The world's most senior Muslim clerics have for the first time signed a joint Eid Al Fitr letter to the heads of all Christian churches to stave off a deepening rift between the two main global religious communities.
The message, signed by five UAE clerics and scholars among 138 senior figures in the Islamic world, was received yesterday by church leaders including Pope Benedict and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.
While the 29-page letter presents a shared basis of belief between the two religions upon the love of one God and love of the neighbour, experts say the document marks the latest episode in a smouldering debate that was ignited by the pontiff 13 months ago today.
"This letter was written as a direct response to Pope Benedict's University of Regensburg speech," said signatory Dr Yousef Meri, in reference to the September 12, 2006, address that saw the Pontiff cite historic claims criticising the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and forced conversions.
"We hope the letter will be seen as a positive challenge to His Holiness the Pope,"said Dr Meri, a fellow and special scholar in residence of the Royal Aal Al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought that organised the document.
"Following the upset that was caused by the Pope's remarks, this is an attempt to build bridges and pour holy water on the fires that are burning throughout the world." UAE signatory Sheikh Al Habib Ali Zain Al Abidin Al Jifri, founder of Abu Dhabi's Tabah Foundation, said the letter is designed to promote peace and understanding in a world that is dogged by violence, often perpetrated on religious grounds - whether by Islamic terrorists or Western military interventions in the Middle East.
"What happened on September 11, 2001, some people claim to have been done in the name of what they believed," said Al Jifri. "Others claim the wars that followed the 9/11 attacks were also related to religion.
"One is ascribed to Islam and the other is ascribed to Christianity. But we believe that such actions cannot be ascribed to either - for both religions are free of such actions being ascribed to them." The letter was addressed to "all leaders of Christian churches everywhere" and signed by Shias, Sunnis, Sufis and Abadhis ranging from Chief Mufti of Dubai Sheikh Dr Al Habib Ahmad bin Abd Al Aziz Al Haddad and senior figures throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America including the grand muftis of Egypt, Palestine, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Bosnia and Russia.
The scholars wrote: "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.
"Our common future is at stake. The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake." Such a joint letter is unprecedented in the history of Islam, which has no central authority that speaks on behalf of all worshippers.
Anglican leader Rowan Williams welcomed the message as "indicative of the kind of relationship for which we yearn in all parts of the world."
By James Reinl
Emirates Today 2007
