veiled4allah

reaching out to one another

Muslims are helping protect Christians in Indonesia from terrorist attacks:

As church congregations offer up Christmas prayers here this weekend, thousands of Muslims will help keep the peace, standing guard outside. After warnings of terrorist attacks over Christmas, police stepped up security, deploying over 17,000 officers in Jakarta, two-thirds of the city's force. Joining them in protecting hundreds of churches are some 7,000 guards from 11 different Islam-linked organizations. Police are hoping "Operation Candle," which will run from Dec. 24 to Jan. 3, will be a symbol of goodwill between Christianity and Islam, ending a year that has seen many tests of Indonesia's religious harmony. It's part of a bid by authorities to move beyond physical security to include an ideological campaign against violent strains of Islam. "Having Muslims and Christians work together for security, the authorities are hoping to show that pluralism is still strong," says Sri Yunanto, an Indonesian expert on radical Islamist groups.

Mashallah! Now this is what I like to see!

Muslims and Jews - one nation under God

Hesham Hassaballa says:

This is truly amazing. The Prophet (pbuh) made the Jews of Medina one "ummah," or community with the believers. This even though the Jews immediately, almost as soon as he arrived in the city, rejected him as Messenger of God (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) did not force them to become Muslim; he did not expel the Jews from Medina after they rejected him; he did not relegate them to a "second-class citizen" status. No. They were equal members of the city, one "community with the believers," with the freedom to practice their religion. At one time in history, Muslims and Jews were one nation under God. I lament the tension between Muslims and Jews both in America and around the world. It makes so much sense for the two faith communities to be very close to each other: we both worship the same God, the God of Abraham; we both honor and revere both Abraham and Moses; Moses and Abraham are both highly honored in the Qur'an, and they are mentioned by name in the Qur'an more than the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself; there are many stories of the Hebrew Prophets in the Qur'an; in fact, the story of Joseph as mentioned in the Bible and the Qur'an are strikingly similar. Like I said before, Muslims and Jews have so much more in common than in distinction, and it pains me to see so much tension between the two faith communities. For far too long, the Holy Land has been poisoned by the blood of the senseless loss of innocent lives. For far too long, Palestinians and Israelis have lost their lives in a vicious and senseless circle of violence. For far too long, the Holy Land has cried out from the pain and death she has to endure day after day after day. It should not be so. Lord God, the Most Holy Lord God on High! Please bring peace to the Holy Land. Please let the choking smoke of guns and bombs lift off the place we Muslims, Christians, and Jews hold sacred. Lord God, this is the Land You have blessed, please let it shine in the light of Your Glory, rather than be smothered in the blood of the innocent. My Most Precious Lord, please bring peace to the Holy Land, so that the constant glorification of Your Most Holy Name is no longer drowned out by the deafening sound of guns, missiles, and bombs exploding. In Your Most Holy Name, O Lord, I do ask these things. Amen.

Amen.

the passing of the Pope

First, towards a better interfaith understanding (received via email from CAIR):

Muslims worldwide respected Pope John Paul II as an advocate for justice and human rights. His message of international peace and interfaith reconciliation is one that will reverberate for decades to come. We offer our sincere condolences to members of the Roman Catholic Church and to all those who seek a more peaceful world.

I was brought up Catholic, although my family isn't religious and I chose not to receive confirmation into the Church because I didn't believe in key aspects of doctrine (such as the Trinity, Incarnation, etc). My mother's family is Catholic and I'm thinking of them, particulary my grandmother, today. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un - Surely we belong to God and surely we will return to Him Added: More on the Pope and interfaith reconciliation and issues Also: Pope touches hearts among Muslims and The Other Pope by Juan Cole. Plus A Muslim perspective on the Pope's legacy

showing respect for one another's traditions

After seeing some stories recently about certain Christian charities trying to evangelize in Indonesia and other tsunami-stricken area (can you imagine how most Americans would feel if a Muslim country offered aid to us in a disaster then started trying to convert people to Islam? Muslims feel the same way) it was good to see this story about the Catholic charity, Caritas, showing genuine respect for the religious beliefs of the Muslim Acehnese:

