Person: Christian and Muslim perspectives.” A final communiqué will be published. It will present a summary of discussions held between various religious …

(Reuters) – Only five years ago, critical remarks by Pope Benedict about Islam sparked off violent protests in several Muslim countries. Never very good, relations between the world’s two largest religions sank to new lows in modern times. This week, while protesters in the Arab world were demanding democracy and civil rights, Catholics and Muslims met along the Jordan River …

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – On October 27, Benedict XVI will lead many representatives and religious leaders, as well as some people who are not overtly religious to Assisi for an event titled “Pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace.” It will commemorate the now historic meeting for peace held October 27, 1986 at the initiative of John Paul II. Card. Peter …

9/11 strengthened fundamentalism in every global faith – and in atheismtoo. But it has also led to backlashes against these doctrines wherever they have appeared. In Islam there have been positive developments. The attacks were repeatedly and clearly condemned by Muslim leaders all over the world. After Pope Benedict XVI’s controversial Regensburg speech, the most notable response was the decision …

Ghazi, the royal family’s Jordanian exponent who in 2007 promoted the letter sent by 138 Muslim wise men advocating dialogue with Christians, is to take part in an interfaith dialogue convened by Benedict XVI due to take place next October. Jordanian Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal – promoter in 2007 of the letter of 138 Muslim scholars for dialogue …

I am in Yale for 10 days, participating in a small conference of religious scholars and activists. Organized by The Reconciliation Program of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture at Yale Divinity School, the conference is entitled “Building Hope: Muslims, Christians and Jews Seeking the Common Good.” Dr. Joseph Cummings, the program director, wrote to me that 10 leaders …

“In a world of hatred and mistrust only the world’s religions can help.” So declared the United Nations General Assembly last fall when it passed an unusual resolution. Although it has not received adequate notice, the resolution declared that the first week of February each year will be World Interfaith Harmony Week. Introduced by Jordan and co-sponsored by 29 other …

A Divine Word missionary, who worked for many years on initiatives of understanding between the two major world faiths submit his comment on the decision of the University of Cairo. “This is the moment when we must overcome our differences and focus on the good of humanity. We can achieve something… BY ASIA NEWS Mumbai – Fr A. Ambu, Divine …

AMMAN (JT) –– His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday stressed the need to activate interfaith dialogue to build bridges of tolerance and understanding between cultures, a Royal Court statement said. In his address at the European People’s Party (EPP) summit, delivered in the presence of 20 presidents and prime ministers, EU institution chiefs and opposition leaders, along with HRH Prince …

Christians ‘on verge of extinction’ in Iraq, Muslim leader warns Iraqi security forces stand guard outside the National Evangelical church in Basra, Iraq’s second-largest city. Iraq’s Christian churches are under heavy security following last Sunday’s siege on Our… Associated Press A Muslim leader is calling on the Iraqi government and US-led forces to step up their efforts to protect the …