Friday was the festival of Eid in which Muslims celebrate their faith and remember the story of Ibrahim (Abraham in the Christian tradition) and his son Ishmael. It is a day of family celebration and prayer which the international Catholic charity, Caritas, marked by carrying out a distribution of "religious kits". The kits contain a prayer mat used by Muslims as part of the requirement of Islam to pray five times a day in a clean area free from dust and insects, a sarong which is traditionally worn by men to attend the mosque and a "mukena" or female Moslem outfit that cover their heads and bodies when they pray. The 2500 kits have been distributed in the Meulaboh area of Aceh to people living in camps. The kits arrived in time for people to use their contents for the Eid festival. The Caritas team leader Pat Johns said "We talked to our local staff and the community leaders in the area to ask them what they needed. Many people in Meulaboh and the surrounding area lost everything and the loss of items that are important for their Muslim faith was particularly distressing. "As a faith based organisation, we recognise the importance of faith to many people, so as a mark of respect for the festival of Eid, Caritas decided to distribute what we are calling 'religious kits'."

Hajj acts illustrate similarities in religions

When Muslims mark the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, or hajj, later this month, the central figure in their religious celebrations will be the Prophet Abraham, not the Prophet Muhammad as one might suppose. That fact offers an excellent opportunity for Muslims, Christians and Jews to recognize their shared religious heritage and to promote a common future as people of faith. Each year, Muslims in American and around the world conclude their hajj with a holiday called Eid ul-Adha (eed-al-ODD-ha), or "festival of the sacrifice." Eid ul-Adha signifies not only the end of the pilgrimage, it also commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son at God's command. (Muslims believe it was Ishmael that God asked to be sacrificed.) One of the central rites of hajj, the largest and oldest annual gatherings on Earth, is the stoning by the pilgrims of three pillars representing Satan's temptation of Abraham and his rejection of that enticement. The stoning indicates the pilgrim's similar rejection of evil deeds. Other hajj rites also focus on Abraham and his family. Pilgrims circle the Kaaba, the simple stone building Muslims believe was originally built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. The Kaaba is viewed as the first sanctuary on Earth dedicated to the worship of the One God. Pilgrims also perform the Sa'i, or "hastening" between two small hills near the Kaaba, to commemorate Hagar's desperate search for water to offer her son Ishmael. Muslims call Abraham the "friend" of God. The Quran, Islam's revealed text, states: "Who can be better in faith than one who submits his whole self to God, does good and follows the way of Abraham, the true in faith? For God did take Abraham for a friend." (4:125) Another verse in the Quran portrays Abraham as the "father" of all believers. "Strive in the way of God as you ought to strive with sincerity and discipline. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in the observance of your faith - the faith of your father Abraham." (22:78) Yet another verse confirms Abraham is part of the brotherhood of God's prophets. "(O Muhammad), We have sent revelations to you just as We sent to Noah and the Prophets who came after him. We also sent revelations to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, his descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms." (4:163) Muslims mention Abraham along with the Prophet Muhammad in their daily prayers. It is sometimes easy to focus on the very real differences in faith and religious practice. But we all need to make the effort to find out what we have in common and to communicate those shared beliefs. People claiming to speak in the name of their faith sparked the recent downward spiral of interfaith mistrust and hostility. It is time for the majority of Muslims, Christians and Jews to stand up and say they will not let the fringe of any faith group dictate how they view and interact with each other. Through hajj, Abraham has united Muslims for more than 14 centuries. The real challenge is for all of Abraham's children - Muslims, Christians and Jews - to unite for the common good of humanity. (by Nihad Awad)

imams and rabbis for peace

A hopeful story in the news:

Muslim and Jewish leaders from across the world were set to gather in Brussels last night in an effort to quell rising tensions between Muslims and Jews in Europe. High on the agenda was a call from a senior Muslim figure in Britain for a policy of "naming and shaming" of extremists. The "imams and rabbis for peace" conference, which brings together 150 leaders of the two faiths, was set up by the Paris-based peace foundation Hommes de Parole (Men of Their Word). The chief rabbis of Austria, Brussels, Bulgaria and Denmark were among Jewish religious leaders to take part, while a strong contingent from Israel was to include the chief rabbi of Haifa and prominent members of the High Rabbinical Court of Jerusalem. Abduljalil Sajid, a senior figure in the Muslim Council of Britain who called for the naming and shaming policy, said he hoped the conference would demonstrate that "99.9 per cent of Muslims, along with 99.9 per cent of Jews" favoured peaceful co-existence. Dr Sajid, the imam of Brighton, was to chair a session in which imams and rabbis would study values common to both religions. He said: "We should stand shoulder to shoulder to name and shame the tiny minority of agitators and extremists within our own communities and stress our respect for the sanctity of life."... ...Organisers say they are seeking to "create dialogue and an enduring partnership between Islam and Judaism", promoting personal friendships and joint initiatives. Joseph Sitruk, the chief rabbi of France, said: "The assembly is an important moment because it carries hope and freedom for a disillusioned world."

let us come to know one another

Familiarity apparently does not breed contempt. In interfaith relations at least, it leads to greater understanding and a decrease in hostility. The Quran, Islam's revealed text, states: "O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you might come to know one another. Surely the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is the most righteous." (49:13) Muslims appreciate the fact that God did not make us all into cookie-cutter automatons who look the same or believe the same things. Our differences create a God-given opportunity to "come to know one another" in a spirit of mutual respect. It is this mutual respect that is a prerequisite for true understanding and acceptance. We cannot really accept someone as long as we maintain attitudes of religious, ethnic or cultural triumphalism. A person once asked the Prophet Muhammad whether love of one's own people is an indication of unhealthy partisanship. The Prophet replied: "No, but when a man helps his people in an unjust cause, it indicates partisanship." In other words, you can love those who share your ethnicity or beliefs, but that love should not be used as an excuse for wrongdoing or intolerance of others. There are some practical steps we all can take to help decrease interfaith hostility. Reach out to people of other faiths. Your Muslim co-worker will not be insulted if you ask him or her about Islam. Muslims enjoy a good religious discussion and would rather have you ask difficult questions in a respectful manner than to have you harbor myths and stereotypes. Muslims should also be open to learning more about other faiths. Speak out against religious or racial bigotry. Muslims are obviously sensitive to Islamophobic bigotry and discrimination, but we also need to be just as sensitive to discrimination against others. Teach your children to be open and tolerant. It is our children who will inherit a world that is either increasingly divided or one that is moving toward peace and reconciliation. Despite the depression and powerlessness that can be caused by watching the violence and hatred on the nightly news, we all have a role to play in making this world a better place to live. The future is in our hands.

Read the whole thing

'We have so much in common'

"Behold! The angels said: 'O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and in (the company of) those nearest to God.'" Before searching for this quote in the New Testament, you might first ask your Muslim co-worker, friend or neighbor for a copy of the Quran, Islam's revealed text. The quote is from verse 45 of chapter 3 of the Quran. What is little understood, particularly in this holiday season, is that Muslims love and revere Jesus as a one of God's greatest messengers to mankind. Other verses in the Quran - which is regarded by Muslims as the direct word of God - state that Jesus was strengthened with the "Holy Spirit" (2:87) and is a "sign for the whole world." (21:91) His virgin birth was confirmed when Mary is quoted as asking: "How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me?" (3:47) The Quran shows Jesus speaking from the cradle and, with God's permission, curing lepers and the blind. (5:110) God also states in the Quran: "We gave (Jesus) the Gospel (Injeel) and put compassion and mercy into the hearts of his followers." (5:27) As forces of hate in this country and worldwide try to pull Muslims and Christians apart, we are in desperate need of a unifying force that can bridge the widening gap of interfaith misunderstanding and mistrust. That force could be the message of love, peace and forgiveness taught by Jesus and accepted by followers of both faiths. Christians and Muslims would do well to consider another verse in the Quran reaffirming God's eternal message of spiritual unity: "Say ye: 'We believe in God and the revelation given to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and it is unto Him that we surrender ourselves.' " (2:136) The Prophet Muhammad himself sought to erase any distinctions between the message he taught and that taught by Jesus, who he called God's "spirit and word." Prophet Muhammad said: "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one." When Muslims mention the Prophet Muhammad, they always add the phrase "peace be upon him." Christians may be surprised to learn that the same phrase always follows a Muslim's mention of Jesus and that we believe Jesus will return to earth in the last days before the final judgment. Disrespect toward Jesus, something we have seen all too often in our society, is very offensive to Muslims. Unfortunately, violent events and hate-filled rhetoric around the world provide ample opportunity for promoting religious hostility. Yes, Muslims and Christians do have some differing perspectives on Jesus' life and teachings. But his spiritual legacy offers an opportunity for people of faith to recognize their shared religious heritage. America's Muslim community stands ready to honor that legacy by building bridges of interfaith understanding and by challenging those who would divide our nation along religious or ethnic lines. We have more in common than we think. (by Ibrahim Hooper, source)

law firm brings together Palestinian and Jewish lawyers

Here's a nice human interest story:

Sana'a Hussien describes her Worth law office as "a little peace process." Her partner, Edward Cohen, views the practice as "a little United Nations." To say the least, the small firm of Cohen and Hussien can show nations in conflict a little something about how to get along. "I don't think you can plan something like this. It's not that I was trying to make a statement," says Hussien, a Palestinian American who joined with Cohen, who is Jewish, to form the partnership in September 2002. It's not uncommon to witness Palestinians and Jews on opposite sides of the table trying to reach agreement on serious issues. So, too, Cohen and Hussien found themselves on opposite sides of the table during a real estate contract negotiation when they first met.

It's great to see people working together to reach a greater understanding of each other. Read the whole story, inshallah.

Jewish couple celebrates wedding anniversary at Muslim school

Here's a heartwarming story with a local twist. The Seattle Times has the whole.

Sixty-two years ago, Alice Siegal wore a powder-blue wool suit, a pillbox hat and a veil and married her sweetheart, Arthur, in the gymnasium of the Seattle Talmud Torah, a Jewish day school in the Central District. Tomorrow, she and her husband will celebrate their anniversary in the same brick-faced building. It looks pretty much the same, except for one thing: An Arabic verse from the Quran now hangs over the Star of David near the front door. The building now houses the Islamic School of Seattle, which doesn't bother the Siegals one bit. In fact, they're thrilled. "I'm just really very touched," said Alice Siegal, who is 80. "I think anything we can do to get to know each other better is wonderful." In May, Arthur Siegal, who is 85, organized a volunteer group from the couple's synagogue to do a mitzvah, or a good deed, at the school. The school needed to refill its playground, and Siegal offered a crew from Temple De Hirsch Sinai to distribute 100 yards of wood chips. While he was there, he casually mentioned to a school director that he was married in the building. "We just got all excited about it," said Ann El-Moslimany, another director at the school. So the school invited the Siegals for an anniversary celebration with cake and refreshments. "Muslims and Jews have always gotten along until recently with the state of Israel," El-Moslimany said. "But as far as the religion and what we believe in, we're both people of faith, and we both believe in one God. ... I think it's great they're coming." The Jewish school was built in 1935, but the building became a welfare office and had other purposes after a number of Jewish families moved away. The Islamic School bought the building in 1981. El-Moslimany said that the Star of David is still on the wall, and that she has thought of moving the school's wooden logo, which says, "O Lord, increase my knowledge," so that the star is visible. "We think of the Jews as our cousins in faith," she said, adding that she belongs to Children of Abraham, an interfaith group of Muslims, Jews and Christians. "Certainly we're all children of the same God." Alice Siegal grew up in Seattle in an Orthodox family, which considered Islam "another religion in an exotic land" if it considered Islam at all, she said. Arthur grew up in a small town in New Mexico, where he was one of a handful of Jews among Catholics. It wasn't until the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that their interest in Islam grew, and they began volunteering as guardians at the Islamic School to ward off anti-Muslim attacks. They've since attended interfaith forums and a fund-raiser for earthquake victims in Iran. "We all live in one world. There's no reason why we can't get to know each other better and live in peace," Alice said.

The Central District in Seattle is one of the more ethnically diverse over its history, having been home to Asian Americans, Jews, and African-Americans, among others. Currently, the neighborhood where the Islamic School is located is predominately African-American.